For the Predators, Juuse Saros is the new normal

MONTREAL — The news Tuesday morning that Juuse Saros would start against the Montreal Canadiens came as no surprise. At this point, it would have been more notable if he had not been in goal.

Welcome to the new normal. Saros’ 32-save outing Tuesday was his 15th start in the Predators’ past 21 games and 11th win over that span. Although Artturi Lehkonen’s goal in the third period prevented Saros from becoming the first Predators goaltender to record three consecutive shutouts, his shutout streak of 181 minutes, 7 seconds is the second longest in franchise history, which Saros called “a fun fact.” (Dan Ellis holds the record at 233 minutes, 39 seconds.)

“It’s been unbelievable,” said Predators forward Filip Forsberg, who scored twice in a 4-2 win. “At one point, it almost felt like it was going to just keep going and going. He’s really stepped up for us.”

The Predators needed Saros to be especially sharp in the early portion of the third period Tuesday, when they were under siege by the Canadiens.

“I really liked the way (Saros) gathered himself after losing the shutout like that,” coach John Hynes said. “One goes in, two go in and the floodgates (could) open. But I just think he really settled in. … I really like where he’s at mentally and the consistency level and the mental toughness.”

Over the past two months, Hynes has taken several steps to attempt to fix the Predators, but there is no greater cure-all than improved goaltending. The Predators’ 91.53 overall save percentage since Hynes took over on Jan. 7 is eighth in the NHL, according to Evolving Hockey. (They were 29th at the time Peter Laviolette was fired.)

Individually, Saros, 24, leads the league with 12.88 goals saved above average (GSAA) and 11.94 goals saved above expectation (GSAx) in all situations since Jan. 29, when his run of 15 starts in 21 games began.

For a young goaltender, the transition to a starter’s workload is challenging enough. In Saros’ case, he is also handling the pressures of supplanting his idol, Pekka Rinne, and keeping the Predators in a hotly contested playoff race. Saros has previous starting experience in Finland and with the Milwaukee Admirals, but not like this.

“I really haven’t changed my mindset (in) any way,” said Saros, who has a .938 save percentage in his past 15 starts. “I just try to take it one game at a time and not think about it too much. Of course, it’s a different rhythm when you play a lot, and you can’t really worry too much about what happened (in the) last game. You’ve just got to stay focused.”

Hynes has been impressed by Saros’ ability to quickly make the necessary adjustments to his routine.

“I think really managing yourself in your game preparation, (especially) the days in between games of managing what your rest is, what you need physically, nutrition-wise, on-ice wise, what you need to prepare yourself for the next game mentally and physically,” Hynes said. “That’s probably the biggest difference from going from playing not as many games to more games, particularly in goal, because you’re playing the whole game, so a lot of it is the management of coming down after wins, regathering yourself (the next day) and then mentally preparing for the next game, making sure that you can play repetitively and have the same energy level and mental focus.”

On Wednesday, the Predators woke up in the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference (and four points behind the slumping Dallas Stars for third place in the Central Division). The playoffs, which start April 8, are still far from a guarantee, but if the Predators get there, it is hard to imagine Saros not starting their first game. It would be the first time Rinne didn’t start a playoff game since 2008.

The idea of that does not seem so strange anymore.

"Now you’re starting to see a level of consistency of mental focus, of playing the same way all the time, practicing the same way all the time," Hynes said. "He seems as though at this point he’s not too high or too low. No matter what goes on, he’s the same guy, and that’s probably why he’s having some success and being able to string some games and wins together."

(Photo: Francois Lacasse / Getty Images)