Three Things that Doomed Nashville Predators’ Ugly Western Road Trip

Nashville Predators are Making it Harder on Themselves

I hate to say this, but the Predators are often times they’re own worst enemy. Lapses in play, on both offense and defense, has reared it’s ugly face over the last two games of the road trip.

Even to the point that Head Coach Andrew Brunette gave the unfiltered response after the Flames loss that it was basically the worst loss of the season to date. He might modify that statement after the Jets loss two nights later.

It is clear that this team can play in spurts both in a positive way and in a negative way. The problem with that method is this team is nowhere near elite enough to get away with taking periods, or even chunks of periods, off.

Road Trip Recap

•  10/31: 5-2 Loss at Vancouver
• 11/2: 4-2 Loss at Seattle
• 11/4: 5-2 Win at Edmonton
• 11/7: 4-2 Loss at Calgary
• 11/9: 6-3 Loss at Winnipeg

You look at every loss on this road trip and there were plenty of opportunities in each game for the Predators to be right in the thick of it down to the end. But lapses and missed opportunities left the hole too deep for them to dig out of.

The Predators were up 2-1 on Vancouver at the 1st intermission, tied 2-2 with Seattle towards end of 2nd period, up 2-0 on Calgary and tied with Winnipeg at 1-1 before completely losing control for a short period of time to open the 2nd period and next thing you know, they’re down 4-1.

Also, a lot of missing the net on open shots. The Predators only forced backup Laurent Broissoit of Winnipeg to make 20 saves on 23 shots faced. Not going to get it done on that low amount of shots, especially when they begin taking on the premiere goalies in this league.

It may sound overused, but the Predators have to get back to the basics. I see a team that’s trying to score three goals at once when they fall behind, rather than simplifying the game and staying true to themselves.