Flashy Forsberg leading Preds in spectacular play

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This article was published 08/05/2018 (2734 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Filip Forsberg’s remarkable work in the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs should come as no great revelation to hockey followers.

Yet, the 23-year-old winger with the Nashville Predators continues to astonish even those who share an office with him every day.

“He’s a great player, a top-class player. He makes plays that you don’t think are possible and you see (Monday) he was a big factor in the game,” linemate Viktor Arvidsson said Tuesday. “He’s an awesome player for our team.”

Which seemingly impossible play was that in Game 6, a 4-0 shutout of the Winnipeg Jets by the visiting Preds?

The one where he raced to the bench to grab a new stick, stayed onside and then barged toward the Winnipeg net — with blue-liner Ben Chiarot ready to lay a bear hug on him — and casually flipped the puck past goalie Connor Hellebuyck to spark Nashville to a 2-0 lead?

Or the one where he took a slick pass in front from Arvidsson, stickhandled between his legs and buried it?

Yeah, that one… that old Forsberg trick.

“He can score any way, really. He scores important goals and then, of course, obviously goals like that (Monday). They’re important, too, but they’re also pretty special,” said Preds captain Roman Josi. “He’s a special player and definitely a superstar in this league.’’

The Ryan Johansen line is doing some major damage in the best-of-seven series with the Jets, but Forsberg has been at the controls of the wrecking ball.

The product of Ostervala, Sweden has three goals and nine points against Winnipeg, including the magnificent pair he potted in Game 6 at Bell MTS Place and the setup on Arvidsson’s empty-netter to knot the series 3-3.

Game 7 returns to the Country Music Capital of the World on Thursday, with puck drop at Bridgestone Arena scheduled for about 7:10 p.m.

If Winnipeg can’t figure out a way to rope this guy in, break out the bittersweet songs about bad luck and heartbreak, Jets fans.

“There’s a lot of good hockey players in the NHL, but that’s the upper echelon right there,” said Nashville forward Colton Sissons. “We see him try some pretty quirky things all the time. Just to do it on that stage shows the confidence that he has and the skill set, just a tremendous player.”

Sissons notes there isn’t an ounce of bravado in the former first-round pick (11th overall) of the Washington Capitals in the 2012 NHL Draft, the subject of one of the most ill-advised and lopsided trades in history.

The Capitals have plenty going for them now but the 2013 deal brokered by then-Caps general manager George McPhee to send Forsberg to the Predators for forwards Martin Erat and Michael Latta was a big win for Nashville GM David Poile.

Erat played 62 regular-season games for Washington, scoring two goals. He was also held pointless in four playoff games in ’13. Latta, meanwhile, was a relatively forgettable bottom-six guy, in 117 games with the Capitals over three seasons (2013-16) and has spent two full seasons in the American Hockey League.

Most observers believe his best days are still ahead for Forsberg, a burgeoning superstar.

“He’s just a humble guy. He knows in his own mind how much skill he has and how he can execute those plays in pretty high-pressure moments,” said Sissons. “That’s something that’s just a gift that he has. I’m not really sure how to explain it.”

Forsberg flicked a switch even before the post-season began, scoring six times and adding 10 helpers in Nashville’s last 10 regular-season games to finish as the team’s 2017-18 points leader (26G, 38A) despite missing 15 games with a couple of injuries.

Indeed, Forsberg is thriving in pressure situations this season.

“To be honest with you, it’s the most fun you can do,” he said, following Monday’s huge victory in hostile territory. “You can never have more fun than playing these elimination games and Stanley Cup playoffs, and just try to enjoy it as much as possible.”

Forsberg registered a few flashy goals in the Preds’ opening-round series with the Colorado Avalanche, including one where he deked through his legs and undressed Avalanche defenceman Samuel Girard before ripping a low shot by goalie Jonathan Bernier in a 5-2 playoff-opening victory.

“Natural is definitely not the word for it, but it just takes a lot of practise, takes a lot of you doing (it),” Forsberg said. “Once in a while you get time and space for it in a game, you try to pull it off.”

Sissons, whose goals are usually more of the greasy variety, offered a rather candid take on why contortionist-like stickhandling is not in his repertoire.

“I don’t know. I might break my ankle or something bad might happen,” he said. “I’d probably just jam it in the near post, but I’ll leave the through the legs stuff to Fil and some of those guys.”

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell