Predators Vs Lightning: Projected Lineups Reveal a Quiet Contradiction as Illness and Scratches Reshape Tampa Bay
The most telling storyline in predators vs lightning is not a single marquee name, but how many roles appear to be in motion at once: Tampa Bay has key scratches, recent illness keeping players out of the previous game, and a different expected starter in net, while Nashville’s goaltending plan shifts after a recent loss.
What the projected forward groups show in Predators Vs Lightning
The projected lineups place Steven Stamkos with Ryan O’Reilly and Luke Evangelista for Nashville. Another listed trio is Filip Forsberg with Matthew Wood and Jonathan Marchessault. The remaining forward groupings shown are Zachary L’Heureux with Erik Haula and Tyson Jost, and Reid Schaefer with Fedor Svechkov and Ozzy Wiesblatt.
On the Tampa Bay side, the projected forward lines are Brandon Hagel with Anthony Cirelli and Nikita Kucherov; Gage Gonclaves with Brayden Point and Jake Guentzel; Zemgus Girgensons with Yanni Gourde and Pontus Holmberg; and Corey Perry with Nick Paul and Oliver Bjorkstrand.
Those configurations matter because the slate also notes two Tampa Bay forwards, Nikita Kucherov and Nick Paul, did not play Saturday because of an illness. The projected look therefore highlights a tension between what is listed and what has just occurred: availability and placement remain central as predators vs lightning approaches.
Which defenders are scratched or injured, and why that matters
On the blue line, Emil Lilleberg and Charle-Edouard D’Astous are listed together for Tampa Bay. At the same time, a notable set of scratches is identified: Scott Sabourin, Steve Santini, and Victor Hedman.
Injuries are also specified. Declan Carlile is out with an undisclosed issue. Maxwell Crozier is listed with a core muscle injury, and Dominic James with a lower-body injury. The cumulative effect is straightforward: multiple roster constraints are documented at once, and they intersect with the projected lineup view fans and opponents will be assessing.
Goaltending expectations: one start likely, one start expected
The goaltending notes outline different situations for each side. Annunen is likely to start for the Predators after Saros made 28 saves in a 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. For Tampa Bay, Johansson is expected to start after Vasilevskiy made 26 saves in a 4-2 victory against the Ottawa Senators.
In a non-conference matchup, those two sentences carry much of the immediate competitive context provided: Nashville’s likely change follows a defeat in which 28 saves still ended in a multi-goal loss, while Tampa Bay’s expected change comes after a win in which 26 saves were enough to secure the result. With illness also noted on Tampa Bay’s side, the documented pregame picture is less about hype and more about who is available, who is sitting, and who is set to take the crease when predators vs lightning begins.
