The Nashville Predators wanted to become a more dynamic offensive team this season under third-year coach Andrew Brunette.
They showed flashes of that potential by rallying for a 4-3 victory over the New York Islanders Saturday to earn just their second victory in their last seven games (2-3-2).
The Predators hope to ride that finish into Monday night when they host the struggling St. Louis Blues.
“I loved our game,” Brunette said after the Islanders game. “… The power play got a huge goal for us. It kind of got us back in; we were taking on quite a bit of water. They were storming. I felt like the roof of the building was going to blow off.
“And then we settled in. And then I thought we controlled the game from then out, and we could see, when we do certain things, the team that we can be.”
Defenseman Roman Josi has produced 15 points in his last 10 games for Nashville. He scored the winning goal with 1:14 left to play.
“They came out hard and kind of put a lot of pressure on us, obviously, got the lead, and we got huge two goals to come back,” Josi said. “And I thought after that, we kind of got to our game. And I think the second period, especially, was really good.
“A lot of looks, a lot of chances to find a way in the third. I think the last two periods were more, you know, our style of play, and that was a big one.”
With 56 points in 54 games, the Predators remain within range of the final wild card in the Western Conference — four points back entering Sunday’s action. Meanwhile, the Blues have gone 1-5-1 in their last seven games to fall well off the pace.
“I just think we’re hoping for things to go right and when they don’t, we wait for a push and the reality in this league, that’s not good enough,” Blues captain Brayden Schenn said after the Blues fell to the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-3 Saturday night. “We have to find ways to dig in for one another. … We’re always chasing games. We just don’t have enough drive to come out and push teams out early on.”
With the Blues in retooling mode, the emergence of young forwards Jimmy Snuggerud and Dalibor Dvorsky has been heartening for the team. Those two rookies and Schenn have combined for 15 points over the last five games.
This forward line has taken a lead role with key Blues forwards Robert Thomas and Dylan Holloway sidelined until after the Olympic break with lower-body injuries.
Snuggerud has two goals and four assists in his last four games while Dvorsky has two goals and three assists in his last six games.
“They’re both playing really well right now, they both have a bright future, they’re both very receptive to getting better and that’s what you want,” Schenn said. “Lots of chatter on the bench and what we can do better rather than I’m not the yeller and screamer at my linemates, never have been. I think it’s more dialogue of finding ways to be better as a three-man group whoever you’re playing with that night.”
Nashville dominated the Blues earlier this year, defeating them 7-2 at home on Dec. 11 and 5-2 in St. Louis on Dec. 15. The Blues answered with a 3-2 victory at home on Dec. 27.
–Field Level Media
