Three Factors into the Nashville Predators Clutch Win over Winnipeg Jets
Nashville Predators Turn in a Stellar Defensive Performance
This doesn’t happen often, but the Nashville Predators easily owned the shot margins against the Jets, who boasted a top-10 scoring offense coming in.
At 5v5 even strength, the Predators outshot the Jets 38-28. A manageable night for Juuse Saros, while Connor Hellebuyck was tested often.
Aside from the early goal given up in the first 60 seconds, the Predators defensive structure made it extremely difficult for Jets skaters to get into the high danger areas and really test Saros. Only 11 high danger chances allowed, while the Predators managed 17 of their own at 5v5 even strength.
This had the makings of the classic goalie duel as both Saros and Hellebuyck are workhorses for the respective teams and two viable choices to be Vezina Trophy nominations later this year.
Which team was going to protect their goaltender more effectively and make life a little easier on their world class goaltender? The Predators, who rarely win that battle, won it on this night against the Jets.
Saros still sprinkled in some incredible saves to hold the Jets to one goal. It’s the third time in the last five games that the Jets have been held to one goal.
For all of its Flaws, This Team has Resiliency
Giving up a goal in the first 60 seconds in a divisional game where you’re the overwhelming underdog isn’t ideal. The good part is, you have almost an entire game to settle down and erase that deficit.
The important thing at that juncture after the Jets goal was to not let it compound into a two or three-goal deficit. The Predators played out the rest of the first period without scoring a goal, but they slowly took back some momentum and kept the score manageable.
In the second period, the Predators remained committed to their gameplan of forechecking hard and putting tons of pressure on Jets puck handlers. The Jets only managed five shots on Saros in the second period. The Predators ramped up their offensive pressure by getting 18 shots on Hellebuyck and the tying goal from Cody Glass.
Flashy, lopsided wins aren’t going to happen very often with the Predators. They’re not a high-scoring team and the margin for error is thin, especially against teams with a lot of offensive talent and a top tier goaltender like Hellebuyck.
The resiliency the Predators showed us in this game was impressive. They’ve done it a lot over the past couple of weeks. Three of their last four wins have come by a 2-1 final score and needing to be clutch in the final moments of games.
Another Reliable Night for the Penalty Kill
This area has actually become the strength of this team. The Predators average the eighth-most penalty minutes per game at nearly 11 minutes. It makes it all the more vital that the penalty kill can hold strong at turning points of games.
Jeremy Lauzon took a lazy tripping penalty in the final minute of the second period. These are the penalties you have to avoid, especially in a tie game where both goaltenders are proving hard to beat.
Yet again, the Predators penalty kill rose to the challenge. Coming out of the second intermission, killing off the remainder of the Jets power play was a major momentum shifter. Tanner Jeannot would score the game-winning goal just a few minutes later after killing the Lauzon penalty off.
This is kind of their calling card and recipe for success as of late. Don’t let teams feast on you with their power plays. It allows you to play a little more loose and aggressive on the defensive end knowing that you can trust your penalty kill to do the job.
The Jets mustered up just four shots and zero High Danger Chances on Saros over their three power play opportunities. That’s called locking it down for a penalty kill unit.
We know how much the Predators love to block shots and clog up lanes. They did that very well on the Jets’ three power plays. Three blocks each from Roman Josi and Ryan McDonagh, and two blocks from Colton Sissons.
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Of course, it helps a heck of a lot to have Saros between the pipes turning pucks away when power plays do get set up.
If this penalty kill for the Nashville Predators, which is up to 14th in the NHL, can remain a strong point then it’s going to leave them in great situations late in games to pile up more wins. A far cry from last season when you shielded your eyes anytime the penalty kill was called upon.