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SPORTS Wednesday 9 May 2018

Forsberg, Rinne help Predators beat Jets to force Game 7

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) up and down," Winnipeg
— Filip Forsberg, Pekka head coach Paul Maurice
Rinne and the Nashville said. "It's probably right that
Predators showed they it's going seven."
aren't ready for their sea- The Jets finished 0 for 4 on
son to end yet. the power play, including
Forsberg had two goals and three chances in the first
an assist, Rinne stopped 34 period.
shots for his second shut- "The power play is prob-
out of the playoffs, and the ably just a microcosm of
Predators beat the Winni- the way we played," Win-
peg Jets 4-0 on Monday to nipeg center Paul Stastny
force a decisive Game 7 in said. "We probably weren't
their Western Conference moving as well or as sharp
semifinal series. as we wanted."
"Desperation," Rinne said With the Predators up 1-0
after his fifth career play- after one period, Forsberg
off shutout. "It just shows doubled the lead at 8:44 of
that we have a really tight the second on a great solo
group." rush for his sixth of the post-
Viktor Arvidsson also scored season. After breaking his
twice, including a late stick in the defensive zone
empty-netter, and added blocking a shot, the Swed-
an assist for the Predators. ish forward raced to the
Roman Josi and Ryan Jo- bench to get a new one
hansen each had two as- as the puck almost simulta- Nashville Predators' Pekka Rinne stops the point shot from Winnipeg Jets' Patrik Laine (29) during
sists. After the Jets' top line neously arrived at his feet. first period NHL hockey playoff action in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Monday, May 7, 2018.
combined for eight points Forsberg stayed onside, Associated Press
in a 6-2 victory in Game 5 fought off Jets defenseman
in Nashville to take a 3-2 Ben Chairot and beat Hel- opportunity. 62 seconds into the first The Predators and Jets fin-
series lead, the Predators lebuyck short-side before Forsberg then took a period to quiet the usual ished with the two best re-
No. 1 trio of Forsberg, Ar- crashing into the net. pass from behind the net, rowdy, white-clad crowd cords during the regular
vidsson and Johansen did Winnipeg had made an played it between his own at Bell MTS Place on Arvids- season — Nashville had 117
the same when it mattered earlier push coming out of legs and beat Hellebuyck son's fourth. The speedy points to win its first Presi-
most. "It's the most fun," the first intermission, with for his second of the night winger crashed into the dents' Trophy, while Winni-
Forsberg said. "You can Paul Stastny's shot just wide and seventh of the playoffs end boards after being peg was right behind with
never have more fun than being the best chance at 5:55. taken down by Jets defen- 114 points.
playing these elimination after Mathieu Perreault's "I don't think there's any seman Dustin Byfuglien. Ar- NOTES: The extra day be-
games. ... Just try to enjoy it dump in hit the linesman question that Fil's a big- vidsson briefly complained fore Game 7 is due to a
as much as possible." and caromed into the slot. game player," Predators to the referee before get- Justin Timberlake concert
Connor Hellebuyck Stastny also missed from a coach Peter Laviolette ting back in the slot just in at Nashville's Bridgestone
stopped 25 shots for the tight angle off the boards said. "(The second) goal time to make a defensive Arena on Wednesday
Jets. on the follow up on Rinne. was just good work by their deflection of a blast from night. ... Teemu Selanne,
Game 7 in this series in After Forsberg made it 2-0, line, but he had to finish it Josi that looked destined to a member of the original
which neither team has Rinne was there to stop off. Let's be honest, none hit him directly in his head Jets from 1992-96, was in
won consecutive games is Adam Lowry with his pad of us in this room can make as he dropped to the ice. attendance. ... Predators
Thursday at Nashville, Ten- before just getting a piece that play. ... You've got to Referee Wes McCauley forward Scott Hartnell re-
nessee, with the winner ad- of Mark Scheifele's shot on give him a lot of credit." initially waved off the goal turned to the lineup af-
vancing to face the expan- an abbreviated 2-on-1 to With Hellebuyck pulled for that bounced past Helle- ter sitting out Game 5 as
sion Vegas Golden Knights keep Nashville up by two. an extra skater, Arvidsson buyck for high-sticking, but a healthy scratch. Calle
in the Western Conference The Jets got their fourth scored into the empty net it was determined after vid- Jarnkrok also drew in for
final. Each team has also power play of the night with 4:02 left to seal Nash- eo review that Arvidsson's Nashville on the fourth line
won twice on the road. early in the third, but Scheif- ville's win. stick was below the cross- with Mike Fisher after sitting
"It's been back and forth, ele fired wide on the best Nashville took the lead just bar on the tip. out the last three.q