Predators even series, now head to Winnipeg
The Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets put on a fastpaced, thrilling playoff show that reminded everyone why they finished ahead of everybody else in the regular season.
Thanks to Kevin Fiala, the Presidents’ Trophy winners go to Winnipeg breathing a little easier.
Fiala scored off a 2-on-1 5:37 into double overtime to give the host Predators a 5-4 victory over the Jets on Sunday night in Game 2, tying the Western Conference semifinal series.
“Very happy that we won,” Fiala said. “That’s all that matters. It was a huge game for us to tie it up 1-1.”
Nashville had the NHL’s best road record in the regular season, but the Predators got the split they needed before Game 3 on Tuesday night in Winnipeg, where the Jets posted the league’s best home record.
“It’s huge, a big difference being 2-0 or 1-1,” said Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne, who had a career playoff-best 46 saves.
Craig Smith and Fiala skated up on a 2-on-1, and defenseman Dustin Byflugien failed to block Smith’s cross-ice pass to Fiala, who beat Connor Hellebuyck with a backhander.
Ryan Johansen scored twice, Viktor Arvidsson had a goal and two assists, and P.K. Subban had a goal and an assist as Nashville won both its 100th postseason game as a franchise and head coach Peter Laviolette’s 50th with the team. Filip Forsberg also had three primary assists for the first time in the postseason in his career.
Mark Scheifele scored twice and had an assist. Byflugien had a goal and an assist, and Brandon Tanev had a goal for Winnipeg, which lost its first multiple-overtime game for a franchise that just won its first playoff series in the first round.
“We played a better game tonight than we did on Friday,” Scheifele said. “That’s a positive. We can be upset for 10 minutes and then after that, we’ve got to get our rest and then get ready for Tuesday.”