Nashville Predators Top Five 2016 Stanley Cup Playoff Moments

The Game 7 loss to San Jose is still fresh on everyone’s minds, but how about we reminisce on the successes the Predators had throughout their 14-game playoff run and look back at their top five moments from the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

5. The Mad Scramble

This was by far the most bizarre play during the Preds’ post season run and maybe of the entire Stanley Cup Playoffs up to this point.

Everyone that was watching this game immediately held their breath as Joel Ward got Pekka Rinne to bite on the fake and went for the wrap around. The entire net was open and the Predators were about to fall behind 3-1 in the series but out of nowhere Ryan Johansen gets a stick to the post to deflect the puck and then Ryan Ellis makes an unbelievable save to keep Nashville alive.

Pure mayhem.

4. Paul Gaustad’s Game 7 Winning Goal In Anaheim

Nope, it certainly wasn’t pretty but it certainly was a textbook Gaustad goal. Colin Wilson’s goal earlier in this Game 7 was of course nicer and swung the momentum to Nashville’s side, but this tally stood as the game winner in the Preds’ first ever Game 7 victory.

Shea Weber clapper, Gaustad and his stick in the right place and you have yourselves a good goal.

3. Playoff Colin Wilson’s Game Tying Goal

Things weren’t looking great for the Preds before this goal. The Sharks had just taken a 3-2 lead with just under 10 minutes left in regulation. The Predators were on the brink of elimination, a spot they had crumbled in during years past, but not this time thanks to Wilson.

This is one of the smoothest and prettiest goals the Predators scored all year, including the regular season. A great pass from Mike Ribeiro to James Neal, Neal hits Wilson on the money with his pass to the far post and there you have it.

2. Mike Fisher’s Goal That Woke Everyone Up

After 111:12 played, 92 shots were put on goal, 73 hits were laid and everyone was half asleep, Fisher lit the lamp a little after 2 AM on the East Coast handing the Predators the triple overtime win over the Sharks in Game 4.

This play becomes more amazing every time you watch it. Colin Wilson fans on the pass/the puck is deflected directly to Mattias Ekholm who was just over the blue line. The Swede then fires a puck on net and of course, there is Fisher, non surprisingly, to give the Preds the historic win as he cleans up the garbage.

1. Viktor Arvidsson’s Innocent Backhand That Kept The Season Going

You’ve watched this goal probably more times than you are comfortable admitting, but why not just one more time?

Miikka Salomaki simply flipped the puck towards the far blue line in between three Sharks skaters. It didn’t look like anything was going to come from the play. All of the sudden the puck found the streaking Arvidsson’s stick, but still, he had it on his backhand and we all assumed he was going to throw the puck on net – because that’s what he does – and nothing was going to come of it.

Instead, this innocent backhand shot found the top-right corner of the net giving the Preds the win in Game 6 and allowing them to live for one more game

What was the top Predators moment during the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs?