Jets took off in Nashville...direction West Finals

If anyone at the start of the season had expected a final conference in the west between Winnipeg and Vegas well ... hat so much because this in my opinion is one of the least discounted conference finals of recent years. The two semi-finals were very different from each other and now let's see why ...

NASHVILLE PREDATORS (3) WINNIPEG JETS (4)

Game 5

Smashville as dubbed by fans in yellow is well known for being a city and a field really difficult for opponents, never having lost three consecutive games at home this year it was expected that in the pivotal game the Predators managed to bring home a victory that would certainly have turned the series in their favor but it has not been so seen that after a first period where the teams have studied and there have not been so many scoring opportunities in the following the Jets have taken off scoring four goals. The second period was very spectacular from the point of view of the pace and shots on goal, the Jets took the lead after seven minutes from the beginning of the same with a goal by Statsny on Laine's assist. The response of the hosts came after four minutes with a ball recovered by Yannick Weber and delivered by himself behind Hellebuyck left completely discovered by his teammates. In four and a half minutes Winnipeg gave a decisive sting to the match with three goals: the first of Connor arrived after many rebounds in a melee in front of an innocent Rinne, the second was a snap shot of Byfuglien entered the door thanks to the traffic that covered the final goalie of the Preds while the third was a precise shot under the crossbar that was worth the personal double win at Connor. We tried Johansen to reopen it at the end of the second period with a goal on the counterattack but there was nothing to do in the third period Sheifele and Perreault immediately closed it with two more goals.

Game 6

What was worth in the race 5 for the Predators was worth for the Jets in race 6, to win at home not to return to do the business in Nashville, but also this time it did not happen. The main reason for the Preds victory in Canadian territory is called Pekka Rinne, a performance that in race 6 over the top and not a little, frustrating for the opponents and a complete safety for the teammates.

The Tennessee team took the lead with Hartman at the end of the first period with a conclusion in the middle of four Jets players, striking the penalty spot while coming from an atypical rebound. The second period was very physical and this led to the power play of the Predators with which PK Subban managed to pierce Hellebuyck with a snap shot favored by the heavy traffic in front of the opposing goalie. Under two goals and with the prospect of a race 7 away the hosts have tried everything in the third period where they managed to find the goal with the always purposeful Patrik Laine in power play 51 seconds from the end but unfortunately for them it was not enough to pareggaire the game.

Game 7

When you are there to say ok sooner or later the home team will win a game in this series ... well this time you were wrong! Since the Jets did exactly what the Predators did in race 6, with Hellebuyck in 37 shots at his door he let in only one while Rinne on only 24 has let them enter 5. In the first period the guests are carried forward two signatures with the goals of Myers and Statsny, Nashville's reaction came with yet another power play goal of Subban and the feeling was that of a team under the score but in control. A control that continued in the second period but that did not give its fruits, or rather the 3-1 signed Scheifele arrived at the end of the intermediate period, a heavy goal because it forced the owners to discover themselves in the last period. The Predators continued to attack headlong but it was one of those days where you know he does not enter and when Statsny scored the fourth goal nine minutes from time the Bridgestone Arena fell silent and three minutes from the end of what was a spectacular series came the blow in my opinion of Scheifele excusive that signed a 5-1 a little too wide for the values ​​seen in the field.

Considerations

The series already said gave emotions and surprises to no end as well as an excellent level hockey in all areas (sometimes they alternated) but despite all the games kept me awake all night without effort. It remains the regret for the Predators for the bad home performances throughout the playoffs, which is really atypical for a team that makes the home walls an impregnable fort. On the other side there are excellent Jets with Scheifele and Laine grown out of all proportion and with experienced players like Byfuglien and Wheeler in my opinion able to take them by the hand in situations of tension and make him make the leap in quality. 

PILLS FROM WESTERN CONFERENCE

we were left on 2-2 in the series with a total balance, from that moment the balance has broken to favor of Knights, a team able to dominate race 5 scoring four goals in a row and leaving the Sharks only the third period to try a semi-impossible comeback. The same team in race 6 has risked much more than what the score says, the final 3-0 that has closed the series was a mix of Fleury and luck (poles and crosses) that held no one knows how out the diskette from the Vegas door. Despite all the Knights have in my opinion deserved to win the series, have been more continuous and very good at certain junctures to play bad opponents and take away their best weapons, which should not be underestimated in the playoffs.