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Writer's pictureAnthony Pellegrino

Nashville blanked: Missed chances evident, disappointing power play in shut-out loss to Detroit

Nashville was shut out by 38-year-old Cam Talbot, who stopped all 42 shots. Takeaways for Nashville

Dave Reginek / National Hockey League / Getty

By Anthony Pellegrino @Pellegrinoap50 IceInsider.com Predators All Access Reporter


BOSTON--Nashville found themselves shut out last night, blanked 3-0 by the Red Wings. Although another game in which the Predators found themselves scoring, they could not execute once again.


It was a battle between goaltenders Cam Talbot and Juuse Saros through the first frame. Talbot saved the Red Wings from deficits multiple times, stopping all 16 shots that came his way during the first.


Defenseman Roman Josi had the best chance of the period, yet a sprawling Talbot shut down the chance. Saros appeared unaffected by the injury that kept him out the past week.


Both sides performed chances that couldn't capitalize into goals until Ben Charoit fired a shot toward Saros, which JT Compher redirected past his glove side. While Saros and Coach Brunette argued the play for high sticking, the goal ultimately stood.


In the second period, Detroit's power play was successfully killed off by the kill led by Colton Sissons. Minutes later, Nashville's power play earned a chance, where plays seemed to execute, yet passes couldn't connect. Following the kill, Carrier came inches from tying the game, landing the puck on the top side of the net.


The final 20 showed the same story that Nashville faced the entire season.


Once again, Nashville felt like the better team. Chances are formed, and plays are there, yet they repeatedly lack execution.


Time to execute:


Much like the contest with Dallas on Thursday, Nashville didn't need to find a way to control the game. It wasn't a story about failed possession, chances, or opportunities. The chances are there for the Predators. The deciding factor in which they failed to even net one on Talbot was failed execution, again.


Captain Roman Josi missed blocker side on diving Talbot during the first period, which could've given the Predators a comfortable lead to begin the game. During the final frame, on a similar play just this time a two-on-one, Josi was shut down by the blocker of a diving Cam Talbot.


Steven Stamkos had key scoring chances on the power play, most notably, when he had time to fire one home on a scrambling Talbot. Gustav Nyquist couldn't seem to settle the puck down enough on his quality opportunities.


They happened to dominate in shots on goal, 42 to 22. Possession was dominated by Nashville, 63% to 36%. High danger chances happened to go Nashville's way as well. So again, like Thursday night, what went wrong?


National Hockey Leauge / Detroit Free Press

Looking at the Predators heatmap, the plethora of chances came from the left blueline, the top of the right circle, and slightly less by the front of the net. Whereas for Detroit, the larger amount of chances came right in front of Saros. One area for the team to work on heading into Tuesday against Seattle is to push changes from above the circles down to the crease, known as "crashing the net".


Another way for Brunette to spark momentum would be to potentially mix up the lineup, yet how do you change it up to spark momentum, while trying to push guys like Stamkos and Marchessault to form chemistry?

Change up Novak and Sissons until he can find a clear-cut answer on which one of the two will help facilitate Stamkos and Marchessault to max their offense.


Even still, it's early on into the season. What's anticipated of Brunette is to give the lineup a few more games to find a rhythm. If still nothing, he'll mix a few spots, and roll up the lines to gain some momentum


Power Plays are here, time to capitalize:


The Predators are getting opportunities to work on the new-looking power play, featuring the new faces of Steven Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault. Last night they saw a total of three power-play opportunities.


Now, at just one goal in the first nine power play chances on the season (11%).


Action has been called for from the units. Yet it's a situation that things will get worse, before they get better, much like a rebuild. Stamkos played on the top power play in the leauge for years. But he did it with Sergavhev and Point, not Josi and Forsberg.


With that in mind, chances have been available, just short of execution. There's no excuse to miss some of the chances they had to convert on the five-on-four last night. Another level of urgency is expected from the unit.


On the positive, the penalty kill led by Colton Sissons, and Alex Carrier only allowed a total of four shots on two power-play chances for the Red Wings. They also controlled 15% of Detroit's power plays.


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