Saros steals point for Preds

The Winnipeg Jets’ perilous playoff hopes are really hanging by a thread now.

A 4-3 shootout loss to the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night at Canada Life Centre is going to sting for several reasons.

First, you could make a legitimate argument the Jets deserved better. They outshot the visitors by a 39-23 margin, generated 22 high-danger chances while allowing just eight and were, by most measurable metrics, the superior team on the night.

Second, the Jets rallied to tie the game with exactly one minute left in regulation and carried that momentum into three-on-three overtime. They had multiple glorious chances but were unable to beat Predators goaltender Juuse Saros.

Third — and most importantly — Nashville is one of the teams Winnipeg must leapfrog to secure the final Western Conference wild-card spot. The Jets began the night one point back of the Predators with a chance to put them in the rear-view mirror. Now, that deficit has doubled.

Add it all up, and this was a tough one to swallow, even as the Jets closed out a season-long eight-game homestand with a 5-2-1 record.

“We’ve been winning and picking up points, so it’s been pretty good,” said forward Gabe Vilardi.

“You know, we got to keep going though. Every game’s playoff mode right now for us. That’s the position we put ourselves in because of our earlier in the season trouble. Right now we’re in playoff mode obviously, and we got to preferably get two points but what are you going to do?”

Winnipeg is now 28-28-11, leaving them temporarily four points back of Seattle and Los Angeles for the final playoff spot, and three behind San Jose. However, the Kraken were still playing the Tampa Bay Lightning at press time, meaning that gap could grow.

Nashville improves to 30-28-9 and were, at least for the time being, within two points of the Kraken and the Kings.

Getting goalied

Tip your cap to Saros.

Consider this: According to Natural Stat Trick, the Jets were expected to score 5.26 goals in this game based on the quality of their overall chances. That means Saros stopped 2.26 above average.

“We had 70 to 80 shot attempts. Their goaltender was outstanding,” said Jets coach Scott Arniel.

“In that second period, some shots he didn’t see. We hit a couple of crossbars and posts and missed the net a few times. We had tons of opportunities and Saros made some big stops.”

He really had no chance on the three goals that beat him.

The first came off the stick of defenceman Josh Morrissey with 40 seconds left in the first period, tying the game 1-1. Vilardi found his teammate all alone in the slot, and Morrissey ripped a shot past Saros for his 12th of the year.

Vilardi gave the Jets a 2-1 lead early in the second period when he pounced on a loose puck in front of the net with his team on the power play. His 26th of the year is just one short of the career high he set last season.

Jonathan Toews scored his eighth of the season — snapping a 20-game drought in the process — with Connor Hellebuyck out for the extra attacker. His shot from in tight beat a screened Saros.

“It’s nice to score in a situation like that,” said Toews.

“Going down the stretch, you’re going to be in some tight games. So it’s nice to have some confidence when you go out there, whether it’s a power play or a six-man unit to score one late and get back in a game like that.”

Saros stopped all four shots he faced in overtime, then had a clean sheet during the shootout.

“A lot of shots, a lot of opportunities to score,” said Vilardi. “I thought we did a good job with our O-zone play, getting pucks to the D. Guys were moving, had a guy in front a lot of the time. Yeah, we had a lot of chances.”

Meanwhile, Hellebuyck wasn’t at his best in this game. Nashville had an expected goals rate of 2.02, meaning they outscored their chances.

Hellebuyck had no chance on Eric Haula’s perfect power play tip to open the scoring, but he’d probably say he could have stopped Filip Forsberg’s wicked wrister midway through the second which tied the game 2-2, and he definitely would want Matthew Wood’s 3-2 go-ahead goal back that came with just under six minutes left in regulation.

Ryan O’Reilly then scored the only goal of the shootout.

“We’ve proven that it doesn’t matter who our opponent is, we can find ways to win games, especially when the points are big for both teams,” said Toews.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t find a way to get the second one, but we’re showing that resolve. It’s not always going to be pretty. We’ve just got to find ways and we believe that we’ve got the guys to be able to do that.”

Stranded stripes

The game had a bit of an unusual feel as it was officiated by just one referee.

Chris Lee was unable to make it from Minneapolis to Winnipeg due to weather, so Brandon Schrader really got his cardio in as he had to cover both ends of the ice.

Schrader whistled Nashville for four minor penalties, and the Jets were only able to convert once. That’s been an issue lately for the club, which went just 2-for-18 on the power play during this eight-game homestand.

“Special teams can be difference makers,” Morrissey said following the morning skate. “We have done a lot of good things but we have another gear as a group.”

Winnipeg took one penalty, which the Predators were able to score on.

Key play

Jonathan Toews game-tying goal with 60 seconds left in the third period at least salvaged something for the Jets.

THREE STARS:

1. NSH G Juuse Saros: 36 saves

2. WPG LW Kyle Connor: 3 assists

3. WPG RW Gabe Vilardi: 1 goal, 1 assist

Extra, extra

A crowd of 13,559 — one of the smallest of the season — took in the game.

Winnipeg went 2-0-1 against Nashville in their season series.

Ville Heinola was once again the lone healthy scratch for the Jets.

The club is likely to call up a forward from the Manitoba Moose on Wednesday as they head out on a three-game road trip which begins Thursday in Boston.

They’ll also face the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Rangers in a pair of weekend matinees.

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