“Then when I picked up the old racket, everything felt different”

Last fall was not for the 27-year-old from Nashville For Juuse Saros easy. The goalkeeper from Hämeenlinna had earlier in the summer been a candidate for the NHL’s best goalkeeper, but at the start of the new season he was unable to get on top of his game in the best possible way.

No, although there were good games included.

All in all, the 32 goals conceded in the first ten matches was not what was expected from Saroks or was used to seeing – or what the man expected from himself.

– I felt pretty good even in the fall, but the playing fluctuated. There were good moments, but also games that left you with the feeling that there was room for improvement in your own performance, Saros tells Urheilu about the mood of the autumn.

Technically, even in the fall, it was difficult for a layman to find anything to correct in Saros’ performance, but the goalkeeper and his assistants finally found a solution even in a somewhat surprising place.

Saros had changed his skate model and racket from the previous season. Saros took the new skates from the old manufacturer, but in the case of the racket, he also changed the manufacturer.

Now HPK kasvat is using the familiar True skates from last season and a CCM racket.

– I didn’t think that they could have that much of an impact, but from the video we clearly noticed that there were changes to the very basic position. It affected the balance and so on. Exciting thing. When I picked up the old racket in one of the practices, everything felt completely different, as far as movement, Saros continues.

– Now, not everything is put on the spikes of the equipment, but after changing, it became easier, Saros laughs afterwards.

In recent weeks, Saros has really returned to his level of last season. In December-January alone, the country village’s number one cashier has saved ten matches, in which the saving percentage has exceeded 93. I have gone over 95 six times.

Even at a historically hard level, they moved in the Epiphany Eve match against Carolina, when Saros had to make 64 saves in the match that ended in Nashville’s 5–3 victory. The save count was the third highest in NHL history.

– In one of the C-junnu, I have recently had to fight so much. I didn’t really have time to think during a match like that, there was so much work to do. When the lead goal was scored a quarter of an hour before the end, you guessed that the drum fire wasn’t going to stop at least, Saros grins.

Vire was found at the right time

Nashville really needs the best from Saro in the coming weeks. The Predators are very much involved in the playoff battle of the Western Conference, but at the same time, the problems in the team’s game do not bode well for the spring season.

As a team, Nashville is very average and is involved in the battle practically with its goalkeepers, Saros and Kevin Lankinen thanks to.

Even last season, Nashville was profiled as a tight and disciplined team, but this season the grip has started to slip.

Nashville is a weak defensive team in many places, against which a huge number of goal waiting areas and first-sector scoring opportunities are created. In the previous eight matches alone, the opponent has received at least 18 places in the first sector three times and at least 14 four times.

The leakage of the backboard is particularly worrying for the reason that the vast majority of the team’s key players have played minus-mark hockey throughout the season. Nashville has scored the sixth fewest goals and its possession game is the third weakest in the entire series.

As a result of this equation, Saros carries a huge burden on his shoulders in terms of a playoff spot.

– When your own game is going, you try to pay as little attention as possible to what is happening in front of you, but in general you could say that our playing has been quite fluctuating throughout the season. Even within matches, one set may be played well, after which it turns to the opponent.

Last season, Nashville entered the playoffs as the last team from the Western Conference, and Saros hasn’t lost hope even now.

– Sometimes we have those moments when we are all on the same page, but sometimes we are not. If we could get a little consistency in what we do and thus a routine for doing everything, that would be good and would certainly help us.

At least the team’s number one goalkeeper has found a consistent level – top level.

Statistics: Natural Stat Trick, TSN

You can see the NHL standings at this link. Nashville next plays on the night between Saturday and Sunday Finnish time against the Los Angeles Kings.