By Canadian Press

Subban silences hecklers, scores as Nashville beats Winnipeg to even series

May 4, 2018 | 12:05 AM

WINNIPEG — P.K. Subban didn’t get heckled as long and as loud as he normally does from Winnipeg Jets fans on Thursday.

The Norris Trophy finalist, usually a target for boos from the crowd and chants of “Subban sucks,” scored the winner to help the Predators earn a 2-1 victory and even their Western Conference semifinal series 2-2. Game 5 is Saturday in Nashville.

Forward Ryan Hartman scored an unassisted first-period goal for the Predators. Subban notched his third of the playoffs — all against Winnipeg — in the second while on the power play.

“For me, I don’t care how we win. We just had to get it,” Subban said. “I wish the first goal was the game winner.”

On the negative side, Subban was in the penalty box for cross-checking Jets centre Mark Scheifele when Winnipeg sniper Patrik Laine thwarted the shutout with 51 seconds left in the third.

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Winnipeg had also pulled goalie Connor Hellebuyck for a 6-on-4 advantage.

“I’ve got to stay out of the box,” Subban said. “This past two games, whether they’re penalties or not, I’ve got to stay out of the box. It’s going to cost us big time.”

Subban was also in the box when Jets captain Blake Wheeler scored the game-winner in Winnipeg’s 7-4 victory on Tuesday.

Hellebuyck made 27 saves for Winnipeg, which saw its 13-game win streak at home end.

Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne even had fans inside Bell MTS Place impressed with one of his 32 stops.

Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey tried to put a rebound past Rinne, but the goalie reached with his stick backwards and the puck hit the butt end of it. Morrissey tilted his head back in disbelief.

Subban silenced most of the crowd when his one-timer from the point went through some traffic and past Hellebuyck at 14:36. Jets defenceman Dustin Byfuglien was off for slashing.

“We got in the neutral zone, we got pucks deep, we forechecked when we needed to and we paid attention to the details,” Subban said.

“I think last game, the details are kind of what cost us. This game, we paid attention to all of them for a full 60 (minutes).”

On Wednesday, the player Winnipeg fans think of as a bad guy was nominated for his good deeds.

The 28-year-old Toronto native was named a finalist for the NHL’s King Clancy Memorial Trophy for his leadership on and off the ice and humanitarian contributions to the community. Vancouver Canucks twins Henrik and Daniel Sedin were also nominated, along with Minnesota Wild’s Jason Zucker.

“It means a lot,” Subban said of the nomination on Thursday morning. “Generally, with hockey players, we don’t usually talk about individual awards and nominations a lot but this one is a little different and very special.”

Judy Owen, The Canadian Press