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Predators aim to step up play vs. Red Wings (Feb 16, 2018)
Nashville Predators coach Peter Laviolette looks more at the process of a game, or a stretch of games, than the overall record.
As his team was collecting points in seven straight games to start February, going 5-0-2 and overtaking Winnipeg for first place in the Central Division, Laviolette knew the Predators weren't playing their best hockey. The last three wins occurred in overtime or a shootout, the last coming on Tuesday night as the result of a rally from a 3-0 deficit almost halfway through the third period against St. Louis.
So when Nashville's points streak ended Thursday night with a 4-3 loss at home to Calgary, Laviolette didn't try to put a Chuck Tanner happy face on his team's late rally that nearly produced the tying goal in the final minute.
"They all look the same," Laviolette said. "They're not good enough. We're not working hard enough. I don't know what else to say. If you don't invest a lot, you won't like it at the end. We're missing some bite in our game."
The Predators (34-13-9) will try to find that bite Saturday night when a recent jinx team, the Detroit Red Wings, makes its only visit of the season to Bridgestone Arena.
While Detroit has been in a transition/rebuilding phase the last 2 1/2 seasons, it has been a tough out for Nashville. In fact, the Predators have been swept in the season series three straight years, including 5-3 and 1-0 defeats in 2016-17.
A similar result would likely do nothing to improve Laviolette's mood. The Red Wings (23-24-9) are well on the way to a second straight playoff miss after 25 straight seasons of making postseason play. They slid closer to April tee times with a 4-1 loss Thursday night at Tampa Bay.
Special teams woes have colored Detroit's performance. It ranks 21st with the man advantage and 26th when a man down. The Red Wings have allowed 16 goals in opponents' last 50 power-play opportunities, and their man-advantage tally from Tomas Tatar late in the second period Thursday night was just their seventh in 60 attempts, dating back to Dec. 23.
"We're looking into everything, every little mistake we're doing," Detroit defenseman Jonathan Ericsson said. "Right now, I think we're a little too hesitant. We're not confident in what we're doing. The puck is finding a way to get by us and we have to work hard and get ourselves out of this."
Nashville has boasted top 10 power play and penalty-killing units most of the season, but neither shined against Calgary. The Flames' first two goals came with the man advantage, and the Predators wore a size 5 collar on the power play, failing to convert with a 6-on-4 advantage in the final two minutes as they pulled goalie Pekka Rinne.
"I think a lot of times, your 5-on-5 play is a reflection of your specialty teams' play," Laviolette said. "That's been inconsistent as well through the last five, six games."
Rinne (29-9-4, 2.36 goals-against average, .926 save percentage) likely will start in goal for Nashville. Detroit will go with either Jimmy Howard (16-18-6, 2.83, .910) or Petr Mrazek (7-6-3, 2.99, .906) in net.
