It starts tonight. Everything the Nashville Predators have been working for begins tonight against the Dallas Stars with Game 1. It’s been an up and down season for the Predators. Nashville started off red-hot right out of the gate. Then, the injuries hit and the team dealt with inconsistency for the remainder of the season. Every time we thought the team had turned the corner, they’d go on another slump and make you question if this team had what it took to make a run. Somehow, the Preds were able to stay afloat and hang around just long enough to win the division.
The thing is, none of that matters anymore. The slumps, the missed assignments, the disappearing offense, absolutely none of that matters because it’s an entirely different season now. The Predators will face off against the Stars in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It’s the first post-season meeting between the two franchises. So how do the two teams stack up against each other?
Nashville – 100 pts – 1st place in the Central Division
Dallas – 93 points – 4th place in the Central Division – First Wild Card
HEAD TO HEAD
The Predators took the season series against the Stars, 3-2, with two of those victories coming in over time.
November 10, 2018 @ Dallas – Predators 5/Stars 4 in OT
December 27, 2018 @ Nashville – Stars 2/Predators 0
February 2, 2019 @ Nashville – Stars 3/Predators 1
February 7, 2019 @ Nashville – Predators 3/Stars 2 in OT
February 19, 2019 @ Dallas – Predators 5/Stars 3
Judging by the season series, I think it’s safe to say this is going to be a really close series. Both teams can score and play defense. Goaltending will be something to keep an eye on. Pekka Rinne went 1-2 against the Stars this season while Juuse Saros went 2-0. I think Peter Laviolette rides with Rinne to open the series, but don’t be surprised to see Saros out there should Pekka struggle.
On the flip side, Ben Bishop missed most of the season series due to injury. He’s been hot lately and a possible Vezina candidate but does not have good career numbers against Nashville. His backup, Anton Khudobin, handled most of the workload against the Preds, going 2-1-1 with 2.01 GAA and a .949 Save %. I expect Bishop to start the series, but similar to Nashville’s situation, would not be surprised to see Khudobin at some point.
WHAT THE PREDATORS HAVE TO DO TO WIN THE SERIES
To me, this series comes down the Predators’ mindset. When the Predators are on, they are one of the best teams in the league, but when they’re off, it can get ugly. They finished the season on a three-game win streak. Is that enough to get them back on the right track? They certainly looked like they are in playoff mode, but we’ve been fooled before.
Secondary scoring will also play a huge role. We all know what JOFA can do, and I’m sure the Stars do as well. They’re focus will be on shutting down the Predators’ top line. Can the lines of Smith/Turris/Granlund and Sissons/Bonino/Watson pick up the slack? They’ll have to if the Preds hope to advance. Both lines have generated several great scoring chances over the last week. It’s time to start converting on those.
PREDICTION
I think the Preds win the series in six games. From what we’ve seen over the last week, the team seems to be in playoff mode. Pekka has found his game again and the defense is playing well in front of him for the most part. The acquisitions of Boyle, Simmonds, and Granlund seem to finally be comfortable in the system and generating chances. If the Preds can play their game and get some timely offense from someone other than JOFA, I think they’ll move on to the second round to face either the Jets or the Blues.
Buckle up, guys. The playoffs are a different beast altogether. Throw the regular season out the window. Two years ago, we saw the Predators make it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals as the 16 seed. Last year, as the #1 overall seed, we saw them make a disappointing early exit in the second round. The playoffs are that unpredictable. It’s all about who’s hot at the right time.
The Predators have been here before. They know what it takes to win, it’s just a matter of focus and execution at this point. The West is incredibly tough this year, but I’m starting to believe in the Predators again. I think last season is going to be a huge motivating factor for this team. The regular season wasn’t quite what we expected. That’s really weird to say after they won the Central, but I have a feeling they rally, come together, and make another run at the Cup.
Be sure to check out the Talking Preds Podcast. New episodes almost weekly. Be sure to follow along on Twitter and Facebook for live tweeting during the games along with something new we’re trying out. For certain games, I’ll be jumping on live during intermissions, pre-game, or post-game with thoughts on the game. Love to have some good hockey discussion so follow along and let me know what you guys think.
Herbie Brooks is the Lead Nashville Predators Analyst for SoBros Network. He knows three things: beating Commies, winning Gold Medals, and having great hair. Follow him on Twitter: @SoBroHerbie_B
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