Despite having two Vezina nominees in net, the goaltending in this series has suffered. Connor Hellebuyck and Pekka Rinne posted some of the best statistical seasons in the league during the regular season, but come Round 2 of the playoffs, both netminders are struggling to keep the puck out of the net. Winnipeg has scored 15 goals through three games, while the Predators have netted 10. Those are some ugly numbers for the Vezina hopefuls.
While some soft goals have been let in at both ends of the ice, there’s no question that Nashville and Winnipeg ice two of the best offenses in the league. From lines one to four, both teams can score at will. Filip Forsberg (5 goals, 6 assists) leads the way for Nashville, while Mark Scheifele (8 goals, 4 assists) has carried the load for the Jets. Game 4 is a critical one for the Preds; if they lose, they’ll be on the brink of elimination. Win, and the series becomes a best-of-three. The puck drops at 9:30 PM ET.
NHL Odds: Winnipeg Has Chance to Put Nashville on the Brink in Game 4
In a thrilling come-from-behind victory in Game 3, the Winnipeg Jets defended their home ice advantage and defeated the Nashville Predators 7-4 on Tuesday. Dustin Byfuglien and Blake Wheeler each had two goals and an assist in the game, and the Jets are now in a position to take a stranglehold over the series.
Nashville will need better goaltending from their star netminder Pekka Rinne if they hope to even up the series on Thursday. Rinne has surrendered four goals in each of the first three games of the series. Although the Peds have an elite offensive team, scoring five goals every game is not likely over the course of a series.
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