Predators Play Smart, Complete Game to Shutout Winnipeg Jets
By Chad Minton
A big division win for the Nashville Predators as they play a smart and disciplined hockey game to get the shutout over the Winnipeg Jets.
Nothing flashy on the offensive end about this 1-0 shutout win from the Nashville Predators, and that’s perfectly fine. We’ll take boring wins the rest of the season if it means they sneak into the playoffs.
This game from the Predators was just a really steady and consistent game. They didn’t allow the Winnipeg Jets to get anything easy for the most part. That’s not an easy task to accomplish against a team like Winnipeg that’s full of big and physical offensive weapons that also have great speed.
An effective way to help your struggling goaltender is too limit the number of shots and quality chances the other team did. That’s what the Predators managed to do in this one to help Juuse Saros secure the big division win.
The Jets didn’t even get their 20th shot on goal until nearly five minutes into the 3rd period. Excellent defensive game from the Predators. It’s pretty refreshing to see the Predators winning games by not having to score four or five goals to win.
How they did it
Most of the game was controlled by the Nashville Predators, until the final period arrived. The Jets eventually started creating more pressure and forcing the Predators to be on the defensive a lot more.
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What’s important to note is that they still made it difficult for the Jets to get quality shots on Saros, even though they did start piling on more shots. They went to an empty net with 90 seconds remaining.
This is also a big confidence-building game for Saros. He was tested occasionally, but also had a lot of support in front of him. Something that hasn’t happened very regularly for either him or Pekka Rinne and why the Predators are outside of the current playoff picture.
Saros gets the shutout on 28 saves and coming up big on a late Jets attack to tie the game. He gets his 6th win of the season and his first shutout of the season.
Unfortunately Roman Josi‘s point streak comes to an end at 12 games after this defensive battle. All great things have to come to an end eventually, and Josi comes up just four games short of tying J.P. Dumont for the franchise record. He did come close to nailing the empty net goal.
Yakov Trenin keeps getting better
How about Yakov Trenin and how his game keeps evolving? Every game he plays in his game seems to get more complete and show more value to the team.
Trenin had a huge takeaway in the opening period to help open the scoring up. He made the steal and immediately took it up ice towards the Winnipeg net. What impressed me so much about this play he made was that he didn’t force a bad shot, and instead made a perfect pas to Kyle Turris to get the Predators on the board first.
With all of the call-ups the Predators have been forced to make this season with injuries and players just not playing up to expectations, Trenin has probably been the biggest bright spot from the Milwaukee Admirals.
Trenin is probably securing his spot on the Predators roster for the foreseeable future as he keeps getting better and better with each game he plays in.
Keep in mind that the Predators are making up ground in the division and in the conference despite missing so many key players to their lineup. Important guys like Ryan Ellis, Dante Fabbro and Colton Sissons have missed substantial time recently with injuries. Big kudos to Trenin and others for holding it together.
The Predators are now at 49 points and get their road record to 11-8-3 with three more road games left in the month of January. The bye week is coming up after games with Edmonton, Anaheim and Buffalo.