GAME DAY | Predators – Canadiens: Preview, Lines, Goalies, TV, Fantasy

• Canadiens’ forward Paul Byron: “I think we have the best fans in the world right now, and they still believe in us, we’re not far out. We’re going to keep pushing, keep working hard and do everything we can for them, and to have their support all the time like that it’s a good feeling to be a player and knowing that all the fans, all the people have your back behind you and we’re doing our best to try and do everything we can to make the playoffs.”
• P. K. Subban set out to show doubters what he could do against the Flyers and had this to say about his dominating performance: “I’m primed every game. That’s the way I prepare for every game. I really don’t care what people think about me or about this team. It’s about what goes on in this dressing room… As far as critics and people who want to pick apart what’s going on in this dressing room, that’s fine. I expect to hear it from now until the end of the season, I’ve been here long enough to know that the best thing to do is to go out there and perform and produce.”
• James Neal on the adjustments of recently acquired Ryan Johansen: “Coming to a new team and coming to a new system, coming to new guys, your whole life is flipped upside down from a phone call, that’s hard on guys, so all you can do is help a guy out and try to make him feel as comfortable as possible and I think this team is good at that. Everyone does a good job at that and [Johansen] will just continue to get better and he’s been great so far.”
• The Predators have only won a single game this season once regulation time is over (they have 11 losses in extra time).
• While the Canadiens have a 5-13-1 record versus teams in the Western Conference this season, the Predators have a 12-8-5 record against teams from the East.
• So far this season, the Canadiens have a 2-7-1 record versus teams in the Central division, while the Predators have a 8-3-3 record versus teams coming from the Atlantic.
• The Canadiens have risen in their placing for the goals against category, they are currently in 18th in the league in goals against, with 163 in 59 games. The Predators have allowed 154 goals in 59 games and find themselves in 14th in the league.
• The Canadiens have maintained their place in the standings in the goals for category as they are currently in 12th place in the NHL, with 162 over their first 59 games. The Predators are 17th in this category with 154 goals scored in 59 games.

• Top scorers for the Predators on the road this season are:

1. Roman Josi (with 26 points in 29 games)
2. Filip Forsberg and Shea Weber (both with 16 points in 29 games)
3. Matias Ekholm and James Neal (both with 14 points in 29 games)

• Top scorers for the Canadiens at home this season are:

1. Tomas Plekanec and P. K. Subban (both with 24 points in 29 games)
2. Max Pacioretty (with 18 points in 29 games)
3. Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher (both with 15 points in 29 and 22 games respectively)

* – Currently injured

Player stats from War-on-Ice, NHL.com and Yahoo Sports.