Jet at Predators

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This article was published 27/04/2018 (2714 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

Round 2 – Winnipeg Jets vs. Nashville Predators

Game 1 (7 p.m., CBC, SN360; TSN1290)

>> ABOUT THE PREDATORS

Nashville, which finished as the top team during the 2017-18 NHL regular season (53-18-11), knocked off the Colorado Avalanche in six games in the opening round of the playoffs to set up a matchup with Winnipeg. The Jets (52-20-10) were just three points back of the Predators to finish second in the league. Winnipeg wiped out the Minnesota Wild in five games in Round 1.

Two of the Predators’ lesser lights played starring roles during the series with Colorado. RW Austin Watson scored four goals and chipped in three assists, sparking a terrific line of C Nick Bonino and LW Colton Sissons. The line, constructed by coach Peter Laviolette prior to the playoffs, did a tremendous job thwarting the explosive line of C Nathan MacKinnon and wingers Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen, but also led the Preds’ offensive attack. Sissons had three goals and four assists, while Bonino had a pair of goals and three helpers.

LW Filip Forsberg, who had 26 goals during the regular season, supplied four in the series against Colorado, playing on the team’s top trio with C Ryan Johansen and RW Viktor Arvidsson. Johansen and Arvidsson each had two goals in the six-game opening-round series.

Nashville possesses an embarrassment of riches on the back end. A defensive corps of Roman Josi, P.K. Subban, Ryan Ellis and Mattias Ekholm is the envy of the NHL. Ekholm had a terrific series against the Avs, scoring once and setting up five goals, while Subban and Ellis each had three assists.

G Pekka Rinne, who garnered his fourth Vezina Trophy nomination this year as the NHL’s top netminder, started all six games against Colorado, posting one shutout, a 2.60 goals-against average and .909 save percentage.

The Predators’ penalty killing unit allowed the Avs to score just twice on 20 power-play opportunities. Nashville’s own PP struck for three goals on 19 chances.

NASHVILLE PREDATORS

35 Pekka Rinne G

74 Juuse Saros G

2 Anthony Bitetto D

4 Ryan Ellis D (A)

8 Kyle Turris C

9 Filip Forsberg LW (A)

10 Colton Sissons LW

11 Eeli Tolvanen RW

12 Mike Fisher C

13 Nick Bonino C

14 Mattias Ekholm D

15 Craig Smith C

17 Scott Hartnell LW

19 Calle Jarnkrok C

20 Mikko Salomaki RW

22 Kevin Fiala LW

25 Alexei Emelin D

33 Viktor Arvidsson LW

38 Ryan Hartman RW

51 Austin Watson RW

52 Matt Irwin D

59 Roman Josi D (C)

76 P.K. Subban D

92 Ryan Johansen C

Head coach: Peter Laviolette

Assistant coaches: Kevin McCarthy, Dan Muse

Goalie coach: Ben Vanderklok

Video coach: Lawrence Feloney

WINNIPEG JETS

34 Michael Hutchinson G

35 Steve Mason G

37 Connor Hellebuyck G

3 Tucker Poolman D

7 Ben Chiarot D

8 Jacob Trouba D

9 Andrew Copp C

13 Brandon Tanev RW

15 Matt Hendricks C

16 Shawn Matthias LW

17 Adam Lowry C

18 Bryan Little C

25 Paul Stastny C

26 Blake Wheeler RW (C)

27 Nikolaj Ehlers LW

29 Patrik Laine RW

33 Dustin Byfuglien D (A)

39 Toby Enstrom D

40 Joel Armia RW

44 Josh Morrissey D

52 Jack Roslovic LW

55 Mark Scheifele C (A)

56 Marko Dano LW

57 Tyler Myers D

70 Joe Morrow D

81 Kyle Connor LW

85 Mathieu Perreault C

Head coach: Paul Maurice

Assistant coaches: Charlie Huddy, Jamie Kompon, Todd Woodcroft

Goalie coach: Wade Flaherty

Video coach: Matt Prefontaine

(lineups subject to change)

— Jason Bell