Tolvanen's Power-Play Tally Helps Preds to Weekend Sweep of Columbus

A pair of successful afternoon outings has made the Predators four points richer.
Eeli Tolvanen's power-play goal proved to be the game-winner, as Nashville defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets, 3-1, on Sunday afternoon at Bridgestone Arena. The result gives the Preds a clean sweep of their back-to-back set against the Jackets and wins in four of their last five games for the first time this season.
Nick Cousins and Erik Haula also tallied for the Preds, and Juuse Saros collected his second win of the weekend by making 28 more saves on Sunday, just one stop fewer than he had on Saturday, to lead his club to a pair of much-needed victories.

"Our game is trending in the right direction," Cousins said. "The last five games we've had a lot of consistency with our defense, [they're] getting the forwards the puck really quickly, and it makes our transition game that much more effective, so it's been good. We've got to keep it going. I mean, obviously we've dug ourselves in a hole here that we've got to get out of, but I really liked our game. I think we're trending in the right direction, so it's good to see."
"Our consistency has been a lot better," Preds Captain Roman Josi said. "We can definitely take some confidence from the last five games, but we've got to keep it up, we've got to play that consistently, for sure."

Just as they did on Saturday, the Blue Jackets got the game's first goal when Kevin Stenlund beat Saros, who made his second consecutive start, early in the opening period. But, fewer than four minutes later, Ryan Johansen dished to Viktor Arvidsson, who threw a feed in front for Cousins to finish for his second tally of the season.

Then, in the second stanza, Nashville's top power-play unit put on a clinic, and eventually, Filip Forsberg found Tolvanen, who deposited his third of the season - and second on the man advantage in his last four games - to give the Preds a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes.

"Just better puck movement," Josi said of why Nashville's power play has converted five times in the last five games. "Today, we moved it, especially [Forsberg] and [Tolvanen] on the flanks, did a good job of moving it up quickly, and we had a couple of shots. It's always easier to break a PK down when you get a couple shots and retrieve pucks, so [Johansen] and [Mikael Granlund] did a great job in front on that, and then obviously Fil made a great play to Tolvy, but I think it starts with making quick plays, executing and getting some shots to break them down."
Columbus had the better of the chances in the third, but Saros stopped all 11 shots he faced in the period. Then, with the Predators on a monumental penalty kill late in regulation, Haula beat Joonas Korpisalo on a breakaway for his second of the season - and the first shorthanded goal in 2021 for the Preds - to seal Nashville's 10th win of the campaign.

"I'd say it was a few games back, we really talked about certain things and did some things in practice, and I think when you have the opportunity to win games, certainly your confidence and your puck decisions get better," Preds Head Coach John Hynes said. "But before that, before you get those wins, you have to do things that are going to give you the ability to find ways to win, so I think players are working hard at certain things. Our puck-possession game, our puck plays, decision making; we spent a lot of time in practice on things of that nature, and now that we're finding some results, I think it always helps grow confidence and poise, and execution always comes along with that."
Tolvanen is just one Preds player who's noticeably becoming more confident in just about every nuance of the game, and the 21-year-old winger, who had three more shots on Sunday and played with Forsberg and Granlund once more, is helping his club to find success.
"When you give a puck to them, you're going to get it back," Tolvanen said of skating with his linemates. "They're really elite players in this League, so it's a lot of fun to play with those guys. I try to do my best and build confidence and just try to help those guys."
With the most successful weekend of Nashville's season now in the rearview, they'll turn their attention to the Carolina Hurricanes, who come to town on Tuesday night (at 7 p.m. CT). Recent results certainly have the Preds feeling a renewed sense of optimism, but they're also aware there is still plenty of work to do to work their way back into the top half of the Central Division.
The next challenge awaits, however, and perhaps more so than any other point during the season, the Preds can't wait to see what's next.
"I feel like we're realizing what makes us successful and what makes us a team that's tough to beat," Haula said. "I feel like we're trending toward the right direction. Our game is more consistent, and we're finding some good combinations, and with that, we've had some success lately. Hopefully, we can keep that going on."

Notes:
Saros started two regular-season games in two days for the first time in his career and finished with 57 saves and two wins.
Forsberg now has 15 points (5g-10a) in his last 14 games and eight points (3g-5a) in his last eight contests.
Preds defenseman Mark Borowiecki missed Sunday's game and is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Ben Harpur took Borowiecki's spot in the lineup. In addition to Borowiecki, forward Yakov Trenin was scratched for the Preds on Sunday.
Nashville's five-game homestand continues on Tuesday night when the Carolina Hurricanes come to town to make up a game that was originally postponed back in January. The Predators will then host Florida for a two-game set later in the week.