Preds game plan direspected our ability to score from the slot and focused on clogging up the middle instead, particularly emphasizing on keeping Hughes pressured so he can't make plays. And if we got shots off they trusted Saros.
We did dominate them in the 1st but got so little done because we kept passing up slot looks and as Preds guessed we kept trying to force crossice or up to the point, so either too many bodies or deflected/wide passes.
Pace fell off in the 2nd, Forsberg came in clutch for one, CDS inevitably gave a freebie and that was it. Even with Z sniping one the game was done because Brunette did the obvious and just trapped when the 3rd started so the odds were really stacked against us to score two.
We don't have Demko to save the team from themselves so if they can't score when they're giving the looks then there's no hope. Maybe some bad luck, sure, but it showed at points the team was frustrated and didn't know what to do next. The Preds didn't get much done themselves but they're full of talented vets who wont make mistakes when they have a window and they'll beat us again if the team comes out double clutching in Nashville.