Nashville Predators 2022-23 Midseason Report Card
By Kyle Fleming
Penalty Killers are Ridin’ Waves
The Nashville Predators can’t seem to find a rhythm. While the penalty kill units have stayed relatively the same throughout the season they, at times, look like they do not know where each other are on the ice.
Encompassing part of last quarter as well, from November 1st – December 13th the penalty kill went 44 for 58 and only had a 75.9% success rate on the kill. Luckily for them, they have since picked it up and have been playing outstanding.
Since December 14th, the Predators have gone 43 for 50 on the PK. They have had an 86% success rate which puts them towards the top of the league, without their struggles earlier in the season.
Due to the woeful play that they have shown in streaks, they find themselves ranking 15th with an overall 79.2% kill rate.
Yakov Trenin and Mark Jankowski have both been outstanding while the Predators are at a man disadvantage. They both scored a shorthanded goal during this quarter and have nine blocks and 11 takeaways combined.
Many nights on the penalty kill, Trenin looks like a human wrecking ball, running into anyone that touches the puck.
The penalty killers’ physical play, not allowing back door opportunities, and being relentless on the puck disrupts the opposing teams power play. Due to this the opposing team cannot get their units set up creating fewer scoring chances.