The Nashville Predators needed big games from everyone on the roster Monday night but especially Pekka Rinne in goal.
Rinne responded with 34 saves in a 4-0 shutout of the Jets in Winnipeg.
“We knew right after [Game 5] that we’re built for this,” Predators defenseman P.K. Subban said. “We’re built to come on the road and win big games. That’s a championship effort tonight. I can’t say enough about this group. It’s the best group of 
guys I’ve ever played with.”
Rinne has been on and off in the second series with the Jets but Monday night he was the Rinne of the regular season.
“[It felt] like desperation,” Rinne said. “Obviously, we realized the situation. I feel like we worked way too hard and way too long and built this team together. I think it just shows that we have a really tight group here and you want to play for your teammate, and that’s how I see it. I feel like it was a desperate effort and just play for each other, and we knew that we needed to improve and we did it as a team.”
Viktor Arvidsson and Filip Forsberg each scored two goals in the win.
“You see the way he (Arvidsson) gets banged around out there, and he just keeps going,” Predators head coach Peter Laviolette said. “He goes to the hard areas and makes the tough plays, but that’s not new. That’s not just because it’s a big game. I said the other day, it’s the makeup of who he is. He plays the game hard and he plays it fearless. That’s what makes him special.”
Game 7 is in Nashville Thursday night.
[WATCH: All Predators vs. Jets highlights | Complete Predators vs. Jets series coverage]
Connor Hellebuyck made 25 saves in the loss.
“It’s only 3-3 [in the series] and we still have a chance,” Jets forward Patrik Laine said. “Nothing is gone, and, I mean, we had a chance today and couldn’t take it and we’re going to have another chance on Thursday, so we’ve just to look forward and try to do better.”
You must be logged in to post a comment.