In Game 5, the Predators ‘cannot go rogue’ with the season on the line against the Canucks.
McDonagh would know, having participated in 189 postseason games with the Tampa Bay Lightning (89), New York Rangers (96), and Predators (four), as well as winning two Stanley Cups with the Lightning (2020, 2021).
The task at hand going into Tuesday, October 10, 10 p.m. ET, at Rogers Arena in Game 5 of the Western Conference First Round against the Vancouver Canucks is to mentally overcome the fact that forward Brock Boeser of the Canucks scored goals at 17:11 in the third period and with eight seconds remaining in Game 4 to tie the game 3-3 before Elias Lindholm’s goal at 1:02 of overtime.
The Predators are behind 3-1 in the best-of-7 series.
“There’s no way you can go rogue,” McDonagh declared. “You just cannot attempt to complete the task on your own. When you do that, it just automatically breaks down. Of course, everyone wants to succeed, win the match, and contribute to the team’s victory, but cooperation is required.”
With 1:50 remaining in the third, Predators forward Colton Sissons struck the post while attempting to shoot for the empty net from the left circle.
“That’s the same thing this group has done all season is we’ve won games together,” McDonagh stated. It hasn’t been due to the occasional and random efforts of one person. Here, we must rely on one another as a team and as employees. And to realize that everyone must play their best game in order for us to succeed and have a chance to win a game.”
In the last two games, the Predators feel like they’ve controlled the play. In the third and fourth games, they outshot the Canucks 60-33 overall, and they were pleased with the offensive zone time they produced. They also prevailed 4-1 away from home in Game 2.
Coach Andrew Brunette described it as having “sort of an Etch A Sketch, goldfish kind of mentality.” “In any case, you had to win a game in [Rogers Arena].” Go win one, please. The only thing on which all attention and effort are focused is tomorrow night. It is irrelevant how you arrived here. It’s hockey in the playoffs. Things move quickly. Things move quickly. Tomorrow, let’s alter the story.”
In the series, the Predators have led three times going into the third period but have lost two of those times.
McDonagh stated, “We talk about building our game.” We are currently in the middle of a series. We’ve made some excellent efforts in a row, but it’s difficult to accept defeat when it doesn’t materialize.
“That’s how hockey works in the playoffs. There has to be a way for you to end it. It goes without saying that we have discussed how thin the gap is between winning and losing a lot. Here, we have faith in our group. We’ve triumphed in an away game. We enjoy to play outside. It only requires concentrating on this one game.”