While Game 1 wasn’t exactly what Nashville hoped, there were a few positives despite the third-period cluster. I thought Ryan O’Reilly looked excellent, and there were a lot of scoring threats from guys like Luke Evangelista, Tommy Novak, Gustav Nyquist, and Filip Forsberg.
Nashville Predators
Truthfully, the game was not out of hand until the third period. That’s been Nashville’s doom all season, however. The first two periods were just fine, as Ryan O’Reilly commented: “We did a great job with that. The game was there for us. We had a couple of lapses and I’m sure a lot of guys want some shifts back. I know I do. I know I have a lot better. It is what it is, but we’ll move on and be fine.”
The first Nashville power play was excellent, but the second two attempts petered out into sadness. The kind of passing action that we saw on O’Reilly’s goal will be an absolute requirement when it comes to special teams against the Canucks. We also saw Jason Zucker add a goal on Sunday night, and it’s really excellent to see trade acquisitions and free agent signings contributing on the scoresheet. Further, Roman Josi set a postseason franchise record in assists.
I feel that Nashville will have a soft reset before tonight’s game, and we should see a few different lineup combinations as well as a fresh mindset. Coach Brunette’s teams never seem to dwell on the past, and I’ll be interested to see if tonight’s contest can swing in the road team’s favor. The main need for Nashville in Game 2 is to reset after bad bounces or rough goals, instead of allowing multiple goals while the guys in gold lick their wounds.
Vancouver Canucks
I mentioned in the Game 1 preview that Vancouver would look for Elias Lindholm to contribute offensively against the Predators, and he surely did. “Obviously, you want to come here and make an impression, but things have not gone the way I wanted to,” Lindholm said. “What you are going to do right now is just work hard, play as good as you can right now and help the team win.”
It truly felt like Vancouver was the better team in Game 1, but I do not think they’re consistently going to be the better team for the next few games. Nashville played quite smartly against Vancouver, but that’s a well-coached team wearing blue and green. With some star power in Quinn Hughes, Elias Pettersson, and Elias Lindholm (among others), Vancouver ran the Pacific Division for a reason.
The Canucks rubbed salt in Nashville’s wounds on Sunday, scoring two fast goals in 12 seconds. Their fans loved it. They will certainly look to press the offense tonight, hoping that they catch Nashville again with their speed.
Thatcher Demko looked great in net for Vancouver, and Canucks fans everywhere will be happy that there’s been no sign of injury in the underrated netminder.
Keep Your Eye on This Guy
For Vancouver, I’m watching Thatcher Demko. Is he human, or is he otherworldly in this series? With Zucker and O’Reilly finding the back of the net, can Demko withstand what is likely to be a barrage of Nashville pucks tonight?
For Nashville, I’m hoping that secondary scoring comes in handy. Anthony Beauvillier was likely acquired for his postseason experience, some of that with current Nashville GM Barry Trotz. Can “Beau” convert on a wicked wrister tonight? It’s contract time for him–what kind of NHL future does he have with Nashville, or 31 other teams? This series will help him make that case.
Reasons to Watch
It’d be great if Nashville took a game against Vancouver IN Vancouver, and if they want to win this series they need to do just that at least once. This would be a vital opportunity to do so–we all know it’s difficult to win Games 3 and 4 and tie the series, just to return to Vancouver and struggle in enemy territory in Game 5. If Nashville steals one on the road early, this series gets wilder.
Will there be line or pairing changes? I’m sure a lot of fans were not thrilled with some of the defenders, and it sounded like there could be some minor adjustments.
Tonight’s Theme Song
How to Watch
Tonight’s game is just as late as Sunday’s game–puck drop is at 9:00 Central. Bally Sports South (and ESPN2) have tonight’s broadcast and 102.5 The Game has your radio call. Get your coffee or Monster ready, Nashville. It’s time to grab Game 2 for the guys in gold.