Predators’ Road Woes Continue: Scoring Droughts and Missed Chances Lead to 5-2 Defeat Against Jets

Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi finally broke through their scoring droughts, but the Nashville Predators still ended their road trip with a disheartening 5-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets at the Canada Life Centre. Despite a vastly improving performance from both players, it was a case of too little, too late as missed opportunities and injuries plagued the Predators throughout the game.,The mismatches on special teams—a recurring theme for Nashville this season—proved pivotal. With an abysmal 1-8 on power plays, the Predators simply couldn’t convert on their chances, while their penalty kill failed to show up, finishing 0-1. Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck stepped up, making 26 saves to secure his 300th career NHL victory, while Juuse Saros matched him in saves but had to shoulder the loss.,With this defeat, the Predators wrapped up their road trip with a disheartening 2-4-0 record and moved to a frustrating 13-21-7 overall this season. It’s safe to say the team was seeking some momentum, but the absence of key players exacerbated their woes—Cole Smith and defensemen Jeremy Lauzon and Adam Wilsby remained sidelined on injured reserve, while Zachary L’Heureux was serving the final game of his suspension for slew-footing.,The game unfolded with an energetic start from Nashville—cycling the puck and putting four shots on goal before the Jets could even hit the board. But before they could set the tone, disaster struck. In what can only be described as a comedy of errors, Jets forward Morgan Barron, brother of Predators defenseman Justin Barron, scored the first goal at 6:30 of the first period—thanks to a botched clearance by Nashville’s Nick Blankenburg. Yes, an own goal—a tough pill to swallow. Just 16 seconds later, Josh Morrissey struck again with a slap shot that sailed past Saros. Just like that, it was 2-0 for Winnipeg.,Things went from bad to worse as Predators forward Luke Evangelista took a hard hit from Neal Pionk, leaving the ice unable to put weight on his right leg. Concerns grew among fans and teammates alike as they watched Evangelista head to the locker room. Moments later, Kyle Connor added to Nashville’s frustrations with a third goal—slamming home an open shot right up the middle, pushing the Predators into a daunting 3-0 deficit after just one period.,Finally, Forsberg showed a flicker of hope for Nashville—getting the Predators on the board with a much-needed power play goal at 16:45 in the second period. His wrist shot fired past Hellebuyck, igniting a glimmer of optimism for the visiting fans. But the optimism was short-lived. A flurry of penalties at the start of the third period created a brief window of opportunity, but it was again squandered—as Nashville failed to capitalize on their two-minute power play.,Then, as if the hockey gods were having their last laugh, Nikolaj Ehlers took advantage of a Predator penalty, assisting Gabe Vilardi with a goal nine seconds into their man advantage—pushing Winnipeg’s lead to 4-1. Nashville retaliated less than two minutes later, with Josi’s shot deflecting off Logan Stanley and into the net, narrowing the gap to 4-2. Yet, even with Stanley getting into penalty trouble for a high-sticking double minor toward the end of the game, Nashville’s power play once again faltered. And as the clock wound down, Nino Niederreiter sealed Nashville’s fate with an empty-net goal, cementing the 5-2 final.,The Predators are set to return home, kicking off a four-game homestand against the Washington Capitals this Saturday night at Bridgestone Arena. Puck drop is at 7 p.m. CT—a chance for redemption and a new beginning. But they’ll need to sharpen their blades and harness the lessons learned from this frustrating road trip if they wish to turn things around.,Stay tuned for all the latest updates, game coverage, and player features on the Nashville Predators.