Realistically, the Nashville Predators have been “in” every game that they’ve played this season. The difference in their three losses is that there has been a point at which the Predators have let the game get away from them.
In the loss to Utah, the Predators were dominated in overtime, struggling to generate a single rush as the Mammoth controlled puck possession.
Against Toronto, the game was statistically close, but two empty net goals put the game out of reach for Nashville.
On Thursday, Jonathan Marchessault’s empty net attempt to put the game away was blocked, turned into a 2-on-1 the other way and led to Cole Caufield tying the game with 20 seconds left.
In overtime, the Predators failed to convert on a 2-and-0, and a little over a minute later, Caufield scored with two seconds left to win the game, 3-2.
It was another situation where the Predators played a strong 55-58 minutes, but walked away with less than two points due to a few plays given up.
“I liked our game. We gave ourselves a really good chance to win, but every second counts,” Predators head coach Andrew Brunette said. “I think when Marchy [Marchessault] had it, we thought it was over and kind of gave up on the play.”
“Those little seconds killed us…those margins are tight.”
The Predators are playing better hockey than they did last season, beyond just winning and losing. Outside of the team being 0-5-0 through the first five games last season, Nashville had been outscored 23-10 and had been shut out once.
Only one of those games was a one-goal result, whereas three of the five Predators results this season have been decided by a goal.
In losses last season, Nashville saw its opponents stack goals on top of each other, where that offensive explosion from the opponent hasn’t happened as much this season.
“Besides the Toronto game, where we had two empty netters and the Ottawa game, it’s two goals,” Stamkos said. “Sometimes to put a team away, you need three, but we’re not giving much up either, which is a good sign for the most part.”
It’s a slow crawl for the Predators as areas of their game are beginning to improve in the early part of the season. The power play scored for the first time since the season opener on Oct. 9.
Additionally, it was Stamkos’ first goal of the season, who the Predators have been trying to get going with various combinations on the second line. Nashville also dominated in the circle, winning 55.3% of face-offs.
There’s a cliche coaching analogy about losing by a lot and losing by a little before winning by a little and then winning by a lot.
That may be the case for the Predators heading into the final game of this road trip against the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.
“We should feel good about this,” Brunette said on the Montreal result. “We put ourselves in a great position to get two points in a tough building against a playoff team. There’s not a lot to complain about. We’ve just got to learn a few little things.”
“We let some points get away in Toronto and we let a little out tonight.”
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