Trio on Predators First Line Has Been Masterful

In Game 6 on Monday night, there was a 30-second span where Ryan Johansen won a faceoff, set up Austin Watson for a clean shot in the slot, raced back on the backcheck and stole a feed intended for Patrik Laine at the point. That was all while the Nashville Predators were killing off the first of four Winnipeg Jets' power-play chances.
The Jets failed to convert on three power plays alone in the first period, a momentum shift that helped to frustrate their high-powered offense and allowed Nashville cling to a 1-0 advantage through the opening 20 minutes. Johansen's motivation was evident throughout the first frame and in the do-or-die contest as a whole.
It's a trend that started during the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, when Johansen went head to head with top Western Conference centers like Jonathan Toews, Paul Stastny and Ryan Getzlaf and bested them in three separate playoffs series. The postseason uptick helped solidify Johansen's position as an elite centermen alongside the aforementioned trio and led Preds General Manager David Poile to hand out the richest contract in franchise history to the then-24-year-old forward that summer.

In the first two rounds of this year's playoffs, Johansen has picked up where he left off, scoring three impressive goals against the Jets (through six games) and - most importantly - playing a reliable two-way game that's allowed Nashville Head Coach Peter Laviolette to deploy the Preds' top line, centered by Johansen, against any of Winnipeg's skaters.
"Big time. Joey brings his A-game in the playoffs," Preds center Colton Sissons said of Johansen's recent play in the postseason. "He has such a physical impact on the game and just that line in general has created a ton of offense and just played great."
Sissons is right to mention the other two-thirds of Johansen's line, Filip Forsberg on the left and Viktor Arvidsson on the right. Nashville's top forward trio provided all the offense the Predators needed to force a Game 7 with Forsberg and Arvidsson each collecting three points (2g-1a) and Johansen adding two assists in a 4-0 win in Game 6.

Both of Forsberg's goals on Monday night deserve essays describing them.
On the first, the winger broke his stick, collected a new one off the bench and scored on a partial breakaway with a defender on his back. In the third period, he iced the game by converting a behind-the-net feed with a shot through his own legs.
"He's scored some incredible goals, he can score in any way, really," Predators Captain Roman Josi said of Forsberg. "He scores important goals and then he scores goals like that yesterday. They're important too, but they're also pretty special. He's a special player, and he's definitely a superstar in this League."

The Predators have found a balance of skill, speed and commitment to defense on their first line that has looked even better when the competition has been upped in the playoffs.
"They just play really well together all over the ice," Josi said. "Joey is a big body, he uses his physicality and his hockey sense and makes great plays. The two other guys have a lot of speed, a lot of skill. You know, Arvi, he doesn't stop battling, he's always on the forecheck, always backchecking. And the same with Fil. They've been unbelievable for us all playoffs."

Primarily, the Preds wanted to be excellent defensively in Game 6, while facing elimination. Plays like Johansen's 30-second tour of all three zones in the first period ensured they would be.
Arvidsson and Forsberg can't be faulted if they followed that up with four goals - three of which should be on a highlight reel for the next several years. Said Sissons:
"Hopefully, they can keep that up in a couple nights."