Nashville Predators: Wildest Games of 2019-20 Season

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With no more hockey games for the foreseeable future, let’s look back on the Nashville Predators season that may be prematurely over.

We’re not sure if the Nashville Predators will finish out there 2019-20 season due to the NHL deciding to pause operations in response to the concerns over the coronavirus.

The Predators currently sit in a playoff spot based on point percentages in the standings. They’d be in the second wildcard spot with 78 points and two games less than what the Winnipeg Jets have played, who are in the first wildcard position.

While we’re stuck in this unknown pause position, let’s take a look back on the craziest and wildest games the Predators have played in this season. There’s plenty to choose from.

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 10: Calle Jarnkrok #19 of the Nashville Predators celebrates a goal against the Washington Capitals during the third period of a 6-5 Predators victory over the Capitals at Bridgestone Arena on October 10, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /

Preds beat Capitals

The 2019-20 season was still in its infancy, and the Nashville Predators wasted no time adding a signature win over the Washington Capitals in a thrilling game to watch.

The Predators held Washington to only 26 shots on goal, but Alex Ovechkin managed to score two of their five goals and at one point put his team up 4-2 over the Predators.

A lot of resiliency was shown by the Predators in this game as they fell behind on the scoreboard multiple times, but managed to always come back strong.

Matt Duchene would eventually score the tying goal six minutes into the 3rd period for his first regular season goal as a member of the Nashville Predators.

Once again the Predators would have to make a comeback late in regulation with Nick Bonino scoring his first goal of the season, and Mattias Ekholm getting the game-winner on a mammoth of a slap shot.

NASHVILLE, TN – FEBRUARY 15: Goalie David Rittich #33 of the Calgary Flames makes a save on a shot by Kevin Fiala #22 of the Nashville Predators during the final moments of a Flames 4-3 victory at Bridgestone Arena on February 15, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /

Preds choke late in regulation

Halloween night offered plenty of horrors for the Nashville Predators as they squandered a three-goal lead in the 3rd period to eventually lose in overtime.

The Flames would tie it up at 5-5 with less than 40 seconds left in the game. Pekka Rinne would end up saving just 21 of 27 shots faced on the night.

This can be a breaking point for the Predators on the season that would turn into a rollercoaster afterwards. They’d tailspin into mediocrity in November, and are still trying to recover from being on the playoff bubble.

If and when the season picks back up, the Predators seem to finally be playing more consistently, but this game was a turning point into the wrong direction.

DENVER, COLORADO – NOVEMBER 07: Matt Duchene #95 of the Nashville Predators advances the puck against the Colorado Avalanche in the first period at the Pepsi Center on November 07, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

Another ugly collapse

This game is hard to forget, and haunts all of us for how badly the Predators fell apart in quick fashion.

I remember this game vividly because I literally turned away from the action for just a few minutes, and next thing I know the Avalanche had score three goals and up two goals.

Before that, Matt Duchene had just put the Predators up 3-2 against his former team. It was his 5th goal of the season at the time.

This was a complete meltdown and utter collapse by the Predators and the coaching staff. They didn’t make any adjustments on the fly, and the final score ended up being 9-4. Colorado scored six goals in the 2nd period. Six!

This games also marks a point when I really started hearing rumblings about firing Peter Laviolette, and that this team wasn’t good enough to even make the playoffs. Time will tell if that was an accurate statement or not.

Preds sweep Cup champs

Entering the two-game set with the St.Louis Blues, the Nashville Predators had lost six in a row and in serious danger of falling way out of the playoff race.

Then the Predators managed to get a gutsy 4-2 win in St.Louis to stop some of the bleeding leading up to this game. But everyone is due to win a game sooner or later.

However, the Predators followed that up with an even gutsier performance just two days later to beat the Blues again, this time in Nashville.

This win came via the shootout from an unlikely source of Daniel Carr. It helped the Predators get some new life, and make us loyal fans think maybe there is hope after all.

Juuse Saros got the start in this particular game and made 23 saves on 25 shots faced. He held the Blues onslaught at bay in the final period while the score was tied 2-2.

Nick Bonino and Ryan Johansen were your regulation goal scorers, while the team as a whole sprayed 39 shots on goal at the Blues.

UNIONDALE, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 17: Ryan Ellis #4 of the Nashville Predators skates against the New York Islanders at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum on December 17, 2019 in Uniondale, New York. The Predators defeated the Islanders 8-3. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Preds erupt offensively

Chalk this game up as one nobody saw coming. The Islanders were one of the best defensive teams in the league coming in, and the Predators were still trying to dig themselves out of the hole they dug in November.

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It looked like they were going to be beaten rather easily by the Islanders, and then the unthinkable happened as the Predators score seven unanswered goals.

Almost like the Colorado game, but the Predators were on the right side of this one. Filip Forsberg got the first goal of the eruption, followed by Craig Smith tying it up at 3-3.

Nick Bonino and Rocco Grimaldi would add goals towards the end of the 2nd period, bringing the score to 5-3 Nashville and leaving the Islanders crowd pretty stunned.

The Predators wouldn’t let up in the 3rd period, adding three more goals from Calle Jarnkrok, Roman Josi and Ryan Johansen.

Smith and Jarnkrok each finished with three points apiece, while Pekka Rinne made 27 saves on 30 shots faced. Mikael Granlund was a scratch.

Winter Classic nightmare

First off, the experience of the Winter Classic at Cotton Bowl Stadium is one that was incredible to witness, win or lose. Be that as it may, this was a disastrous game for many reasons regarding the Nashville Predators.

Ryan Ellis was lost for an extender amount of time due to a dirty hit to the head by Dallas’ Corey Perry. Fans and players alike are still probably not over that as the Predators suffered a huge blow to their already questionable defense.

Ellis of course took the high road as the classy player that he is when asked about it, courtesy of WKRN News 2 and Kayla Anderson:

Great to see Ryan Ellis paired up with Roman Josi at practice, it looks like he could be ready to play Friday. Ellis has been out since January 1st with a concussion. He took the high road when asked about Corey Perry's dirty hit in the Winter Classic. #Preds pic.twitter.com/qT8L0emjJ0
— Kayla Anderson ✨ (@KaylaAndersonTV) February 20, 2020

Then you have the quick turn of events after the Predators scored the game’s first two goals. They were actually playing with a lot of intensity and had control of the game.

All hell broke loose after that when the Stars gradually stole momentum away, got the crowd behind them and pounced on the Predators relentlessly in the 3rd period to win 4-2.

This was probably the final straw for Peter Laviolette’s time as Nashville’s head coach, although he would coach two more games before being fired almost a week later.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – FEBRUARY 21: Pekka Rinne #35 of the Nashville Predators makes a stop against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center on February 21, 2020 in Chicago, Illinois. The Blackhawks defeated the Predators 2-1 in overtime. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Pekka scores a goal

The game itself wasn’t all that exciting aside from the fact that it’s always fun watching the Predators slap around the Blackhawks. They’d win this one 5-2 in John Hynes’ first win as Nashville’s head coach.

The much bigger story from this wild game is the goal from Pekka Rinne from behind his own net. He lined it up, launched it over everyone and sniped his first career goal:

The moment was a special one and will go into Predators folklore for years to come. What was really awesome about the whole thing was how Rinne’s teammates embraced him and you saw the pure joy.

This is why we’re fans and love this game.

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – JANUARY 27: Mikael Granlund #64 of the Nashville Predators is congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the first period at Bridgestone Arena on January 27, 2020 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Frederick Breedon/Getty Images) /

Preds get their revenge

The Flames show up again. Can you imagine if these two teams end up in a playoff series together?

This one was all about Mikael Granlund and his dominance. The Predators fell behind 3-2 with less than a minute left in regulation. The building was deflated as it looked like the Predators were heading for defeat.

Then Granlund let everyone know he had other plans, but it wasn’t all him. It was an excellent team effort, and Granlund crashed the net to score with less than a single second remaining.

It didn’t take long into overtime for Granlund to score the game-winner, and extend the Predators winning streak to three games.

Granlund got his goal total up to 17 goals on the season, but he hasn’t scored since then over a span of six games.

Hopefully we’ll get a chance to add more games to this list when the NHL picks back up. But safety of the public and the players always comes first.

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