Stay Out Of The Box
The final key to beating Edmonton is to stay out of the penalty box. The Preds remain the highest penalized team, with over 80 penalty minutes more than the second place Minnesota Wild.
The Oilers have the third-best powerplay in the NHL,while the Predators average over four penalties per game, which in this case, equates to roughly one Oilers powerplay goal.
The Predators can avoid that likely disadvantage by avoiding lazy penalties, which could keep the penalty total down to one or two all game, minimizing the opportunity for Edmonton’s powerplay to get to work.
If the Predators take a few penalties early, there could become a hole that is too deep to climb out of, so it is imperative that the team plays hard but smart against the lethal offense of the Edmonton Oilers.
Prediction
The Nashville Predators haven’t beaten the Oilers this season, losing 5-2 in November and 3-2 in a shootout in January, but I think that changes tonight.
With so much on the line for the Predators against a team that is beatable, and close to the Preds in the standings, they’ll squeak by with a 4-2 win. We’ll call the fourth goal being an empty netter, in a game where special teams and discipline are put to the test.