In a pivotal game with serious playoff implications, the Nashville Predators came up empty, dropping a 2-0 decision to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday at the Canada Life Centre.
Despite an impressive 36-save performance by Juuse Saros in goal, the Predators couldn’t find a way to light the lamp against the Jets. As a result, they now hold a record of 40-31-8 on the season and sit three points behind Winnipeg in the race for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.
Despite a strong showing in the first period, where they successfully killed off two penalties and outshot Winnipeg 8-7, the Preds struggled to keep pace with the Jets in the second frame. Winnipeg dominated the period with a staggering 20-5 shot advantage, but it wasn’t until the 15:06 mark that they were finally able to solve Saros, with Mark Scheifele’s shot from the high slot finding the back of the net to give the Jets a 1-0 lead.
Neal Pionk added to Winnipeg’s lead early in the third period, finishing off a rush play with a top-shelf laser at 1:36 to make it a 2-0 game, a score that would hold until the final buzzer.
The Preds will now head to Calgary to complete their two-game road trip, where they’ll take on the Flames on Monday at 8:30 p.m. CT. With time running out in the regular season, every game is a must-win for the Predators if they hope to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Source: NHL
