Predators ride hot start to fifth consecutive playoff berth

The Nashville Predators are in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.

The Predators, who clinched a playoff berth Monday, are in second place in the Central Division, two points behind the Winnipeg Jets, who have a game in hand. Nashville has an opportunity to win its second consecutive division title and will try to return to the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in three seasons.

Here are five reasons the Predators clinched a playoff berth:

1. Hot start

The Predators began the season 13-3-0 and were atop the NHL standings through their first 16 games. That hot start allowed the Predators to remain near the top of the Central Division all season.
Nashville is 30-25-6 since its 13-3-0 start.
"The games that we lost were close," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "The games that we won were close. There's not a lot of wiggle room for a margin of error inside of winning and losing. You've got to be more consistent with your game than the other team. And so for me, I thought we were pretty good at that."

2. Arvidsson's consistent production

Despite missing 24 of 25 games between Nov. 1 and Dec. 22 because of injuries to his lower body and thumb, forward Viktor Arvidsson arguably has been the most consistent player for the Predators.
Arvidsson has scored 31 goals in 53 games, and his 0.58 goals per game average is third in the NHL behind Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin (0.60) and Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares (0.59). He has a chance to break Nashville's single-season record of 33 goals, held by Jason Arnott (2008-09) and Filip Forsberg (2015-16).
Arvidsson has been on a line with Forsberg and Ryan Johansen for the majority of the season, and they are three of the top four point producers on the team.

3. No goaltending drop-off

Nashville has had the luxury of playing two capable goaltenders without sustaining any drop-off in ability.
Pekka Rinne is 28-19-4 with a 2.48 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage in 52 games. Backup Juuse Saros, who had 29 saves in the playoff-clinching 1-0 victory against the Minnesota Wild on Monday, is 17-9-2 with a 2.53 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage in 30 games.
Rinne is on pace to play 55 games, which would be his fewest in a single season since he played 24 games in 2013-14. The Predators are hoping the rest he's gotten this season will allow him to be on top of his game in the playoffs.

4. Overcoming injuries

The Predators dealt with significant injuries to several key players. Arvidsson missed 24 games, Forsberg missed 18, forward Kyle Turris missed 25 with two separate injuries and defenseman P.K. Subban missed 19.
"It's been frustrating," Turris said. "Other than this, I've only ever had one injury that's allowed me to lose games in a season, and it hasn't been this many games. So it's been frustrating, especially coming back from one injury and playing in six or seven games and then getting hurt again."
Despite those injuries, the Predators have remained in a playoff position all season and hope that overcoming injuries has made the depth of their team stronger.

5. Strong play at even strength

The Predators have relied on strong 5-on-5 play this season to carry them to their fifth consecutive playoff berth because their power play has been inconsistent.
After going 0-for-3 on Monday, it's 30th in the NHL at 12.7 percent.
General manager David Poile acquired forwards Brian Boyle, Wayne Simmonds and Mikael Granlund prior to the NHL Trade Deadline on Feb. 25, and they believe it's starting to round into form with some of the new additions.
"I think we've added some new personnel with the trades we did, and it seems to work fine," Arvidsson said. "We're trying to find each other and get the units together."
The Predators hope their strong play at even strength will translate into a deep playoff run.
"We have an opportunity to clinch a playoff spot and play in the playoffs," Boyle said prior to clinching Monday. "There's the potential. There's the opportunity, I think, for us and 15 other teams. We believe in ourselves as a group. It's going to take everybody's best effort to continue to play well going into the playoffs."