Stars Do Not Align for Predators

Two years.

Two years in a row now the Dallas Stars outlasted the Nashville Predators in a 7 game series. In the 2018-2019 season, the Predators looked to have punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final when they went up 3-1 in the series against the Dallas Stars in the Conference Finals. However, what the Predators were about to embark on was the complete opposite. The Stars seemed to have awoken. Dallas came roaring back in that series, winning the last 3 games and leaving Nashville in the rear view mirror.

This season, the Predators knew it was set in stone that they'd have their rematch and a shot at redemption, meeting the Stars in the Conference Semi-Finals. "We go into this series very poised, our guys are ready to play smart hockey, because that's the type of hockey you have to play against Dallas if you are to have a shot at winning. If you try to play this team fire against fire, you're gonna be the one to be burned." GM Eric Wolf said, prior to Game 1 of the series. The Predators certainly had their hands full, matching up against the Juggernaut of the EHE, a team who finished with 23 more points, but alas there was confidence in the air, a sense that perhaps the Predators could pull this off. Afterall, the Stars and Preds split the season series "We know we can beat these guys, the question is can we beat them FOUR times?"

Fast forward 2 weeks later, and the Predators find themselves flying back to Nashville... not to prepare against the Vegas Golden Knights in the Conference Finals, unfortunately, but to clean out their lockers and have their season ending player interviews.

     Photo taken after the Predators returned to Nashville early this morning and had cleared out their locker stalls. An unfortunate sight for the Predators and fans of Nashville after the Predators seemingly were a puck bounce away from taking down the juggernaut Stars in a Game 7 overtime.

"We really believed we could do it." Sidney Crosby said in his player exit interview with media. "We went up 1-0, then 2-1 in the series. We survived a Game 6 where we were outshot and outplayed heavily. But come Game 7, we really played well, we didn't give the Dallas Stars any ice and we didn't give up any mistakes for them to capitalize on. We felt we could've truly won game 7 if the puck had bounced our way, it was that close." a frustrated Crosby said. "But we can't dwell on the puck bounces, or thinking about the what ifs. Good teams create those chances for themselves, and the Dallas Stars proved that."

Game 7 had gone into overtime, in a 0-0 game. There was nothing but tension and nervousness filling the American Airlines Center. The only way a team was going to win is if the opposing team made the first mistake. And then at 1:30 into the overtime period, the Predators iced the puck, with their 4th line on the ice. And the Stars capitalized by putting their 2nd line on the ice. The puck drops in the Nashville zone and coach Brind'Amour is seen yelling at this 4th line to try and get off the ice as soon as possible. But it was too late, Torey Krug's pass out towards the neutral zone was intercepted by Brayden McNabb, who then passed it to Jonathan Toews. Toews shot a quick bullet that hit the top of Rinne's blocker, but had enough firepower on it to trickle over his shoulder and into the net. It was over.

Just like that.

A laser of a shot  by Jonathan Toews catches Rinne semi off-guard, hitting the top of his blocker before trickling behind him and bouncing into the net in overtime.

"It sucks, not going to lie. We really wanted this one. This series felt like a Stanley Cup Final with the way it went... our team went to an absolute war. Seven games against the Stars? This series literally took years off of my life; I have not been this emotionally invested in my entire EHE career. We wanted this one bad. We felt if we could pull this off against the Stars, we could accomplish what we souted out to do, was win this thing. But, that's the nature of the game, it's a game of inches, and puck bounces. We make one mistake, the first mistake in the game and we lose. That just goes to show that you cannot afford to give the Stars anything, or you'll be the one burned." Wolf said during his closing statement. "But we'll be back. We have a damn good team here, and the players know that. The flight back to Nashville after Game 7, it wasn't the usual doom and gloom atmosphere on the plane. Guys were chatting and joking with eachother, and giving themselves props for playing a hell of a series. Which is the attitude you want in your dressing room."

When asked about the off-season and what the Predators plans are from here, Wolf said "It's too early to be diving into that, but I'll tell you what, if anything, these playoffs showed us that we can roll with the best teams in the league, but being eliminated two years in a row by the best team in the EHE is telling me one thing: there is still work to be done. We will be improving this hockey club this summer and we are going to be aggressive this time. We'll be back." Wolf concluded.

Wolf exited his press conference in order to catch a flight out to Grand Rapids, because somehow the San Antonio Rampage are still in the AHL playoffs "I don't know what's going on over in San Antonio but I'm headed off to join the team. I just ask the league doesn't drug test our players until AFTER the AHL playoffs are over. Thanks"