Predators hope to turn shots into goals vs. Jets (Apr 28, 2018)
If it were December, the Nashville Predators would not fret much over losing 4-1 to the Winnipeg Jets despite a 48-19 advantage in shots on goal.
Since it is the second round of the Western Conference playoffs and it trails a best-of-seven series 1-0, Nashville faces a critical Game 2 Sunday night at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., and will have to win at least once in Winnipeg if it is to win this matchup of the top two teams in the NHL this season.
"If you give me two choices on where to be, our game or their win, I'd take the win," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "It's about winning hockey games right now."
Connor Hellebuyck is why the Jets won Game 1 Friday night. He was the best player on the ice, turning away 47 shots, including 20 in the first period. Kevin Fiala's tap-in goal 1:23 into the third period of Game 1 snapped a stretch of just over eight consecutive scoreless periods for Hellebuyck.
Winnipeg's players and coaches weren't agreeing to the notion that Hellebuyck stole the win.
"There's no steals in (the) playoffs," said center Mark Scheifele, who scored two goals for the Jets on Friday night. "If you win, you win. If you lose, you lose. It wasn't pretty and probably wasn't how we drew it up, but we got the win and that's the main focus."
In a matchup of Vezina Trophy finalists, Hellebuyck clearly had the better of Nashville's Pekka Rinne. Rinne lasted two periods, ceding three goals on 16 shots, before Laviolette opted for backup Juuse Saros.
It was the second time Rinne has been pulled this postseason. He responded to a four-goal, 11-save performance in Game 3 of the first round against Colorado by permitting four markers in the last three games, finishing the series with his fourth career playoff shutout.
"It was just to change it up, to go in a different direction, to send the game in a different direction," Laviolette said of the goalie change.
Barring injury or an unexpected move from Laviolette, Rinne should be back in net for Game 2. He won three of his four matchups with Winnipeg this season and is 15-4-1 in 21 career games against the Jets with a .916 save percentage and 2.41 goals-against average.
Less of a certainty is the status of forward Austin Watson, who at times in Nashville's series against Colorado was its best player. Watson didn't play the last two periods Friday night because of an undisclosed injury. The Predators offered no update Saturday on his status for Game 2.
While Nashville focuses on finding ways to get more than one puck past Hellebuyck, Winnipeg knows it will need more zone time and shots if it is to enjoy further success in this series.
"We have to earn a better game," Jets coach Paul Maurice said following Game 1. "We've got to work a little harder. I think we can skate a little better than we did tonight."
