Watson's two-way game invaluable for Predators in playoffs

NASHVILLE-- It's not a role that gets the most recognition, but Nashville Predators forward Austin Watson has carved out a two-way game that has been invaluable to his teammates.
After scoring nine goals from 2012-17, Watson finished this regular season with 14. He scored Nashville's first goal of these Stanley Cup Playoffs in a 5-2 win in Game 1 of their Western Conference First Round series against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday. He also had three takeaways and three hits.

"I think I've just gotten better as time has gone on as I've been here," Watson said. "I want responsibility. I want to be able to be counted on. To be out there in key situations, as players that's what we all want to do. I'm thankful for the opportunity to get out there and be counted on in those situations and just try to continue to do a good job."
RELATED: [Complete Predators vs. Avalanche series coverage\]
Game 2 of the best-of-7 series is at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday (3 p.m. ET: NBC, CNBC, TVAS, SNW, SNP).
Watson was selected in the first round (No. 18) of the 2010 NHL Draft and had productive offensive seasons in the American Hockey League with the Milwaukee Admirals. He scored at least 20 goals three times from 2012-15, but that was not the role he was placed in as a bottom-six forward with the Predators.

"He's a guy that's scored a lot in his past," Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. "When he was drafted, he scored 20-goal seasons in Milwaukee. Sometimes when you come up here you fit more into a role, but that doesn't mean that you've lost your offensive instincts."
The Predators have heavily relied on Watson on the penalty kill this season and in late-game situations to preserve a lead. His NHL career-high in goals has been the next step in his evolution, according to his teammates.
"It's been awesome," Predators forward Filip Forsberg said. "Just seeing the type of player he was in Milwaukee, you saw the upside with scoring all the goals, and then just how mature he's been. Playing key minutes and shutting down lines and scoring big goals for us at all times. He's been one of our most reliable players, and he's been awesome for us all year."
Laviolette put Watson on a line with Nick Bonino and Colton Sissons in Game 1, and they spent parts of the game matched up against the top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen.

"MacKinnon might be, with [Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid], one of the fastest guys in the League," Watson said. "They've got good chemistry. They played together all year. Obviously they've produced at a high level, so they're difficult to play against. I think for us, it's just being hard on them and making good decisions. If you give them a little bit of space out there or some turnovers, they'll turn it around and be going back the other way."
Watson also got an assist on Colton Sissons' empty-net goal in Game 1. He hounded MacKinnon for a loose puck and just missed scoring, before Sissons gave Nashville a 5-2 lead.
Watson's line could matched up against MacKinnon's line again at times in Game 2.
"I think for us, we want to play in the offensive end," Watson said. "If we're making them play defense, it's limiting their scoring chances. Just to be hard to play against. You want to accountable for helping the team be successful, and if that's one of the ways then that's great."