Nashville Predators: Three Keys To Beating The Panthers
The Predators have suffered in the power-play category for quite some time. In fact, they haven’t scored a power-play goal in their past nine games.
In those nine games, they had 23 power-play opportunities but could not find the back of the net. Mikael Granlund scored the Predators’ last power-play goal on April 6 against the Detroit Red Wings.
The Predators’ power-play had gotten a boost with the addition of Eeli Tolvanen. He leads Nashville with six power-play goals this season.
With Tolvanen becoming a bit of a specialist, it is probably no coincidence that the Predators started having issues with their power-play when he came out of the lineup due to injury.
With the season coming to a close and the race for the fourth playoff spot in the Central Division winding down, the Predators have to fix their power-play issue quickly.
With Tolvanen back in the lineup and the critical need for points to get into the playoffs, the Predators need to get back on track during this matchup with the Panthers and take advantage of any power-play opportunity that may arise.
If there was any doubt about who will be the starting goaltender next season, Juuse Saros has erased those doubts. But for now, there is only one thing that should be at the forefront. He must maintain the consistency that he has recently brought to the team if they hope to make the playoffs.
Saros has played well since returning from injury. So well, in fact, he has become one of the top goaltenders in the league and has started to enter the Vezina Trophy conversation.
Saros now sits with a 2.27 GAA and a .926 SV%. His ability to stop pucks has been a significant factor in the Predators’ recent success.
With only seven games left in the season and with the caliber of teams that he will face, such as the Panthers and the Carolina Hurricanes, Saros has to keep up the level of play that he has shown.
With the imminent retirement of Pekka Rinne, Saros will be the Predators’ starter next season and beyond. He has to use these last few games of the season to prove that he can keep up his intensity and help carry the Predators into the playoffs and the future.
While the Predators’ struggles this season are well documented, we can look at some of the changes they made that helped turn their season around.
One thing the Predators did was to simplify their game. Instead of relying on finesse and fancy passing, they switched gears and began forechecking more, made shorter, more reliable passes to get the puck into the offensive zone, and did a better job of crowding their net to protect their goaltender.
The most noticeable change the Predators made was upping their intensity level and buying into the system implemented by Head Coach John Hynes.
The Predators have become a team that is harder to play against than in the past, getting back to playing “the Predator Way.” The slow and shaky 2nd periods were replaced with more well-rounded games where they played a full 60 minutes of hockey.
The Predators also began to handle adversity better. Before the turnaround, a two-goal deficit would have been a death sentence. Now they buckle down, work hard, and never give up.
Must Read. Nashville Predators: Why Head Coach John Hynes Is Here To Stay. light
With only seven games left in the season, the Predators need to keep their focus and remember what got them to this point. Making the playoffs was only a pipe dream a month and a half ago.
The Predators will be facing the number two team in the Central Division tonight. They have victories against the Panthers, but these two upcoming games take on monumental importance.
The Predators have to finish strong but may also have to rely on some scoreboard luck from some other teams. Regardless, this turnaround is nothing short of amazing and something that Nashville can use as fuel for next season.
The puck drops at 7:00 PM CDT and will be televised on Bally Sports South. Follow along with us on Twitter for up-to-the-minute game commentary.