Jets wary of two-way game of Predators defensemen in second-round series

WINNIPEG -- Getting past the Nashville Predators in the Western Conference Second Round means getting past their defensemen while also containing those players at the other end of the ice.
It's a challenge for the Winnipeg Jets entering Game 1 of the best-of-7 series at Nashville on Friday (8 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, SN360, TVAS). The Jets were 2-3-0 against the Predators in the regular season.

The Predators gave up the second-fewest goals (204) during the regular season (the Los Angeles Kings allowed 202), and game-planning against a team with defense pairs that include P.K. Subban, Roman Josi, Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Ellis will be difficult.
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"You have to be aware when they're on the ice," Jets forward Blake Wheeler said. "Ultimately, don't let them beat you up the ice. That's our job as forwards. A huge part of their offense is allowing their defenseman to jump up into the rush. You've got to be smart with the puck. Make their best players come all the way down the ice and don't let them beat you up the ice."
Winnipeg forward Paul Stastny was with the St. Louis Blues last season and lost to the Predators in six games in the second round. Stastny, acquired by the Jets prior to the NHL Trade Deadline on Feb. 26, said the Predators' strength on defense is the ability of their defenseman to play a two-way game.

"They're good in the D-zone, they move the puck out, and as a forward you've always got to watch them because there is always that third or fourth man jumping into the play," Stastny said. "You can never kind of get too lazy and watch the puck. As a forward, if you're forechecking, you've got to come back and watch the puck but also watch where they're at because they're going to be jumping in."
Jets forward Andrew Copp said, generally, the teams look similar defensively.
"They break the puck out pretty well, they're quick just like our [defensemen] are, they can be physical just like our [defensemen] are," Copp said. "They've got great [shooters] up top, just like we have on top. They're good, but it's not something we haven't seen all year so far. It's somewhere where we have to try and wear them down."
Copp said each defenseman brings a different trait to the game.
"I don't think Josi plays like anybody we have," he said. "I don't think they have anybody that plays like [Dustin Byfuglien], or [Jacob Trouba] for that matter, or [Josh Morrissey]. They're all different players but in general a lot of the same strengths."
Morrissey said the Jets need to challenge the Predators on the forecheck to stop them from transitioning the puck the other way.
"If you swing off a guy he's going to turn up the ice and be the next layer [on their attack]," Morrissey said. "They're a solid group … a team that plays really strong team defense."