Nashville Predators: What in the world happened last night?

It was another Music City Miracle. Staring a loss directly in the face, the Nashville Predators complete a comeback for the ages.

All of the memorable calls in sports history are flooding my mind this morning as I reflect on what was witnessed last night. It was a game that made us believe in miracles. I still do not believe what I just saw, even while watching the highlights this morning. The Nashville Predators proved people should never leave the game early as they came from three goals down to win.

The numbers do not tell the story about how big of a comeback the Predators completed against division foe St. Louis Blues. At the end of the day, the Predators had more high-danger chances (10-3), outshot the Blues (33 to 31), and achieved a better CorsiFor rating (63.54%) than the Blues. Still, the team was down 3 goals to nill with just over 10 minutes to play in the game.

And the Predators came away victorious.

Guilty.

I admit it. I was one of the fans that turned away from the game once it seemed out of hand. Watching Shaun White lay down heavy tracks in the Men’s Half-Pipe in the Olympics was more entertaining. His first run was great, but Ayumu Hirano of Japan took the lead after a stellar second run. All eyes were on White’s final run, the result meaning either silver or gold. Two 1440’s later, White stood on the highest platform at the end.

It was as if the Predators knew White was on television. While they won the Corsi battle in the first period, they laid the proverbial egg in the second. It was ugly. Maybe worse. The Blues tallied three goals in the game’s first 30 minutes, and the Predators could not do much. The power play still lacked energy and the defensive lapses continued.

Twitter was laced with comments from fans, many of which turned away from the game. And Blues fans gloating.

But wait, there’s more

A three-goal deficit feels insurmountable. Even more so when in the final period of a game. In the final 10 minutes? Near impossible. Near.

The first goal of the comeback came off the stick of Calle Jarnkrok with 10 minutes and 54 seconds left. The next goal was scored by a great team play during a penalty kill. Austin Watson scored. And then he scored again after Craig Smith broke out of the penalty box. Watson’s goals came 1 minute and 15 seconds apart.

Bridgestone was electric. The comeback was complete. And for the fifth game in a row, the Nashville Predators pushed for overtime. Filip Forsberg drove to the net and was pushed to the ice by Jaden Schwartz.

Forsberg attempt was pure and clean on the resulting penalty shot. Game over. Predators win.

A loss to the Blues would tighten an already cluttered Central Division. The Predators held a four-point lead in the standing coming into the game. It could have been two points. Instead, it is five. More importantly, the Predators are 3-0-0 against the Blues on the season. If the two teams are tied come season’s end, the Predators hold the tiebreaker.

Next: Top Players Getting Snubbed From Winter Olympics

It was a brilliant comeback. I am just glad the Predators were on the winning end of it.

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