Nashville Predators Hit 100 Points for Sixth Time in History
By Jake Evans
Thanks to a 3-1 win on Tuesday night, the Nashville Predators have eclipsed the 100-point mark for the 6th time in franchise history.
Following a dominant victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night, the Nashville Predators have officially become the top team in the NHL standings. In addition, the team gained their 100th point on the season, for the 6th time in franchise history. Now with 13 games left, the Predators are just 10 points away from tying their best ever season, that came back in 2006-2007.
Winners of 11 of their last 12, the Predators are undoubtedly the hottest team in the NHL right now. They have earned 23 of the last available 24 points, and are showing signs of being the best team in the Western Conference.
Distancing Themselves
After a 3-1 win over Winnipeg on Tuesday night in Smashville, the Predators are now 8 points ahead of the second place Jets in the Central Division. They’re also five points ahead of Vegas.
With their play over the last few weeks, Nashville is distancing themselves from the rest of the west. They’re playing magical hockey, and while it’s not always perfect, they have found ways to win.
Similarly, it seems that every player is elevating their game at the right time. Pekka Rinne is 18-1-1 in his last 20 starts. He is playing MVP-caliber goalie right now, and is a very strong candidate for the Vezina Trophy. Despite only having 30 games under his belt this season, Ryan Ellis has 22 points.
Kevin Fiala has a career high in goals with 22. Viktor Arvidsson continues to be a bottle rocket on the ice, as he now has 26 goals and 26 assists on the year.
No matter where you look on the ice, the Predators are dangerous. Nashville built a team as deep as any in the league, and they can threaten at any moment. The JoFA line is the face of the offense as usual, with 55 goals alone. Behind them, the line of Turris, Smith, and Fiala has turned heads this season, with 52 goals of their own.
At the bottom, players like Calle Jarnkrok, Scott Hartnell, Austin Watson, and Nick Bonino have been major boosts as well, with 16, 12, 12, and 10 goals each, respectively.
Moving Forward
Now with 100 points in the bag, and 13 games left in the regular season, the Predators cannot lose focus. Eight of their last 13 games are on the road, with trips to places like Winnipeg, Florida, Washington, Tampa Bay, and Minnesota – some of the better teams in the league. Similarly, the Predators will host, Minnesota, San Jose, and Columbus before the playoffs.
They’ve been on fire lately, but the Predators last 13 games will be no easy stretch. They will be tested before they make a push for a return to the Stanley Cup Finals, and we will see what they’re really made of.
Next: Playoff Pressure Enormous Compared To 2017
They might be atop the league right now, but that can easily change if the Nashville Predators lose focus. Nashville is in the midst of its best season ever, but there is still much work left to do.
Go Preds Go!