It isn't luck that led to Matt Duchene and Phil Tomasino's goals in last night's shootout win over the Kraken. After the game, John Hynes shared the science behind the shootout.

The Nashville Predators earned two valuable points in last night's shootout win over the Seattle Kraken keeping the Preds in the postseason conversation. Matt Duchene and Phil Tomasino scored on their shootout chances while Juuse Saros stopped the three shots he faced. 

Excellent goaltending from Saros is big especially in a shootout situation, and the one on one challenge is something the Finnish net minder embraces. 

"I don't mind it," Saros said after last night's game. "I think it's exciting. I just try to make as many saves as I can."

Making big saves is key in the shootout, but selecting the right shooters is equally important. Last night Duchene and Tomasino proved they were up for the assignment. 

"You've got to expect to score on those," Duchene said after the game. "Those are huge especially right now we're getting a lot of shootout games. Juice [Juuse Saros] is always outstanding, so the shooters have to pull our weight."

Duchene is careful not to reveal too much about his decision making process in a shootout, but it is a skill he has put a lot of work into over the last few seasons, and it's paying off. 

"You get into a rhythm and get a good feel for it," he shared. 

"He puts a lot of work into it," John Hynes said about Duchene's shootout success. "He has several moves, which I think is important to have as a good shootout player. He spends some time with our goalie coach prior to the game and makes sure that he knows what possibly the best move would be."

The goalie coach may be the secret to Nashville's success on the shootout. 

John Hynes receives a report from the goalie coach before every game laying out what a shootout order should be for that specific matchup. 

"We do a long extensive process," Hynes revealed. "We have shootout numbers on every guy on our team. So for example, Tomasino's three for three in the American League this year. Evangelista has some pretty good numbers. Duchene has some good numbers, and you go right down the list."

It isn't just a checklist of players' past success in previous shootout games. Included in the game report are analytics based on video review of the opposing goaltender's shootouts combined with insight into what would be successful.

""I get a sheet every game, and it's what the order should be deep through the order, and usually every guy is assigned what they do - what would be successful," Hynes explained. 

"People think the shootout is just a skills competition," Hynes said. "But for us, we put a lot of time and effort into it."

That extra effort preparing for a potential shootout paid off last night. It was an important win for an evolving Predators team that is still remains a part of the playoff picture. 

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