Predators on the verge of missing playoffs
NASHVILLE (AP) — The Nashville Predators are on the verge of missing the playoffs. With just six games left, that should be motivation enough for the team.
“It’s got to come from within,” coach Barry Trotz said. “If they’re relying on me at game 76 to get them up, we’re in trouble. It’s that simple. If there’s not enough on the line and they don’t realize it, we shouldn’t be here in the first place.”
Vaclav Prospal scored a power-play goal and had an assist, and goaltender Martin Gerber stopped 25 shots in helping the Anaheim Mighty Ducks win 4-1 on Tuesday night for their fourth victory in five games.
The Predators remained tied with Edmonton for seventh in the Western Conference, but they have only a one-point lead over ninth-place St. Louis after winning only two of 13 games in March.
They came out flat in their first home game after tying the franchise-high with their 34th victory, at Calgary on Saturday.
The Predators had ranked as high as fifth in the Western Conference only three weeks ago, and Trotz said they have erased their margin of error.
“It’s a six-game sprint right now,” he said.
The defending Western Conference champions staved off elimination from the playoff race for at least one more game, and coach Mike Babcock was impressed with how his Mighty Ducks killed off eight of nine power plays.
He also appreciates what the Predators are going through.
“They are a team that’s never been here, and they want to be in,” he said. “They’ve done a great job to get themselves in this situation, and they’ve just got to allow themselves to play and they’ll be fine.”
Sandis Ozolinsh also had a power-play goal, Petr Sykora scored and Sergei Fedorov added an empty-netter for Anaheim, which avoided being swept in the four-game season series between the teams.
Anaheim captain Steve Rucchin, who also had two assists, said Nashville didn’t play with its usual speed and skill. But he bemoaned the fate of the Mighty Ducks.
“Unfortunately, it’s a little too late,” Rucchin said. “We want to play, but it’s pretty disappointing. We’re happy with the win, but it’s tough knowing we’re out of the hunt. We’re playing for pride right now.”
The Predators may have been emotionally drained after a four-game road trip that ended with a 5-4 loss at Edmonton and their 3-1 victory over Calgary that included 140 penalty minutes for the final three seconds.
Trotz tried to liven up his team by shortening shifts and sending rookie Jordin Tootoo, a crowd favorite who leads Nashville in penalty minutes, out for a few extra shifts.
It didn’t help as Anaheim outshot Nashville 29-26, including 18-7 in the second period alone when Ozolinsh scored to break a 1-1 tie. Sykora made it 3-1 with a goal 23 seconds before the end of the period.
Anaheim stopped Nashville on five power plays in the third, including a 5-on-3 in the final seconds to preserve the victory.
Nashville goalie Tomas Vokoun, who had been pulled away from the net before Sykora’s 22nd goal, couldn’t explain the lack of emotion.
“I wish I knew. We were sorely mistaken if we thought they were just going to pack it in and let us win because nobody’s going to do that,” Vokoun said.
Notes:@ Fedorov has eight points (six goals, two assists) in his last five games, and Rucchin has 11 points in his last 13 games. … Nashville defenseman Jason York returned to the lineup after missing 13 games after cracking a cheekbone in practice. … Nashville is 4-22-2-1 when trailing after two periods.