Pekka Rinne lasted less than 11 minutes in Game 7, allowing two goals on seven shots before being pulled in the Nashville Predators' Game 7 loss to the Winnipeg Jets.

Rinne was replaced by Jusse Saros, who stopped 14 of 16 shot in relief in the 5-1 loss.

"I obviously feel very much responsible for our season ending at this point," Rinne said after the game. "Tough. Tough to swallow. Tough to understand."

Rinne is a Vezina Trophy favourite after posting a 43-13-4 record with a .927 save percentage and 2.31 goals-against average in the regular season. The 35-year-old, however, failed to play to find that success in the playoffs, finishing with a 7-6 record with a .904 save percentage and a 3.07 GAA.

You know, I can't point on anything," said Rinne, who had an ordinary 7-6 record this postseason. "Felt good and no injuries, totally healthy and total ups and downs throughout the playoffs.

"And obviously, you know, the biggest moment of the season, it's a terrible feeling. You let your teammates down, and that's what happened tonight."

Predators head coach Peter Laviolette said he made the decision to pull Rinne early to try to change the momentum of the game. He noted, however, that the goaltender was not solely to blame for the loss.

"It's difficult," Laviolette said. "This isn't about Pekks; it was some tough bounces and you become limited with what you can do to try and change the game.

"This is on all of us. It was a series that we wanted to move forward on. We ran into a good team and they're moving on."

The loss dropped Rinne to 43-40 in the postseason over his career with a .904 save percentage - well below his career regular-season mark of .919.