Cody Glass and Luke Evangelista score for Nashville, but the Predators fall in overtime to the Winnipeg Jets.
The Nashville Predators battled for playoff hope this afternoon as they welcomed the Winnipeg Jets to Bridgestone Arena for an afternoon matchup that would give either team a potential four point swing in the standings. Entering today's game, Winnipeg sat four points ahead of Nashville, but the Predators have three games in hand. The Predators have one of the toughest schedules remaining in the regular season so today's outcome was likely to have playoff implications.
Both teams are coming off losses on Thursday night. Nashville dropped their game against the Chicago Blackhawks while the Jets lost to the Boston Bruins. The Preds have strung together wins recently going 6-3-1 in their last ten games. Meanwhile the Jets are 3-5-2 in that same span despite making moves at the trade deadline - including trading for former Predator Nino Niederreiter - to prepare for a playoff run.
Today's game featured a goaltending showdown between top net minders Connor Hellebuyck and Juuse Saros.
Game Recap
Former Predator Nino Niederreiter got the first shot on goal for the Jets, but Saros handled the puck easily. The Jets had the early advantage in offensive zone time, but it was Cody Glass who got Nashville on the board first with a tip in goal at 5:26.
Winnipeg continued to dominate in offensive zone ice time as the pace and intensity of the game picked up. Early scraps finally spilled over as Cal Foote and Brenden Dillon dropped the gloves. The Jets ended up with a power play as Foote was charged with the instigator infraction. Nashville's penalty kill managed the two minutes and the teams returned to full strength.
Yakov Trenin drew a cross checking penalty at 14:11 to give Nashville their first chance on the power play. The Predators set up and pressured Hellebuyck, but Kiefer Sherwood committed a hold on a Jets shorthanded chance late in the power play. The teams played a brief four four and then the Jets took a turn with the man advantage. Again, the penalty kill kept the Jets from capitalizing. The first period ended with Winnipeg leading in shots on goal 13-3 but the Predators up 1-0.
Nashville started the second period without Roman Josi on the bench. The Preds improved on offensive zone time early in the period, but the momentum was interrupted by a cross checking call on Dante Fabbro. Nashville's penalty kill only allowed one shot on goal before the teams returned to five a side.
Winnipeg's best chance of the period came on a three on one breakaway, but a fumbled pass alleviated the pressure for Saros. The Jets ended the period with a flurry of activity in front of the Preds' net, but the teams headed into the second intermission with Nashville up 1-0.
The final period started with good offensive opportunities for both teams but neither could get the puck past two determined goaltenders. The Jets finally got on the scoreboard at 6:17 as Nikolaj Ehlers sent a shot past Saros. Nashville answered back just :34 seconds later as Luke Evangelista tapped the puck past Hellebuyck to give Nashville their one goal lead back.
The Jets got a chance to even up the score as Yakov Trenin headed to the penalty box at 7:59 for a hooking call. The penalty kill again did a fantastic job cleaning the puck, and the Jets recorded just one shot on net on the man advantage before Trenin retuned to the ice. The Jets scored as the teams returned to full strength when Adam Lowry cleaned up a net front rebound at 10:15.
As the period wound down, Nashville generated a handful of quality chances against Hellebuyck, but the Jets' goaltender made the necessary saves. The Jets pressured with less than a minute to go, but sixty minutes of regulation ended with a score of 2-2. The teams headed to overtime.
Less than a minute into the overtime period Neal Pionk tapped the puck past Saros to give the Jets the win in overtime.
Game Notes
1. Nashville needed a big game from Juuse Saros to earn that point. The Predators played without Roman Josi in the second and third periods, and that increased the pressure on Saros and an already depleted defensive group.
2. The young guys played their hearts out. Goals by Cody Glass and Luke Evangelista kept Nashville in the game, and Tommy Novak and Phil Tomasino chipped in an assist each. Despite the pressure of the playoff chase, the young players are playing with confidence.
3. The penalty kill was key to getting this game to overtime. The Predators killed off all four man advantage chances the Jets played, an important factor in getting this game to overtime. Special teams are starting to come together for Nashville and may be a difference maker down the stretch in some close games.
Related Reading:
Predators - 1, Blackhawks - 2: Josi Scores But Preds Fall to Blackhawks
Kiefer Sherwood's Mindset: "Just Trying to Earn One More Day"
Hynes on Novak: "He's Deserves the Opportunities He's Getting"