The Nashville Predators, coming off a recreation they felt they let get away, wrap up a four-game highway journey Saturday evening once they face the Central Division rival Winnipeg Jets.
Nashville led 2-1 at Montreal on Thursday earlier than the Canadiens’ Cole Caufield tied it with 20 seconds remaining in regulation. Caufield added the winner with three seconds left within the further session, leaving the Predators with a 3-2 loss and a 1-1-1 mark on their highway journey.
“We have to exit and win a recreation (in Winnipeg) and make it a half-decent journey,” stated Steven Stamkos, who scored his first purpose of the season within the time beyond regulation loss.
Stamkos additionally famous {that a} disconcerting sample from final season is beginning to emerge this season for the Predators, who final season posted their first sub.-500 document since 2012-13. Nashville has simply 14 targets via the primary 5 contests, and that features back-to-back four-goal video games to start out the journey in a win at Ottawa (4-1) and loss at Toronto (7-4).
Two of the targets in opposition to the Senators had been empty-netters. Stamkos is aware of the crew might want to improve scoring with the intention to compete.
“It looks like we’re looking for some offense, nevertheless it’s just a little robust to come back by,” he added.
Nashville goalie Juuse Saros made 27 saves on Thursday, and he has a .935 save share via 4 begins. He’s 8-8-4 in 20 profession video games in opposition to the Jets, with a 2.50 goals-against common and a .921 save share.
The Finnish netminder went 2-2-0 in opposition to the Jets final season, capped by a 2-1 house win on Feb. 27, when he stopped 22 of 23 photographs.
Winnipeg returns house to play the Predators after profitable a pair on the East Coast, each by 5-2 scores, earlier this week. Towards the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, veteran middle Mark Scheifele scored twice to offer him 5 targets and eight factors, each of which lead the Jets via their first three video games.
These two factors gave Scheifele 812 for his profession, tying him for the franchise document together with his former teammate Blake Wheeler. His first likelihood to interrupt the document will come because the Jets go for his or her fourth straight win.
Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel famous that the Ontario native was the primary participant the Jets drafted after the crew moved from Atlanta, and the seventh general decide within the 2011 draft has lived as much as expectations.
“He is an amazing participant on this league. I feel he is lastly, actually getting the popularity that he deserves,” Arniel stated.
Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck solely confronted 17 photographs within the Thursday win. He has given up simply 4 targets in his final two begins after surrendering 5 within the season-opening loss to the Dallas Stars.
The 2-time defending Vezina Trophy winner has confronted Nashville 29 occasions in his profession, amassing a 17-9-2 document with a 2.42 GAA and a .927 save share. He gained each matchups in opposition to the Predators final season, together with a 3-0 house win on Dec. 30 by which he made 22 saves.
–Area Degree Media
