Even when they won Game 2, it was not a full effort the entire time.
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St. Louis is well aware that in Game 4 Tuesday night, it will have to do a better job of accounting for the Predators’ defensemen and their ability to produce points.
Rinne’s 32 saves, plus goals from Ellis and Neal nearly eight minutes apart in the third period, led the Predators to a 2-1 win at raucous Bridgestone Arena, giving Nashville a 3-1 series lead. Hopefully they show up for it.
Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo had a shot go off the post within the first five minutes of the third. Alex Pietrangelo and Co. limited the Wild to only four even-strength goals throughout the series. They need to dictate the pace early and apply relentless pressure in all three zones if they want to have a chance at evening the series.
St. Louis, which took eight of the first 12 shots, went without a shot through almost 13 minutes of the second period without an attempt on Rinne.
After fumbling a big lead in Game 2, the Rangers mostly nullified the Senators, though Ryan helped J.G. Pageau keep his unexpected goal tear going with a sublime setup. “The goal that he scored in the last game is a playoff-type goal and so it’s good on him”.
McLeod gave Nashville a 2-0 lead with his first goal of the postseason just 2:29 into the second period with a backhander past Allen.
“That’s what we’ll address tomorrow”, he said. With that in mind, it might be a good sign that he thinks his team has learned to hate their opponent which is a good indicator of intensity. Playing probably his best game of the series, Rinne was sharp from the get-go.
The Ducks now have lost back-to-back games in regulation for the first time since the first two games of this season. “Obviously that wasn’t the case”.
In a story May 1 about a bet between the Nashville and St. Louis mayors over the Predators-Blues playoff series, The Associated Press misspelled the last name of Nashville’s mayor on the first reference. The Blues had outshot the Predators 8-4 until that penalty. A goal from them could open the floodgates for the rest of the team.
Edmonton goalie Cam Talbott made 39 saves in a 2-1 victory, his fourth straight in helping the Oilers grab their first 2-0 lead on the road since 2006 in the Western finals, also against Anaheim. He didn’t blow his whistle until Steen retaliated, though.
“We got a couple of things, a couple of areas, we have to adjust and be a little bit sharper in”, Yeo said. “That’s what we’ve got to do from the start”.
The Oilers dominated in the second period, and they tied the score via goals by Anton Slepyshev and Connor McDavid. “It certainly makes a difference”. The period started out 4 on 3, and then moved to five on four. A goal by National Hockey League veteran Vernon Fiddler, 36, ended up sealing the game for good for the Predators, but St. Louis had so much momentum inside the Scottrade Center during game two on April 28 that this has become a serious contest.
“It’s a hard-fought game”, Steen said. We’re in a new challenge now going to Nashville.
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Unfortunately for the Blues, not enough of them did what they do best. Then, at 4:56 of the third, Silfverberg got his second goal of the game. St. Louis was outworked in every facet of the game and now finds itself one loss away from a 3-1 hole.
