Predators work overtime to get even
Nashville’s top line breaks out and Fiala notches winner to tie series heading to Winnipeg
NASHVILLE — Nobody said it was going to be easy for the Winnipeg Jets.
After winning the series opener to steal home ice advantage from the Presidents’ Trophy winners, the Jets couldn’t contain the Nashville Predators top line in Game 2.
Held off the scoresheet in Game 1 against the Jets, the Predators trio of Ryan Johansen, Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson was simply too much to handle in Sunday’s 5-4 double overtime loss.
Johansen scored twice, Arvidsson had a goal and two assists and Forsberg finished with three helpers as the Predators evened the best-ofseven series at one game a piece.
And after the Jets scored late to force overtime, Predators left winger Kevin Fiala converted a pass from Kyle Turris at 5:37 of the second extra period to even the series at 1-1.
Game 3 goes Tuesday at Bell MTS Place as the series shifts to Winnipeg for the next two games.
The Predators were determined to do a better job of creating more dangerous scoring chances after being kept mostly to the outside in Game 1 and they didn’t need much time to generate one.
On the opening shift of the contest, Predators forward Forsberg made a nice play along the boards and found Johansen all alone in the slot and the first line centre buried his opportunity. It was the first time in seven games during the playoffs that the Jets didn’t score the first goal of the game.
The Predators had a chance to extend the lead, but the Jets were able to kill off a minor penalty to captain Blake Wheeler.
During a four-on-four situation, the Jets evened the score as defenceman Dustin Byfuglien slipped a wrister through the legs of Predators goalie Pekka Rinne, who was back between the pipes after being pulled in Game 1.
The Jets took the lead on the ensuing power play, with Mark Scheifele finding the back of the net at 13:16.
That gave the Jets markers that came 29 seconds apart, including two goals on six shots against Rinne.
The Jets nearly made it a two-goal lead a few moments later as Patrik Laine rattled a shot off the post from the slot.
The Predators scored their first power play goal of the series to even the score during the second period. P.K. Subban rifled his shot off the post and in, making it 2-2.
The Jets thought they had restored the lead at 13:46 of the second period when Andrew Copp scored on a rebound after a good chance from Byfuglien. But the goal was waved off immediately as Jets forward Matt Hendricks received an interference penalty after cross-checking Predators defenceman Matt Irwin.
With 1:19 to go in the period, Arvidsson ripped a slapshot past Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck to put the Preds back on top.
Jets defenceman Ben Chiarot pinched at the defensive blue line, but Forsberg chipped the puck past him to leave Arvidsson with an open lane to the net.
Jets forward Brandon Tanev scored his third goal of the playoffs at 5:11 of the third period to make it 3-3, but that lasted for only 34 seconds as Johansen scored his second of the contest and fourth of the post-season on a nifty individual effort.
But with the Jets having pulled the goalie in favour of an extra attacker, captain Blake Wheeler found Scheifele alone on the backdoor for his second goal of the game.
The strike with 65 seconds to go in regulation time sent the Jets to overtime for the first time in the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs.
With his eighth goal of these Stanley Cup playoffs, Scheifele moved into sole possession of top spot in the league, one ahead of Washington Capitals left winger Alex Ovechkin, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Penguins left winger Jake Guentzel.
“Mark’s progression has been exceptionally consistent,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. “... Because he didn’t come into the league at 18 and score 30, he got forgotten about a little bit.
“And then he came to the team in his first two or three years and we were truly rebuilding and young, so he wasn’t noticed. They were good numbers, but it wasn’t something they were talking about Hart Trophy. So he just wasn’t forefront in everybody’s mind. But he’s just continued on that same pace to get better, and he’s emerging now as a player that people have to notice.”