Predators Being Shutout Twice This Week Isn't Cause for Concern

The Nashville Predators have been shut out three times this season and two of those have come in the previous three games. Before being shutout 3-0 to the Boston Bruins on April 2 and the New York Islanders on April 6, the Predators were last held without a goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs on December 9, 2023.

The expectation this season was that the Predators were going to have a tough time scoring goals like how it was in 2022-23, but that has been completely proven wrong. Why Nashville being held to no goals twice in the past three games isn't cause for concern is due to a number of factors.

Related: Predators Stifled by Islanders in 2-0 Shutout: 'It Was That Kind of Game'

The Predators are ranked 12th in the league in goals for per game (3.22) and tied with the Florida Panthers who are seen as a very offensive team. Sometimes, it's just not your night as the Predators have found out a couple of times recently. But they haven't gone down without a fight or without giving themselves chances to score.

Nashville finished the loss to the Bruins with 2.33 expected goals for at five-on-five and 2.69 in all situations. At even strength, the Predators actually outplayed the Bruins, but the power play is what determined the outcome.

The Predators had an even better game against the Islanders in their 2-0 loss, finishing with an expected goals for of 4.73 compared to the Islanders' 2.66. There were 93 shots attempted by the Predators, none of which obviously found the back of the net. Sometimes bounces don't go your way or the team can get goalie'd.

Another big reason why there shouldn't be any cause for concern is the amount of goals the Predators have scored in the four other games the team has played in the last two weeks. The Predators put up 6 goals against the St. Louis Blues, four goals against the Arizona Coyotes and Colorado Avalanche, and five goals in the win over the Vegas Golden Knights. That is still 19 goals in the past six games. If they were scoring 1-2 goals-per-game lately, then it may be time to panic right before playoffs. Nashville has some favourable opponents coming up, so expect the goals to come back right away.

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