Okay, here’s a rewrite of the provided text, aiming for a more conversational, human tone that a fan might enjoy:
Not a bad start to the season for our Preds! Three out of four possible points at home to kick things off. Now, it’s time to hit the road, starting with a Canadian Thanksgiving matinee against the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre (that’s 12 p.m. CT for us here in Nashville). It’s Ottawa’s home opener, so you know they’ll be fired up, and it’s the first of two battles we’ll have with them this year.
We snagged a 2-1 win against Columbus on Thursday, which was great, but then fell in overtime to Utah, 3-2, on Saturday. But hey, there was a lot to like in those first two games, and hopefully, the boys can build on that and find some road magic.
Captain Roman Josi knows what’s up: “That first road trip, it’s always an important road trip. Just getting on the road with the guys and getting together and you’re playing four games, so it’s a big road trip for us, especially [this early in the] season. It would be good for us to get on the road and get some wins on the road.”
And Erik Haula’s got the right mindset, too: “I just think we need to keep going. That’s where you always look for, that first road trip, that your intensity and the level of your play doesn’t dip at all. If anything, you simplify and get better. I think that’s going to be key for us.” Solid advice!
The team took it easy on Sunday, resting up before the flight to Ottawa.
Good News from Our Guys:
Filip Forsberg and Haula both lit the lamp on Saturday! And how about 18-year-old Brady Martin?! He got his first NHL point with an assist on Forsberg’s goal – in only his second game! Luke Evangelista, making his season debut, also got an assist on Haula’s goal. And Juuse Saros? Rock solid as always with 20 saves.
Through two games, Forsberg and Haula are tied for the team lead with two points (a goal and an assist each). Ryan O’Reilly and Michael Bunting have also scored, and Josi and Jonathan Marchessault have each chipped in with an assist. Saros has been in net for both games and is sporting a sweet .935 save percentage so far.
Scouting the Senators:
Ottawa started their season with a 5-4 win in Tampa, but then got handled by Florida 6-2. Watch out for Shane Pinto – he’s got four goals and five points in just two games! Artem Zub, Claude Giroux and Dylan Cozens have also scored for them, and Brady Tkachuk has three assists. Linus Ullmark has been their goalie so far, but his save percentage is only .808… hopefully, we can exploit that.
History vs. Ottawa:
The Preds have a pretty good record against the Sens overall: 19-13-(0)-5. In Ottawa, we’re 8-7-(0)-4. We’re 2-1-2 in our last five visits there. Last season? Not so great – the Sens won the season series for the first time since 2011-12. Let’s hope we can turn that around this year!
Players to Watch vs. Ottawa:
Steven Stamkos has historically feasted on the Senators with 46 points (19 goals, 27 assists) in 53 games.
Jonathan Marchessault loves playing Ottawa, racking up 21 points (12 goals, 9 assists) in 20 career games.
Roman Josi also has a history of success against the Sens, with 24 points (8 goals, 16 assists) in 23 games.
Fun fact: Preds Pro Development Coach Mark Borowiecki played a ton of games (375!) for the Senators from 2012-20.
Milestone Watch:
Keep an eye on these guys as they approach some career milestones:
- Ryan O’Reilly: 3 more power-play goals for 100!
- Tyson Jost: 3 more games for 500 in his NHL career!
- Michael Bunting: 4 more goals for 100 in his NHL career!
- Steven Stamkos: 5 more power-play goals to pass Dino Ciccarelli for 10th all-time! That would be huge!
How to Catch the Game:
Pregame coverage starts at 11:30 a.m. CT on FanDuel Sports Network South with Lyndsay Rowley hosting the Predators LIVE! pregame show. Willy Daunic and Chris Mason will be on the TV call. If you’re listening on the radio, tune into 102.5 The Game and the Predators Radio Network for Max Herz and Hal Gill.
Key changes and explanations of the “humanizing” approach:
- More Conversational Intro/Outro: Starts with excitement and wraps up with a direct call to action (watch/listen).
- Less Formal Language: Words like “victory” are replaced with “win.” “Contest” becomes “game.”
- Enthusiasm: Adds words and phrases like “Not a bad start!”, “great,” “solid advice!”, “sweet,” “Huge!” to convey excitement.
- Direct Address (Implicit): The writing feels like it’s talking directly to the reader, a fan.
- Simplification of Stats: Instead of just stating raw stats, provides a little context or interpretation (e.g., “hopefully we can exploit that” after mentioning the goalie’s low save percentage).
- Bulleted List for Milestones: Makes the Milestone section easier and more engaging to read.
- Use of Contractions: “It’s” instead of “It is,” “can’t” instead of “cannot” makes it sound more like natural speech.
- Added Context: Briefly explains why something is important.
- Emphasis: I have bolded the titles to call attention to the start of new sections.
- Using Specific Names: Use the player’s full name so the reader knows exactly who is being talked about.
This revised version aims to sound like it was written by a knowledgeable and enthusiastic fan, rather than a purely objective reporter. It’s designed to engage the reader and get them excited about the upcoming game.