Playoff Deja Vu, the Preds' Trap is Back

If you couldn't shake the sense that you'd seen Game 4 between the Predators and Jets played out before, it's because you had.
After three games had the Predators feeling like they could have won all of them, but instead saw them trailing their Round Two series 2-1 with 15 goals against, Nashville Head Coach Peter Laviolette knew it was time to attack from another angle.
The last time the Preds found themselves challenged by one of the top offenses in the Western Conference, with Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, Jonathan Toews and the Chicago Blackhawks on the other side of ice in 2017, Nashville adopted a system of resistance against any offensive movement from the opposition.

A more open and creative style of offense had Nashville skating neck and neck with Winnipeg in Games 2 and 3. The Preds had nine goals to their credit and one double overtime win in the last two games, but they also had a blown 3-0 lead and a 7-4 loss in Game 3 on the ledger.
How else could Nashville beat Winnipeg? With the Predators' NHL-best defense, of course.
So in Game 4, the neutral zone was layered with Predators d-men and forwards ready to jump out and knock away entry passes. Every shot lane was contested. And all of the area surrounding goaltender Pekka Rinne and the net were vowed to be cleared of all rebounds and second-chance opportunities.
"It's just bearing down and just having attention on those little details in your defensive zone, just to limit some time and space and some opportunities we were giving up," Nashville forward Colton Sissons said.
"You have to look back at yourself in the mirror at your team and have an understanding of what got you there and how capable our team is of being the best," Preds center Ryan Johansen said. "Everyone took a look in the mirror and understood we were ready for that challenge.
"Everyone was on the same page last night and played a great game in front of Peks. We need to continue doing that to set ourselves up better for success."

Which is why you've seen Game 4 before. You just know it as Game 1 of Round One in Chicago to open the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Viktor Arvidsson scored in the first period of that contest on April 14, 2017, and the visitors had all the offense their defense-first approach needed. Much like two goals from Ryan Hartman and P.K. Subban set up Nashville for a 2-1 win in Game 4 on Thursday night.
This next quote could be from last night's win over the Jets, but instead it's from Game 1 against the Blackhawks:
"We did a really good job messing up their systems and didn't give them too much flow," said Rinne. "They like to play with a lot of speed and puck possession, and we did the right things on the ice. I think that's a credit for us to interrupt their style of play."

Speaking of that interruption, Hartman, who was acquired from the Blackhawks on Feb. 26, spent last night on the side causing frustration for the Jets' offense, but in April 2017, he was on the other team.
"It makes it hard. When you're constantly having to dump it in or you get the puck and someone is hitting you right away, it makes it hard," Hartman said. "I've experienced that, and it does get frustrating, as the game goes on, you get more and more frustrated. But [last night], we did a really good job of it. That was our game plan and we [excelled at it]."
So will Game 5 on Saturday night between the Predators and Jets model Game 2 of Nashville's meeting with Chicago? The Jets are sure to make adjustments to try and beat the Predators' neutral zone clog, so it won't be that easy. They'll also likely get forward Mathieu Perreault back.
But if you think Nashville's masterful effort on defense can't be replicated, just ask the Blackhawks how Game 2 went.
That one was 5-0.