NHL playoffs 2018: Predators tighten up defensively, defeat Jets in Game 4

Evan Sporer

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NHL playoffs 2018: Predators tighten up defensively, defeat Jets in Game 4 image

All night, the fans at MTS Centre were waiting for a chance to cheer; a moment to blow the top off what’s been on the most combustible home arenas during the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

But the visiting Nashville Predators were suffocating, and where they faltered in Game 3, they learned from their mistakes on Thursday.

The Predators defeated the Jets 2-1 in Game 4 to draw even in their second-round series at 2-2.

Two days after Nashville blew a 3-0 lead at MTS Centre, the Predators built up a multi-goal lead and then turned in a much stronger defensive effort. The Predators scored once in each of the first two periods, and then held the Jets without a shot on goal over the first eight minutes of the third.

The Jets had moments when it looked like they would break through. In the first period, Josh Morrissey had a shot at an empty net that was thwarted by an accidental Rinne save. As he tried to get across to block the shot, Rinne dropped his goal stick, but it managed to stay perpendicular to the ice, stopping the puck with its knob in an unusual, miraculous moment.

In the second period, Rinne stopped Paul Stastny from in tight, and then got across to make an even better save off a Patrik Laine one-timer. The Jets explosive sophomore forward has yet to register  goal in this series.

In the third period, it wasn’t Rinne but Ryan Hartman who was the last line of defense. Rinne got caught out of position on a centering feed by Bryan Little, and Brandon Tanev’s shot at a yawning cage caught Hartman’s skate.

But in other moments, Nashville was pesky defensively, stubborn in the neutral zone denying time and space, playing a different style than what the first three games of this series looked like, when five times one of these teams exceeded (by themselves) the three total goals scored Thursday. The Predators led 2-0 through two period on goals from Ryan Hartman and P.K. Subban, coming in the first and second periods.

Hartman gave Nashville a 1-0 lead with just under three minutes to play in the first period. He located a loose puck in a crowd just above the right faceoff circle, and chopped a puck that beat Connor Hellebuyck over his glove.

It remained at 1-0 until late in the second period, when for the third straight game, Subban scored for the Predators. Just like in Game 3, he one-timed a puck from near the blue line, and Viktor Arvidsson hopped over the shooting lane just as the puck reached the goaltender.

Then came the third period, and the Predators frustrated the Jets for most of those 20 minutes. It wasn't until Subban took a cross-check with just over two to play in regulation, and Hellebuyck went to the bench for an extra attacker that Laine broke through for his first of the series.

It was all for nought though, with the clock also working against the Jets, who lost their first game on home ice in these playoffs.

Rinne finished the game with 32 saves, a bounce back performance after letting in five at MTS Centre in Game 3. The Vezina trophy finalist has very much been boom-or-bust this postseason: of his 10 2018 playoff starts, he has four times conceded four or more goals, and five times allowed two or fewer goals.

The series will now shift back to Nashville, where the teams split Games 1 and 2. Game 5 will be played on Saturday night.

Sporting News provided live updates throughout the game (all times Eastern).

12:16 a.m. That's all for Game 4. A great defensive effort by Predators stifles a white hot Jets offense for the better part of 60 minutes, and the series is now tied at 2-2. Predators win, 2-1

12:12 a.m. Right off the faceoff, the puck is won onto Patrik Laine's stick, and it's his first goal of the series. The quick release catches Pekka Rinne by surprise, and the puck squeaks through his legs. We've got a game with 49.6 seconds to play in regulation at MTS Centre. Predators lead, 2-1

12:11 a.m. Nice puck movement by the Jets in the offensive zone, but Pekka Rinne once again moving well laterally in his crease, and he gets over on a Mark Scheifele one-timer. Timeout Jets with 50 seconds to play in the third.

12:09 a.m. Austin Watson gets a piece of a Patrik Laine one-timer and it deflects up into the netting. Down to 70 seconds remaining in regulation and the Jets still needing two goals.

12:08 a.m. As Winnipeg calls Connor Hellebuyck to the bench, P.K. Subban gets whistled for cross-checking. He heads to the box with 2:02 remaining in regulation, and the Jets still chasing that 2-0 deficit. Hellebuyck stays on the bench and it will be a 6-on-4.

12:00 a.m. One of the best saves of the night, but it doesn't come from Pekka Rinne. Ryan Hartman plays the role of de facto goaltender, and he gets his skate on an Adam Lowry shot at an open net to preserve the 2-0 lead; 6:28 to go in the third.

11:58 p.m. One of Winnipeg's best chances of the night and it doesn't end up on net. Patrik Laine's initial shot is stopped by Pekka Rinne's pad, and while Dustin Byfuglien gets to the rebound, he does so from a tight angle and with Roman Josi draped all over him. The puck never gets back on goal, and the Predators still lead 2-0 with under eight to go in regulation.

11:57 p.m. Paul Maurice again looking for the magic combinations to produce a bit more offense. Now it's Blake Wheeler skating with Paul Stastny and Kyle Connor, and Mark Scheifele centering Nikolaj Ehlers and Patrik Laine.

11:53 p.m. Big save by Connor Hellebuyck to keep the deficit at 2-0. He gets his blocker on Viktor Arvidsson's shot off a 2-on-1 to punch the puck out. Jets still trailing with just under 10 to play in regulation, heading into a TV-timeout.

11:49 p.m. Eight minutes into the third and the Jets finally register their first shot on goal of the period. Also looking a lot like Paul Maurice has shortened his bench to go with four defensemen: Dustin Byfuglien, Jacob Trouba, Tyler Myers, and Josh Morrissey.

11:47 p.m. Not a whole lot doing for either time in the third period. Just under seven minutes gone and shots are 5-0 Nashville in this period. Jets will have to start generating something offensively to have any chance at another comeback.

11:38 p.m. Big early hit by Colton Sissons laying out Mark Scheifele. He's a bit slow to get up, but appears to be fine.

11:37 p.m. The third period is underway at MTS Centre. Jets chasing a 2-0 deficit, and they also quickly kill off the end of Adam Lowry's hooking penalty.

11:18 p.m. And that'll do it for the second period. The lone goal belonged to P.K. Subban and Nashville, who doubled its lead. If the Predators can hold on over the final 20 of regulation and they'll even the series at 2-2.

11:15 p.m. A big chance for the Predators to push their lead to 3-0. Adam Lowry goes off for hooking with 81 seconds to play to in the second period.

11:06 p.m. The Jets work the puck back in the zone and, who else but P.K. Subban? The Predators defenseman fires a one-timer from the high slot, and it beats everybody, including Connor Hellebuyck. It's the third straight game for Subban with a goal, and it doubles the Jets lead with just over five minutes to play in the second period. Once again, Viktor Arvidsson screens the goaltender and jumps over the shot. A carbon copy of Subban's Game 3 goal. Predators lead, 2-0

11:05 p.m. Power play opens with a 2-on-1 chance for the two Jets players you would want in that situation, Blake Wheeler and Mark Scheifele. The former feeds the latter though and he can't corral the puck.

11:04 p.m. Matthias Ekholm flies through the neutral zone, and Dustin Byfuglien tries to slow him down with his stick. It's called a clash, and the Predators are heading to the power play with 6:17 to play in the second, with a chance to pad their 1-0 lead.

10:55 p.m. Kyle Turris' forecheck forces Toby Enstrom into a turnover, and it forces a good save at out of Connor Hellebuyck on Craig Smith, but he makes it and freezes the puck.

10:51 p.m. Joel Armia got a good look at a rebound right in front but Pekka Rinne makes the save. Then a big scrum breaks out, with Matthias Ekholm pushing someone on top of RInne. Lots of shoving and face-washing ensues, but doesn't look like anyone is getting penalized.

10:42 p.m. Predators kill the power play, and not many great looks for the Jets over those two minutes.

10:40 p.m. Puck is down for period two, with a full two-minute power play beginning for the Jets, chasing a 1-0 deficit.

10:22 p.m. The first period comes to an end, but the Jets will start the second on the power play. Craig Smith gest on the wrong end of a streaking Adam Lowry, and he ends up tripping the Jets forward. Either way, that will do it for the first, the lone goal belonging to Hartman and the Predators. Just like Game 3, Nashville takes a lead into the first intermission at MTS Centre.

10:17 p.m. For the second time in as many games, the Predators take a lead at MTS Centre. Ryan Hartman locates a loose puck off an offensive zone faceoff, and he flings one over the glove of Connor Hellebuyck with 2:40 to play in the first period. Predators lead, 1-0

Really a strange play. Puck made its way back to the point before the shot got blocked near the circle and then got held up. A bunch of players swinging for it, but Hartman finally made contact and it flew in perfectly under the crossbar.

10:21 p.m. Patrik Laine, who has been held without a goal in this series, just missed his first, tipping a centering feed barely over the crossbar.

10:15 p.m. A Jacob Trouba shot deflects right onto the stick of Paul Stastny, but Pekka Rinne comes up and makes himself big in the crease. Less than 10 seconds later, Rinne has to slide across to make an even better save off a Patrik Laine one-timer from a Kyle Connor pass. Two really high degree of difficulty saves for the Predators goaltender.

10:14 p.m. An identical P.K. Subban hit, this time on Mark Scheifele. Subban certainly engaged physically in the first period.

10:10 p.m. Winnipeg crowd favorite P.K. Subban just stepped into Brandon Tanev in a big way. Very loud open-ice check.

10:07 p.m. Scott Hartnell has certainly been in the middle of the action in his series debut. He gets the puck on his stick for a 2-on-1, winds up for a slap shot on Connor Hellebuyck, but sprays it into his pads.

10:02 p.m. Wow! replay shows that Josh Morrissey's shot at an empty net hit the knob of Pekka Rinne's goal stick. Entirely accidental but nevertheless a monumental, highlight-reel save in the early going.

10:00 p.m. A really, really close call and a near goal for the Jets. Unclear if it was Pekka Rinne or his defenseman who kept it out but either way, the puck is stopped before going across the goal line.

9:56 p.m. The first of what's sure to be many tonight.

9:55 p.m. First test of the night for Connor Hellebuyck and he's up to the task. He comes up in his crease and denies Roman Josi on a 2-on-1, swallowing up the puck and leaving no rebound.

9:51 p.m. Roman Josi drills Mark Scheifele, and that's going to draw a penalty. Patrik Laine flies in after that whistle and dumps Laine. That will even out the man-power, with Josi and Laine both going off. Teams will be skating 4-on-4 with 3:46 gone in the first period.

9:51 p.m. Scott Hartnell, making his series debut, tangles with Dustin Byfuglien. No penalties; just lots of jousting behind the play.

9:47 p.m. The Predators open with their top line, but it's the Jets checking line that hems them in for the entire shift. Advantage: Paul Maurice.

9:43 p.m. And the puck is down in Winnipeg. Jets have a big chance on home ice to take a 3-1 series lead. Predators looking to knot this one up at 2-2.

9:42 p.m. It gets loud in MTS Centre from time-to-time ...

9:25 p.m. Sounds like Predators forward Kevin Fiala, who scored 23 goals and 48 points this season (and scored the double-overtime winner in Game 2 this series) is a plain old healthy scratch. Scott Hartnell is taking his place in the lineup.

9:17 p.m. So there you have it. Joel Armia coming in for Jack Roslovic, and the Nikolaj Ehlers-Kyle Connor line swap from Game 3 remains in place.

9:05 p.m. The teams take the ice for warmups, with some changes coming on both sides.

After staging a huge comeback in Game 3, the Jets will look to score another victory in Game 4 against the Nashville Predators. If Winnipeg does so, it will go up 3-1 in its second-round series, meaning Nashville would have to win three in a row to advance.

NHL playoffs 2018: 'S— happens,' Byfuglien says of Jets' Game 3 comeback

On Tuesday, the Jets got two goals from both Dustin Byfuglien and Blake Wheeler. The former struck twice in the second period, including giving Winnipeg its first lead of the game in the final minute. Both of Wheeler's goals came in the third, the game-winner on a power play, and an empty net goal to put Winnipeg ahead 6-4. The Jets tacked on another with Pekka Rinne pulled to push its lead to 7-4.

Evan Sporer