Predators Eyeing Fourth Game Seven

Head coaches Andrew Brunette and Rick Tocchet have seen it all through five games of playoff action and feel that their teams could be playing better.

They’ve voiced it in postgame press conferences and Brunette understands he and Tocchet’s emotions are a two-way street.

“We’re grumpy old men, we’re never happy,” Brunette said whilst chuckling. “I think it’s been a close series. I don’t think any of the games were grossly outplayed by either team. When you lose you never are overly happy and sometimes when you win you get even madder, it’s a coach syndrome I think.”

One thing the Nashville Predators and Vancouver Canucks have not seen go their way is the powerplay. They’re a combined 4-for-32 in this series with Ryan O’Reilly and Roman Josi scoring Nashville’s half of the goals on the man advantage.

“We haven’t been completely sharp with the pucks at different times and then I think you start squeezing the stick a little bit,” Brunette said of his team on the powerplay. “At times in this series, we’ve moved it pretty well and had some looks. Something we need to be better at and give them credit they’re killing at a high level right now.”

After missing Game 5 in Vancouver, defenseman Luke Schenn said he’s feeling better after flying home yesterday but felt he couldn’t give it his best while taking warmups.

Tyson Barrie came in to play after not dressing in a game since March 28 logging 17:42 of ice time in Game 5. He picked up an assist on Roman Josi’s first goal of the playoffs as the Predators tied the game in the third period.

“He’s got really good puck poise as we know, and he was thrown into a really tough decision. I thought he handled himself well,” Brunette said.

There’s yet to be a decision on whether Schenn will play on Friday but with him feeling better his likelihood of a return increases.

Then down on the Predators third line, Brunette feels Tommy Novak had progress in Games 3 and 4 but not much to show for in Nashville’s latest game in Vancouver.

“We’re still waiting for him, it’s a great opportunity for him to breakout here for us since we need him, ” Brunette said. “I felt after Game 4 he was ready to pop here a little bit. In the last game circumstantially with the ice time I thought he was good but we lost him a little bit, he’s a key part of our team.”

While Nashville needs Novak to step up it was defenseman Alexandre Carrier who scored the game-winner in Game 5. His first career playoff goal for Nashville and he watched it until it hit the back of the net.

“Great play by Gus [Nyquist] going low to high and I added a step to the middle and saw traffic so I ripped it, didn’t really rip it but it made it through,” Carrier said Thursday.

Carzy's slapper makes it 2-1!@PredsNHL l #Preds pic.twitter.com/0guLH69sdq

— Bally Sports: Preds (@PredsOnBally) May 1, 2024

All-time in postseason play the Predators are 1-10 when trailing 3-2 in a playoff series.

The one win to force a Game 7 came during the 2016 playoffs when Nashville came home to play the Anaheim Ducks. Former Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm scored the first goal in that game and James Neal added the eventual game-winner.

If Nashville is to win the next two games they’d face Ekholm and the Edmonton Oilers in the second round.

“We want to get a win here for sure, play fast and be in their face,” Carrier said going into Game 6. “It’s going to be great hockey, it’s what we play for so I’m really excited and I can’t wait for it to start tomorrow.”