Nashville Predators Need Same Intensity Tonight Against New Jersey

A big problem with the Nashville Predators is managing the same intensity and success from game to game. Can they do that against last-place New Jersey?

I’ve already alluded to this earlier in the week, but it wouldn’t come as a surprise in the slightest if the Nashville Predators give us another stinker tonight after going out and defeating the NHL’s best team in the Washington Capitals.

It’s exactly why they find themselves where they are in the standings. The Predators lack consistency and you just never know which team is going to show up. Just look at some of their impressive wins this season and then try to figure out how they’re a fringe playoff team at best.

Tonight is a perfect test to see if they’re finally reversing that trend and ready to string together some wins to salvage this season. They get the last-place New Jersey Devils as they go from one end of the spectrum to another in the Metropolitan Division.

What we’re looking for

Tonight we should see Pekka Rinne back in net after witnessing a poor showing from both Juuse Saros and Washington’s Braden Holtby last night. Rinne hasn’t been the problem recently despite his numbers are slumping.

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New head coach John Hynes will face his former team and the one that fired him less than two months ago. We’ll also get to see old friend P.K. Subban again tonight as the Predators have already beat the Devils once this season back in December just after Hynes had been fired.

I’m sure Hynes is ready to stick it to his former team that you can argue didn’t give him a fair shake. I’m also quite sure that his new team is ready to deliver him a win and start a winning streak of their own to push towards a playoff spot.

We can’t just overlook the Devils here, or any team for that matter. The Predators have shown they can beat the best of them but also lose to the worst of them. The Devils have already won their first game after the All-Star break with a win over the Ottawa Senators.

The Devils actually have a few impressive wins this month over quality opponents like the Islanders, Lightning and Capitals. They’re not a team that appears to be tanking or giving up.

In the previous meeting the Predators won 6-4  with goals from six different players. Rocco Grimaldi got the first star as the Predators put up 37 shots on goal but went 0-for-6 on the power play.

Are the stars of the team ready to step up?

I’ve been preaching for the proven veterans of the team to start stepping up and carrying this team more. Players like Filip Forsberg, Matt Duchene, Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson. They answered the call last night as they all played key roles in getting the upset victory.

Now they have to sustain that positive energy tonight. Forsberg had two assists, Johansen scored the game-tying goal in the 3rd period and some unlikely offense came from a couple other players.

This also applies to Rinne. We know what he’s capable of, even at age 36. Yes, the defense in front of him has to improve as well, but Rinne is an elite goaltender that can steal games. Perhaps we’re in store for one of those gems from him tonight.

The Predators are trying to make this playoff push without Ryan Ellis, which is difficult. He’s been out since taking an elbow to the head in the Winter Classic on New Year’s Day. It’s pushed Jared Tinordi into a bigger role, and he just scored his first career NHL goal last night.

If you want to sneak into the playoffs and avoid the disaster snapping your playoff appearance streak, then winning games like this has to happen down the stretch. Winning at least two out of every three, and probably more like three out of every four is need from here on out.

The Predators will be on NBCSN again tonight with puck drop coming at 6:30 P.M. CDT. Following this game the Predators get back to playing Western Conference foes, and will come back home with a game against the Vegas Golden Knights to open up February.