Friedman appeared in 23 games for Vancouver in 2023-24 and signed a one-year, $775,000 contract extension on Wednesday into the 2024-25 season. The 28-year-old with 88 career NHL games played to his name had no goals, one assist, 16 SOG and 21 PIMs in 23 games played with Vancouver last season.
Smith will not be available for the Predators' do-or-die Game 6 vs. the Canucks. He'll either be replaced by Juuso Pärssinen or Luke Schenn, if the Predators go with seven defensemen.
Saros stopped 19 of 20 shots in the Predators' Game 5 win in Vancouver. Through five games, Saros is 2-3 with a 2.21 GAA and .879 SV%. The Predators have done an outstanding job in front of Saros, allowing just 18.2 shots against per game and the lowest xGA/60 (2.27) in the postseason.
Saros stopped 19 of 20 shots in the Predators' Game 5 win in Vancouver. Through five games, Saros is 2-3 with a 2.21 GAA and .879 SV%. The Predators have done an outstanding job in front of Saros, allowing just 18.2 shots against per game and the lowest xGA/60 (2.27) in the postseason.
Schenn missed Game 5 due to illness but practiced in full on Thursday and is considered day-to-day ahead of their matchup on Friday. The 34-year-old veteran has appeared in four games so far with Nashville in the playoffs but is without a point, and has four SOG while averaging 15:03 TOI.
With Nashville in need of some reinforcements with Luke Schenn still fighting an illness, Kevin Gravel has been recalled from Milwaukee (AHL) on Thursday. The 32-year-old last appeared in the NHL in 2022-23 and played in 23 games with Nashville, picking up an assist, 20 SOG and a -10 plus/minus.
Tyson Barrie will make his playoff debut in Schenn's place. It's unknown at this time if Schenn is dealing with an undisclosed injury or if he is simply a healthy scratch.
The Predators will unsurprisingly turn to Saros with their season on the line on Tuesday as they look to claw back from a 3-1 series deficit. Saros had another disappointing performance in Game 4 on Sunday, allowing four goals on just 21 shots as the Canucks came back to secure a dramatic 4-3 victory in overtime. Saros' SV% on the series sits uncharacteristically low at .859, and he will no doubt need to do a lot better than that if the Predators are going to have any chance of getting back in this series.
Stastney logged 6:36 TOI before leaving Game 3 with an upper-body injury. If Stastney can't go in Game 4, the Predators have Tyson Barrie or Dante Fabbro ready to go into the lineup.
Nashville will turn back to Saros for Game 3 on Friday at home after he impressed in Game 2 by stopping 17 of 18 shots (.944 SV%) in a road victory to even the series. The 29-year-old had yet another strong regular season this year with his 35-24-5 record, 2.86 GAA and .906 SV%. He will look to take a series lead on Friday as Nashville hosts Vancouver, who will look to get back to their scoring ways after finishing the regular season fourth in the NHL in goals per game (3.4).
Nashville will expectedly turn back to Saros for Game 3 on Friday at home after he impressed in Game 2 by stopping 17 of 18 shots (.944 SV%) in a road victory to even the series. The 29-year-old had yet another strong regular season this year with his 35-24-5 record, 2.86 GAA and .906 SV%. He will look to take a series lead on Friday as Nashville hosts Vancouver, who will look to get back to their scoring ways after finishing the regular season fourth in the NHL in goals per game (3.4).
Saros will unsurprisingly get the nod in goal on Tuesday as he and the Predators look to bounce back from a disappointing Game 1 defeat. Nashville's starting netminder allowed three goals on just 20 shots in Sunday's loss, as the Canucks added an empty netter to seal a 4-2 victory and take the early series lead. Saros and the Predators enter tonight as very slight underdogs at +105. They will be hoping to steal home-ice advantage from the Canucks and even up the series before heading back home for Game 3.
Colorado has been porous defensively lately, being outscored 26-14 in their last five games (1-3-1), and will give Alexandar Georgiev the night off in their final game of the season. Annunnen has been serviceable when called upon this season, posting 2.35 GAA and .925 SV% in 13 games (7-4-1), but struggled in his last outing, a relied performance, allowing three goals on 11 shots (.727 SV%) in a 7-0 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. Colorado enters action on Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers as a -189 home favourite.
