Filip Forsberg reveals how improved breakouts fuel the Predators' winning streak. Learn what's transforming their season, one swift exit from their zone at a time.
A good start can set you up for success.
After starting off the year at 6-12-4, the Nashville Predators have won seven of their last 10, recently picking up a 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues on the road on Monday.
The effort was highlighted by Filip Forsberg's 11th career hat trick and the second hat trick by a Predators player in less than a week. When asked about what's allowed the Predators to start raking in the wins, Forsberg said it's been the team's breakout.
"Early in the season, we got stuck in our own zone," Forsberg said. "The breakouts have been better and we're spending less time in our own zone because of that. That's definitely helping our game."
The effort to get the play going from their end of the ice has shown on the scoresheet, with multiple Predators players riding point streaks, one of whom even broke an individual record against the Blues.
Ryan O'Reilly has seven points in six games, Forsberg has eight points in five games, Stamkos has seven points in six games and Brady Skjei has four points in five games.
Roman Josi recorded two assists in the win against the Blues, making him the defenseman born outside of North America with the fifth-most multipoint games in NHL history, 177.
"I liked the way we started," head coach Andrew Brunette said. "I liked stretches of the game. It was one of those games where I thought we lost momentum here and there, but we hung in there. Third period, I thought we defended a little too much, but there was a lot of good. We came ready to play."
The effort that's come in the last few games, specifically in the breakout, is going to be critical during the Predators' three-game home stand, facing three teams they have previously lost to this season by three goals each.
The Carolina Hurricanes, who they face on Wednesday, are a fast team that dominates possession time. According to EDGE, a stat service run by NHL.com, the Hurricanes are one of the fastest skating teams in terms of speed bursts, recording 44 bursts of 22 mph+ this season.
More notably, Carolina has dominated the possession game. It leads the league in time spent in the offensive zone (46.2%), which is 5% above the NHL average. On its own breakout, they are moving fast, spending just 35.6% of its time in the defensive zone, 6% below the league average.
The Predators got throttled in their last meeting by the Hurricanes, losing 6-3 on Dec. 6 in Raleigh. The Wednesday game will be a test to see whether the breakout is sharp enough to challenge one of the league's best skating teams.
"It'll be a lot of the same thing, playing a team we saw recently," Forsberg said on facing the Hurricanes. "They're a fast, tenacious team, so it's going to be even more important with the breakouts.
"We need to limit their odd-man rushes a bit from the last game. We gave up a lot and we can't do that against them. It'll be another good one."
Up next: Carolina Hurricanes (21-9-2, 1st in Metropolitan) at Nashville Predators (13-15-4, 8th in Central) on Wed. Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. CST at Bridgestone Arena