From Longshot to the Most Hyped Team in the NHL
The Nashville Predators are Stanley Cup bound, and what a ride it has been. With the second-lowest odds (30–1 according to Westgate Las Vegas Superbook) to get there, they are now the team with the most momentum coming into this final series. They had the worst record coming into the playoffs, and have a difficult road ahead of them. Now, we’re going to take a look back on how the crap we got to this point.
End-of-Season Woes
The Predators came into the playoffs with a 2–4–1 record in their final 7 games of the regular season. They only scored once in 5 of them. From March 28th to the end of the season, they were 24th in Goals Per Game and 29th while on the power play. They came in sharing the worst record of the qualifying teams with Calgary (41–29–12, 94pts) and were put up against the Blackhawks, the team who had taken them out so many times before.
And Then the First Round Happened…
This series should have been a win for the Blackhawks. They had home-ice advantage, arguably a better overall team, and more experience on the ice. Game One: The Hawks get shutout 1–0. Game 2: Another misfire for the Hawks 5–0. By now, the Predators had all the momentum that they needed to eventually sweep the Blackhawks, mostly on the play of star goalkeeper Pekka Rinne. The Predators shocked the NHL by beating the Blackhawks, and sent a message by only allowing 3 goals in 4 games.
Speaking of Pekka Rinne
Pekka Rinne has been a god this postseason. This save in the first round shows how resilient the entire team has been. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WiPSDodYU8
With a goals against average of 1.7 per game and a save percentage of .941, he has kept the Predators in these playoffs. The way he is playing could even get him the Conn Smythe, the MVP award for the playoffs, and maybe even the Vezina, best goalkeeper.
The Blue Liners Have Also Stepped In
Ellis, Subban, Josi, Ekholm. Some of the best defensemen in the league, and maybe the best defensive corps in the league, they have a combined total of 39 points in 16 games. Not only are they helping on offence, they are also destroying teams defensively. That, combined with the cleanliness of their play (total of 44 penalty minutes if you count the full penalties in the scuffles at the end of the games), makes them a powerhouse that can barely be stopped.
Injury Woes
These playoffs have been absolute hell for the remaining teams. This is especially true for the Predators. They are down 2 centers (Fiala and Johansen) for the rest of the playoffs because of leg injuries. Thier captain, Mike Fisher, is questionable at best after taking a knee to the head during their series with the Ducks. Craig Smith may also be out with an undisclosed injury. They are going to be getting even more tired as the playoffs go on. By the time the cup final rolls around, the teams would have been through about 2 months of all-out war on the ice. The Predators do have depth, though, as shown by Aberg, Sissons, and a few of the other bench players or minor leaguers that were called up to fill in spots from injury. Will it be enough to get them 4 more wins? We will have to find out.
The Fans
The fans of the Predators have been absolutely killing it when they are at home ice, being one of the loudest attendants in the NHL.
They are going to be even louder, especially after they can get the chance to win it all. Even the viewing parties are sold out, with some getting over 20K people. The fans are always a factor in every game, and the prices are showing that.
https://twitter.com/Tennessean/status/867054657516056577
Yes, $15K for a ticket to a “non-traditional” market. The tickets that are released by the team the day of the games are sold out in a matter of seconds. Every game has been sold out, and Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, and the state of Tennessee have contracted hockey fever.
The Cup
The Predators and their fans are ready for a cup, but they will have to go through either a veteran Pittsburgh Penguins team or another Cinderella team: the Ottawa Senators. Whoever it is, the Preds will have a few more days off before flying on Saturday to wherever the game will be held. The fans of the Predators are not ready to back down from the cup yet, and neither is the team. The Stanley Cup Final will start on the 29th and run, if necessary, up to the 14th of June. And you can bet that it’s going to be loud and tough.
