Predators' defense stellar again in win over Blues
The Nashville Predators regained a one-game advantage in their second-round series Sunday against the St. Louis Blues with a gutsy 3-1 victory.
While Pekka Rinne was big, turning in another solid outing, the story of the game was the play of the team's impeccable blue line.
In what has become a common theme in these playoffs, the Predators' defenders flexed their offensive muscles, with goals by Ryan Ellis and Roman Josi.
The markers were just two of the four points collected by the Preds' defensive core which now paces all postseason clubs with seven goals and sits tied with the Anaheim Ducks with 21 points.
Twelve of the Predators' past 13 goals have involved a defensemen in some capacity.
- Adam Vingan (@AdamVingan) April 30, 2017
On a team that boasts both Josi and P.K. Subban, it's somewhat surprising that the man leading the pack is Ellis.
Related - Watch: Subban makes late, great defensive play to prevent sure goal
With his third goal of the playoffs to open the scoring, Ellis has now constructed a six-game point streak in which he's posted eight points, giving him a share of the playoff scoring lead among defensemen with Ottawa Senators captain Erik Karlsson. He's failed to register a point just once this postseason, back in Game 1 of the first round against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The only other @PredsNHL player with a point in 6+ straight playoff games was Colin Wilson in 2016 (4-5-9 in 7 GP). @EliasSports #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/bzhmxYnqzZ
- NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 30, 2017
The offense from the back end can almost entirely be attributed to the team's top three blue-line studs. Ellis, Subban, and Josi all rank in the top four in terms of points by defensemen, amassing 19 combined. That total is the same turned in by all Senators defensemen combined, who make up the third-highest-scoring defensive corps in the playoffs so far.
The Predators are cruising along this postseason, having now gone 6-1 through their first seven games, and they can thank their defense for leading the way on offense.
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