Three Nashville Predators Games Worth Rewatching

These three late season games may get Predators' fans prepared for the high energy and growing pains of next season's reset.

It has been a hectic offseason for the Nashville Predators with the NHL Draft in town, big rosters changes, free agency signings, and development camp. All the offseason action may be a good distraction from a 2022-23 season that ended all too soon. It's been 95 days since the Predators played, and with the first game of next season another 84 days away perhaps Nashville fans are ready for a quick hockey fix. 

These three games worth rewatching all happened in April when the Nashville Predators were without Filip Forsberg, Matt Duchene, Ryan Johansen, and Roman Josi due to injuries. The team had also traded Mattias Ekholm, Nino Niederreiter, Tanner Jeannot, and Mikael Granlund at the trade deadline. The Predators team that took the ice in these contests was led by veterans Ryan McDonagh and newly acquired Tyson Barrie and the roster filled out with young players gaining NHL experience or older players who were used to playing smaller roles. 

This was an impressive win at the time, but in retrospect feels even bigger knowing it was an overtime victory against the eventual Stanley Cup champions. Granted the Golden Knights were without Shea Theodore and Mark Stone, but this patched together Predators team battled against Jack Eichel, Chandler Stephenson, and eventual Con Smythe winner Jonathan Marchessault and came out on top. 

Tommy Novak finished this game with two goals and three points in a performance that had become not terribly surprising to the Nashville Predators faithful. Novak's play since being called up in mid December catapulted him to the third highest points on the entire team last season. On this night, Novak kicked off the game with two first period goals, including one on the power play. 

It wasn't just Novak's scoring worth noting that night. On his first goal, the outlet pass from linemate Luke Evangelista from the far blue line to set up Novak's score highlighted Evangelista's ability to see an opportunity unfold and time the play well. 

The power play goal Novak scored midway through the first period may give Predators fans a sneak peak at a younger power play unit that could emerge this season. Veteran Tyson Barrie quarterbacked the man advantage with Novak, Evangelista, Cody Glass, and Phil Tomasino.

The game winning power play in overtime consisted of Barrie, Glass, Novak, and Tomasino.  While the return of Forsberg and Josi will change the composition of the PP1 unit, these players should see time next season on the man advantage. The special teams play of the young guns gave the Predators a big OT win over the future champions.

This was a late season game that didn't have Juuse Saros in net, but back up Kevin Lankinen's play against a high powered offense emphasizes the value of Nashville's one-two punch in goal. That night Lankinen faced 32 shots, three power plays, and still earned a .938 save percentage. Yes, Saros shouldered much of the load for an injured and young Predators team down the stretch last season, but having Lankinen behind him gives the Predators one of the top goalie tandems in the league looking ahead. 

If fans are wondering how the young Predators players will respond to pressure, it might be time to rewatch the April 10 game against the Calgary Flames. This was an elimination game for both teams who were fighting to remain in the playoff chase. If the young players can play next season with the poise and tenacity they showed in this game, it could be an interesting season in Nashville. 

After joining the Predators March 11, Egor Afanasyev finally scored his first NHL goal to get the Predators on the board in the opening period. Afanasyev had come close to scoring in earlier games but couldn't finish on those chances. This score was a result of tenacious play by Mark Jankowski behind the net. Players like Afanasyev who get a crack at NHL time next season will need to take advantage of the opportunity if the Preds want to be competitive.

The standout player of this game was Cody Glass. Although he only ended up recording one assist, his performance was critical in this win and highlighted how much Glass matured last season. With playoff elimination on the line, Glass calmly scored on Jakob Markstrom to continue the shootout. Tommy Novak went on to score the game winner that kept Nashville in wildcard contention and ended Calgary's postseason push. 

Two things stand out about this performance for the Nashville Predators. One is the fight the team continued to show even after being eliminated from the postseason two nights earlier when the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Minnesota Wild. The second is likely the goal of the year scored by young Juuso Pärssinen. 

If Nashville fans wonder what effort level they will see from a revamped Predators' roster this season, this April 13 game is worth rewatching. Despite playoff elimination, the Predators' young players competed as if their season still depended on it. That compete level will be important when Nashville takes the ice in October. 

The Predators' penalty kill got Nashville on the board first with a shorthanded goal, and then Tommy Novak, Luke Evangelista, and Kiefer Sherwood showed off their chemistry and tenacity and scored the Predators' second goal of the game. But the game winner came in overtime compliments of Juuso Pärssinen's between the legs goal that made highlight reels across the league. 

While the Predators were able to pull out these three exciting April wins, there were plenty of tough lessons as well. The learning curve against veteran players was evident at points in each of these games, and the young players will need to clean up mistakes like turnovers in the defensive zone and poor defensive positioning going forward next season. 

A lot has changed since the season wrapped up for Nashville on April 14, and the team that takes the ice in October will look different. If fans want to get a portent of things to come, perhaps rewatching these three games from April will prepare Nashville for the excitement and challenges that next season may bring.

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