[RELATED: Complete Predators vs. Jets series coverage]

It was obvious the defenseman had a message he wanted to get out as soon as possible for the media, for the fans, for the world, for anyone who would listen after his Predators lost 6-2 to the visiting Winnipeg Jets in Game 5 of the Western Conference Second Round.

The Jets lead the series 3-2 heading into Game 6 in Winnipeg on Monday (9:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, TVAS) and can advance to the conference final with a victory. If the Predators don't win in what will certainly be a boisterous atmosphere at Bell MTS Center, their season will be over.

Subban said they will be victorious. Case closed.

"The fact of the matter is, we had to go to Winnipeg anyway," Subban said, a defiant tone in his voice. "We're going to go there, we're going to win a game, we're going to come back here. It's that simple."

Video: Hellebuyck, Connor power Jets to 6-2 win in Game 5

There were plenty of raised eyebrows in the scrum surrounding him when he said it. Was Subban guaranteeing a victory?

Given that he emphasized his point two more times, it certainly sounded like it. He brought it up again when asked if the Predators had squandered too many chances to score in the loss.

"Yeah," he said. "There's not much we can do except bury our chances when we get them. And we had a ton of chances. They played a good game but I don't think they were that much better than us. I just think they had some bounces and we had some mistakes. Every time we made a mistake it ended up in our net.

"But for us, we're going to wake up in the morning and the last page is going to be turned, we're going to go to Winnipeg, we're going to win a game, then we're going to come back here."

The Predators must win two consecutive games, something neither team has done in this series, to advance. Game 7 would be Thursday.

"We're a character group," Subban said. "We've got a ton of experience in here. We've had our backs against the wall before.

"Like I said, we're going to go to Winnipeg, we're going to win a game, we're going to come back here. Every single guy in here believes that."

If Subban's prophecy is to come to fruition, the Predators must tighten up defensively.

Nashville allowed the second-fewest goals in the NHL during the regular season with 204, behind the Los Angeles Kings (202).

The postseason has been a different story, particularly in this series; the Predators have allowed at least four goals in four of the five games against the Jets, winning Game 4 2-1.

Nashville clogged the neutral zone in that game, not allowing Winnipeg to use its considerable speed. Such was the case again in the scoreless first period Saturday when the Jets were outshot 11-7 and mustered very little offense.

That changed in the second period when Winnipeg scored three straight goals (Kyle Connor, Dustin Byfuglien, Connor again) in 4:31 to make it 4-1.

It was the first time Nashville lost by four goals at Bridgestone Arena since Oct. 28 against the New York Islanders (6-2), a span of 41 games (including five in the playoffs).

Predators coach Peter Laviolette said that before the three quick Jets goals, "I thought we were really tight defensively. We didn't give up hardly anything, if anything at all in the first. They scored the goal, we answered, played hockey for a little, not too much after that, but it was that three goals for me, that was the turning point where they were able to jump out to a 4-1 lead."

Laviolette said he knows how difficult it will be to deal with the environment in Winnipeg but that he feels his players have the mettle to be successful there.

"We had to go to Winnipeg anyway, right? We were going there anyway," Laviolette said. "The plane was already booked. They're ready to go. There's no group that I'd rather be with to win one hockey game than this group.

"I've said we've already won there this year. We won there in the playoffs. We have to go there and win a game."

And Subban said they'll do just that.