Thoughts From My Couch: Carolina Hurricanes v. Nashville Predators, Round 1, Game 3

The series shifts from Raleigh to Nashville and so too could the momentum given how rabid the fans of Nashville can be once it's playoff time. The Canes won the first two games by three goals each and hold a 2-0 series in the best of seven series. Alex Nedeljkovic has taken over the start of this series, including pitching a shutout in Game 2. The team win in Game 2 was also big given the lack of Jaccob Slavin in the lineup and it is looking that will be the case again tonight. Max Lajoie will slot in if Slavin can't go. The change in scenery is going to benefit Nashville far more than Carolina, so a strong start could take the fans right out of it from the onset. Another major story from Game 2 was the penalty kill. Even though it was perfect, having to go to the kill seven times and expecting it to be perfect each game is not sustainable. The regular season ended with Nashville winning two straight at home over the Canes, albeit with a less than healthy lineup. A 3-0 series lead would be nearly insurmountable, but they're in hostile territory now. The first 20 minutes will be extremely telling as to how this game is going to play out. If the Canes can manage to take and hold a lead after the first period, I'm confident they'll head into Game 4 with a chance to finish the series.

1st Period: Hurricanes 1, Predators 2

So close to leaving the period with the game tied, but it was not meant to be. It's hard to ignore the late goal to give the Preds the lead again, but it was just an amazing individual play from Filip Forsberg with less than 30 seconds remaining that has the Canes behind. I honestly don't feel there was anything Ned could've done on either of Nashville's goals in the period. The second goal was just a matter of momentum, but there was no way he saw the first goal. The amount of traffic out front allowed Ryan Ellis' point shot to find its way in. Carolina's goal was just weird. Sebastian Aho's shot deflects off Roman Josi's stick, I think, and past the glove of Juuse Saros to tie the game for the time being. I was surprised to see it go in and honestly after seeing so many replays of the play that I'm still not 100% sure what happened. The Nashville crowd was just as I expected it to be. They were loud almost the entire period and definitely played a factor in how Nashville came out playing. Another surprise for me was seeing how the referees swallowed their whistles throughout the period. There were several times I thought there was going to be a call, but nothing happened. Ironically, Forsberg's goal was during the only delayed penalty sequence of the period. That is not to say there shouldn't have been calls before that, or at least I thought there should've been. Regardless, the Canes are down after the first and Nashville has all the momentum on their side. The Canes didn't play that bad, Nashville just played like the more desperate team. This trend can't continue in the second period.

2nd Period: Hurricanes 3, Predators 3

Based on where the score was at the beginning of the period and where it is now that's it's over, the Canes technically won that period 2-1, but it certainly didn't feel like it. Where the whistles were swallowed in the first period, they were out in full force for yet another second period. The Canes took the first two penalties of the game and managed to kill off both penalties. After the second kill, the Canes managed to tie the game up when Warren Foegele sent a pass to Jordan Staal on the breakaway and he buried it on Saros' blocker side to tie the game at two. With the game back on their side, the Canes drew the next two calls in quick succession both on Mattias Ekholm. The first didn't lead to anything, but the second power play only needed 13 seconds before Vincent Trocheck sniped a shot over Saros, holding the post in the process, and giving the Canes their first lead of the game. The tail end of the period saw the game back in the hands of the boys in stripes. The quartet came together after Foegele played a puck over the glass, but the question was whether or not it was deflected out off the boards. While we have the benefit of instant replay, the refs don't, but they absolutely missed this call. They assessed a penalty to Foegele and 30 seconds later, Staal was called for tripping. With a 5-on-3 to kill, Nashville finally broke through and scored with the man advantage to tie the game at 3. The Canes would kill the Staal penalty to keep it tied, but the Foegele call still has me upset. It took them forever to make a decision, which seems to indicate to me they didn't know for sure. It was a costly mistake only compounded by Staal taking his penalty. Game 1 was tied after two periods, but this feels much different than that game. My hope is that the magic from that first game will carry over to this third period.

3rd Period Hurricanes 4, Predators 4

This team always seems to find a way to make things interesting. The Canes played from behind for most of the period after a beautifully deflected puck by Ryan Johansen gave Nashville a 4-3 lead early. Add the fact they took two more penalties early in the period and it was simply a recipe for disaster. It's always the guys you least expect that provide the biggest moments. Brett Pesce missed wide on a slapshot later in the third that almost went in off the backboards before Saros kicked his leg out to force it to the corner, but it was Pesce's next shot, a wrister from the point, that found its way past Saros and knotted the game at 4 with just 3:21 to go in regulation. Nashville had a few great chances to win the game in regulation, including a 2-on-1, but Ned kept the game tied and for the first time this series, we've got extra hockey to be played. I'm not sure who the 20-minute 5-on-5 playoff overtime format benefits more. I feel the Canes are the better team on paper, but I've felt Nashville has played with the edge for most of this game. The late goal from Pesce could be exactly what this team needs to earn the win in overtime. This game has been extremely stressful and there's more game to be played.

1st Overtime: Hurricanes 4, Predators 4

It's going to take more time to decide this game. I really felt the Canes controlled the play for most of the period and had more chances. They were the more dangerous of the two teams, but Juuse Saros was a brick wall for the entire period. Ned was just as good and got a little bit of luck from the goalpost towards the end of the first overtime session. It got very sloppy towards the end with a lot of unforced errors and icings. There was a pretty egregious missed call on a Jordan Staal breakaway with Nashville getting away with a clear slash preventing Staal from scoring. Regardless, they had too many opportunities to not seal the deal. We're getting to Canes After Dark territory with the game going to a second overtime. 

2nd Overtime: Hurricanes 4, Predators 5

Hate it ended that way, but that's just how it goes sometimes. Nashville gets the game-winner from Matt Duchene on a lofted pass from Roman Josi that Jake Bean misplays and Duchene pops it right over Ned's glove as he goes to poke check it. Nashville also got a power play during the period to make it back-to-back seven penalty games for the Canes. The Canes killed it, but there was more help from the post during the sequence. The Canes had plenty of chances again in this period, but Saros was a brick wall on extra time. I don't think the momentum has completely swung back to Nashville just yet, but this win is likely to help. 

Canes' Three Stars of the Game

Third Star- Alex Nedeljkovic- Stopped 49/54 in net

Normally giving up five goals isn't a good thing but when you consider it was in almost 100 minutes of action, I think you can give him some credit. You'd like to have that last one back I'd bet and maybe the power play goal too, but Ned kept the team in it during the overtime session. He just got outdueled by Juuse Saros once the extra hockey began. Still isn't anything to hang your head over.

Second Star- Brett Pesce- 1 G, 37:59 TOI

Pesce's minutes are usually up there every night and tonight's minutes are obviously inflated thanks to the two overtimes. This is more for Pesce scoring his first playoff goal at the absolute best possible time. He came close on the shot right before this, but to bury the goal that forced overtime felt well0deserved given how important he's become with Slavin out.

First Star- Sebastian Aho- 1 G, 2 A

Aho continues to be the best forward on the ice for the Canes. His goal is still an anomaly to me, but he also helped set up the Canes' third and fourth goals at critical times in the game. Both assists were secondary assists, yet they were earned thanks to his puck retrieval and presence since the play moves through him. 

Final Thoughts

It was a heartbreaker, especially coming from behind several times to tie the game, but that's just how playoff hockey works. I still have some serious problems with the officiating in this series. They blew a delay of game call on Foegele when it clearly wasn't, then mess up again when there was a clear delay of game on the Canes, but there's no call. In the last two games, Nashville has been on the power play 14 times, while the Canes have only had six. I'm not saying some of them weren't penalties, but when there's that much of a discrepancy in the calls, something feels off. Nashville's fans are the biggest X-Factor for the Preds because that barn was rocking all night tonight during regulation. A 2:30p start on Sunday feels really weird and with such a quick turnaround, I wouldn't be surprised if we see Petr Mrazek in net to change things up. The Canes have the luxury of having two really strong options between the pipes, so getting Petr the start doesn't mean Ned did anything wrong, it's just to ensure Petr can get some looks in case something were to happen. It always sucks losing, but the Canes still hold a 2-1 series lead. It isn't time to panic. These things happen.