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Jets vs. Predators: Game 7 prediction

By Hunter Hodies

WINNIPEG, MB - MAY 1: Patrik Laine #29 of the Winnipeg Jets and Roman Josi #59 of the Nashville Predators battle for the puck along the corner boards during first period action in Game Three of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell MTS Place on May 1, 2018 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, MB - MAY 1: Patrik Laine #29 of the Winnipeg Jets and Roman Josi #59 of the Nashville Predators battle for the puck along the corner boards during first period action in Game Three of the Western Conference Second Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Bell MTS Place on May 1, 2018 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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The Winnipeg Jets failed to close out the Nashville Predators in Game 6. Will they go to their first-ever conference finals or will the Predators advance for the second straight year after this Game 7?

The Second Round series between the Jets and the Predators has been outstanding, and it’s the only series of the round going to seven games. This will be just the second Game 7 we’ve seen in the playoffs so far. The first one came in the First Round, when the Boston Bruins defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Winnipeg had a massive Game 5 win in Nashville to go up 3-2 in the series and when they had the chance to send Nashville out at home, they failed to do so. The Predators won the game 3-0 behind Filip Forsberg’s heroics. The winner of this Game 7 will advance to play the Vegas Golden Knights.

Nashville is one of the best home teams in the league and if the Jets are to win this, they’d have to beat the Predators for the third time in four games in Nashville. It’s not easy, as this is one of the loudest arenas in the league.

In this series, Connor Hellebuyck has been superb in the games that he’s won and not so good in the games that he’s lost. In two of the games he’s won, his save percentage has been .979 and .950. He was below .900 in a game that he won but the Jets offense made up for it big time.

For Pekka Rinne, it’s been pretty simple for his play. He’s been .884 or below when they’ve lost through six games and .920 or better when his team has lost. The biggest question mark for tomorrow’s game will be which goaltender will show up and help his team to victory.

It’ll also be interesting to see which of the teams’ high-end talent — and there’s a lot of it on both sides — play their best game or close to their best game of the series.

Winnipeg will jump out to an early 2-0 lead before the Predators storm back and tie the game. The game will go into overtime and Patrik Laine will send the Winnipeg Jets to the Western Conference FInal.

Game 7 prediction: Jets defeat Predators 3-2

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