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Nashville Predators 4, Winnipeg Jets 0: See Y’all Thursday

Posted on by Alex Daugherty

The Nashville Predators put up yet another perfect road game in Winnipeg, beating the Jets 4-0 behind two Filip Forsberg goals and another road playoff shutout from Pekka Rinne.

The Predators got on board first, but only after a review. Viktor Arvidsson’s goal was waved off initially after the refs said he scored with a high stick, but the call was reversed. He was falling down in the slot and threw his stick up at the puck as it went by and that motion normally resembles a high stick, but Arvidsson is 5’9” and was falling down, so… yeah it wasn’t above the crossbar.

That made it 1-0 only a minute into the game.

Following that goal, the Preds marched to the penalty box a few times. The first call on Mattias Ekholm was an obvious call. The other two? Yeah I guess that’s technically a penalty. Either way, the Preds’ penalty kill was on it. Ryan Johansen led the way with some great play at the blueline and the defense clamped down the middle of the ice. And of course Rinne made a couple of huge saves.

The Predators took their 1-0 lead into the 2nd period, but without Mike Fisher (he did not return to the game). With the lines shuffled somewhat, the Preds did their best to contain the Jets attack. Twice in the period, the Turris line found a wide open… Matt Irwin?… for a couple of shots.

Filip Forsberg doubled the Preds’ lead on yet another incredible move. He got around the outside of the defense and sent a wrist shot by Hellebuyck as he was checked into the net. It was more of the same from Fil, yet somehow not even his most impressive goal of the playoffs. Or even of this game!

With a 2-0 lead, the Predators came out with a nice forecheck, but then were saddled with yet another penalty to kill. After killing it, Filip Forsberg did his thing, scoring an incredible between-the-legs goal right in front of Hellebuyck to make it 3-0.

The Jets pressed in the 3rd, but the Preds did as well. Finally, with about four minutes left, Viktor Arvidsson tucked away an empty net goal to make it 4-0. The defense preserved the shutout for Rinne and the Jets went very quietly into the night.

This was the best game of the series from Nashville. They owned the puck when it mattered most and capitalized on their chances. And even though the Jets had some dangerous chances, Pekka Rinne bounced back with a great performance to keep the home team off the board.

Now we get a Game 7. On home ice. For the first time ever.

Random Observations

  • Nervous, but I’m not sure why. Just go out and play your best and I’ll be happy.
  • Wow. They wave off a goal by Arvidsson, saying it was played with a high stick, but on the replay they realized that Arvy is 5’9” and was falling down so that was a completely stupid call. Its’ 1-0!
  • Kevin Fiala with two great chances in the first four minutes. The first he missed high, the second he whiffed on the shot.
  • After some Jets pressure, the JOFA line goes to work. They generate some great cycle work down low and then eventually get a 2-on-1, with Arvy passing to Joey who shoots it right into Hellebuyck’s pads.
  • Too many misses by quality shooters early. Fiala, Turris, Joey, Arvy. All from dangerous areas.
  • Preds on the PK: Ekholm smacked the puck into the stands, just trying to clear it.
  • Caps beat the Pens! This is not a drill!
  • Preds kill the penalty and Johansen led a couple of shorthanded chances. He is playing some unreal hockey right now.
  • Another penalty: Watson hooked Little. On the penalty kill: Rinne made a nice save in front on Stastny, Bonino blocked a shot from the point, then Rinne came across to stop Laine’s one timer. Josi and Ellis cleared the puck a couple more times and that was it for the penalty.
  • Uhhhh why are you going to the box again?
  • Brooks Bratten saying that Mike Fisher is not on the bench to start the 2nd. That’s gonna mess up that 4th line.
  • Wow. Turris line sets up a wide open shot from the circle for Matt Irwin and he unloaded. It bounced off Hellebuyck but he was able to corral it. Quite a shift by F2 and D3.
  • (Then it happened again a minute later, wow what is this combo move)
  • Josi and Ellis just let Stastny plow through the middle of the ice. What happened to this pairing?
  • OH MY GOSH. Filip Forsberg just deked around the outside of the defense along the boards, broke in on Hellebuyck, and roofed one as he was checked into the net. 2-0!
  • And he grabbed a stick off the bench to score that goal, too.
  • Predators starting to take a few more risks in the neutral zone. Not sure I like that. Stay back and play the lanes. You don’t need to just dump the puck every possession, but let’s not abandon our own blue line just yet.
  • Less than four minutes in the 2nd, the Scheifele line gets going in the Preds zone. It was only about 20 seconds, but it felt like an hour. Austin Watson saved the day with a big blocked shot that went back to the Jets zone.
  • Nice early forecheck for the Preds, but Subban takes a penalty trying to deny Blake Wheeler a chance.
  • Preds kill it, and honestly I think the Jets just went full Nashville Predators on that power play.
  • HOLY SHIT. HOLY SHIT. HOLY SHIT.
  • Forsberg just got me pregnant.
  • That is my #1 all time favorite Filip Forsberg goal, 2nd only to all the other ones he’s scored this postseason.
  • Keep pressing, pleaseeeeee keep pressing.
  • Mike Fisher’s absence has been notably insignificant. Not that he was bad, it’s just the rest of the forwards stepped up.
  • ARVY EMPTY NET, YES
  • GAME 7 BABYYYYYYYY/

OTF’s Super Duper Stars of the Game

  1. Filip Forsberg: Two goals and an assist, plus a highlight reel goal that will be shown for years.
  2. Pekka Rinne: Huge night for 35 and boy did he need it. Whoo hoo! 34 saves for the big guy.
  3. Viktor Arvidsson: Bookend goals for Arvy and both were about hustle. Great to see him get on the board a couple times.

Tweets of the Night

Game Extras

Talking Points