After last night’s 3-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks, the Nashville Predators record of 18-24-7 has the team sitting 13 points out of the second wildcard spot in the Western Conference, and according to MoneyPuck.com the team has just a 3.5% chance of making it into the postseason. Those statistics fall far short of expectations after GM Barry Trotz spent just over $108 million dollars signing three big free agents in the offseason.

The additions of Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei haven’t brought the franchise the immediate success front office and fans were hoping for in their inaugural season. Some of that disappointment may be due to unrealistic expectations with regards to the transition to new cities, new systems, and new team mates. Perhaps the bigger problem early for the Predators was the veterans on the team being unable to pick up where they left off at the end of last season.

Last night’s 3-1 loss felt eerily similar to Nashville’s early losses of the season. This was eighth time the Predators lost a one goal game late in regulation, not including the seven overtime losses the Preds have dropped in their 49 games this season. Despite outshooting their opponent, Nashville couldn’t find the back of the net and hit the post several times over the course of the game.

So does last night’s loss mean this team is still right where they started the season?

Not according to Andrew Brunette.

“If you’re going to ask me from the first 18-20 [games], this is a much better feeling,” Brunette said postgame.

“I think we’re much more connected. I think we got a lot more guys playing. I thought we’re deep. I thought our four lines are balanced and they’re creating.”

Brunette has found that elusive chemistry with the forward lines recently. In last night’s game no forward line was outshot by their opponent with each of the four lines generating high danger chances.

Tommy Novak, Fedor Svechkov, and Zachary L’Heureux have been especially good at creating chances. That line has led the team in expected goals for in four of the last five games they played together. Novak has Nashville’s lone goal with an assist from L’Heureux in the first period and has scored three goals and seven points in his last five games.

The chemistry with L’Heureux and Svechkov – both in their NHL rookie season – has been a part of Novak’s recent success after a tough start.

“Obviously a tough stretch,” Novak said in the postgame Wednesday night referring to his performances in the beginning of the season.

“I’m just trying to play more confident and free flowing, and I feel pretty good now. My line mates have been playing great.”

Novak gave a glowing review of L’Heureux’s NHL performances.

“He’s tenacious on the puck and he’s a great checker. I think he’s been really good. Obviously it’s his first stint in the NHL. It’s been impressive.”

After recent lackluster performances defensively, the Predators did a better job limiting chances for the Canucks.

“Compared to the last couple of games we had, I thought we played a lot tighter defensively,” Roman Josi said after the game.

“We didn’t give them as many chances. I think defensively it was a step in the right direction.”

One struggle Nashville needs to address is the breakouts on the power play. Nashville had three power play opportunities last night and went 0-3 against the Canucks’ 12th ranked penalty kill.

“I don’t know if anybody is really comfortable, besides [Josi], bringing the puck up all the time,” Andrew Brunette said after the game.

“We knew going into the year it would be a little bit of a challenge, That was probably the Achilles [heel] a little but for us, and we’d have to find a way to be a little creative or somebody to be a little more comfortable carrying it in. We’ve sort of had a hard time.”

Josi agreed.

I think we just didn’t execute,” the Predators captain said of the power play. “I think our breakouts weren’t good. It felt like we could never really get set up, and every time we were in there we kind of lost it right away.”

“Our breakout has kind of been our biggest problem all year and definitely wasn’t good tonight.”

In a results oriented business where a team with high expectations has fallen short early in the season, it is easy to dismiss last night’s loss as yet another performance like the losses in October and November. However, Andrew Brunette sees the progress his team is making on the ice and the change in the locker room as well.

“Tonight didn’t work,” Brunette said. “But there’s a better feeling, for sure. I think more guys are feeling a little more comfortable with each other, with the group, maybe a bit more invested with the group.”

“There’s great energy. There’s great effort. This league’s hard. I say it all the time. It’s a 3-2 league kind of thing. When you get one, it’s going to be really hard to get anything out of it.”

The Predators hope to get back in the win column with a back to back on the road. Friday night they face the 19-26-5 Buffalo Sabres, and Saturday night they will play former team mates Cody Glass and Phil Tomasino in Pittsburgh as they take on Sidney Crosby and the Penguins.