Predators defense won't rest against Jets in Game 5

NASHVILLE -- For the Nashville Predators to have success defensively, some of it just boils down to commitment.
After allowing at least four goals in each of the first three games of the Western Conference Second Round against the Winnipeg Jets, the Predators made sure to shore up their defensive-zone coverage in Game 4 on Thursday, and the result was a 2-1 win at Bell MTS Place that evened the best-of-7 series 2-2.

"There's a commitment to detail but there's a commitment to effort too, and I thought our effort was good," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "I had stated that last night after the game was over. You could just tell that the guys were sharp, right from the morning skate and in the meetings. There was a focus there, and that carried through to the game."
Nashville felt it did a better job of limiting Winnipeg's high-quality scoring opportunities in front of goaltender Pekka Rinne, who made 32 saves in Game 4.
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The Predators may have found a formula for success the rest of the way, beginning in Game 5 at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday (9:30 p.m ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVAS).
"They're a dangerous team," Nashville defenseman Yannick Weber said. "They have a lot of depth up front. They have four lines that can score. They have some really dangerous forwards that are capable of winning a game. For us, it was key to help out [Rinne] a little bit more.
"We know he's going to make the key saves that are needed, but we knew we had to clean up our D-zone a lot from the games before. I think we did a good job with that. We didn't give them much, and when we had a couple breakdowns, we had [Rinne] that we trust, and we know will make those key saves."
The Predators stifled the Jets in the neutral zone and tried to disrupt their offensive-zone entries and prevent them from entering with speed.
"It seemed like they sat back and clogged up the neutral zone a bit more," Jets forward Bryan Little said after Game 4. "They played a really simple, good defensive game. Everything they touched … they were working that high flipper pretty good and then we're just skating into a wall again. We've got to find a way to beat that."

Nashville forward Ryan Hartman has seen the exasperation of facing the Predators from the other side, when he played against them for the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2017 Western Conference First Round.
"It makes it hard when you're constantly having to dump it in," Hartman said. "You get the puck and someone's hitting you right away. It makes it hard. I've experienced that. It does get frustrating, kind of, as the game goes on. You kind of get more and more frustrated. We did a really good job of it."
The Predators will try to be strong defensively again in Game 5 and attempt to take a 3-2 series lead.
"I think it's more about us and taking a great step there with a big road win in Winnipeg," Nashville forward Ryan Johansen said. "Just coming out and doing our thing, playing the same way and use our crowd, use our atmosphere and our energy in the building to gain a lead in the series."