Predators Playoff Wins Countdown: 2018 Game 2 vs. Winnipeg Jets
The Nashville Predators kick off the 2026-27 season in 33 days on Sept. 20 with preseason action against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Predators look to end a two-year playoff drought by getting the season off to a good start and starting first-year general manager Chris MacFarland's tenure on a positive note.
The Predators have won 56 NHL playoff games for seven series victories, with one Clarence S. Campbell Trophy in 2017 in the franchise's 28 seasons. Let's round out the offseason by looking back and counting down the most significant playoff wins in franchise history.
No. 33 - 2018 Game 2: Nashville Predators vs. Winnipeg Jets
The Predators entered the 2018 NHL Playoffs as the top seeded team in the Western Conference and after dispatching the Colorado Avalanche in six games, found themselves in a second round matchup against the Winnipeg Jets.
Winnipeg won Game 4-1 and stole home ice in the series, putting pressure on Nashville to respond in Game 2. The Predators scored the first goal, but went into the first intermission trailing 2-1. Ryan Johansen opened the scoring 30 seconds into the game to ignite the home crowd. Dustin Byfuglien evened the game in a four-on-four scenario, shooting over Pekka Rinne's near side for the visitors. The Jets took the lead on a power play when Mark Scheifele smashed Patrik Laine's rebound past Rinne 13 minutes into the period.
P.K. Subban tied the score at 2-2 with a slapshot from the top of the Jets' offensive zone five minutes into the second period on a Nashville power play. The Predators got out on the break with less than two minutes in the period when Ryan Ellis passed the puck off the boards to Filip Forsberg. Forsberg poked the puck ahead to Viktor Arvidsson, who skated into space and fired a slap shot past Connor Hellebuyck, giving the home team a 3-2 lead at the second intermission.
The seesaw continued in the third period when Brandon Taney intercepted a Predators pass at the blue line and penetrated into the Nashville zone. Taney skated around Subban and found the back of the net, but Nashville snatched the lead right back 30 seconds later. Arvidsson found Johansen in space in Winnipeg's zone and Johansen did the rest; weaving around a Jet defender, avoiding Hellebuyck in the crease and flipping the puck into the net. Winnipeg never quit and tied the game for the fourth time after pulling Hellebuyck in the dying stages of the game. The Jets controlled possession with the extra attacker and found Mark Scheifele alone on the backside with an open net. Scheifele scored to even the game at 4-4 with 65 seconds left.
The teams combined for 36 shots in overtime, but neither squad could find the winner. Rinne ended the night with a career playoff best 46 saves, while Hellebuyck finished with 36 for the Jets and the teams combined for 56 blocked shots as the defenses battled hard despite the score.
Throwback to April 29, 2018 when the Nashville Predators defeated the Winnipeg Jets 5-4 in Double OT to tie the series 1-1.
— Joe Gaither (@JoeGaither6) August 18, 2026
Ryan Johansen scored twice, but Kevin Fiala got the game winner for the Predators pic.twitter.com/zgNf4Cn2VK
Nashville scored the game winner five minutes into the second overtime when Kyle Turris found Craig Smith breaking up the boards in the neutral zone. Smith skated up the ice with Kevin Fiala trailing to create a two-on-one scenario that the Predators played perfectly. Smith found Fiala across the slot, and Fiala cut across Helleybuck's face to even the series with a 5-4 double overtime victory.
"It's huge, a big difference being 2-0 or 1-1," Rinne said. "Obviously, we'll take this. It was an emotional game, and now it's time to go on the road, and we need to steal a couple of wins in their building."
Nashville Predators All-Time NHL Playoff Victories By Series
2004 R1 vs DET: 2 wins (L 2-4): No. 41, Game 4
2006 R1 vs SJ: 1 win (L 1-4)
2007 R1 vs SJ: 1 win (L 1-4)
2008 R1 vs DET: 2 wins (L 2-4): No. 43, Game 3; No. 42, Game 2
2010 R1 vs CHI: 2 wins (L 2-4)
2011 R1 vs ANA: 4 wins (W 4-2)
2011 R2 vs VAN: 2 wins (L 2-4)
2012 R1 vs DET: 4 wins (W 4-1)
2012 R2 vs PHX: 1 win (L 1-4)
2015 R1 vs CHI: 2 wins (L 2-4): No. 45, Game 5; No. 44, Game 2
2016 R1 vs ANA: 4 wins (W 4-3): No. 37, Game 1; No. 36, Game 2; No. 35, Game 6
2016 R2 vs SJ: 3 wins (L 3-4)
2017 R1 vs CHI: 4 wins (W 4-0): No. 40 Game 1; No. 38 Game 2; No. 39 Game 3
2017 R2 vs STL: 4 wins (W 4-2)
2017 WCF vs ANA: 4 wins (W 4-2)
2017 SCF vs PIT: 2 wins (L 2-4)
2018 R1 vs COL: 4 wins (W 4-2)
2018 R2 vs WPG: 3 wins (L 3-4); No. 34, Game 4
2019 R1 vs DAL: 2 wins (L 2-4): No. 47, Game 2; No. 46, Game 3
2020 Qualifying vs ARI: 1 win (L 1-3)
2021 R1 vs CAR: 2 wins (L 2-4)
2022 R1 vs COL: 0 wins (L 0-4)
2024 R1 vs VAN: 2 wins (L 2-4)
This is the 15th article in a Nashville Predators On SI series counting down the 47 most significant playoff wins in Nashville Predators history.
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Joe Gaither covers the Nashville Predators for Nashville Predators On SI. He also oversees videos and podcasts for Alabama Crimson Tide On SI/BamaCentral. He began his sports media career in radio in 2019, working for three years in Tuscaloosa covering the University of Alabama and other local high school sports. In 2023 he joined BamaCentral to cover a variety of Crimson Tide sports and recruiting, in addition to hosting the “Joe Gaither Show” podcast. His work has also appeared on the Boston College, Miami, Missouri and Vanderbilt college On SI sites.