Predators - 0, Jets - 2: Magic Missing in Must Win Game for Nashville

After an even first period, Mark Scheifele, Neal Pionk, and the Winnipeg Jets took over the game and came away with two crucial two points in a race to secure a wildcard playoff spot.

The Nashville Predators traveled to Canada Life Centre to take on the 43-32-3 Winnipeg Jets. The Predators entered tonight's game just one point behind Winnipeg in the chase for the second wildcard spot - an unlikely storyline after all the Predators roster has been through with big trades and significant injuries. 

The Predators made slight adjustments to the lineup tonight. Zach Sanford jump up to play with Cody Glass and Phil Tomasino while Egor Afanasyev teamed up with Mark Jankowski and Michael McCarron. After a shutout performance Thursday night against the Carolina Hurricanes, Juuse Saros took his place once again in net. 

In a game in which only eight of tonight's line up began the season in the starting lineup, the Predators faced perhaps their most important challenge of the season.

The Jets got an early opportunity as Cody Glass headed to the penalty box at 1:20 for a hold, and the Predators penalty kill went to work. The Jets got one shot on goal, but Nashville killed off the two minutes.Nashville got their chance on the power play at 7:44 when Dylan DeMelo was called for boarding after a hit on Zach Sanford. The Predators put two shots on goal, but Connor Hellebuyck handled the chances well. 

The special teams cycle continued as Nashville had too many men on the ice, and the Jets power play went back to work at 12:47.  The Jets threatened right away with a shot on net, but the shot hit he post and Ryan McDonagh tied up a Winnipeg stick to prevent a rebound shot from going in. The Predators survived the remaining two minutes, and the teams returned to five a side. 

Despite not scoring on the power play, the Jets capitalized on the momentum of the two minutes and spent the next stretch of the game pressuring offensively. The first period ended with Nashville leading 8-7 in shots on goal but no score on the board. 

The Predators started the second period with more time in the offensive zone. Winnipeg upped their pressure with extended zone time halfway through the period pressuring Saros and trapping a tired Predators group on the ice. The Jets offensive pressure finally paid off as Mark Scheifele scored the first goal of the game at 15:06. 

Momentum continued in Winnipeg's favor as Colton Sissons headed to the box for a tripping infraction at 15:36. The Jets thought they had scored a second goal on the power play, but Saros had the puck covered and a review confirmed the "no goal" call. Nashville killed off the rest of the penalty. The second period ended with continued Jets' pressure, but somehow the Predators survive a brutal second period only down 1-0. 

The third period began where it left off with Winnipeg pressuring offensively. Neal Pionk scored less than two minutes into the final period giving the Jets the two goal lead. Nashville started to get pucks on Hellebuyck, but the goaltender handled the pressure without issue. Halfway through the period, time of possession tilted back in favor the Winnipeg. 

As the game wouldn't down, Cody Glass bounced a shot off the post as the Preds tried to get something past Hellebuyck. Juuse Saros headed to the bench with 2:17 left in the game and the extra attacker came on. The Predators had looks in the final moments, but Hellebuyck held fast. The Jets defeated the Predators 2-0. 

1. That was a tough second period. Nashville was outshot 20-5 in the middle period and was under constant pressure from the Jets. They were fortunate to escape that twenty minutes just down one goal, but the Preds never fully recovered the momentum.

2. Nashville couldn't get through the neutral zone. The Preds struggled to carry the puck through the neutral zone and establish possession in the offensive zone. Once the Preds were trapped in the D zone, they couldn't do anything but dump the puck and change lines when they got possession. 

3. This is a valuable game for this young Predators team. Playoff implications, high stakes, big stage - even though Nashville couldn't get the win, the experience under pressure at the end of the season will be valuable for this young team.