National Post (National Edition)
Little things will be big in Game 7
Jets, Predators collide for trip to West final
Welcome to Game 7, where doing the little things is even more important than usual.
As cliché as it sounds, in a winner-take-all showdown, the smallest mistake or a singular mental lapse can be the difference between advancing to the third round of the Stanley Cup playoffs or seeing your season end prematurely.
In essence, the little plays become the biggest plays.
Sometimes, it’s a bounce — fortuitous for one team, unlucky for the other — that could lead to the golden goal.
With that in mind, discipline will be of the utmost importance.
One bad penalty — a retaliatory punch or slash — is one too many.
In a game like this, you turn the other cheek, take a number and find another time for retribution.
The stakes are simply too high to hope the men in stripes aren’t looking.
As the Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators get set for one final showdown on Thursday night at Bridgestone Arena, the only thing we truly know is that one great team is going to move on to the Western Conference final to face the Vegas Golden Knights.
The other will see its Stanley Cup dream dashed.
Motivation won’t be lacking and inspirational speeches won’t be required.
Both teams have their collective backs against the wall and there is no margin for error.
The ability to rise to the occasion is required.
Throughout the first six games of this sensational series, the teams have traded punches.
Strange as it sounds, the road team has taken four of six games, with nobody able to string together consecutive victories.
Strange because the Jets were the best team on home ice this season and the Predators were third (behind the Golden Knights).
It’s natural for a series like this to have ebbs and flows, but this is taking it to the extreme, even within the same game (see Game 3, when the Predators roared out to a 3-0 lead, only to lose 7-4).
Both teams can come at each other in waves, showcasing an incredibly high level of skill, combined with blazing speed.
The Jets have put together several stretches where they look unstoppable, but after taking the lead in Game 4 and 6, the Predators have been able to clamp down defensively.
It’s basically become the irresistible force versus the immovable object.
When the Jets are at their best, they play fast and that’s something they will have to do in Game 7.
“That’s been a conversation we’ve had in every playoff game because the strength of our game is based on speed, and you want to make sure you bring that,” Jets head coach Paul Maurice said earlier this week. “It’s not just with your feet, it’s how you move the puck and all of those things.”
At times Predators goalie Pekka Rinne looks like he can’t be beaten, but he’s also been pulled twice in this series and three times in the playoffs.
Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck wasn’t as sharp as usual in the Game 2 overtime loss, but has otherwise been rock-steady.
In a deciding game, the goalies often — though not always — find a way to be difference-makers.
All things being equal, the most important thing a goalie can do is to be solid and not allow any soft goals.
Mistakes are going to happen and glorious chances are going to occur, but giving up a muffin can be incredibly deflating.
After splitting the first four games of the series, the Jets’ first line of Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler and Kyle Connor dominated Game 5.
But facing elimination, the Predators top trio of Filip Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson and Ryan Johansen followed suit and forced one final showdown.
Now it’s time for the encore presentation.
“At the end of the day this series has been about as evenly matched as it can be through every statistical category that there is,” said Predators head coach Peter Laviolette. “It’s just going to come down to the play on the ice.”
There are no more secrets between these teams and ultimately it will come down to execution.
Although it’s likely to take a total team effort to come away victorious, every single player in the lineup has the opportunity to be the hero on Thursday.
Who will step up? Who will be left with regret?
It won’t take much longer to find out.
The chance for someone to leave a lasting memory has arrived.
SERIES HAS BEEN ABOUT AS EVENLY MATCHED AS IT CAN BE.