The Predators faced off against the Columbus Blue Jackets again this Saturday night, and it was as hotly contested as you’d expect. The Jackets tend to play highly defensive and structured hockey, while the new-look Preds enjoy a very deliberate offense and focus on pushing play to the perimeter; all of this is a recipe for grit & grind hockey, which is exactly what we got.
First Period
The opening minutes saw Columbus come out hot, dominating Nashville in shot attempts early and getting the vast majority of the chances. Juuse Saros looked hot from the moment he made his first save, a good sign for Preds fans at home wondering if he can handle becoming the team’s de facto starter.