Predators' rise and fall surprising

It's not just any NHL season that begins with so few expectations yet ends with such disappointment.

That was the case for the Predators, whose 2014-15 season came to an end Saturday with a 4-3 loss to the Blackhawks in Game 6 of their Western Conference quarterfinal playoff series.

When the Predators began play way back in October, few forecast a trip to the postseason for this team, which was coming off two straight non-playoff years and had changed head coaches for the first time in franchise history.

But it didn't take long for the Predators to open some eyes.

They won 16 of their first 23 games and climbed atop the NHL standings. By the middle of February, they had a six-point lead over their closest competitors and expectations were taking off in Nashville.

The tumble began soon thereafter, however, as the Predators endured two six-game losing streaks before the end of the regular season. They managed to gain home-ice advantage for the playoffs, but even that couldn't help resurrect the team.

Here's a timeline that offers a closer look at the rise and fall of the Predators in 2014-15:

Oct. 23: A 3-2 win over Chicago at Bridgestone Arena gives the Predators at least a point in each of their first seven games. The 5-0-2 start has them tied for first place atop the Western Conference.

Oct. 25: The Predators are shut out 3-0 by Pittsburgh at Bridgestone Arena. It's their first regulation loss of the season.

Nov. 18: The Predators punish Toronto 9-2 behind Taylor Beck's three-point night, winning for the fifth time in six games. Nashville (12-4-2) has 26 points, second-most in the Western Conference.

Nov. 29: The Predators edge Columbus 2-1 for their fourth straight victory and their ninth win in the last 11 games. Their 34 points are tied for the most in the NHL.

Jan. 13: The Predators beat Vancouver 5-1, but goalie Pekka Rinne suffers a knee strain. At the time of the injury, Rinne has a 29-6-2 record, with a 1.96 goals against average and .931 save percentage. He misses eight games, but the Predators go 4-2-2 without him.

Jan. 16: The Predators score twice in the third period to rally past Washington, 4-3. It's their fifth straight victory and with 64 points they lead the NHL standings.

Jan. 30: The Predators endure their first rough patch, as a 3-0 loss to Colorado marks their fourth loss in five games. Still, Nashville's 68 points are second-best to Anaheim in the NHL.

Feb. 3: When the Predators defeat Toronto 4-3, it marks their franchise-record ninth straight win at home.

Feb. 10: In a matchup of NHL powers, James Neal scores in overtime to lead the Predators past Tampa Bay, 3-2. Nashville (36-12-6) has 78 points and sits atop the league standings.

Feb. 17: A 5-1 win over San Jose might well be considered the high-water mark of the season. It's the sixth straight victory for the Predators (39-12-6), whose 84 points are best in the NHL — six ahead of Montreal and Anaheim.

Feb. 28: A 4-3 loss to Detroit marks the first time all season — 63 games to date — that the Predators suffer back-to-back regulation losses. Yet they're still atop the league with 89 points.

March 7: The losing streak extends to a season-high six games following a 3-1 loss to Winnipeg. Stuck on 89 points, the Predators are now third in the NHL behind Anaheim and Montreal.

March 15: Anaheim scores four third-period goals, rallying past the Predators 4-2. Nashville (43-21-7) slips out of first place in the Central Division.

March 28: A 4-3 win over Washington is a late-season sign of hope, as it marks Nashville's fourth straight victory. The Predators move back on top of the Central Division and become the first Western Conference team to clinch a playoff berth.

April 7: A 3-2 loss to Colorado is the Predators' fourth defeat in a row. They fall behind St. Louis in the Central and won't regain first place.

April 11: A 4-1 loss to Dallas means the Predators lose six consecutive games to end the regular season, becoming just the second team in the last decade to carry a six-game losing streak into the playoffs. Their 104 points tie for third-best in franchise history, but the Predators still finish second in the Central, five points behind St. Louis.

April 15: The Predators take a 3-0 lead on Chicago in Game 1 of the Western Conference quarterfinal playoff series, but wind up losing 4-3 in double overtime. One game later, defenseman and team captain Shea Weber suffers a lower-body injury and is lost for the series.

April 23: On the verge of elimination in Game 5, the Predators respond with a strong effort, downing the Blackhawks 5-2 to cut Chicago's series lead to 3-2. Rookie Filip Forsberg records the first hat trick in Predators' playoff history.

April 25: The Predators open up leads of 2-0 and 3-1, but can't sustain them, ultimately losing the game 4-3 and the series 4-2. Nashville winds up its season with 19 losses in its final 27 games.

Reach John Glennon at 615-259-8262 and on Twitter @glennonsports.