Jets Crash and Burn, Pummeled By the Predators 7-0

The Nashville Predators were looking to get their offense back on track after a lackluster performance in their last game.

The Winnipeg Jets were just what they needed.

The Jets were pummeled by the Predators 7-0 at Bridgestone Arena that saw an abundance of scoring and penalties.

The Predators were handed 72 penalty minutes. The Jets, frustrated and gooning up the game after falling behind by a large deficit, were called for 84 minutes in the sin bin*

*That number could change as the official game sheet is not in hand as of this writing.

The Jets, losers of their last 4, were desperate for a good start and looking to get back to the win column against a division rival.

That didn't happen, as the Predators torched starter Michael Hutchinson for 3 goals on 7 shots.

Calle Jarnkrok, Craig Smith, and Seth Jones lit up Hutchinson for 3 goals in the first 12 minutes of the first period. That was all for Hutchinson as Ondrej Pavelec came on in relief.

Pavelec was welcomed to the game 2 minutes later as Mike Ribeiro scored.

Pavelec would give up 3 more goals. James Neal would score in the second, and Jarnkrok and Mattias Ekholm would notch goals in the third for the final margin of 7-0 for the Predators.

The Jets never threatened Pekka Rinne, who had to turn away only 20 shots.

Some observations:

• The Jets were obviously frustrated with the losing streak and the way the game went tonight. And they decided to goon it up. Cheap shots and unnecessary rough play resulted in both teams sending a steady parade of players to the penalty box. How bad was it? Take a look at the Predators penalty box in the third period:

This was after all 5 players from each team on the ice were sent to the box for unsportsmanlike conduct calls

• Good to see Calle Jarnkrok stepping up his game. he has settled in to the third line center position and is playing some very good hockey of late. Jarnkrok is playing with confidence and seeing the ice well. Now he is finding the back of the net and this is adding some pop to that line.
• Craig Smith had a goal and 2 assists. He has always worked hard, but has not been rewarded on the score sheet. His goal tonight was his first in 10 games, and hopefully this opens the door for his game to continue to find the net.
• How snake bitten is Colin Wilson? For the second game in a row, he worked to find open ice but rang a shot off the post. It is just a matter of time until he starts to find the net.
• Seth Jones scored his first goal of the season. Good for Jones, as it took him 31 games to score his first goal last season.
• Isn't this Predators offense fun to watch? They have scored 15 goals in their last 3 games, and when they are skating, they are a dangerous team that can put the puck in the net.
• Pekka Rinne recorded his 38th career shut out tonight. He has 112 games where he has allowed 1 goal or less. Rinne is 8-1 all time against the Jets.
• Filip Forsberg picked up an assist and now has a 3 game point streak (3A).
• The 4 goals the Predators scored in the first period are the most goals in a period since their game against Toronto on 11/18/2014, when they scored 5 goals in the third period of that game.
• James Neal has 14 goals against the Jets, the most against any team.
• The 156 minutes (so far) in this game were the most penalty minutes in any NHL game this season. The Predators 72 minutes in penalties was the third highest in team history.
• Nashville is 9-1-1 when scoring first.

Although this was rough game, mostly initiated by the Jets, the Predators maintained their composure and kept their foot on the gas. When the Predators are skating, they are a dangerous and explosive team, and it showed tonight as they took the game to the Jets for 60 minutes.

This was a good response game by the Predators after the snooze fest in their previous game.

And how sweet was it to put on this kind of show on a Hockey Night In Canada game?

Good to show those folks in the Great White North that hockey in the South, especially in Smashville, is pretty damn good.

Now to finish off the 5 game game homestand with this kind of game against the Ducks on Tuesday.

My three stars:

1. Craig Smith

2. Calle Jarnkrok

3. Pekka Rinne