Preds Return Home in Search of First Series Lead Against Jets

What a difference 48 hours can make.
The Predators went from allowing four goals in the second period in Game 3 to just one in all of Game 4, and it took the Jets 59 minutes to get it.
How quickly a 7-4 loss and a 2-1 series deficit can be flipped right back around with a 2-1 victory in Game 4 and an even split through four outings. Now, Nashville and Winnipeg are facing a best-of-three, two of which will take place at Bridgestone Arena, if necessary.

The first of those comes Saturday night in Nashville, an opportunity for the Predators to take their first lead of this series. Game 5 will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in who has a chance for elimination in Game 6, but there are certainly questions as to how this next contest will play out.
For two teams with plenty of firepower who had combined for a total of 25 goals through the first three outings of the series, a 2-1 result in Game 4 may have been a bit of a surprise. But after allowing seven in Game 3, the Predators got back to the basics on defense, finding a way to stymie the Winnipeg offense time after time.

And even when they did break through, Pekka Rinne was there to turn aside 32 pucks. Now that the Preds have put forth an effort like that, they'd prefer to keep it that way, especially after coming back to even the series for a second time.
"You have to look at your team and have an understanding of what got you there and how capable our team is of being the best," Predators center Ryan Johansen said Friday after arriving back in Tennessee. "Everyone took a look in the mirror and understood that we're ready for that challenge and then we stepped up to the plate [in Game 4]. Throughout our whole lineup, every single guy did."
That included forward Scott Hartnell, who heard his number called in place of Kevin Fiala in Game 4. Hartnell was a noticeable presence, earning the praises of Head Coach Peter Laviolette at the end of the night, but the veteran winger wasn't the only one to find his was back in.
Defenseman Yannick Weber, who had been out of the lineup since late March, made his 2018 Stanley Cup Playoff debut during Game 4 in Winnipeg and was a +1 in 8:32 of ice time. Weber said he felt good after missing more than a month's worth of games, but also witnessed firsthand what it is like to face the Jets and exactly how the Predators can find success against them.
"Yesterday was good for us to see the way we have to play if we want to beat this team," Weber said. "We finally were able to have a 60-minute effort and the way we want to play, and we have to have the same mindset tomorrow. We know what works now, and it's going to be awesome to be at home and in front of our fans. We just have to have the same mindset, the same urgency and know how important that game is as well."

Now that the Predators have made it back from the Winnipeg Whiteout - and although they'll see it once more for Game 6 - it's about taking advantage of the home ice they worked so hard all season to attain. What has been such an up and down four games thus far now turn into the first to two victories.
Perhaps 48 hours from now, they'll be back in Winnipeg with a chance to advance.
"Our guys we don't need to talk numbers," Laviolette said. "They know how many games are left, they know how many games are at Bridgestone Arena, so there's not a lot of time left in this series to win two hockey games… I know they realize they're valuable opportunities."