Predators Practice Report 1/1/24: Washington Win, Managing Momentum, and Scoring in the Shootout
The Nashville Predators kicked off the new year with an energetic practice as they look back on lessons from the weekend's back to back and prepare for the Blackhawks tomorrow.
Predators Practice Report 1/1/24: Washington Win, Managing Momentum, and Scoring in the ShootoutThe Nashville Predators started the new year off with a high energy practice this morning at Bridgestone Arena. The team returned from their two game back to back in which they lost to Detroit in overtime and defeated the Capitals in a shootout and began preparing for the first game of 2024 tomorrow night when they take on the Chicago Blackhawks.
Kevin Lankinen returned to practice with the squad after battling illness last week. Tyson Barrie still appears to be out with an upper body injury that has him listed as day-to-day.
Ryan O'Reilly, Dante Fabbro, and Andrew Brunette talked about the Predators managing momentum in their game against the Capitals on Saturday.
"There's definitely momentum swings throughout games," Fabbro said after practice. "I think it's up to us and how we have to manage that. You can see when the momentum switches. We were having a lot of high turnovers in their end. I think that part of us growing as a team is learning and understanding those areas of the game where you need to be better and smarter."
"I thought we did a good job staying even keeled," Ryan O'Reilly said of the win in Washington. "I thought we had a great start to the game and had that dip, and they grabbed momentum back and then stuck with it."
"Obviously getting that goal turned back was nice for us and able to squeak it out in the shootout," O'Reilly said, "We did a lot of good things. Everyone played hard that game, and it was a big win for us."
Two stops in the shootout by young goaltender Yaroslav Askarov against fellow Russian Andrei Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin made it possible for O'Reilly to score the game winner in the shootout.
How does the veteran decide what he is going to do for a shootout?
"It kind of depends on how I feel," O'Reilly said. "I've got a few go-tos that I feel comfortable in that I have the option for both, I'd say. It's just kind of a feel of what I like to do but that changes."
"We practice shootouts a lot," O Reilly said. "It's great. Our goalies will take them quite a bit which is kind of nice. You know which ones work when you're confident in them. I think that's the biggest thing is just being confident and moving. Trusting it. If you trust it, you give yourself a chance."
Head coach Andrew Brunette felt pretty good about the back to back overall, although he would have liked a different result against Detroit.
"I thought we played two solid games. It's nice to see the result on Saturday. Friday probably not the result we're looking for, but I thought we played our kind of game," Brunette said.
"Made a few mistakes at the wrong time. Kind of a reoccurring theme here, but we try to build off Saturday. It's nice to get a win on the road, and again, I thought we did things that resemble us a little bit."
Brunette was glad to see some of the younger players step up over the course of the back to back as well.
"I was happy for them," Brunette said. "I think they've been gripping it a little bit, but the effort they put in was the most important thing, They all put max effort, and we're going to need that from them all the time."
One area that Colton Sissons is focused on looking ahead is the penalty kill.
"One thing we'd like to get back on a little bit of a streak with is the penalty kill," Sissons said after practice.
"We've given up a couple lately since the break. Not from a lack of will or compete. We had a big one late last night and in overtime, but yeah, shoring that up a little bit."
The Predators will have a skate tomorrow morning before taking on Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks at Bridgestone Arena tomorrow night at 7:00 pm CT.