There is nothing better in sports than a game seven right? There may be also nothing more panic and heart attack inducing as well, but going into a game that no matter the result will be the last one of what has been an epic clash between two of the absolute best teams in the NHL seems more than fitting.

The Winnipeg Jets will try to earn one more W in Nashville for a previously unthinkable three road wins to close out this second round series and move on to the Western Conference Final against Vegas.

They got scored upon first, they again had a first period where they allowed the Predators to dictate pace of play, they did poorly to win 50-50 puck battles, they couldn’t string more than a couple of passes back to back if they were even able to complete one to begin with. In short, the Jets didn’t look good at all and couldn’t get anything going. It wasn’t lack of Connor Hellebuyck trying, he kept the Jets in it for the majority of the game. The Jets did also get a few glorious chances to get on the board, but Paul Stastny was snake-bit on a couple of his chances and the Jets simply over-skated a couple of other loose pucks that could have been great rebound chances.

The scored first with a fortunate goal very early on in the first period and then got a second fortunate goal in the second period and locked it down with 1-3-1 trap hockey. That’s about it. Maybe it sounds a bit glib at this point to condense their entire game six effort into one line, but beyond that and Pekka Rinne having a strong outing himself that’s all the Predators needed to do to even up the series. The Predators right now seem to be content to play a game of cat and mouse where they just wait for the Jets to make a mistake on their own and then capitalize on it.

Same thing that they did in game four and the same thing they did in game six. Score the first goal or two and then go all General Ackbar on the Jets. Pekka is going to have to be good one more time because the Jets will get their chances. One other thing the Preds may want to consider is reducing the amount of penalties they take as there was far too many in game six. Not that it mattered as the Preds penalty kill was oustanding, but still best not to play with fire.

Being the team that carries play and is the more attacking of the two clubs in the first period would be a nice change of pace. Also, you may not believe in the tired old hockey trope of “gripping the sticks too tight” but it wouldn’t hurt the Jets to play a little bit more relaxed and slow down without losing pace to their play. In other words, slow down just enough to be able to better read and recognize plays as they happen and there will be far less skating past loose pucks or over-passing targets. There is no reason to believe they can’t play the same way they did in game five in Nashville where they all but stomped on the hearts of locals with a dominating performance.

Yeah.. Thanks for thinking of us Patty. *sighs and goes to look for defibrillator just in case*

Meanwhile over in the Nashville side of things, given how the last home team to win was back in game three, maybe it would be a good idea for Nashville fans to make the Preds feel more on the road at home:

We wouldn’t be much of a Winnipeg Jets blog if we went against our boys now would we? Jets win 5-4 (in overtime of course) and move on!