Predators Score Four, Even Series Against Coyotes with Game 2 Win

We're all even.

The Nashville Predators opened up a 4-0 lead on the Arizona Coyotes and claimed a 4-2 victory in Game 2 to even their best-of-five series at 1-1. The Preds will have fewer than 24 hours to relish their Tuesday afternoon victory, as they'll be right back on the ice for Game 3 on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. CT (Watch: FOX Sports Tennessee, NHL Network; Listen: 102.5 The Game).

After surrendering three goals in the opening period in Game 1, the Predators stressed a better start in Game 2, and they got it thanks to impressive goaltending from Juuse Saros and a pair of tallies in the first 20 minutes.

That momentum carried the Preds through the afternoon, and even though they surrendered two goals late in the contest, the victory was the most important thing to come out of Tuesday's effort.

"It was nice to get out there, get the lead today and build our team game from there," Preds center Ryan Johansen said. "Nick [Bonino] gave our team a boost with his first goal tonight, and it seemed like we really found our game. We played a solid, solid game."

"We talked a lot to our team about mental toughness, focus and really taking the lessons out of the last game," Preds Head Coach John Hynes said. "The focus level for us was good, and the things that we talked about, the players really executed. Our competitive level and commitment level in certain areas was better than it was in Game 1, so we need to make sure we continue that going into Game 3."

Nashville was outshot 14-5 in the first frame, but Saros was spotless and Bonino got things going with a no-look shot and goal at 7:50. Saros made perhaps his best saves of the night a couple minutes later, and Johansen rewarded his efforts with his first of the postseason and a 2-0 Nashville advantage.

Saros, who made his second-consecutive start for Nashville, stopped everything for the opening 59 minutes, as the goaltender collected his first-career postseason victory.

"That's nice for Juice to be able to get his first one, and he's certainly earned the opportunity," Hynes said of Saros. "Juice has been very consistent, and he had a good, strong stretch before the pause. He came back to training camp ready to go, and it's nice to see him continue to play well, stay focused and get his first [postseason] win."

The Predators appeared to get stronger as the game went along, and they're execution improved too.

In the middle frame, Calle Jarnkrok converted from the slot to give the Preds a 3-0 lead through 40 minutes, and then Viktor Arvidsson slapped home his first goal of the postseason with Nashville on the power play at 13:49 of the third period.

"Last game, it seemed like we started just a bit too late," Bonino said. "We made a good push in the third and weren't able to catch them. So momentum, whether it's shift to shift, period to period or game to game is always big. We've got some right now. We didn't like how we finished, but for 59 minutes, and before a couple tough bounces, we played a pretty complete game. So that's where we'll look to start in Game 3."

The Predators also blocked a total of 21 shots - including five from Bonino - and the sacrifices made by those in the shooting lanes didn't go unnoticed.

"It's important to do it all the time; in the playoffs, it's magnified," Bonino said. "Everyone knows how important every little thing is, especially on the [penalty] kill. We missed a few blocks [in Game 1] and guys are trying. It's just they have skilled players getting pucks to the net, so it's something we wanted to bear down a little bit more and block… and every playoffs for the last three years, guys are ready to sacrifice and make blocks."

The Coyotes tallied twice in a nine-second span in the final minute of regulation, but the less-than ideal ending didn't have a noticeable effect on the Predators' thoughts on their overall performance.

"Our first period was just OK… but the way we came out in the second, we really wanted to dictate the play and I thought that was strong," Johansen said. "We need to understand that the games are 60 minutes long and continue to try and play and work our best at completing a full 60-minute game."

Still, Tuesday evening is not the time for celebration. Nashville says they've already shifted their attention to a pivotal Game 3 on Wednesday.

"Whether it's a best-of-five or best-of-seven series, the most important game is the next game, and that was what we talked about after last night and it's no different today," Hynes said. "We can't get too high, we [couldn't] get too low after the first game, and in any series, it's really about the next game… So our focus now is to put this one behind us, and our total focus now is on Game 3."

Notes:

Nashville elected not to make any changes in their lineup from Game 1 to Game 2.

Dan Hamhuis, Korbinian Holzer, Daniel Carr, Eeli Tolvanen, Yakov Trenin, Colin Blackwell, Alexandre Carrier, Michael McCarron, Troy Grosenick and Connor Ingram were scratched for the Preds in Game 2.

Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Qualifier series between the Predators and Coyotes comes tomorrow, Wednesday afternoon, at 1:30 p.m. CT from Edmonton (Watch: FOX Sports Tennessee, NHL Network; Listen: 102.5 The Game).