Preds Pass: Nashville continues to struggle
Nashville went 1-2 in its three games last week, including a loss in its last two games. The Preds look to get back on track with a win over Ottawa tonight.
The Predators are now 5-3-2 in their last 10 games after losing two of their three home games last week. Nashville (77 points) sits at second in the Central Division behind the Winnipeg Jets and third in the Western Conference. Here is a recap of what went on in the Predators realm last week.
Nashville makes an improbable comeback.
The Predators started out last week on a high note, as they came away with a win over their Central Division foes from St. Louis on Tuesday. Nashville outlasted the Blues in the Music City with a game-winning penalty shot goal from winger Filip Forsberg in overtime. The overtime goal capped one of the most impressive comeback wins for the Predators in the Peter Laviolette era.
Forwards Calle Jarnkrok and Austin Watson each scored a goal within a minute of one another to force overtime, and Forsberg took care of it from there.
“Obviously frustrated by the effort that we put out for the first two periods, but this group never backs off and never gives up,” Watson said. “We kept pushing, and we were able to get a couple to go for us and tie it up.”
The win over St. Louis gave Nashville its seventh straight point and the fifth straight game in overtime.
Predators drop back-to-back games
Nashville only lost eight games at home prior to Thursday night’s matchup with the Calgary Flames. However, the Flames ended the Predators seven game point streak, handing them a 4-3 loss. Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne logged his first loss since Jan. 2, despite recording 27 saves on the night.
Nashville looked to get back on track Saturday with a matchup against its former Central Division rival, the Detroit Red Wings. However, Red Wings goalie Petr Mzarek had other ideas, recording 31 saves as Detroit shutdown the Predators 3-1. Mzarek remained undefeated against the Predators in his career (6-0) as Craig Smith scored the only goal for Nashville.
“We’re not working hard enough,” said Laviolette following the game. “The stretches that aren’t going our way or the stretches that we’re getting outplayed, it’s because we’re missing some bite in our game.”
Previewing matchup with Senators
The Predators are trying to get back on track tonight after losing back-to-back games for the first time in nearly two months. In their last matchup with the Senators, Nashville fell 3-1 in Ottawa two weeks ago. The Senators are fresh off two straight wins over the Buffalo Sabres and a 6-3 win over the New York Rangers.
Forward Mark Stone leads Ottawa in goals scored with 19, while all-star Erik Karlsson leads the squad with 40 points on the season. Craig Anderson leads the Senators in the net with a 17-17-5 record and a .904 save percentage. The Predators have a 6-4-1 record against Ottawa in Bridgestone Arena.
Here is the projected lineup for Monday’s game that starts at 8 p.m. ET.
Edited by Ben McKee
Featured image courtesy of NHL.com
