Nashville Predators: Consistency Key to Getting the Cup
Nashville Predators shirts on the seats prior game. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
The Nashville Predators can go even further following the franchise’s deepest run in the playoffs last season.
To the Nashville Predators, early April of 2016 meant only one thing – playoff time. The city geared up as their Preds took on the role of the underdog and took down the mighty Anaheim Ducks. Against another West coast force, the San Jose Sharks, the Preds put up a fight but fell short in a Game 7 to miss the Western Conference Finals.
The Predators had moments of brilliance last season, as well as moments of….not brilliance. One thing that the team needs to do in order to make it to the conference final and beyond is to be consistent. In this article, we examine some areas that the Preds need to be consistent in this season to set up a deep playoff run:
Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne (35) Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Getting the Good Streaks
When you play a hockey game, one of two things can happen – you win or you lose. Of course, every team wants to maximize the amount of games they win and minimize the amount they lose, but often there is a constant ebb and flow of victories and defeats throughout the season and the Nashville Predators need strings of wins.
There was a time last season when the Preds went on a road trip to Canada and walked away with 4 consecutive wins which were desperately needed after a five-game losing streak. This string of wins helped pull the team out of an offensive lull that was painful to watch as a fan and helped push the team up the rankings.
Fast forward to the spring, a time when teams are jockeying for playoff positions, and the Preds find themselves in a six-game losing streak. The Preds must avoid situations like this or risk falling out of playoff contention altogether. Consecutive wins equal confidence, and that can go far during the playoffs.
Nashville Predators left winger James Neal (18) Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Offensive Firepower
The key to winning games? Score more goals than your opponent. Sounds easy enough but the Preds often found themselves looking anemic and struggling to find the back of the net for long stretches of time. Toward the end of November, the Preds scored zero (ZERO!) goals in three games while opponents tallied 11 total.
As the season continued, the team would have occasional flashes of offensive dominance with 5 or 7 goal games, but overall Nashville saw predominantly one and two goals. General Manager David Poile wanted to inject some life into the Predators offense and brought in Ryan Johansen to center the first line. Boom – offense.
The Preds must score consistently, not only to keep confidence and morale up but to make teams afraid to play them. Nobody fears a team that puts up one or two goals a game. But if a team is posting three, four, or five goals a game, the opponent knows they have to work a lot harder to get a win.
Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne (35) Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Get Over the Overtime Woes
If there’s one thing that can drive a team crazy it’s leaving points on the table, especially during the closing stretch of the season leading up to playoffs. When a team is forced to an overtime period, they are rewarded one point and given a chance to earn a second point by winning in overtime. Getting that extra point is key!
Last season, it felt like the Preds were doomed if the game went to overtime, and rightfully so. The team ended up with 96 points at season end and totaled 14 overtime losses. Think about that. The Predators could have had an additional 14 points dropping them ahead of the Central Division winners (109 pts.) Dallas.
Positioning means a lot in the playoffs. It determines who you play, where you play, and how much you have to travel. The Preds HAVE to perform at a higher level in overtime to get those key points. The Preds need to consistently win their overtime games to pocket those valuable points they left laying around too often.
Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne (35) Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
Pekka’s Presence is a Present
When one looks at Pekka Rinne, an 8th round draft pick isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Rinne has been a cornerstone in the recent successes of the Preds; however, it has not been without rough patches. Rinne was on fire when he came into the NHL but troubled hips have slowed down the Rinne train.
Despite being the goaltender of a Nashville Predators team that made its deepest playoff run in the history of the franchise last season, Rinne experienced a high level of inconsistency. Too often Rinne would let in soft goals that caused fans everywhere to mumble under their breath, ultimately leading to a loss.
In the upcoming season, the Preds will rely heavily on Rinne to take them to the promise land. A decrease in Rinne’s workload may be key to keep the Preds goalie fresh and on the top of his game; however, this requires a reliable backup goalie and with the departure of Carter Hutton this remains up in the air.
A view of Nashville Predators hockey pucks. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Western Conference Final or Bust
The Predators are continuously making strides to become a better team and they are doing just that. It is becoming more common now to expect the Preds to compete for a top spot in the Central Division and give their playoff opponents all they can handle. No longer are they the unknown team they were in 1998.
Having made it to a franchise best Game 7 of the second round, the obvious next level for the Preds would be the Western Conference final. Of course, winning the Stanley Cup itself is the ultimate goal, but making it to the conference final means another step in the right direction with only one step left to take.
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