Nashville Predators: Looking Back At Every 2nd Round Series in Franchise History
Predators vs. Canucks
I still remember this series like it was last week. For the first time in franchise history, the Predators had a team that could do serious damage in the playoffs. Previous appearances were really just a feel-good story of getting to the playoffs. This series changed those expectations moving forward.
The Canucks were the vastly superior team to the Nashville Predators. They were the top seed in the Western Conference and the Presidents’ Trophy winner. Sound familiar? The Sedin brothers were terrorizing opposing defenses and Roberto Luongo was at the peak of his career.
This series went to six games, and the Predators put up an impressive fight against the eventual Western Conference champs. These were the days when the Predators struggled to score more than two goals in a game. The young Pekka Rinne was beginning to launch into the spotlight, and he kept the Canucks from running away with it.
The teams split the first two games in Vancouver, which really had Nashville buzzing at the time. We were already in uncharted territory. Now the Predators just stole a game on the road and coming back to Nashville. In the end, the better team won in Vancouver. It was a sign of things to come that the Predators were building a foundation of playoff success.
Predators lose in 5 games to Phoenix
Yes, they were still called the Phoenix Coyotes at the time. This series loss was tough to swallow. Even more so than any other first-round defeat due to the expectations. The previous year marked a new beginning for the Nashville Predators franchise. They can be more than just an annual first-round playoff casualty.
The Coyotes dominated most of this series, dismantling the Predators in five games. It was frustrating to see an ascending Predators team with plenty of talent get ran out of the arena in the second in such short order. It was the first time I can remember questioning Barry Trotz and where he can take the franchise. Was the ceiling under Trotz simply just making the playoffs? That was no longer good enough for most fans.
With the series at 2-1 in favor of Phoenix, the Predators’ offensive woes showed its ugly face. It’s nice to know the Predators don’t face that problem anymore. The Predators managed just one goal in the last two games of the series, leaving a lot of fans disappointed that the Predators were hitting another wall. A couple more scoring threats and the Predators get that series to at least seven games.
Predators lose in 7 games to San Jose
Another heartbreaking loss to the Sharks in the playoffs. It marked the third time the Sharks had eliminated the Predators from the playoffs. That’s a hard pill to swallow still to this day. It’s possible the Predators can get some revenge in this year’s playoffs, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
This series is still very fresh in the minds of diehard Predators fans. After a crazy first-round victory over the Ducks, the Predators were gassed. Once again they were running into a team destined for the Stanley Cup Final. The Sharks had a roster full of superstars that are still on the current squad, led by Joe Pavelski. The Predators protected home-ice in all three of their wins in this series, but so did the Sharks.
That gut-wrenching Game 7 loss also marks Shea Weber‘s last game in a Predators’ jersey before being traded for P.K. Subban. Also, check out what Pekka Rinne’s quote following this elimination game:
“It’s very difficult right now. We worked so hard to get to this point. You never know when you’re going to get this chance. Guys get older. That’s the worst feeling. It’s an empty feeling.”
Just a year later, the Predators are going to be in the midst of a wild ride to the Stanley Cup Final, and captivate an entire city.
I left this series realizing that the Predators are just a few pieces away from getting over the hump and past the second round. They put everything they had into this series, including forcing a Game 7 back in San Jose. Going into that game, I thought it was a long shot that they would have enough gas in the tank to win their first ever second-round series.
Predators finally get past the 2nd round
It’s still mind-boggling that last year’s series win over the Blues marks the only second-round series win in franchise history. In other words, this playoff success is still very fresh and new. That’s why it’s so important that the Predators prove this isn’t a fluke by doing it again this season.
With exception to the Stanley Cup Final showdown with Pittsburgh, the Blues offered the toughest resistance through the 2017 playoffs. Heading into that series, the Predators were buzzing after a shocking sweep of the Blackhawks. Shifting focus to the Blues was going to be a tough task. The series ends up being physical, as expected. Two division foes hungry for success in the playoffs. Neither franchise has a Stanley Cup.
Kevin Fiala‘s gruesome injury in the first game of the series really stands out in this series. We’ll never know what kind of impact he could have had if he plays the entire playoffs. Losing his scoring production ends up being a tough blow in the Stanley Cup Final.
Winning Game 1 on the road in St. Louis was huge, and the Predators also protected home ice to go up 3-1 in the series. Pekka Rinne was stellar, holding the Blues to two goals or less in five of the six games. Talks of just how far this team was going to go started surfacing after getting past a feisty Blues team with their own Stanley Cup Final expectations.
A monumental 2nd-round matchup
Now to the present time. The Predators are no longer the team that can settle for anything less than competing for Stanley Cups. Their window is wide open with the depth they have on the roster to make it out of the Western Conference again. A massive roadblock stands in their way with the Winnipeg Jets. They’re a tougher opponent than any team the Predators played in last year’s playoffs, outside of Pittsburgh.
Fans have to buckle up and prepare for the possibility of getting eliminated by a very good team. A team that’s fully capable of winning it all. The winner of this series will be eight wins away from winning the Stanley Cup. It’s going to be battle of two great goaltenders, a lot of scoring threats and two distinct home-ice advantages. Luckily, the Predators secured the Presidents’ Trophy to have home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.
This will be the most fun second-round series we’ve ever seen as Predators fans. The entire league is buzzing about this series and eager for it to start, not just Predators and Jets fans. It has seven games written all over it, and there are so many factors to prepare for. Some games could easily end up being high-scoring, and others might end up being defensive affairs where two goals will be enough to win.
Next: 1st-Round Awards for the Predators
These two divisional foes know each other very well and treated us to some fun regular season games this year. Now we get to see it in playoff form, and I will not be surprised to see multiple games go to overtime. The winner of this series is whichever goaltender is able to contain the other’s offense more. They’re both Vezina Trophy finalists for a reason. Who can rise up on the big stage and propel their team to victory? I’ll take the more battle-tested and experienced Rinne to steal a couple games for the Predators.