The Predators entered the night with just a one-point lead for the 1st wild card spot in the Western Conference, and they traveled to Winnipeg to face the Central’s second place team in the Jets. With just 16 games left, Nashville gave a definite performance to show that they belong in the midst of the West’s best teams since the All-Star break.
Both teams came out firing early and the Predators were able to get three of the first four, but it would be all Winnipeg after that – the next six were all by the Jets. The Jets would go on their first power play of the game, but wouldn’t record a single shot on net. After the kill, an incredible stretch pass off the right wall by Roman Josi sprung Gustav Nyquist, who raced down and fired from above the circle and tallied the first goal of the game, his 18th of the season. The Jets, who entered the night looking to claim at least a share of first place in the Central, were reeling – and it wouldn’t take long for Kiefer Sherwood to notch the second Nashville goal of the period. As the Predators and Jets headed to the locker room for the first intermission, the shots were all even at 10 apiece, but unfortunately for Winnipeg, that would be the closest the game would get.
While Nashville would go 0 for 3 in the game with the man advantage, the Predators’ even strength offense would control the pace of play for the final 40 minutes. Nashville and Winnipeg would go scoreless for the period, but the Jets spent most of the time in their own end with goaltender Connor Hellebuyck making a valiant stand facing 19 shots, while the home team managed only 7 themselves. As noted on the Bally broadcast, the Predators looked to maintain the 3rd period lead that all too often came crumbling down early in the season. With newly-recalled Spencer Statsney exiting the game midway with an apparent injury, the Preds faced the NHL’s leading 3rd period offense, but the collapse would not come. In fact, the visiting team would take control early and definitively.
Just 1:29 into the third period, Gustav Nyquist got a breakaway pass that he in turn passed between his legs to a trailing Filip Forsberg who fired it home – both Winnipeg defenders and Hellebuyck leaving the net wide open for the Swede who notched his 34th goal of the year. But just 22 seconds later, new acquisition Jason Zucker would score his first goal as a Predator, pushing the Nashville lead to four less than two minutes into the period.
The Jets would not let up, despite the deficit, and would finally tally a goal 13 minutes into the final frame – one that was seemingly played with a high-stick, but after a reversal of the call on the ice, it went to review and the goal was confirmed as good. The Jets would pull the netminder in the final minutes, and with the addition of a power play, Winnipeg would score a 6 on 4 goal to bring the score to 4-2, but it was too little too late. The visiting Predators would walk out of Winnipeg with two points that the Jets hoped would give them first place, and instead, Nashville kept it’s 13-game point streak alive, and further solidified it’s spot as the first wild card and brings the postseason one game closer for Andrew Brunette and company.
Three Stars of the Game
Third Star: G Juuse Saros, 27/29 saves, 93.1% save percentage
Second Star: D Roman Josi – 2 assists (second 50 assist season)
First Star: F Filip Forsberg – 1 goal, 1 assist
Honorable mention – F Gustav Nyquist – Gus was incredible and deserved first star.