Nov 26, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Nashville Predators left wing Michael Bunting (58) during the first period against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. Tim Fuller-Imagn Images
Goals have been hard to come by for the Nashville Predators this season.
In the first two periods of Wednesday’s game in Detroit against the Red Wings, it looked like that trend would continue. The Preds trailed 3-1 after 40 minutes, then exploded for five unanswered goals in the final frame for a come-from-behind 6-3 victory.
The comeback snapped a three-game skid for the Preds. Michael Bunting lit the lamp in the first period before Nick Blankenburg, Roman Josi, Ryan O’Reilly, Erik Haula and Steven Stamkos all scored in the third to make American Thanksgiving much more pleasant for Nashville.
Bunting’s tally came on the power play and put Nashville on top 1-0. It was Bunting’s 100th career NHL goal. It was the Preds’ first five-goal period since 2019, also coming in Detroit.
Justus Annunen got the start in net and made 28 saves to earn his first win of 2025-26. The Preds hope to close out their two-game road trip with another win Friday night in Chicago against the Blackhawks.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of Friday’s matchup.
Game Day
Who: Nashville Predators (7-12-4) at Chicago Blackhawks (10-8-5)
Where: United Center
When: 7 Pm CST
TV: FanDuel Sports Network South
Radio: 102.5 The Game
Betting line (via BetMGM):
Predators
-1.5 (+220)
O 6 (-105)
-110
Blackhawks
+1.5 (-275)
U 6 (-115)
-110
Schaefer Recalled From Milwaukee
The Preds have recalled forward Reid Schaefer from the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL.
The 22-year-old Schaefer has played in 15 games for the Admirals this season. He is tied for second on the team in points (14) and assists (10). His four goals are tied for the third-most on the team.
The 6-foot-5, 226-pound forward additionally has nine points (4g-5a) in his last six games, including a season-high three-point effort on Nov. 21 at Henderson (2g-1a). He has scored twice on the power play, and his 41 shots lead Milwaukee.
Schaefer skated on a line with Fedor Svechkov and Matthew Wood during Friday morning skate in Chicago. He will make his NHL debut Friday against the Blackhawks.
Preds Leaders
Filip Forsberg paces the Preds in scoring with nine goals and 17 points, followed by Ryan O’Reilly with seven goals and 16 points. Bunting (5g-8a), Haula (4g-9a) and Luke Evangelista (2g-11a) each have 13 points.
Juuse Saros is 6-9-3 this season with a 3.08 goals-against average and .889 save percentage. Saros is 14-4-2 with a 2.17 goals-against average, .926 save percentage and two shutouts in 21 career appearances vs. the Blackhawks. The 14 wins are the most Saros has recorded against a single franchise.
Justus Annunen, who got his first victory Wednesday night, is now 1-3-1 for the season, 3.89, .850.
The Preds come into Friday 12-for-72 (16.7%) on the power play through 23 games, good for 22nd. On the penalty kill, Nashville is 13-of-67 (80.6%), 16th overall.
Head To Head
The Preds have done well against Chicago of late. They are 8-2-0 in their last 10 versus the Blackhawks and 4-1-0 in the last five matchups at United Center.
The Predators and Blackhawks have played against each other 140 times. Those 140 games are the most the Preds have played against any single franchise. Nashville has earned at least a point in 30 of their last 35 games against the Blackhawks (26-5-4), holding Chicago to two-or-fewer goals 29 times in that span.
Scouting The Blackhawks
Chicago has dropped four games in a row, including a 4-3 overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday night.
Connor Bedard leads the Blackhawks with 14 goals and 33 points, followed by Tyler Bertuzzi with 12 goals and 20 points.
In goal, Spencer Knight is 7-5-4 with a 2.47 GAA and .920 SP. Arvid Soderblom is 3-3-1, 3.46, .881.
Chicago is 15-for-66 with the man advantage (22.7%), 13th in the NHL. The Hawks have recorded power-play goals (8G) in six of their last 10 games since Nov. 5 and rank fourth in the NHL with a power play percentage of 30.8% over that span.
Bertuzzi has five power play goals over his last ten games dating back to Nov. 1. That ties him for second in the NHL over that span.
On the penalty kill, Chicago ranks ninth at 83.1% (14-of-83).
The Blackhawks lead the NHL having allowed just 12 first-period goals against so far this season. The team also ranks fifth in the NHL with a plus-6 goal differential in the first period.
