Nashville Predators: In order to win in Winnipeg, these items are key

With the home series salvaged, the Predators now head to Winnipeg, where they will need to up their game in order to keep the Jets grounded.

So far, the Nashville-Winnipeg series has lived up to the hype. The two best teams in the Western Conference have delivered a show through two games, and I expect nothing less the rest of the way.

In Game 1, the Predators dominated the offensive stat sheet, except they forgot to add a few goals. They couldn’t break Connor Hellebuyck, as he stopped 47 of Nashville’s 48 shots. Winnipeg capitalized with speed in the neutral zone, and made Nashville pay. They tallied 3 goals on Pekka Rinne, and eventually chased him from the game. Juuse Saros came in relief for the 3rd period, and was perfect. However, Winnipeg added a late empty-net goal, to win the game 4-1.

In Game 2, Ryan Johansen started the night with a bang. He netted his 3rd goal of the playoffs, just 27 seconds after the puck dropped. The Jets answered though, with goals from Dustin Byfuglien and Mark Scheifele, just 29 seconds apart, later in the period.

P.K. Subban tied the game at 2 with a rocket from the point, early in the 2nd. Viktor Arvidsson then added a blast of his own to give the Predators a 3-2 lead, just before intermission.

Brandon Tanev and Johansen then traded goals, just 34 seconds apart in the 3rd, still giving Nashville a 4-3 lead.  As time wound down, Scheifele scored his second of the game, sending the game to OT.

However, it wasn’t until double-OT when Kevin Fiala delivered his 3rd goal of the playoffs, and 2nd career playoff OT winner.

Like I said, this series has been nothing short of fantastic so far.

Now, the series heads back to Winnipeg, where the Jets tallied the best home record in the NHL during the regular season. If Nashville wants to steal at least one game, here’s what they need to focus on.

Better Shots on Net

In game 1 we all saw it…Hellebuyck is very good.

That’s why he’s a finalist with Rinne for the Vezina Trophy.

In game 1, Hellebuyck looked like the best goalie in the league, as he stifled the Predators offense, and allowed just 1 goal on 48 shots. On the other hand, Rinne allowed 3 of the 16 shots that he saw, but that’s a conversation for a later day.

Yes, the Predators tallied 48 shots on Hellebuyck, however, only 14 of them were high-danger chances, meaning that Nashville really wasn’t threatening on most of their shots.

Yes, it is good to put the puck on net, but if you don’t follow it up with some traffic and a real scoring threat, then that’s just an easy save for a goalie like Hellebuyck.

The Predators are doing a good job of peppering him, with 89 shots so far through games 1 and 2, however, many of those are shots from a distance that Hellebuyck can see and save cleanly. The traffic has been present at times, however, Hellebuyck’s job has just been too easy so far.

Finesse

Guys like Byfuglien are known for clearing a path wherever they go. Therefore, it’s tough to create traffic with guys like Viktor Arvidsson, if that behemoth of a human is also on the ice.

If Nashville cannot produce the traffic they need for garbage goals, they’re just going to have to pick their spots better.

The Predators forwards are plenty capable of undressing Hellebuyck. Johansen and Fiala both did it in game 2 with beautiful plays.

Therefore, I say it again, lots of shots don’t mean anything, if they hit the goalie in the chest, and no one is there to clean up a rebound.

Pick the corners, create some traffic, make a move or two. Just please stop making Hellebuyck look like a brick wall.

Slow the Jets Down

Quite simply put, Winnipeg won game 1 because of their play in the neutral zone. They were getting hammered in their own zone for most of the night, as shown by the 48 shots they allowed. However, when they had a chance to escape they did so, and with speed.

They didn’t flip the puck up the ice, and go for the change. They picked up speed at the blue line, and attacked the Predators defense. With speed and some space, guys like Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, and Patrick Laine go to work, and usually eat up other teams.

Those three skaters combined for 221 points in the regular season…they know what they’re doing.

That being said, Nashville must control the neutral zone for the rest of the series. Winnipeg only had 19 shots in game 1, however, their neutral zone play was so strong, that they were able to capitalize off of great chances that they produced.

This one isn’t pretty, but it just goes to show that good things happen when you fly through the neutral zone with numbers…

Winnipeg is just too good for that kind of effort in the neutral zone.

If Nashville waits until they enter the zone to finally pick them up, it’s way too late.

Good neutral zone defense kills a rush. No rush means no real chances. I like the way that sounds