Nashville Predators Playoff History: The Five Best Individual Performances
Mike Fisher Sinks the Sharks in Triple Overtime
May 5th, 2016, Game 4 vs. San Jose Sharks
One of the most memorable playoff moments in Nashville Predators history. The year before the Predators made their insane and improbable run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2017.
Fisher had become an on-ice and off-ice leader for the Nashville Predators. He had been with the team up to this point since 2010-11 and getting towards the ladder stages of his successful NHL career.
For the Predators, they were finally starting to build on something that could give them postseason success. They had just won only their third playoff series in franchise history, and the mighty San Jose Sharks awaited in the second round.
Anytime a game goes to triple overtime, it’s going down in the history book. Fisher had already scored one goal in regulation way back in the first period to put the Predators up 2-1. It was battle of will and fortitude for both teams, but more so for the Predators to not fall behind 3-1 in the series.
Over 11 minutes into the third overtime, Fisher would finally call game, tying the series at 2-2 in front of one of the most amped up Bridgestone Arena crowds ever to that point in franchise history.
Another individual performance involved in this game will come later, and was arguably even more historical of a showing than Fisher’s game-winner, which was set up by a rebound off the shot from Mattias Ekholm.
Pekka Stuns the Heavy Favorites in the Windy City
April 15th, 2017, Game 2 First Round vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Everyone remembers the feeling of going into that first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Even the most loyal and passionate of Predators fans felt like we already lost before the puck dropped for Game 1 vs. the mammoth Chicago Blackhawks. The Evil Empire. The dynasty.
When the Predators crept out of Game 1 with a 1-0 win, the feeling was we stole one on the road and the Blackhawks were going to come back angrier than ever and roast the Predators to take back control of the series they’re heavy favorites in.
Game 2 was absolutely the turning point of “maybe we actually can pull off the unthinkable??”. Pekka Rinne sure made it feel that way, at least.
In Game 1, Rinne turned away 29 shots for the 1-0 shutout. In Game 2, Rinne would face just 30 shots, but the pressure was intense. Performing back-to-back shutouts on the road against a dynasty like team in the Blackhawks should be considered one of the better two-game showings from a goaltender in NHL history.
I still consider Game 2 slightly more impressive because it really flipped heads around the NHL world. Any underdog can get lucky and steal Game 1. Can you do it again? The Predators did, and they gave some goal support to Rinne as well with five goals and a three-point game from Ryan Johansen, just for honorable mention.
I will always remember this Game 2 as a game that made me feel like “oh wow, this can actually happen”. Plus the trolling of the Blackhawks slogan of “One Goal” still gives me joy and always will.
An Unlikely Hero Delivers the First Taste of Postseason Success
April 24th, 2011- Game 6 First Round vs. Anaheim Ducks
Anyone remember Nick Spaling? I know some of the newbies to the Nashville Predators fanbase may not, and that’s perfectly fine, but in the early days this team had blue collar written all over them.
In the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Nashville Predators had yet to win a first round series in their history. They had made the playoffs in five of the previous six seasons, so making it into the dance was starting to become the norm. The next step was obviously getting past the first round.
Spaling had not been in the NHL for very long up to this point. He was drafted in 2007 as a second-round pick by the Predators, and had just completed his second season in the NHL by playing in 74 games with just eight goals.
So how unlikely is it that Spaling tallied not one, but two goals in this deciding Game 6 win for the Predators to help them secure their first ever playoff series win? And it was a series of dramatic swings.
After winning Game 1, the Predators would proceed to lose Game 2 and the series would go on to be tied 2-2. Many were sweating out the notion that it was going to be another hard-fought first round series loss.
Spaling kept this from going to Game 7 with his two goals, both being assisted by Jordin Tootoo.
Those two goals would be the only two goals Spaling would score in his playoff career for the Predators. He would go on to score just one more playoff goal in his NHL career while playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
A Hat Trick Sends the Nashville Predators to the Stanley Cup Final
May 22nd, 2017- Game 6 Western Conference Finals vs. Anaheim Ducks
This is one of those moments that Predators fans will never forget where they were while watching this game back in 2017. The Western Conference Finals, Game 6 at home in Bridgestone Arena.
The Predators and Ducks were fierce rivals. The Ducks played a rugged game, and the Predators were looking to continue their magical run through the postseason as a No.8 seed. They had already swept the Blackhawks and taken out the Blues in six.
Colton Sissons came into this game with valuable postseason experience the year before, but didn’t register a point in those two playoff series that ended with the Predators being eliminated by the San Jose Sharks.
The 2016-17 season was Sissons’ third year in the NHL. He had just 10 points, eight goals, during that season. For him to put it together for a hat trick in a series-clinching Game 6 to go to the Stanley Cup Final will forever be one of the most special moments in franchise history.
Sissons would tally his first goal of the game in the opening period to put the Predators up 2-0 on the Ducks. The Ducks would make a furious comeback to tie it at 3-3 with two goals in a span of less than four minutes.
No one wanted to think about going back to Anaheim for a Game 7. Sissons already had two goals in the game, and would score the go-ahead goal 14 minutes into the third period for an eruption at Bridgestone Arena.
The pass across the slot from Calle Jarnkrok deserves all the praise in this as well. That’s what you call a hockey team fully engaged and in sync with each other. I’ll always get chills when I watch this clip.
Of course, the goal Sissons had taken back in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final will always haunt us as a fanbase. Who knows what would’ve happened if that goes to Game 7. Maybe the Predators have their first Stanley Cup. We’ll never know. #SissonsScored
Pekka Puts Up a Brick Wall to Deny San Jose Sharks
May 5th, 2016, Game 4 Second Round vs. San Jose Sharks
I told you I was going to come back to this Game 6 triple overtime game against the San Jose Sharks. Yes, I know the Predators would eventually lose in Game 7. But this is about single games and the best individual performances in those clutch games.
Pekka Rinne faced 47 shots over the course of nearly two full games. It was over halfway through the 20-minute third overtime frame when Mike Fisher finally ended it.
Rinne would make 44 saves for a .936 save percentage. His counterpart for San Jose, would respectfully put up 41 saves on 45 shots faced. An unprecedented goalie duel in the postseason.
It was about which goalie would finally blink first. Trading clutch save after clutch save. Rinne was already starting to climb the NHL ranks as one of the rising goalies of the NHL, but this kind of put the hockey world on notice that he’s becoming one of the most elite.
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Rinne logged just shy of 111 minutes of ice time. I can’t imagine the amount of laser focus and determination it took to stay locked in and not give up a single goal or it would be an instant loss and a 3-1 series deficit.
This is also a special game to remember because the Sharks were heavy favorites, much like virtually every playoff series the Predators entered. For Rinne to put up this kind of effort to stand on his head and not let the Predators go down quietly was something all-time special.
Unfortunately, Rinne would struggle the rest of the series as the Sharks would win in seven games. However, it still doesn’t take away from this triple overtime performance as one of the best in Nashville Predators playoff history.