Preds Disappointed with Effort in Loss to Jets

The Nashville Predators were unable to prevail in the biggest game of the season so far.
The Jets scored three times in the second period en route to a 5-0 shut out of the Predators at Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg. The result ends Nashville's four-game point streak and sees the Jets take a four-point lead over the Preds atop the Central Division.
Nashville entered the night with a chance to tie Winnipeg for first in the Central, but after a quality first period from the visitors, the Jets were frankly "better" than the Predators, according to captain Roman Josi.

"It's disappointing," Josi said. "Biggest game of the year up to this point, and they were just better than us. It's disappointing."
The opening stanza ended scoreless, but there was tremendous pace throughout with both clubs trading chances over a 20-minute period that favored the Preds.
"The first period we played really well," Predators Head Coach Peter Laviolette said. "We had the edge just with what we were trying to do. I thought we were sharp and on point, and then the next 40 turned and we weren't good at all."
It looked as though the Predators had taken a 1-0 lead early in the second, but moments after Calle Jarnkrok's deflection was overturned due to a high stick, Kyle Connor gave Winnipeg the first goal of the game.
The Jets followed up with two more tallies before the middle frame was out courtesy of Andrew Copp and Kevin Hayes, and Connor added two more in the third to complete the hat trick and clinch a playoff spot for the Jets.
"They were just better than us the whole game," Josi said. "It's really disappointing that we played like that for such a big game. It was a big game for both teams, and we just didn't play well enough."
The Predators will have a chance to conclude the trip on a high note on Monday in Minnesota, and although Nashville will be anxious to move on from this one, they know they can't brush it off, either.
"We're playing again in two days, but it's a tough loss," Josi said. "That's a really good team over there. They're in our division, and it was a big game for first in the Central. We have to find a way to play better than what we did tonight."

Notes:
Rem Pitlick, Austin Watson, Matt Donovan, Cody McLeod and Frederick Gaudreau were scratched for the Preds on Saturday night.
The Predators will now depart Manitoba bound for Minnesota and a meeting with the Wild on Monday night (7 p.m. CT) in another Central Division tilt.