Predators eliminated from playoffs after failure to hold leads

NASHVILLE -- The Nashville Predators were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Vancouver Canucks with a 1-0 loss in Game 6 of the best-of-7 Western Conference First Round on Friday.

The Predators (47-30-5) qualified for the playoffs as the first wild card from the West after not qualifying last season for the first time since 2014. Nashville has not won a playoff series since the first round in 2018.

The Predators were 0-3 at Bridgestone Arena in the series and have lost six consecutive playoff games at home.

The skinny

Potential unrestricted free agents: Jason Zucker, F; Anthony Beauvillier, F; Kiefer Sherwood, F; Tyson Barrie, D; Alexandre Carrier, D; Kevin Lankinen, G

Potential restricted free agents: Juuso Parssinen, F; Jaret Anderson-Dolan, F; Spencer Stastney, D

Potential 2024 Draft picks: 9

Here are five reasons the Predators were eliminated:

1. Inability to protect leads

Nashville led after two periods three times in the series but lost two of those games. It led 2-1 heading into the third period in Game 1 before giving up goals 12 seconds apart by Vancouver forwards Pius Suter and Dakota Joshua. Joshua added an empty net goal in a 4-2 Predators loss.

In Game 4, Nashville held a 3-1 third-period lead before forward Brock Boeser scored twice in the final 2:49 of regulation to tie the game 3-3. Forward Elias Lindholm scored 1:02 into overtime to secure the Canucks' 4-3 win.

2. Powerless power play

The Predators were 2-for-22 (9.1 percent) with the man-advantage in the series. They scored on their first opportunity in Game 1 on a goal by center Ryan O'Reilly, but went 1-for-21 the rest of the way.

Nashville’s power play was 16th in the NHL (21.6 percent) during the regular season.

The Canucks were able to limit the Predators' chances in the interior and, at times, prevent them from getting set up in the offensive zone.

“It needs to be better,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. “I take responsibility for that. At the same time, we put ourselves in opportunities to make plays. We just, unfortunately, didn’t make the plays.”

3. Couldn’t solve backups in net

Goalie Thatcher Demko, a finalist for the Vezina Trophy voted as best goalie in the NHL, did not play for the Canucks after Game 1 because of an undisclosed injury. His absence gave the Predators a potential opening, but they were unable to take advantage.

Demko’s backup, Casey DeSmith, made 29 saves in a 2-1 Vancouver win in Game 3, but then missed Game 4 because of a lower-body injury. Enter No. 3 goalie Arturs Silovs, who made 27 saves in Game 4, 20 saves in a 2-1 loss in Game 5 and 28 saves in a 1-0 shutout win in Game 6.

4. No offense from Novak

Forward Tommy Novak had 45 points (18 goals, 27 assists) in 71 games during the regular season, but did not record a point for Nashville in the series with only five shots on goal in six games.

Novak played most of the series on a line with Mark Jankowski and Luke Evangelista.

“I think there’s some things he’s got to learn,” Brunette said. “It’s hard. He’s got to find a way to find another gear and be a little harder. There’s some games that I’ve lost him a little bit, but he has to understand playoff hockey. It’s a great learning experience. I think we’ve all gone through it. It’s good he went through it. I’m glad we made it this year, and he got to go through the hard way. So now you know. Same with [Evangelista]. It’s hard. It really is. And you’ve got to find a different level.”

5. Josi limited offensively

Roman Josi, a finalist for the Norris Trophy voted as top defenseman in the NHL, had three points (one goal, two assists) in the series for the Predators after he was their second-leading scorer during the regular season with 85 points (23 goals, 62 assists) in 82 games.

The Canucks were able to limit the open ice Josi had available to him.

“It feels like the whole series, 5-on-5 it was very tight,” Josi said. “Even for them, right? They didn’t have a lot of great looks, either. I think both sides played pretty well defensively. The whole series [was] tight, right? So you’ve got to find a way to get a goal somehow. It felt pretty hard for us.”