Evangelista was a surprising healthy scratch on Monday but will return to the lineup on Wednesday and skate alongside Kiefer Sherwood and Juuso Parssinen on the Predators' second line. Evangelista has nine points (1G / 8A) in 16 games this season, averaging 15:02 time-on-ice.
The Predators' last two wins have come with Kevin Lankinen between the pipes as a struggling Saros will return to the crease on Monday. Saros has not been the elite goaltender the hockey world has become accustomed to over the past half-decade this season, highlighted by allowing 21 goals on 149 shots (.859 SV%) during a season-worst five-game losing streak (0-5-0). The Predators are +146 home underdogs against an Avalanche team that has won three straight games, outscoring their opposition 19-6.
Evangelista has a goal, eight assists, 27 SOG, two PIMs, and a -2 plus/minus in 16 games this season but will be a surprisingly healthy scratch Monday vs. Colorado. The 21-year-old right-winger will be replaced by Liam Foudy in the Predators' lineup Monday.
Stastney is expected to play his ninth career NHL game, his first of the season, on Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Predators' fifth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft has four points (1G / 3A) in 10 games with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) this season.
Saros will get the chance to redeem himself on Tuesday against the Anaheim Ducks after some uncharacteristically poor play in November. Saros has yet to win this month (0-4-0) and has allowed three or more goals in each game, posting an awful .860 SV%. Saros has never posted a sub- .914 SV% but is well below his career averages this season with a 3.24 GAA and .894 SV%. Despite his struggles, Saros and the Predators remain -173 home favourites against an Anaheim Ducks team that ranks in the bottom half of the league offensively (3.14 GF / GP).
Saros will likely get the chance to redeem himself on Tuesday against the Anaheim Ducks after some uncharacteristically poor play in November. Saros has yet to win this month (0-4-0) and has allowed three or more goals in each game, posting an awful .860 SV%. Saros has never posted a sub- .914 SV% but is well below his career averages this season with a 3.24 GAA and .894 SV%. Despite his struggles, Saros and the Predators remain -173 home favourites against an Anaheim Ducks team that ranks in the bottom half of the league offensively (3.14 GF / GP).
McCarron has been a healthy scratch for the Predators' last game but will be back in Nashville's lineup Tuesday vs. Anaheim. The 28-year-old has a goal, an assist, four SOG and a +2 plus/minus in five games this season and will take over for Philip Tomasino on the Predators' fourth line.
Stastney has been recalled with Thomas Novak being out of the lineup for the next four to six weeks with an upper-body injury. Stastney played eight games with the Predators last season, recording two assists and a +5 plus/minus rating.
Saros will get the nod in goal for a league-leading eleventh time this season. The Predators' workhorse gave up just three goals on 38 shots in Tuesday's 4-2 defeat to the Flames. Saros owns a .911 SV% and a 2.73 GAA to go along with his 4-6-0 record. He has a decent chance of getting back in the win column on Thursday with the Predators being just slight underdogs at +105 on the road in Winnipeg.
Saros will be the starter on Tuesday after serving as the backup to Kevin Lankinen in two of the Predators' last three games. In his most recent contest, Saros allowed four goals on 31 shots (.871 SV%) in a 4-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken. Despite a subpar 5-6-0 record, the Predators rank top-ten in the league defensively, allowing an average of only 2.91 goals per game, which bodes well as they take on the Calgary Flames, who rank fifth-worst offensively (2.55 GF / GP).
Zach Bogosian will take Perbix's place as the Lightning do a bit of lineup rotation for the tail-end of their back-to-back. Perbix has registered three assists, 16 blocked shots, and five hits across 11 games this season.
Saros appears to be the starter on Tuesday after serving as the backup to Kevin Lankinen in two of the Predators' last three games. In his most recent contest, Saros allowed four goals on 31 shots (.871 SV%) in a 4-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken. Despite a subpar 5-6-0 record, the Predators rank top-ten in the league defensively, allowing an average of only 2.91 goals per game, which bodes well as they take on the Calgary Flames, who rank fifth-worst offensively (2.55 GF / GP).
Kaapo Kahkonen left Thursday's game with an upper-body injury, so Chrona has been summoned from the AHL, most likely to serve as Mackenzie Blackwood's backup on Saturday. The 23-year-old netminder has gone 0-3-1 with a 4.82 GAA and .871 SV% in four AHL games this season.
The Predators will turn back to Juuse Saros after giving him his first rest of the season, a 5-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday. Saros will be starting for the ninth time in 10 games and should continue to be a workhorse for the Predators as Lankinen's first start on Tuesday likely did not instill much confidence from the coaching staff. Saros is performing right around his career averages this season, posting a 2.49 GAA and .915 SV% but has only been able to record a 4-4-0 record due to his team's inability to score consistently (2.78 GF / GP). The Predators visit the Seattle Kraken on Thursday, who have the 27th-ranked offence in the league (2.40 GF / GP).
