The Nashville Predators have relied on Juuse Saros all season long, but now they face another Vezina worthy goaltender in Connor Hellebuyck and the Winnipeg Jets.
With just two games remaining on the schedule before the All Star break, the Nashville Predators need to decide who this team will be in the final stretch of the season. After an embarrassing effort against the St. Louis Blues last Thursday and a closed door meeting between team and coaching staff Saturday morning, the Preds came out and played much more inspired hockey Saturday night against the L.A. Kings. Nashville's 5-3 win was due to improved play and effort by the underperforming core of the team. Tonight, those players - Matt Duchene, Ryan Johansen, Mikael Granlund, and Roman Josi - will need to bring that same intensity against the Winnipeg Jets.
The 31-16-1 Jets are currently battling the Dallas Stars for the top spot in the Central Division. Despite a very different position in the Division, the Predators and Jets have one thing in common when it comes to this season - excellent goaltending.
There are a number of similarities between the Nashville and Winnipeg starting goaltenders. Juuse Saros and Connor Hellebuyck have been consistently winning games for their respective teams, and each has faced a hefty workload when it comes to number of shots they have faced this season. Saros ranks first among goaltenders for number of shots on goal he's had to handle, but Hellebuyck isn't far behind, ranking fourth in the league for that same metric. Both rank in the top five for number of games played this season as well.
Despite a slow start to the season, Saros' play has been some of the best goaltending in the league of late. His save percentage has improved month after month, and in his eight games in January he boasts a .928. Hellebuyck, too, is at the top of his game. The 29 year old Hellebuyck is definitely on the short list of potential Vezina nominees while Saros' slow start may make him a candidate on a longer list for the post season goaltending award.
The two goaltenders are playing at similar high levels, but the performances by the rest of these two teams' rosters may be what makes the difference in tonight's outcome. The Jets have three 50+ point scorers in Kyle Connor, Josh Morrissey, and Pierre-Luc Dubois and three 20+ goal scorers with Connor, Dubois, and goal leader Mark Scheifele. Nashville? Not so much. The Preds' points leaders are Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi who are tied with 39 points and the roster does not even have one 20 goal scorer yet this season. The Jets' top six have produced offensively while the Predators' big players - Forsberg, Matt Duchene, Ryan Johansen, and Makes Granlund have struggled all season to generate and finish offensive chances.
Nashville's top six are going to have to execute like they did Saturday night against the Kings if they want to win against a team with a well performing top six. Hellebuyck and the Jets are stingy when it comes to giving up goals with a 2.63 goals against per game average that is sixth best in the league. The Preds will need to move the puck quickly and surround the net for any greasy goals they can collect. If Nashville can get a goal or two from the bottom of the lineup it would go a long way to keeping the Preds in this game.
It will need to be another stellar performance from Saros, but the defensive support he gets could be the difference maker when it comes to the final score. The Preds will need to clog up passing lanes, keep the Jets' offensive chances to the perimeter, and limit breakaway chances. Saros will need a solid defensive performance in front of him against Winnipeg tonight.
With neither team playing tonight's game as a part of a back to back, all signs point to a matchup between two Vezina caliber net minders at Bridgestone Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 pm CST. The game will be broadcast on Bally Sports South and 1-2.5 The Game will have the radio call.