While much of the league is focused on trade chatter surrounding the Nashville Predators goalies, Juuse Saros and Kevin Lankinen remain dialed in and focused on their work on ice. While neither is having their best career statistical season, both of Nashville’s net minders are playing some of their best hockey through the Predators’ seven game win streak.

In his five last starts, Juuse Saros has a .952 save percentage and 1.4 goals against average. In his two starts during Nashville’s win streak, Kevin Lankinen made 52/57 saves and went 1/7 on the penalty kill against two good power play teams.

While trade speculation continues, head coach Andrew Brunette is pleased when it comes to this current goaltending tandem’s recent performances.

“They’re two highly competitive goalies, and I think they push each other,” Brunette said. “They’ve been pushing our team to get some wins here.”

The wins during this stretch have come with a few unique challenges. In the game against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, Juuse Saros faced exactly zero shots in the third period. While that may sounds to a fan like a dream period for a goaltender, it’s actually a tough position to be in.

“It was a little bit challenging,” Juuse Saros said. “I don’t think I’ve ever had that before.”

Going long stretches without any action doesn’t mean a goaltender can relax in the NHL.

“You always got to be ready, especially the game is so fast nowadays so things happen quickly,” Saros said. “Things can turn around quickly so you just try to follow the game as much as possible and be ready.”

Another somewhat unusual moment happened in the March 17 against St Louis. Saros faced his fifth penalty shot of the season, the most of any goaltender in the league. When Saros finds himself facing a penalty shot, what is he doing?

“I just try to stay patient and wait for them to make the first move and go from there,” Saros said. “Usually some guys have a few different moves, so I kind of keep those in mind but obviously can’t guess too much either.”

The moments before the penalty shot is when Saros reviews what he knows about the shooter. Once the whistle blows, he relies more on experience and instinct.

“I just try to challenge them as good as possible and not give them too much space,” Saros said. “It happens quickly so there’s not much time to think during that.”

If he had to choose between facing a penalty shot or playing a two minute penalty kill with four teammates to help out, Saros is all about what is most successful.

“I don’t know what the percentage is nowadays, like which one is more? I don’t know. I think maybe the penalty kill is still probably lower percentage.”

The upside of the penalty shot? “If you make that one save, you’re done.”

When it comes to a penalty kill, Saros said the one thing he needs most from his penalty killers is predictability.

“Just keep it as predictable as possible. Honestly, it’s a hard job nowadays with so many good power plays, different things they do,” Saros said. “As long as it’s as predictable, that makes my job easier.”

Trust is critical when it comes to the penalty kill for Kevin Lankinen.

“Part of it is trust,” the 28-year-old goaltender said. “Trusting the system that we do because it’s not only the four penalty killers, but the goalie included.”

“It’s almost like a five on five the way I see it.”

Trust among the players is important as well.

“We already got our job to do,” Lankinen said. “When you trust the guy in front of you to do his own job then your own part gets easier.”

If given the choice between a two minute kill and a penalty shot, Lankinen likes his chances.

“I’d probably take my chances on the penalty shot just because I like the challenge.”

That confidence has grown over the course of the season for both Lankinen and Juuse Saros not just because of the work they have put in, but also because the team playing in front of them has become more comfortable with a new system. Brunette acknowledges how the whole team’s familiarity with his system has impacted what Saros and Lankinen have done recently.

“They’re getting used to how we play in front of them,” Brunette said. “As the season’s gone on, I think we’ve done a little better job grasping some of the things in our own end, and we’ve had a little bit more you could say relentlessness in how we’re going to play. We’re blocking shots, we’re diving in front of things, where at times we were caught in between a little bit of gray area on how to play.”

Brunette is clear to give his goalies much credit as well.

“I think we’ve helped them out, but they’re two highly competitive goalies,” Brunette said.