Brew up the coffee, the Nashville Predators visit western Canada for the second and final time this season. Tonight it’s the Oilers for their third matchup with Edmonton holding a 2-0-0 lead in the season series. Nashville has struggled to keep up with the young, speedy Oilers and their assignment tonight is a difficult one, bust a four game losing streak before they fall too far out of the Western Conference playoff race.

They will have to do it with an even younger blueline as Francis Bouillon is out for tonight’s game with a groin he tweaked before Thanksgiving, Roman Josi will take his spot on D, and Teemu Laakso remains on IR. The Oilers are a bit banged up as well, listing Taylor Fedun, Corey Potter, Andy Sutton and Cam Barker as out, Taylor Hall and Ben Eager are listed as questionable.

The story all over the newspapers and blogs call out the Predators forwards for their lack of production, Josh Cooper quotes head coach Barry Trotz as saying that the forwards are “playing a little too individually.” Part of it is consistent effort, and part of it is some players trying to do too much. Whatever it is, the team needs to get right…

Game time is 8:30 central, coverage is on 102.5 the Game and Fox Sports Tennessee.

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Random Notes

- Shea Weber is a happy football fan today as not only is his favorite college team bowl-eligible, but his BC Lions took the Grey Cup yesterday, beating Winnipeg 34-23.

- The update on Patrick Eaves says he is out for 6-8 weeks after getting hit near his right ear with a Roman Josi one-timer near the end of Saturday’s Preds / Wings game.

- One of the stars of last year’s 24/7, Bruce Boudreau is out in Washington. He has been replaced by Dale Hunter. Not sure if that’s the right move for the Capitals, but now the players only have themselves to blame.

- Lots of speculation on Ovechkin’s influence on the Boudreau firing… I hope that it is not true because if it is, it will not matter who the team hires, the power will have shifted.

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On the next SlapShot Radio, built by RiverBirch Homes

SlapShot Radio is back after a holiday break with a great show featuring one of our favorite guests, Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek. Plenty of other surprises in store so make sure to join us, SlapShot Radio is built by RiverBirch Homes, 6pm Wednesdays on 102.5 the Game.

Past episodes are also posted on the SlapShot Radio website.

Click here to listen or download.

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