NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — There are 82 games in an NHL season. The Predators game Thursday night against the Blues is the biggest one on the schedule to date.
The Preds currently sit in the Western Conference’s first Wild Card slot, one point ahead of the Kings and six points in front of the Blues who are the first team out of the playoff picture. With just seven games left in the regular season, Nashville could take a huge step toward clinching a playoff berth with a win.
“It’s a huge game. This team’s in our rearview (in the standings),” Predators center Ryan O’Reilly said. “It’s going to be an intense game, both teams fighting for this playoff spot. But it’s a good challenge for us. This is what we need to get a big win to get us back rolling here.”
Having lost three straight games the Predators held a short but focused morning skate Thursday on a power play that went 0-4 and gave up a game-turning shorthanded goal in Tuesday’s loss to Boston.
The Power Play also failed to score in Saturday’s loss at Colorado while the penalty kill allowed three goals to the Avalanche. The Preds know their special teams have to be better in crunch time.
“They obviously have to be better,” Predators coach Andrew Brunette said. “It’s the difference in some of these games right now – last game, (and) I think the difference in the Saturday game – so we need to be better on it, but at the same time, I think the harder you squeeze things the harder it comes.”
The loss to the Bruins snapped a seven-game home-ice winning streak for Nashville that dates back to mid-February. They’ll look to get back on track against a division rival they’ve beaten twice this season by a combined score of 13-5.
With so much on the line at this point in the season the Preds expect to get a big boost from the Seventh Man.
“It’s so fun playing in this building, as the home team at least,” said Luke Evangelista. “I’m not too sure what it’s like as the away team, but you can just feel the love and support from the fans and it just gives us that extra boost, that extra motivation.”
After the game against St. Louis, the Predators have just two home games remaining over their final six games of the regular season. So despite their recent franchise-record 18-game points streak there is still some work to be done to clinch a playoff berth after missing the postseason a year ago.
They know exactly what’s on the line with the standings tightening as they enter the final week and a half of the season.
“Sometimes the hockey Gods have a funny way of telling you that it’s going to be a little bit harder,” Brunette said. “So we have to dig in a little harder.”
