With the NHL’s trade deadline having passed last Friday, there’s just one thing on the minds of players on teams like the Nashville Predators and Seattle Kraken.
“Make a push for the playoffs,” Nashville captain Roman Josi said.
The Predators are three points behind Seattle for the Western Conference’s second and final wild-card berth heading into Tuesday’s game in Seattle. The Kraken have a game in hand.
“We talked about it. This is the team going forward,” Josi said. “I think we were kind of in this position three years ago where you sold a couple pieces and we kind of made a push for the playoff spot. And this year, (it’s) no different. We want to make a push. We’re right there. We’ve got some big games coming up, and it hasn’t changed (since the trade deadline) and our goal is still to make the playoffs.”
The Predators opened a five-game trip with a 3-2 loss Saturday at Buffalo despite goals from youngsters Zachary L’Heureux and Matthew Wood, their first-round picks in 2021 and 2023, respectively. Juuse Saros made 21 saves.
“I thought we played a good hockey game. It was a battle,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. “Unfortunately, we start the third period with that goal against and having to chase it. I thought our game was in a really good spot. Lost some momentum there in the second, a couple of little mistakes that we made, but we had our looks at the end, didn’t go in. Lot of good in the game. Kind of a playoff-type game where there wasn’t a lot of room.”
The Predators have lost four of their past five games (1-3-1), though Brunette was encouraged by the performance against a Buffalo team that has been one of the hottest in the league.
“We’re in it,” Brunette said of the playoff race… “(It would have been good to) get some points out of (Saturday). This group stays resilient. We’ll come back and we know we get a big game against a team we’re chasing on Tuesday. So, we’ll rest up, lots of good in this game, kind of a recipe for road points, and we’ll take that recipe on the road with us.”
Steven Stamkos leads the Predators with 30 goals, two more than Filip Forsberg, and Ryan O’Reilly has a team-best 60 points (22 goals, 38 assists).
The Kraken have lost two in a row to drop to 2-2-0 on their six-game homestand that concludes Thursday against league-leading Colorado.
Seattle was without forward Frederick Gaudreau and defenseman Ryan Lindgren for Saturday’s 7-3 loss to Ottawa due to an illness sweeping through the locker room.
The Kraken became even more short-handed due to a scary incident late in the first period.
After Seattle’s Eeli Tolvanen checked the Senators’ Nick Cousins in front of Kraken bench, the Ottawa forward lost his balance and his right leg went upward — catching Jaden Schwartz in the face as he skated past. Schwartz was on the ice for several minutes dripping blood before skating off and going straight to the locker room. Schwartz didn’t return and has been ruled out for Tuesday’s game.
“Obviously, we lost some pieces, guys under the weather, Jaden going down. That doesn’t help,” Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour said. “But no matter what, sick or not, this is the best time of year to play hockey. This is why you play. And I think obviously us in here need to learn that pretty fast that we deserve to be in the position we’re in and we got to show up.”
