This weekend, lots of people are enjoying the All-Star Break; fans and players alike. I happen to enjoy it myself, catching the highlights on the skills competition and looking at pictures taken by fans. Most of all, I enjoy this time because it gives me time to catch up on some non hockey related issues. For the Predators, the break gives the team time to rest after a long Western road swing. "The stretch" is upon us. Many people, announcers, bloggers, and commentators refer to this time all season. What does it mean for Nashville? Let's look into it.
The Nashville Predators have 32 games left in the regular season, and only 11 of those will be on the road. Spring always seems to be good to Nashville, and the home crowd will be able to give the team a good boost. I believe that February will be key, and the Predators will play 10 games at home, and only 3 on the road. In February, Nashville will take on a very tough schedule against teams like Detroit, Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, and Vancouver. The Preds will also visit Philadelphia this coming up Thursday night to take on one of the best teams in the league. If the Predators can get the momentum going in February, it should carry over and get us through the regular season.
In March, Nashville starts off with a Western Canada swing, adding San Jose at the end. Many great teams, including Boston, LA, Detroit, Dallas, and Colorado will make a stop in Nashville, which makes for another hard month.
In April, Nashville has three home games, and play their only road game in St Louis for the last game of the regular season.
*Predictions*
Some circles say that predicting the final outcome can do more damage than breaking a mirror. I, however, have not much of a believer in luck, and I'm going to give it a shot.
I believe that Dallas, Detroit, San Jose, and Minnesota will begin and/or continue a slump down the stretch. These four teams seem to be quirky this year, and all have special issues that will cause them problems. Detroit, for example, has goal tending problems that are not going to get better any time soon. I believe that when the problem is finally fixed, it will be too late. I do believe that Detroit will make the playoffs, but their run in second place will be short lived.
Surging teams will include Chicago, Calgary, Phoenix, and LA. Calgary refuses to be a bad team, and even though their run is a little late, I believe that they will get into a playoff spot this year. Chicago is very able to perform and will decide to get serious down the stretch, and Phoenix will have momentum from Keith Yandle in February.
*Back To Reality*
Where does all of this leave for Nashville? I honestly have no idea. Time will just have to tell because for me, it is easy to critique teams as an outsider, and it is very hard make predictions on the team that I follow every day. I do know that the Predators will play several teams over the next couple of months that are going to refuse to lay down and give up two points. Of those include Calgary (two games), Vancouver (three games), Anaheim (one), and LA (one). Nashville has had an injury plagued season and despite that, they have done very well. Nashville takes on Calgary Tuesday night at the Bridgestone Arena for their first game after the break. They will come into the game with 60 points and 4th place in the Western Conference, and will look for a little revenge to start what is sure to be a February to remember.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Last Night: Predators Fall Late Despite Strong Effort
Last night's game was simply heart breaking for me personally. To see Nashville fight so hard and play with so much spirit just to lose the game late in the third period hurts beyond belief. Even with the Predators 2-1 loss to the Vancouver Canucks, the team has been given lots of data to process, and I believe they know what to expect down the stretch. This is not going to be easy.
Pressure and possession were key in the first period. Nashville came into last night's matchup showing Vancouver that they were not going to give up an easy two points. The Predators seemed to control well, cycle with the best, and the penalty kill was on its mark. There were not any goals posted in the first period for either team, but Nashville had control. I was impressed by their eagerness, which really showed with their 12-4 shots on goal advantage.
The second period also ended with the score 0-0, and the defensive plays were a spectacle to say the least. Pekka Rinne was unbelievable last night earning second star honors, and he made 33 whopping saves that no highlight reel could ever do justice. I believe that the video recap says it all. The hit summary includes one video, goal summery three, and there are 17 save video's listed that are all truly impressive. Seven of those save video's come from the second period. Roberto Luongo started in goal for Vancouver, and was selected as the first star of the game. The pre game commentaries were correct; the goal tending matchup was truly a sight to see.
In the third period, Shea Weber finally lit the lamp for Nashville right off the drop at 00:37. Vancouver knew that they had to react, and while the Predators gained momentum, it wasn't enough. At 10:39 the official hole digger for Vancouver, Alexandre Burrows, put the Canucks on the board. At 12:31 Lee Sweatt scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game to make it 2-1. Vancouver's response to Nashville's quick goal in the third period was impressive. The shots on goal total for the third was 17-7 in favor of Vancouver.
Even though Nashville did not come away with a point, I am proud of the effort. The light at the end of the tunnel shines brightly, and only time will tell what effect the All-Star break will have on the team. On another note, both Matt Halischuk and Chris Mueller have been reassigned to Milwaukee for the break. Even if they are called back up for the February 1st game after the break, it is reported that Nashville will save between $6,000 and $12,000 a day by making this move. With a subtle "you've made it" glance, Nick Spaling has not been reassigned. He will stay on the NHL level through the break, and is reported to be considering changing his last name to $paling.
The Twitter universe is proclaiming that this is Nashville's year to "break in" and finally make it past the first round of the playoffs. Currently, Nashville has a record of 27-17-6 and 60 points to give us fourth place in the Western Conference. There is no telling how this will all wash out in the end due to Nashville's injury plagued nature this year. There is hope...time will tell.
Pressure and possession were key in the first period. Nashville came into last night's matchup showing Vancouver that they were not going to give up an easy two points. The Predators seemed to control well, cycle with the best, and the penalty kill was on its mark. There were not any goals posted in the first period for either team, but Nashville had control. I was impressed by their eagerness, which really showed with their 12-4 shots on goal advantage.
The second period also ended with the score 0-0, and the defensive plays were a spectacle to say the least. Pekka Rinne was unbelievable last night earning second star honors, and he made 33 whopping saves that no highlight reel could ever do justice. I believe that the video recap says it all. The hit summary includes one video, goal summery three, and there are 17 save video's listed that are all truly impressive. Seven of those save video's come from the second period. Roberto Luongo started in goal for Vancouver, and was selected as the first star of the game. The pre game commentaries were correct; the goal tending matchup was truly a sight to see.
In the third period, Shea Weber finally lit the lamp for Nashville right off the drop at 00:37. Vancouver knew that they had to react, and while the Predators gained momentum, it wasn't enough. At 10:39 the official hole digger for Vancouver, Alexandre Burrows, put the Canucks on the board. At 12:31 Lee Sweatt scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game to make it 2-1. Vancouver's response to Nashville's quick goal in the third period was impressive. The shots on goal total for the third was 17-7 in favor of Vancouver.
Even though Nashville did not come away with a point, I am proud of the effort. The light at the end of the tunnel shines brightly, and only time will tell what effect the All-Star break will have on the team. On another note, both Matt Halischuk and Chris Mueller have been reassigned to Milwaukee for the break. Even if they are called back up for the February 1st game after the break, it is reported that Nashville will save between $6,000 and $12,000 a day by making this move. With a subtle "you've made it" glance, Nick Spaling has not been reassigned. He will stay on the NHL level through the break, and is reported to be considering changing his last name to $paling.
The Twitter universe is proclaiming that this is Nashville's year to "break in" and finally make it past the first round of the playoffs. Currently, Nashville has a record of 27-17-6 and 60 points to give us fourth place in the Western Conference. There is no telling how this will all wash out in the end due to Nashville's injury plagued nature this year. There is hope...time will tell.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
January Wrap Up: Nashville Visits Vancouver Tonight
Tonight the long road series ends for Nashville as they visit Vancouver with a 9:00PM Central Time puck drop. This game will be the first between the two teams this season, and they have split their last four meetings. The Canucks come into this game with the number one spot in the Western Conference with 69 points. The Predators have the fourth spot in the West with 60 points and hope for two points tonight; Anaheim also has 60 points with fifth place.
The Canucks have only won one game in their last five, and that was against Dallas when their offence exploded. The 7-1 win is a solemn reminder that Vancouver is not going to lay down, and they will be a dangerous opponent tonight. For who to watch, Dan Hamhuis was one of the goal scorers against Dallas giving him his fourth of the season. Dan started with Nashville in 2003 and is strong on the defense.
Nashville's Pekka Rinne will start in goal tonight, and is sure to give Vancouver fits. Vancouver works well together while on the power play, so staying out of the box will be key tonight. Many of the other numbers seem so close that they are uninteresting, but the Canucks have a strong offensive and are simply good at what they do. The Predators will have to click tonight to get a positive outcome, and I believe that they are up to it. With a day off yesterday after Monday's loss against Calgary, Nashville should be rested up and ready to go.
The All-Star break begins for Nashville after the game tonight, along with the end of their longest road swing of the season. The Predators return to Bridgestone Arena on February 1st, and if you are planning on attending the February 5th game against Detroit, tickets are going fast so grab some while you can.
The Canucks have only won one game in their last five, and that was against Dallas when their offence exploded. The 7-1 win is a solemn reminder that Vancouver is not going to lay down, and they will be a dangerous opponent tonight. For who to watch, Dan Hamhuis was one of the goal scorers against Dallas giving him his fourth of the season. Dan started with Nashville in 2003 and is strong on the defense.
Nashville's Pekka Rinne will start in goal tonight, and is sure to give Vancouver fits. Vancouver works well together while on the power play, so staying out of the box will be key tonight. Many of the other numbers seem so close that they are uninteresting, but the Canucks have a strong offensive and are simply good at what they do. The Predators will have to click tonight to get a positive outcome, and I believe that they are up to it. With a day off yesterday after Monday's loss against Calgary, Nashville should be rested up and ready to go.
The All-Star break begins for Nashville after the game tonight, along with the end of their longest road swing of the season. The Predators return to Bridgestone Arena on February 1st, and if you are planning on attending the February 5th game against Detroit, tickets are going fast so grab some while you can.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
The Road Trip Winds Down As Nashville Falls To Calgary 3-1
The score last night was 3-1 in Calgary as Nashville played its next to last game on this long road trip. The Predators are now 3-2 on the trip so far. Last night Nashville appeared to be on their heels for most of the game, and it looked as if no one on the team had gotten any sleep after the win in Edmonton on Sunday night. The Flames, however, played an excellent game, worked as a team, tallied twice on the power play, and got the two points last night.
It appeared as if momentum could not get going our way. I do understand that Nashville can't win every game, and if they did it honestly wouldn't be near as much fun to watch. Calgary scored the lone first period goal at 10:14 after a funny bounce from Curtis Glencross that Pekka Rinne could not do anything about. Shea Weber dove into the net to attempt a save, but the puck crossed the line. In the first period, the pressure from Calgary was impressive. Even when the Flames were a man down, it appeared as if Nashville could never get a man into position.
In the second period the Predators had hope when David Legwand wristed one past Mikka Kiprusoff at 10:32. The Flames refused to go away however, and made it 2-1 at 13:01 with Jarome Iginla's power play goal.
Even though Nashville did not score in the third, I thought it was by far the team's best period. Nashville came to life on the power play and pressured well, but were not able to get it done. I was most impressed with Marcel Goc; his ability to dig the puck out of the corner is impressive and he had 14:39 of even strength ice time last night. Even though I thought Nashville was finally in the game, Calgary made it 3-1 on the power play with a goal from Brendan Morrison in tic tac toe style at 14:18.
Nashville did pull Pekka Rinne last night, but time ran out before the extra attacker could give the Predators a chance. JP Dumont did not play last night after he was hit with a stick in the neck in Edmonton. Dumont's penalty killing abilities were missed last night. Nashville visits Vancouver on Wednesday to wrap up their road trip. They return to Nashville on February 1 after the All-Star break.
It appeared as if momentum could not get going our way. I do understand that Nashville can't win every game, and if they did it honestly wouldn't be near as much fun to watch. Calgary scored the lone first period goal at 10:14 after a funny bounce from Curtis Glencross that Pekka Rinne could not do anything about. Shea Weber dove into the net to attempt a save, but the puck crossed the line. In the first period, the pressure from Calgary was impressive. Even when the Flames were a man down, it appeared as if Nashville could never get a man into position.
In the second period the Predators had hope when David Legwand wristed one past Mikka Kiprusoff at 10:32. The Flames refused to go away however, and made it 2-1 at 13:01 with Jarome Iginla's power play goal.
Even though Nashville did not score in the third, I thought it was by far the team's best period. Nashville came to life on the power play and pressured well, but were not able to get it done. I was most impressed with Marcel Goc; his ability to dig the puck out of the corner is impressive and he had 14:39 of even strength ice time last night. Even though I thought Nashville was finally in the game, Calgary made it 3-1 on the power play with a goal from Brendan Morrison in tic tac toe style at 14:18.
Nashville did pull Pekka Rinne last night, but time ran out before the extra attacker could give the Predators a chance. JP Dumont did not play last night after he was hit with a stick in the neck in Edmonton. Dumont's penalty killing abilities were missed last night. Nashville visits Vancouver on Wednesday to wrap up their road trip. They return to Nashville on February 1 after the All-Star break.
Monday, January 24, 2011
"Spit It Out Already" And Here It Is!
The first person to leave their email address in the comment section will indeed win:
This item could arrive in your mailbox! Just be the first person to put your email address in the comment box, and you win! Now how cool is that! More contests will be coming up, so if you aren't fast enough for this one, keep checking back!
Around The League: The Week For Phoenix
I enjoy watching hockey, and I do realize that there is more than one team in the NHL. I like to keep up with what other teams are doing, and maybe you will enjoy knowing what is going on with some of the others Around The League (in a creepy echoing voice).
For the week coming up, Phoenix seems to have it easy before the weekend All Star break. They will play on Tuesday against Edmonton in Phoenix, and then Wednesday they will make the short trip to Denver to take on the Avalanche. The Coyotes are coming off a 4-3 loss against LA, and hope to make up some points this week.
Phoenix starts this week with 57 points at 24-16-9 and hope for home ice advantage again this year in the playoffs. The Coyotes have beaten the Oilers twice so far this season with nine goals for and three against for the two games. Edmonton will come to Phoenix after a shootout loss to Nashville on Sunday, and have 36 points for the season. Phoenix won the January 6th contest against Colorado by a score of 2-0, and will play them three more times this season including Wednesday's game. The Avalanche are only two points away from a playoff spot with 54 points and have home advantage for this week's game.
Phoenix tallied on the power play in both of the home-and-day off-and-home games against LA. Ilya Bryzgalov is always impressive with a .917 save percentage for the season and Shane Doan's shot is sure to entertain. My favorite player for the Coyotes, Vernon Fiddler, is an unknown (to me) for the week. On January 15th against the Ducks, Fiddler left early in the third period with an upper body injury after he fought with Matt Beleskey. I look forward to him returning to the lineup and I'm sure that the former Predators can't wait to get back in the game.
The All Star break is coming up this weekend, and afterwards the schedules get busy once again. Until then, there are four points on the line for Phoenix this week, and the streaky team needs them all.
For the week coming up, Phoenix seems to have it easy before the weekend All Star break. They will play on Tuesday against Edmonton in Phoenix, and then Wednesday they will make the short trip to Denver to take on the Avalanche. The Coyotes are coming off a 4-3 loss against LA, and hope to make up some points this week.
Phoenix starts this week with 57 points at 24-16-9 and hope for home ice advantage again this year in the playoffs. The Coyotes have beaten the Oilers twice so far this season with nine goals for and three against for the two games. Edmonton will come to Phoenix after a shootout loss to Nashville on Sunday, and have 36 points for the season. Phoenix won the January 6th contest against Colorado by a score of 2-0, and will play them three more times this season including Wednesday's game. The Avalanche are only two points away from a playoff spot with 54 points and have home advantage for this week's game.
Phoenix tallied on the power play in both of the home-and-day off-and-home games against LA. Ilya Bryzgalov is always impressive with a .917 save percentage for the season and Shane Doan's shot is sure to entertain. My favorite player for the Coyotes, Vernon Fiddler, is an unknown (to me) for the week. On January 15th against the Ducks, Fiddler left early in the third period with an upper body injury after he fought with Matt Beleskey. I look forward to him returning to the lineup and I'm sure that the former Predators can't wait to get back in the game.
The All Star break is coming up this weekend, and afterwards the schedules get busy once again. Until then, there are four points on the line for Phoenix this week, and the streaky team needs them all.
Predators Win in Edmonton, and Visit Calgary TONIGHT!
The Predators won in Edmonton last night in a 3-2 shootout decision, and they visit Calgary tonight to take on the Flames for the second time this season. Last night's game was won in a strange style. The Predators used some unusual goal scorers to get it done, and goal tender Pekka Rinne was able to call upon a higher power to keep Edmonton at two goals during regulation. The Predators play again tonight after a short trip South to Calgary, and after the learning experience they got last night, I say they are ready once again.
Last night, Alexander Sulzer scored his first ever NHL goal to put the Predators up 1-0 in the first period, and Joel Ward scored his sixth goal of the season to break a 1-1 tie in the third period. Andrew Cogliano and Taylor Hall scored for Edmonton to put the game into overtime, and then a shootout. Pekka Rinne called on The Force last night when one save was made; only, he didn't save anything. Pekka had lost his stick, and could not find it. It happened to be on the goal line, and when Shawn Horcoff backhanded one towards the net, the unattended stick saved the day. Luck? Chance? Ancient religious powers created by George Lucas? Either way, the puck did not cross the line and the Predators were very fortunate. Dirk Hoag, of www.ontheforecheck.com, said last night that it was the perfect game. In an abbreviation, he said that the Predators came away with two points, and have a great deal of material to work on in the locker room. Cody Franson scored in the shootout to put the Predators up 3-2.
Tonight, the Predators take to the ice again against the Calgary Flames, and I suspect that Anders Lindback will be in goal. The Predators come into this game with 60 points with a record of 27-15-6. Calgary stands at 15th place in the Western Conference with 50 points and a record of 22-21-6. While Nashville is in 4th place in the West, and Calgary is in 15th, the Flames are not out of the running and look for their third straight win tonight. There is only five points between Calgary and San Jose, and if any team can get back in, the Flames are up to it.
For Nashville, I predict that Matt Halischuk will be back in the lineup tonight in place of Wade Belak and he will be ready to play. Also, Martin Erat will be on the ice tonight, and he has three points in his last four games. The Predators have showed that teamwork is the name of the game, and that aspect can beat the Flames tonight.
Calgary has a team that refuses to give up, and they work very hard. Jarome Ignla leads his team well, and has 20 goals for the season. The forward has marks on the score sheet in three of his last five games, get lots of ice time, and has known the drill in Calgary since 1996. Also Tim Jackman will be interesting tonight. He has three points in his last five games, but only gets between seven and twelve minutes of ice time each night. He is a hard hitter, a physical player, and is able to swing momentum at a moment's notice. This is the North Dakota native's first year with the Flames, and he is making his presence known.
Nashville has had a busy road schedule, and they did play last night. Calgary played on Saturday, but should be rested up for tonight's contest. The Scotiabank Saddledome is sure to be loud tonight. The arena is one of the oldest in the NHL, but it appears as if their fans seem to like it just fine. Last Monday, they packed 21,273 in the building; it is only listed to seat 19,289. One game at a time; tonight's contest starts at 8:30PM Central Time, and you can catch it on FS-TN.
Last night, Alexander Sulzer scored his first ever NHL goal to put the Predators up 1-0 in the first period, and Joel Ward scored his sixth goal of the season to break a 1-1 tie in the third period. Andrew Cogliano and Taylor Hall scored for Edmonton to put the game into overtime, and then a shootout. Pekka Rinne called on The Force last night when one save was made; only, he didn't save anything. Pekka had lost his stick, and could not find it. It happened to be on the goal line, and when Shawn Horcoff backhanded one towards the net, the unattended stick saved the day. Luck? Chance? Ancient religious powers created by George Lucas? Either way, the puck did not cross the line and the Predators were very fortunate. Dirk Hoag, of www.ontheforecheck.com, said last night that it was the perfect game. In an abbreviation, he said that the Predators came away with two points, and have a great deal of material to work on in the locker room. Cody Franson scored in the shootout to put the Predators up 3-2.
Tonight, the Predators take to the ice again against the Calgary Flames, and I suspect that Anders Lindback will be in goal. The Predators come into this game with 60 points with a record of 27-15-6. Calgary stands at 15th place in the Western Conference with 50 points and a record of 22-21-6. While Nashville is in 4th place in the West, and Calgary is in 15th, the Flames are not out of the running and look for their third straight win tonight. There is only five points between Calgary and San Jose, and if any team can get back in, the Flames are up to it.
For Nashville, I predict that Matt Halischuk will be back in the lineup tonight in place of Wade Belak and he will be ready to play. Also, Martin Erat will be on the ice tonight, and he has three points in his last four games. The Predators have showed that teamwork is the name of the game, and that aspect can beat the Flames tonight.
Calgary has a team that refuses to give up, and they work very hard. Jarome Ignla leads his team well, and has 20 goals for the season. The forward has marks on the score sheet in three of his last five games, get lots of ice time, and has known the drill in Calgary since 1996. Also Tim Jackman will be interesting tonight. He has three points in his last five games, but only gets between seven and twelve minutes of ice time each night. He is a hard hitter, a physical player, and is able to swing momentum at a moment's notice. This is the North Dakota native's first year with the Flames, and he is making his presence known.
Nashville has had a busy road schedule, and they did play last night. Calgary played on Saturday, but should be rested up for tonight's contest. The Scotiabank Saddledome is sure to be loud tonight. The arena is one of the oldest in the NHL, but it appears as if their fans seem to like it just fine. Last Monday, they packed 21,273 in the building; it is only listed to seat 19,289. One game at a time; tonight's contest starts at 8:30PM Central Time, and you can catch it on FS-TN.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Predators Look For 60th Point Tonight Against Edmonton
Tonight, the Nashville Predators take on the Edmonton Oilers in Alberta, Canada. You can catch the game on FS-TN tonight at 7:00PM Central Time, or you could attend the game in person. How you ask? I've done the research, and if you hurry AND have the money, you could be close to the action tonight. Edmonton fans look for a little hope from their team, and the Preds look for two more points tonight in the first game between the two.
How do you get to Edmonton? First of all I do understand that it is early, but put some clothes on, grab a Preds jersey, get your cell phone and a charger, GET YOUR PASSPORT, and go get in your car. Don't keep reading...do it now. Now that you are in your vehicle and have the blog on your trusty cell phone, back out of the drive, and go to Atlanta. While on your way, make a call to Air Canada and request flights 8620 and 127 for today, and flights 158 and 8619 for tomorrow. Also, call Ticketmaster and/or the Oilers directly, and get a ticket for the game. When in Atlanta, steer your vehicle towards the airport, park your car, and take the little bus to the terminal. Flight 8620 will depart Atlanta at 11:20AM, so make sure you get there in time to get through security. Since you don't have any luggage, it shouldn't be that bad. Next, fly to Toronto, then on to Edmonton. Once you get to Edmonton, take a taxi to the Rexall Place, and enjoy. After the game, take a taxi directly to the airport, board your flight at 12:10AM, and head back home.
Who is actually thinking about it besides me? Anyone? Oh the cost...$1443.00 for the flight, about $50 for the game ticket, $100 for food and drinks, and about $100 for transportation. ROAD TRIP!
While at the game, I will be watching Pekka Rinne who will start in goal for Nashville. This guy has been a brick wall lately, and performs majestically to say the least. For the offense, goals and points have been coming from all over the team. With that said, I'm going to stick with Sergei Kostitsyn who is super hot.
Edmonton has opted out of today's morning skate, and Nashville had a large turnout yesterday for their practice that was open to the public. Yesterday, the Oilers had a skills competition at the Rexall Place that drew a crowd of over 12,000. For the Oilers, Ryan Whitney plays defense well, and has 27 points this season. He appears to realize that the set up works, and has two goals in his last five games. The 6'3" Boston native can be dangerous on both ends of the ice, and will be a pleasure to watch.
Even though Edmonton has went 1-6 in their last seven games, the Predators do not have time to relax. Tonight's game is projected to be a sellout, and Nashville will have their work cut out for them. Will you be among a sellout crowd in Alberta tonight? Either way, it is hockey night...can it get any better?
How do you get to Edmonton? First of all I do understand that it is early, but put some clothes on, grab a Preds jersey, get your cell phone and a charger, GET YOUR PASSPORT, and go get in your car. Don't keep reading...do it now. Now that you are in your vehicle and have the blog on your trusty cell phone, back out of the drive, and go to Atlanta. While on your way, make a call to Air Canada and request flights 8620 and 127 for today, and flights 158 and 8619 for tomorrow. Also, call Ticketmaster and/or the Oilers directly, and get a ticket for the game. When in Atlanta, steer your vehicle towards the airport, park your car, and take the little bus to the terminal. Flight 8620 will depart Atlanta at 11:20AM, so make sure you get there in time to get through security. Since you don't have any luggage, it shouldn't be that bad. Next, fly to Toronto, then on to Edmonton. Once you get to Edmonton, take a taxi to the Rexall Place, and enjoy. After the game, take a taxi directly to the airport, board your flight at 12:10AM, and head back home.
Who is actually thinking about it besides me? Anyone? Oh the cost...$1443.00 for the flight, about $50 for the game ticket, $100 for food and drinks, and about $100 for transportation. ROAD TRIP!
While at the game, I will be watching Pekka Rinne who will start in goal for Nashville. This guy has been a brick wall lately, and performs majestically to say the least. For the offense, goals and points have been coming from all over the team. With that said, I'm going to stick with Sergei Kostitsyn who is super hot.
Edmonton has opted out of today's morning skate, and Nashville had a large turnout yesterday for their practice that was open to the public. Yesterday, the Oilers had a skills competition at the Rexall Place that drew a crowd of over 12,000. For the Oilers, Ryan Whitney plays defense well, and has 27 points this season. He appears to realize that the set up works, and has two goals in his last five games. The 6'3" Boston native can be dangerous on both ends of the ice, and will be a pleasure to watch.
Even though Edmonton has went 1-6 in their last seven games, the Predators do not have time to relax. Tonight's game is projected to be a sellout, and Nashville will have their work cut out for them. Will you be among a sellout crowd in Alberta tonight? Either way, it is hockey night...can it get any better?
Friday, January 21, 2011
Momentum Key in 5-1 Win Against Colorado
Thursday night the Nashville Predators' offense went to work, and they beat the Colorado Avalanche 5-1. With the win, Nashville stays in fourth place in the Western Conference and gets two points for a total of 58. Colorado stayed at 54 points and has eighth place in the West. Third periods seem to be exciting for Nashville as of late, and last night was no exception. Last night's game was also the second game in a row that the Predators have scored five times.
In the first period, Nashville opened up the scoring at just 03:15 when Sergi Kostitsyn beat goal tender Craig Anderson with a wrist shot. Cody Franson made it 2-0 with his sixth goal of the season at 16:37, and the period ended with Nashville having a bit of a cushion. Although there were many chances for both teams in the first, there was only a total of 17 shots on goal between the teams.
In the second, the numbers suggest that it was a rather dull period. In reality Colorado was building momentum, and had a great chance from Matt Duchene's shot that produced a rebound. Ryan Stoa found the rebound in front and tapped it toward the net. The call on the ice was no goal, and play continued. Play on the ice was stopped however for a review, and for some reason, Nashville got a break, and Colorado lost its momentum. Hoards of people on Twitter, all of the Colorado fans, and the Avalanche coaching staff thought that they had scored. The disappointment was devastating to Colorado.
In the third period, Nashville lit the lamp three times, and Colorado was able to squash Pekka Rinne's shout out bid. With his first goal of the season, Matt Halischuk scored his second NHL goal at 02:05, and he set the pace. Matt is going to fun to watch in the years to come, and I really hope that he is able to stay with Nashville. At 04:22 David Legwand got on the board to put the Predators up 4-0, and at 09:27 Colin Wilson got his twelfth goal of the season to make it 5-0. Matt Duchene lit the lamp for Colorado at 16:23, and the game ended with a 5-1 score.
Nashville's next game is in Edmonton, Alberta against the Oilers on Sunday night. With a couple of days off, they will have the opportunity to rest up, but may also get passed in the standings. Phoenix is only one point behind Nashville, and they will play LA on Saturday. Even though I am fond of the Coyotes, LA may be able to help Nashville out. For Friday night, the only game that affects Nashville will be Dallas at Calgary. Hopefully Calgary will get win in regulation. For Saturday, Boston visits Colorado and Anaheim visits Montreal for two East/West games. Nashville fans will pull for the East teams here to keep points out of the West. The other games scheduled for Friday and Saturday either don't affect us, or will simply continue to put pressure on the log jam in the West. On Sunday Nashville and Edmonton face off at 7:00PM, and the game will be broadcasted on FS-TN.
In the first period, Nashville opened up the scoring at just 03:15 when Sergi Kostitsyn beat goal tender Craig Anderson with a wrist shot. Cody Franson made it 2-0 with his sixth goal of the season at 16:37, and the period ended with Nashville having a bit of a cushion. Although there were many chances for both teams in the first, there was only a total of 17 shots on goal between the teams.
In the second, the numbers suggest that it was a rather dull period. In reality Colorado was building momentum, and had a great chance from Matt Duchene's shot that produced a rebound. Ryan Stoa found the rebound in front and tapped it toward the net. The call on the ice was no goal, and play continued. Play on the ice was stopped however for a review, and for some reason, Nashville got a break, and Colorado lost its momentum. Hoards of people on Twitter, all of the Colorado fans, and the Avalanche coaching staff thought that they had scored. The disappointment was devastating to Colorado.
In the third period, Nashville lit the lamp three times, and Colorado was able to squash Pekka Rinne's shout out bid. With his first goal of the season, Matt Halischuk scored his second NHL goal at 02:05, and he set the pace. Matt is going to fun to watch in the years to come, and I really hope that he is able to stay with Nashville. At 04:22 David Legwand got on the board to put the Predators up 4-0, and at 09:27 Colin Wilson got his twelfth goal of the season to make it 5-0. Matt Duchene lit the lamp for Colorado at 16:23, and the game ended with a 5-1 score.
Nashville's next game is in Edmonton, Alberta against the Oilers on Sunday night. With a couple of days off, they will have the opportunity to rest up, but may also get passed in the standings. Phoenix is only one point behind Nashville, and they will play LA on Saturday. Even though I am fond of the Coyotes, LA may be able to help Nashville out. For Friday night, the only game that affects Nashville will be Dallas at Calgary. Hopefully Calgary will get win in regulation. For Saturday, Boston visits Colorado and Anaheim visits Montreal for two East/West games. Nashville fans will pull for the East teams here to keep points out of the West. The other games scheduled for Friday and Saturday either don't affect us, or will simply continue to put pressure on the log jam in the West. On Sunday Nashville and Edmonton face off at 7:00PM, and the game will be broadcasted on FS-TN.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Trade Deadline Pre Preview and Nashville At Colorado Tonight
Tonight Nashville visits Denver Colorado for the first of four meetings this season. The Predators, the Avalanche, and several other teams in the Western Conference are very evenly matched, which is the cause of the impervious log jam that everyone has been watching in the standings for weeks. Nashville has a record of 25-15-6 with 56 points, and Colorado has 54 points at 24-16-6.
Nashville has several things going for them in tonight's game. Pekka Rinne keeps getting hotter, and he is a sure bet for the start in goal against Colorado. Avalanche Center and headliner Matt Duchene is in a bit of a slump with only three points in his last five games. Goal tenders Peter Budaj and Craig Anderson have been far from perfect for Colorado and hopefully Nashville can cash in on their unpredictable nature.
The status of Francis Bouillon and Marek Svatos is unknown for Nashville. Bouillon missed Tuesday's game against Phoenix with an upper body injury, and Svatos is listed as day to day. For the Avalanche, Ryan O'Reilly will be out. Tonight's game will start at 8:00PM, and you can catch it on FS-TN.
On another note, the trade deadline is only 39 days away, and it is one of my favorite times of the year. I cannot make predictions on what Nashville will do; I'm by no means in deep enough to know what is going to happen, nor have I talked to anyone who does actually know. I will pass on what information I have, and as always this information is subject to change at a moment's notice. These possibilities are what they are, and I just enjoy dreaming of what might happen.
Nashville's Salary Cap is exactly $59,400,000, and the team has room to play. Currently the Predators are spending $50,531,855, they have $8,868,145 in cap space, and they can take a max cap hit of $20,618,437. What does all this mean? Nashville can spend, in salaries, a total of $59,400,000. With the confusing nature of trades, draft picks, and contract term lengths, the actual amount that Nashville will be able to spend can never be determined by me. The numbers do mean that Nashville can, if they so desire, pick up some people before the deadline.
To over simplify the situation, I offer this explanation. A team that is more than likely NOT going to make the playoffs at the trade deadline may elect to trade one or more of their high priced players. If a team is slumping through an off year, they can save some money by dumping high priced contracts, and gain draft picks for the following year(s). A team that is going to make the playoffs, or a team that is in the running may elect to spend money to give them an advantage.
My Pre Preview to the Trade Deadline would not be complete without an example, and I'm sure your going to like this one. The New Jersey Devils are at the bottom of the league with 29 points, and a record of 13-29-3. They are spending $65,002,142, and need to dump a large portion of their payroll. New Jersey may want to trade someone...like...Jason Arnott to free up a $4,500,000 salary. Now, I do understand that Arnott has a no trade clause in his contract, but rumor is that he is willing to wave that.
The deal is - Nashville can spend, but I have no idea whether they will want to or not. Fans also have to take into account that the Predators have players listed on Injured Reserve. If Steve Sullivan and/or Matthew Lombardi pop back into the lineup, the management has to re figure everything.
In the end, don't worry about it, enjoy watching the trades, catch the game tonight, and I'll see you at the Bridge on February 1.
Nashville has several things going for them in tonight's game. Pekka Rinne keeps getting hotter, and he is a sure bet for the start in goal against Colorado. Avalanche Center and headliner Matt Duchene is in a bit of a slump with only three points in his last five games. Goal tenders Peter Budaj and Craig Anderson have been far from perfect for Colorado and hopefully Nashville can cash in on their unpredictable nature.
The status of Francis Bouillon and Marek Svatos is unknown for Nashville. Bouillon missed Tuesday's game against Phoenix with an upper body injury, and Svatos is listed as day to day. For the Avalanche, Ryan O'Reilly will be out. Tonight's game will start at 8:00PM, and you can catch it on FS-TN.
On another note, the trade deadline is only 39 days away, and it is one of my favorite times of the year. I cannot make predictions on what Nashville will do; I'm by no means in deep enough to know what is going to happen, nor have I talked to anyone who does actually know. I will pass on what information I have, and as always this information is subject to change at a moment's notice. These possibilities are what they are, and I just enjoy dreaming of what might happen.
Nashville's Salary Cap is exactly $59,400,000, and the team has room to play. Currently the Predators are spending $50,531,855, they have $8,868,145 in cap space, and they can take a max cap hit of $20,618,437. What does all this mean? Nashville can spend, in salaries, a total of $59,400,000. With the confusing nature of trades, draft picks, and contract term lengths, the actual amount that Nashville will be able to spend can never be determined by me. The numbers do mean that Nashville can, if they so desire, pick up some people before the deadline.
To over simplify the situation, I offer this explanation. A team that is more than likely NOT going to make the playoffs at the trade deadline may elect to trade one or more of their high priced players. If a team is slumping through an off year, they can save some money by dumping high priced contracts, and gain draft picks for the following year(s). A team that is going to make the playoffs, or a team that is in the running may elect to spend money to give them an advantage.
My Pre Preview to the Trade Deadline would not be complete without an example, and I'm sure your going to like this one. The New Jersey Devils are at the bottom of the league with 29 points, and a record of 13-29-3. They are spending $65,002,142, and need to dump a large portion of their payroll. New Jersey may want to trade someone...like...Jason Arnott to free up a $4,500,000 salary. Now, I do understand that Arnott has a no trade clause in his contract, but rumor is that he is willing to wave that.
The deal is - Nashville can spend, but I have no idea whether they will want to or not. Fans also have to take into account that the Predators have players listed on Injured Reserve. If Steve Sullivan and/or Matthew Lombardi pop back into the lineup, the management has to re figure everything.
In the end, don't worry about it, enjoy watching the trades, catch the game tonight, and I'll see you at the Bridge on February 1.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Nashville's New Face: Matt Halischuk
Matt Halischuk has only played two games for Nashville, and has already racked up two assists, and earned second star honors against Phoenix on Tuesday night. Where did he come from, and how did he get to Nashville? That is what we are going to find out.
Halischuk was drafted 117th overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils; he was their fourth pick. Before he was drafted, Matt played for the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League. While the team is primarily unknown to most people, from 1947-1960 the team was known as the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters. Supposedly the Mad Hatters fans started the tradition of throwing hats to the ice and coined the Hat Trick phrase. While playing with the Rangers, he scored 46 goals in 107 games, had 125 total points, and served 36 penalty minutes.
Halischuk played his first game on the NHL level on 10-29-2008 with the New Jersey Devils and was traded to Nashville over the summer of 2010 along with a second round draft pick for Jason Arnott. At the start of the 2010-2011 season, Matt reported to Milwaukee and went to work. He has played 29 games there this season, and has posted nine goals and seven assists. On January 16, 2011 Halischuk was recalled from Milwaukee, and made his debut with the Predators on the same day against Chicago.
When Matt was recalled from Milwaukee Nashville took a cap hit of $399,866, and Halischuk is reported to make $875,000 plus a maximum of $262,500 in bonus money on the NHL level for the 2010-2011 season. Unless his contract is extended, Matt will become a restricted free agent after this season.
The road to Nashville has been a twisting one, but I'm glad that Matt is able to come help us out. I'm always excited to see new people on the ice, and I hope he stays with the Predators long enough for Nashville's fans to see him in person. The Predators return home on February 1 to take on Calgary.
Halischuk was drafted 117th overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils; he was their fourth pick. Before he was drafted, Matt played for the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League. While the team is primarily unknown to most people, from 1947-1960 the team was known as the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters. Supposedly the Mad Hatters fans started the tradition of throwing hats to the ice and coined the Hat Trick phrase. While playing with the Rangers, he scored 46 goals in 107 games, had 125 total points, and served 36 penalty minutes.
Halischuk played his first game on the NHL level on 10-29-2008 with the New Jersey Devils and was traded to Nashville over the summer of 2010 along with a second round draft pick for Jason Arnott. At the start of the 2010-2011 season, Matt reported to Milwaukee and went to work. He has played 29 games there this season, and has posted nine goals and seven assists. On January 16, 2011 Halischuk was recalled from Milwaukee, and made his debut with the Predators on the same day against Chicago.
When Matt was recalled from Milwaukee Nashville took a cap hit of $399,866, and Halischuk is reported to make $875,000 plus a maximum of $262,500 in bonus money on the NHL level for the 2010-2011 season. Unless his contract is extended, Matt will become a restricted free agent after this season.
The road to Nashville has been a twisting one, but I'm glad that Matt is able to come help us out. I'm always excited to see new people on the ice, and I hope he stays with the Predators long enough for Nashville's fans to see him in person. The Predators return home on February 1 to take on Calgary.
Nashville's Winning Streak Starts Again And Phoenix Fails To Stop JP
JP Dumont had three goals last night to give Nashville its first hat trick of the season, and the Coyotes fell to the Predators 5-2. This game was a strange one to say the least, and I believe that inconsistent nature of both teams made this game what it was. In front of 8,326 at Jobing.com Arena, Patric Hornqvist also demonstrated his capabilities with two goals for Nashville, and Matt Halischuk came away with two assists.
The first period was by far the strangest. JP Dumont scored at 08:16 to put the Predators up 1-0. While I was listening to the radio broadcast in my car, feeling very content for the moment, the PA announcer in Phoenix was announcing the goal. All of a sudden, Tom Callahan sounded like he was being attacked by the Coyotes mascot. I heard a loud unrecognizable utterance, and then "They Scored!". Patric Hornqvist had put one in the net at 08:28, just twelve seconds after JP's goal. While Nashville was up 2-0, Phoenix was not about to lay down. The Coyotes called their time out, and came back ready to play. After Alexander Sulzer was called for hooking, Radim Vrbata was able to trick the Nashville defense to make the score 2-1 at 10:31. At 14:01, Lee Stempniak was able to tie the game with his eleventh goal of the season, and the period ended at 2-2.
I'm going to officially change my mind, and call the second period of play the strangest of them all. JP Dumont came out of the intermission determined to beat the bad press he has gotten lately. He scored at 11:25 and 17:35 to give him his first hat trick in over nine years. Why so strange? Dumont's three goals tonight were his seventh, eighth, and ninth for the season. If he had 25 goals I would not be so impressed, but something or someone has ignited a fire under this man, and I'm glad he is playing for us.
For the third period, Patric Hornqvist scored his second goal of the night at 14:29 to give him 15 for the season. Steam rolled out of Ilya Bryzgalov's mask because the goal wasn't his fault. The Coyotes defense let Hornqvist have too much time, and the shot was perfectly placed. The game ended with Nashville over Phoenix 5-2. Hands went up.
I believe that Ilya Bryzgalov, who started in goal for Phoenix, had a really bad night last night. He made mistakes, and the defense did as well, but I personally believe he is due a little more credit than what has been given. The Coyotes defense could have saved him on at least two goals first of all. Second, Nashville's shot total seemed to be incredibly low. I am in no way saying that Nashville usually has more shots on goal in a game; trust me they do not. I'm saying that some of Nashville's shots that went under the "blocked" column should have went under the "shots on goal" column. I, however, do not make those calls, but hopefully the league will change the way that statistic is tallied in the future. Even though shots on goal has been a gripe of mine for over two years, Bryzgalov ended up with a grueling 0.762 save percentage for the evening, stopping 16 of 21.
Off of the statstic topic, Nashville travels to Denver and Phoenix travels to LA. Both play on Thursday night, both look for two more points, and Nashville prays for the month to end as they stare into four more games on the road before returning home on Feburary 1 to host Calgary.
The first period was by far the strangest. JP Dumont scored at 08:16 to put the Predators up 1-0. While I was listening to the radio broadcast in my car, feeling very content for the moment, the PA announcer in Phoenix was announcing the goal. All of a sudden, Tom Callahan sounded like he was being attacked by the Coyotes mascot. I heard a loud unrecognizable utterance, and then "They Scored!". Patric Hornqvist had put one in the net at 08:28, just twelve seconds after JP's goal. While Nashville was up 2-0, Phoenix was not about to lay down. The Coyotes called their time out, and came back ready to play. After Alexander Sulzer was called for hooking, Radim Vrbata was able to trick the Nashville defense to make the score 2-1 at 10:31. At 14:01, Lee Stempniak was able to tie the game with his eleventh goal of the season, and the period ended at 2-2.
I'm going to officially change my mind, and call the second period of play the strangest of them all. JP Dumont came out of the intermission determined to beat the bad press he has gotten lately. He scored at 11:25 and 17:35 to give him his first hat trick in over nine years. Why so strange? Dumont's three goals tonight were his seventh, eighth, and ninth for the season. If he had 25 goals I would not be so impressed, but something or someone has ignited a fire under this man, and I'm glad he is playing for us.
For the third period, Patric Hornqvist scored his second goal of the night at 14:29 to give him 15 for the season. Steam rolled out of Ilya Bryzgalov's mask because the goal wasn't his fault. The Coyotes defense let Hornqvist have too much time, and the shot was perfectly placed. The game ended with Nashville over Phoenix 5-2. Hands went up.
I believe that Ilya Bryzgalov, who started in goal for Phoenix, had a really bad night last night. He made mistakes, and the defense did as well, but I personally believe he is due a little more credit than what has been given. The Coyotes defense could have saved him on at least two goals first of all. Second, Nashville's shot total seemed to be incredibly low. I am in no way saying that Nashville usually has more shots on goal in a game; trust me they do not. I'm saying that some of Nashville's shots that went under the "blocked" column should have went under the "shots on goal" column. I, however, do not make those calls, but hopefully the league will change the way that statistic is tallied in the future. Even though shots on goal has been a gripe of mine for over two years, Bryzgalov ended up with a grueling 0.762 save percentage for the evening, stopping 16 of 21.
Off of the statstic topic, Nashville travels to Denver and Phoenix travels to LA. Both play on Thursday night, both look for two more points, and Nashville prays for the month to end as they stare into four more games on the road before returning home on Feburary 1 to host Calgary.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Predators Visit Beautiful Glendale Arizona
Tonight the Nashville Predators will visit Glendale, Arizona to take on the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena. The teams have split a pair of games so far this season, with the home team taking each contest. I had the pleasure of visiting Phoenix to take in a game last Spring. Due to the struggle the Yotes have had with attendance, and the recent sale of the team, many fans have made it their personal agenda to turn things around. The game I attended last Spring happened to be sold out, and even though I cheered for Nashville, I was happy to see that the Yotes were doing well.
Through my travels, I met a young lady that impressed me greatly. Heather McWhorter, President, Coyotes Coalition, is a college student from Georgia that happens to live in Arizona, and is also the biggest Coyotes fan on earth. I have never met her in person, and only briefly communicated with her through email and facebook, but I was immediately impressed. I quickly found that even though the Yotes were down and out, there were fans that refused to just let their team move to another city. I gladly stake what little reputation I have on the fact that Heather McWhorter has done more for the Phoenix Coyotes than any other fan has done for a single team in the history of sports. From organizing fans to work events, to putting butts in seats, to getting crowds of people to go to city counsel meetings...she has done it all.
Anyway, numerous articles, blogs, and commentaries have been published about the Coyotes and their troubles. For the most part, those troubles are in the past, and we are in the present. Tonight's game will be exciting, and I wish I could be in Phoenix to see it. It is my opinion that the Phoenix team can hold their own, and so can their fan base.
Nashville comes into the contest at 24-15-6, and they come off a loss against Chicago on Sunday. Phoenix comes in at 23-14-9, and they also enter the game after a loss last night against San Jose. These teams are very evenly matched when going by the numbers. The slight difference that I see is on the penalty kill, where Nashville has an 85.3% success rate, while the Coyotes are at 78.4%. I really doubt 6.9% will make or break either team.
For Nashville, Pekka Rinne is sure to be in net for tonight's game, and Shane O'Brien will be back from a two game suspension. Francis Bouillon is unknown for tonight, due to a Sunday night injury. As far as who to watch, there is the obvious Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, and Sergi Kostitsyn. For the not so obvious, the Jerred Smithson line has been producing as of late, and I suspect that they will continue to do so.
For Phoenix, I predict that Ilya Bryzgalov will get the start tonight in net. He did play last night, and while I have not seen the updates this morning, I believe he is the best choice for the Yotes. His lowest save percentage in his last five games is .914, and he is at 2.58 goals against average for the season so far. Bryzgalov can be a brick wall, and the Predators offense will have a hard time getting pucks into the net tonight.
This is the second game of six on the road for Nashville. Tonight will be the last game of a four game home stand for Phoenix, and prior to last night's loss against San Jose, they had won four straight. The game tonight is heavily promoted by the Coyotes with a t-shirt and beer giveaway, so the crowd is more than likely going to be extra rowdy. Both teams are craving points...let's just hope Nashville gets two tonight.
Through my travels, I met a young lady that impressed me greatly. Heather McWhorter, President, Coyotes Coalition, is a college student from Georgia that happens to live in Arizona, and is also the biggest Coyotes fan on earth. I have never met her in person, and only briefly communicated with her through email and facebook, but I was immediately impressed. I quickly found that even though the Yotes were down and out, there were fans that refused to just let their team move to another city. I gladly stake what little reputation I have on the fact that Heather McWhorter has done more for the Phoenix Coyotes than any other fan has done for a single team in the history of sports. From organizing fans to work events, to putting butts in seats, to getting crowds of people to go to city counsel meetings...she has done it all.
Anyway, numerous articles, blogs, and commentaries have been published about the Coyotes and their troubles. For the most part, those troubles are in the past, and we are in the present. Tonight's game will be exciting, and I wish I could be in Phoenix to see it. It is my opinion that the Phoenix team can hold their own, and so can their fan base.
Nashville comes into the contest at 24-15-6, and they come off a loss against Chicago on Sunday. Phoenix comes in at 23-14-9, and they also enter the game after a loss last night against San Jose. These teams are very evenly matched when going by the numbers. The slight difference that I see is on the penalty kill, where Nashville has an 85.3% success rate, while the Coyotes are at 78.4%. I really doubt 6.9% will make or break either team.
For Nashville, Pekka Rinne is sure to be in net for tonight's game, and Shane O'Brien will be back from a two game suspension. Francis Bouillon is unknown for tonight, due to a Sunday night injury. As far as who to watch, there is the obvious Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, and Sergi Kostitsyn. For the not so obvious, the Jerred Smithson line has been producing as of late, and I suspect that they will continue to do so.
For Phoenix, I predict that Ilya Bryzgalov will get the start tonight in net. He did play last night, and while I have not seen the updates this morning, I believe he is the best choice for the Yotes. His lowest save percentage in his last five games is .914, and he is at 2.58 goals against average for the season so far. Bryzgalov can be a brick wall, and the Predators offense will have a hard time getting pucks into the net tonight.
This is the second game of six on the road for Nashville. Tonight will be the last game of a four game home stand for Phoenix, and prior to last night's loss against San Jose, they had won four straight. The game tonight is heavily promoted by the Coyotes with a t-shirt and beer giveaway, so the crowd is more than likely going to be extra rowdy. Both teams are craving points...let's just hope Nashville gets two tonight.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Nashville Splits Home and Home With Chicago
This weekend, the Nashville Predators have been meeting up with the Chicago Blackhawks with a Home and Home. Saturday night, Chicago visited Nashville in a very exciting match up with the Predators winning 3-2 in a shoot out decision. Tonight, Nashville has lost to Chicago 6-3 in another nail biting game that came down to the third period.
On Saturday night, the bandwagon rolled into Nashville as the 2009-2010 Stanley Cup Champions came to town. With about 4,000 Chicago fans in attendance, the sold out Bridgestone Arena was very loud, and the Predators fed from the excitement. The first period seemed to be mediocre for the Predators, and the second period was worse, as Nashville couldn't seem to control the puck at all. With several stolen cross ice passes, Chicago was able to go up 2-0 at the end of the second. The first goal came at 14:59 of the first when Chicago was on the power play. Tomas Kopecky beat Pekka Rinne with a wrist shot, which made all those Chicago fans scream in excitement. At 04:29 of the second, Viktor Stalberg scored his seventh goal of the season, and most of the Chicago fans in the building thought the game was in the bag.
The third period of Saturday's game turned the tides. Nashville came out of the locker room handling well, and executing plays. While it did take almost half the third period for Nashville to get on the board, I knew it would come. The plan was simple; score one goal in the first ten minutes of the period, and one goal in the second. At 09:46, Jerred Smithson finally got Nashville on the board, and the crowd went totally wild. The Chicago fans sat down, and realized that the Predators had not given up. Just after the twelve minutes had past in the third period, Paul turned on the red light to signal a media time out. The Nashville fans gave a standing ovation, cheering on the team that they are so proud of. I felt as if the roof was going to cave in due to the energy in the building. When the light was turned off, the face off came to the left of Corey Crawford, who started in goal for Chicago. The puck traveled in the blink of an eye beautifully from Joel Ward to Ryan Suter to Shea Weber, who drilled a shot past Crawford. The crowd jumped to its feet, more excited than I had seen it all year. The game was tied at the end of regulation, and with no score in the overtime period, it was on to a shoot out. Marcel Goc scored in the shoot out, and Pekka Rinne stopped all three Chicago shooters to give the Predators the win.
After the game on Saturday, both teams almost immediately left the arena, and traveled to Chicago to do it all over again. Tonight's game started out with Nashville's power play, and it was ON FIRE. Don't hear that very much, do ya. Welcome Back Martin Erat! He scored at 02:04 of the first on the power play, to put the Predators up 1-0. Dave Bolland tipped one in at 06:38 to put Chicago on the board, and J-P Dumont scored on the power play again at 14:15 to give the Predators a 2-1 lead at the end of the first period.
In the second period, Tomas Kopecky tied the game at 2-2, and then the third period started. I think the Nashville fans wish that the intermission had never ended. The period looked good at 03:45, as J-P Dumont scored his second goal of the game to put the Predators up 3-2, but by the half way point of the third period, Nashville figured out that Chicago was not going to play around. At 09:19, Troy Brouwer scored a power play goal to tie, and then at 09:59, he scored the game winner. Bryan Bickell added to the tally at 14:08, along with Jonathan Toews at 16:25.
Tonight's game was not a total breakdown, and there were some good things that happened along with the bad. J-P Dumont had two goals in tonight's game, and ended up with a +1 rating. Just the other day, Dumont was listed as the biggest disappointment in Nashville for this season. While his numbers still aren't where they need to be, I was happy to see him perform tonight. Martin Erat scored tonight, which impresses me. Tonight's game is just his second since coming back from being listed on injured reserve. Also, the only other Predator that has a + rating tonight happens to be Matt Halischuk. Matt was recalled from Milwaukee, and I always like to root for the new guy. What went wrong? Our defense, including goal tending, was not where it needed to be tonight. I am usually the first to praise the goaltender, and to blame the defense instead of the net minder when we are getting scored on. Tonight I saw two goals that were totally Anders Lindback's fault, and I feel like I simply need to point it out. By no means am I down on Anders, mad at him, or anything of the nature. I just see one little thing of many that needs to be worked on. And on the defense, Ryan Suter was faked out of his shorts tonight on one of the third period goals. I thought it was pretty funny myself. Nashville simply needs to stay on its game, play THEIR game, and be a little more consistent. And I do realize that has been said time and time again.
It has been a long impressive hockey weekend for me. As I go back to the daily grind tomorrow, the Predators will as well as they travel to Phoenix for a Tuesday night metting. Between now and then, they have a lot to work on.
On Saturday night, the bandwagon rolled into Nashville as the 2009-2010 Stanley Cup Champions came to town. With about 4,000 Chicago fans in attendance, the sold out Bridgestone Arena was very loud, and the Predators fed from the excitement. The first period seemed to be mediocre for the Predators, and the second period was worse, as Nashville couldn't seem to control the puck at all. With several stolen cross ice passes, Chicago was able to go up 2-0 at the end of the second. The first goal came at 14:59 of the first when Chicago was on the power play. Tomas Kopecky beat Pekka Rinne with a wrist shot, which made all those Chicago fans scream in excitement. At 04:29 of the second, Viktor Stalberg scored his seventh goal of the season, and most of the Chicago fans in the building thought the game was in the bag.
The third period of Saturday's game turned the tides. Nashville came out of the locker room handling well, and executing plays. While it did take almost half the third period for Nashville to get on the board, I knew it would come. The plan was simple; score one goal in the first ten minutes of the period, and one goal in the second. At 09:46, Jerred Smithson finally got Nashville on the board, and the crowd went totally wild. The Chicago fans sat down, and realized that the Predators had not given up. Just after the twelve minutes had past in the third period, Paul turned on the red light to signal a media time out. The Nashville fans gave a standing ovation, cheering on the team that they are so proud of. I felt as if the roof was going to cave in due to the energy in the building. When the light was turned off, the face off came to the left of Corey Crawford, who started in goal for Chicago. The puck traveled in the blink of an eye beautifully from Joel Ward to Ryan Suter to Shea Weber, who drilled a shot past Crawford. The crowd jumped to its feet, more excited than I had seen it all year. The game was tied at the end of regulation, and with no score in the overtime period, it was on to a shoot out. Marcel Goc scored in the shoot out, and Pekka Rinne stopped all three Chicago shooters to give the Predators the win.
After the game on Saturday, both teams almost immediately left the arena, and traveled to Chicago to do it all over again. Tonight's game started out with Nashville's power play, and it was ON FIRE. Don't hear that very much, do ya. Welcome Back Martin Erat! He scored at 02:04 of the first on the power play, to put the Predators up 1-0. Dave Bolland tipped one in at 06:38 to put Chicago on the board, and J-P Dumont scored on the power play again at 14:15 to give the Predators a 2-1 lead at the end of the first period.
In the second period, Tomas Kopecky tied the game at 2-2, and then the third period started. I think the Nashville fans wish that the intermission had never ended. The period looked good at 03:45, as J-P Dumont scored his second goal of the game to put the Predators up 3-2, but by the half way point of the third period, Nashville figured out that Chicago was not going to play around. At 09:19, Troy Brouwer scored a power play goal to tie, and then at 09:59, he scored the game winner. Bryan Bickell added to the tally at 14:08, along with Jonathan Toews at 16:25.
Tonight's game was not a total breakdown, and there were some good things that happened along with the bad. J-P Dumont had two goals in tonight's game, and ended up with a +1 rating. Just the other day, Dumont was listed as the biggest disappointment in Nashville for this season. While his numbers still aren't where they need to be, I was happy to see him perform tonight. Martin Erat scored tonight, which impresses me. Tonight's game is just his second since coming back from being listed on injured reserve. Also, the only other Predator that has a + rating tonight happens to be Matt Halischuk. Matt was recalled from Milwaukee, and I always like to root for the new guy. What went wrong? Our defense, including goal tending, was not where it needed to be tonight. I am usually the first to praise the goaltender, and to blame the defense instead of the net minder when we are getting scored on. Tonight I saw two goals that were totally Anders Lindback's fault, and I feel like I simply need to point it out. By no means am I down on Anders, mad at him, or anything of the nature. I just see one little thing of many that needs to be worked on. And on the defense, Ryan Suter was faked out of his shorts tonight on one of the third period goals. I thought it was pretty funny myself. Nashville simply needs to stay on its game, play THEIR game, and be a little more consistent. And I do realize that has been said time and time again.
It has been a long impressive hockey weekend for me. As I go back to the daily grind tomorrow, the Predators will as well as they travel to Phoenix for a Tuesday night metting. Between now and then, they have a lot to work on.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Predators Plan To Start Another Streak With Home And Home Against Chicago
The Predators ended their winning streak at six games with a 3-2 loss in Florida on Thursday night, and the team plans to start rolling again with a Home and Home against Chicago. For Thursday night, Nashville appeared as if thy were riding a bicycle with a flat tire. Their play wasn't horrible by any means, but they weren't on their game. Losing 3-2 always hurts, and the game wasn't all bad. David Legwand made a beautiful goal in the third period, and also had an assist in the first. And while I naturally assumed that Tomas Vokoun would get the start against Nashville in goal, it turned out that backup Scott Clemmensen would get the win for Florida. He played his 13th game of the season against Nashville.
For tonight, Chicago comes to town with 51 points, which is only one point behind Nashville. The reigning Stanley Cup Champions have slumped a little more this year than in recent past, and Nashville has won two of the three previous meetings this season. After the game, both teams will board their respective airplanes and travel to Chicago, to do it all over again at the United Center on Sunday night.
When either team goes on the power play, pay attention. Penalty killing and power play numbers for these teams are drastically different, and chances are sure to arise when mistakes are made tonight. Nashville's penality kill is up to an 86% success rate, while Chicago's is only 77.6%. On the other hand, Chicago's power play is at an 24.4% success rate, while Nashville's is only 14.5%. As fans, we will either see a lot of exciting chances, or a total defensive lockup during the man advantage. When either team goes a man down, I'll be on the edge of my seat for sure.
I will be spending the afternoon at Bridgestone Arena catching a college matchup between the University of Alabama Huntsville and Merrimack College. Tickets are cheap, and there is a 1:00PM Central Time puck drop. If you call me, tickets are REALLY CHEAP. And when I say REALLY CHEAP, I mean $0.82 for a lower level seat. Let me know if you want me to get you tickets.
For Nashville and Chicago, the puck drops at 7:00PM Central Time, and you can catch the game on FSTN. If you are planning on attending, and don't have tickets...get them quick. The Bridge is sure to sold out tonight. SOLD OUT!
For tonight, Chicago comes to town with 51 points, which is only one point behind Nashville. The reigning Stanley Cup Champions have slumped a little more this year than in recent past, and Nashville has won two of the three previous meetings this season. After the game, both teams will board their respective airplanes and travel to Chicago, to do it all over again at the United Center on Sunday night.
When either team goes on the power play, pay attention. Penalty killing and power play numbers for these teams are drastically different, and chances are sure to arise when mistakes are made tonight. Nashville's penality kill is up to an 86% success rate, while Chicago's is only 77.6%. On the other hand, Chicago's power play is at an 24.4% success rate, while Nashville's is only 14.5%. As fans, we will either see a lot of exciting chances, or a total defensive lockup during the man advantage. When either team goes a man down, I'll be on the edge of my seat for sure.
I will be spending the afternoon at Bridgestone Arena catching a college matchup between the University of Alabama Huntsville and Merrimack College. Tickets are cheap, and there is a 1:00PM Central Time puck drop. If you call me, tickets are REALLY CHEAP. And when I say REALLY CHEAP, I mean $0.82 for a lower level seat. Let me know if you want me to get you tickets.
For Nashville and Chicago, the puck drops at 7:00PM Central Time, and you can catch the game on FSTN. If you are planning on attending, and don't have tickets...get them quick. The Bridge is sure to sold out tonight. SOLD OUT!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Predators Visit Panthers - Somewhere In Florida
Tonight the Nashville Predators (23-23-6) visit the Florida Panthers (19-20-2) with a 6:30PM Central Time puck drop in South Florida. Why "Somewhere In Florida" you ask? The title could read... Predators Visit Panthers In Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach Metropolitan Area, AKA Sunrise. Where is Sunrise? Well we don't know. Even Google has lost Sunrise, Fl not once, but twice. The Predators are 7-2-4 against the Eastern Conference this season, and they won the December 11 match up by a score of 3-0.
My predictions are what they are, but here we go. I expect to see a low scoring game, and predict that there will be a total of four goals scored between the two teams. Average goals scored for the Predators per game is 2.55, and for the Panthers per game is 2.71. This does not scream for an exciting game as far as goal scoring goes, but time will tell. Also, I predict that the power play unit, for both teams, will be an epic fail. The Panthers have gone 2 for 22, and the Predators boast a 14.8% success rate. On the other hand, I foresee that this will be a very exciting game for the defensive players. The penalty killing unit for both teams is top notch, with the Predators at 85.7%, and the Panthers at 84.6%. The success rate for the kill is among the top on the league for both teams. I believe that the defensive strategies and players will be a treat tonight.
Tomas Vokoun is a familiar name to Nashville fans, and he will be the one to watch tonight for the Panthers. Acquired from Nashville in the Summer of 2007, this is his fourth season with the Panthers. Vokoun still holds several goal tending records for Nashville, and gets special treatment when he makes a visit. He is one of the only players in the league that does not get the "SUCKS" treatment when his name is announced as starting goaltender. The fans still remember and appreciate his great service to this team, and to hear them cheer when his name is called is always heart warming. Tonight he plays against Nashville, and is almost sure to be dangerous.
Since I believe that this game will be a defensive match up, Pekka Rinne has to be the one to watch for the Predators. Goal tending is going to be key tonight. Rinne's goals-against average is 2.11 for the season with a .928 save percentage. Those numbers end up being among the best in the NHL, and Pekka has allowed just five goals in his last five games. While listening to him speak by telephone on NHL Live yesterday, I found that Rinne is very team oriented, and that he is always eager to learn.
The Predators look for their seventh straight win tonight, and hope to get two points and move to 54 total. The Panthers are looking to make it to 42 points and .500 for the season. They are looking for their second win in a row, and are hoping for their first playoff appearance since the 1999-2000 season. Tonight's game can be found on FS-TN, FS-F, RDS, and on the Predators Radio Network. If you happen to be tired of Dancing With Convicts, catch some Predators hockey tonight!
My predictions are what they are, but here we go. I expect to see a low scoring game, and predict that there will be a total of four goals scored between the two teams. Average goals scored for the Predators per game is 2.55, and for the Panthers per game is 2.71. This does not scream for an exciting game as far as goal scoring goes, but time will tell. Also, I predict that the power play unit, for both teams, will be an epic fail. The Panthers have gone 2 for 22, and the Predators boast a 14.8% success rate. On the other hand, I foresee that this will be a very exciting game for the defensive players. The penalty killing unit for both teams is top notch, with the Predators at 85.7%, and the Panthers at 84.6%. The success rate for the kill is among the top on the league for both teams. I believe that the defensive strategies and players will be a treat tonight.
Tomas Vokoun is a familiar name to Nashville fans, and he will be the one to watch tonight for the Panthers. Acquired from Nashville in the Summer of 2007, this is his fourth season with the Panthers. Vokoun still holds several goal tending records for Nashville, and gets special treatment when he makes a visit. He is one of the only players in the league that does not get the "SUCKS" treatment when his name is announced as starting goaltender. The fans still remember and appreciate his great service to this team, and to hear them cheer when his name is called is always heart warming. Tonight he plays against Nashville, and is almost sure to be dangerous.
Since I believe that this game will be a defensive match up, Pekka Rinne has to be the one to watch for the Predators. Goal tending is going to be key tonight. Rinne's goals-against average is 2.11 for the season with a .928 save percentage. Those numbers end up being among the best in the NHL, and Pekka has allowed just five goals in his last five games. While listening to him speak by telephone on NHL Live yesterday, I found that Rinne is very team oriented, and that he is always eager to learn.
The Predators look for their seventh straight win tonight, and hope to get two points and move to 54 total. The Panthers are looking to make it to 42 points and .500 for the season. They are looking for their second win in a row, and are hoping for their first playoff appearance since the 1999-2000 season. Tonight's game can be found on FS-TN, FS-F, RDS, and on the Predators Radio Network. If you happen to be tired of Dancing With Convicts, catch some Predators hockey tonight!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Nashville Plays Hard And Works Harder For Sixth Straight Win
Nashville gets two points over Minnesota in a very tight Western Conference and moves to 23-13-6 on the season with a 5-1 win. Mikko Koivu scored the lone goal for the Wild; for the Predators, David Legwand, Joel Ward, Nick Spaling, and Marcel Goc all turned the light on. Consistency has been key since the first of the year, and time will tell if the Predators can stay on track.
Minnesota came into this game looking to continue their road streak They ended up losing their first road game in a month, their second game in a row, and Jose Theodore left the Minnesota net half way through the third period with his stick between his legs. While the numbers might suggest an easy Predators win, I promise that it was no piece of cake. Nashville did score first with a goal from David Legwand at 07:03 of the first period, and Mikko Koivu tied the game up at 16:05. Both teams seemed to be very evenly matched, as the pre-game numbers suggested. The level of activity and speed of both teams was very impressive, and the first period ended with the teams tied.
The second period continued with multiple chances for both teams. Both continued to handle the puck well, and the period seemed like it was more of the same, even though Joel Ward broke the tie with the go ahead goal at 01:02. While I thought that the momentum may tilt after Ward's goal, Minnesota did not lose hope, and continued to be aggressive.
My prediction for the third period was that the game would come down to the final minute with the same score, and that the Wild would either score to tie, or die trying. I was wrong. At 04:18 Nick Spaling lit the lamp, unassisted. Nick Spaling? Nick Spaling. It was his third goal of the season. This goal really felt like Nick was flipping the puck in the zone to attempt a line change. When I saw the puck fly through the air from near the right point, the last thing I imagined is that he would score. He did. The puck slipped into the net on Theodore's right side like a mortar.
Shea Weber fired a shot from near the blue line, and got a rebound off Theodore to set up the most exciting goal of the game. With a crash of the net, the official signaled no goal as if he was screaming NO GOAL, he immediately signaled no goal again using the same emotion, and then Nick Spaling tipped the puck over the line, and the official signaled goal as if he was the most excited fan in the arena. He pointed to the net as if he was trying to chop the crossbar in half. Nick Spaling? Nick Spaling. The goal was his fourth of the season.
After Spaling's second goal of the night, the Minnesota coaching staff decided to make a change, and Anton Khubodin entered the game. At 12:53, the light was turned on for the last time as Marcel Goc put the Predators up 5-1. Marcel's goal was also unassisted. Khubodin stopped four of the five shots he faced, and tonight was his first game played on the NHL level this season after being recalled from Minnesota's AHL affiliate in Houston on January 8.
Nick Spaling was named the games first star, and while that will not be disputed by me at all, I first give props to the fans in Nashville. Attendance for tonight's game is officially 15,311. Attendance numbers are much more complicated than simply telling how many people showed up, and the staff came up with 15,311 because they added the number of tickets sold plus comp tickets. The number of people who actually walk through the doors can be drastically different; tonight it wasn't. I attended the last game that the Predators sold out (17,113), and there were large sections of empty seats in both the upper and lower bowls. As far as the lower bowl goes, I believe that not a single ticketed person failed to come to the game. The crowd looked great, and sounded even better.
The Predators travel to the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach Metropolitan Area to take on the Florida Panthers on Thursday, and they will be looking for a seventh straight win. This East-West match up is sure to be fun, and the Predators return home to take on Chicago on Saturday.
Minnesota came into this game looking to continue their road streak They ended up losing their first road game in a month, their second game in a row, and Jose Theodore left the Minnesota net half way through the third period with his stick between his legs. While the numbers might suggest an easy Predators win, I promise that it was no piece of cake. Nashville did score first with a goal from David Legwand at 07:03 of the first period, and Mikko Koivu tied the game up at 16:05. Both teams seemed to be very evenly matched, as the pre-game numbers suggested. The level of activity and speed of both teams was very impressive, and the first period ended with the teams tied.
The second period continued with multiple chances for both teams. Both continued to handle the puck well, and the period seemed like it was more of the same, even though Joel Ward broke the tie with the go ahead goal at 01:02. While I thought that the momentum may tilt after Ward's goal, Minnesota did not lose hope, and continued to be aggressive.
My prediction for the third period was that the game would come down to the final minute with the same score, and that the Wild would either score to tie, or die trying. I was wrong. At 04:18 Nick Spaling lit the lamp, unassisted. Nick Spaling? Nick Spaling. It was his third goal of the season. This goal really felt like Nick was flipping the puck in the zone to attempt a line change. When I saw the puck fly through the air from near the right point, the last thing I imagined is that he would score. He did. The puck slipped into the net on Theodore's right side like a mortar.
Shea Weber fired a shot from near the blue line, and got a rebound off Theodore to set up the most exciting goal of the game. With a crash of the net, the official signaled no goal as if he was screaming NO GOAL, he immediately signaled no goal again using the same emotion, and then Nick Spaling tipped the puck over the line, and the official signaled goal as if he was the most excited fan in the arena. He pointed to the net as if he was trying to chop the crossbar in half. Nick Spaling? Nick Spaling. The goal was his fourth of the season.
After Spaling's second goal of the night, the Minnesota coaching staff decided to make a change, and Anton Khubodin entered the game. At 12:53, the light was turned on for the last time as Marcel Goc put the Predators up 5-1. Marcel's goal was also unassisted. Khubodin stopped four of the five shots he faced, and tonight was his first game played on the NHL level this season after being recalled from Minnesota's AHL affiliate in Houston on January 8.
Nick Spaling was named the games first star, and while that will not be disputed by me at all, I first give props to the fans in Nashville. Attendance for tonight's game is officially 15,311. Attendance numbers are much more complicated than simply telling how many people showed up, and the staff came up with 15,311 because they added the number of tickets sold plus comp tickets. The number of people who actually walk through the doors can be drastically different; tonight it wasn't. I attended the last game that the Predators sold out (17,113), and there were large sections of empty seats in both the upper and lower bowls. As far as the lower bowl goes, I believe that not a single ticketed person failed to come to the game. The crowd looked great, and sounded even better.
The Predators travel to the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach Metropolitan Area to take on the Florida Panthers on Thursday, and they will be looking for a seventh straight win. This East-West match up is sure to be fun, and the Predators return home to take on Chicago on Saturday.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Minnesota Seeks Revenge - Nashville Seeks Sixth Straight Win
On Tuesday night, the Nashville Predators will take on the Minnesota Wild at Bridgestone arena. The teams have split two games in St Paul, with Minnesota winning 5-2 on November 26, and Nashville winning 4-1 on December 31. While streaks seem to be the name of the game for both teams as of late, I believe Nashville will come in with a "one game at a time" mentality. The race is on, and we need a win.
Nashville has swept California, and has done many other great things this season, but the name of the game is going to be what the team is going to do, and what they are going to continue to do. Inconsistency will send the mediocre fans streaming out the door, so staying hot is going to be what it takes to compete. The penalty killing team for Nashville has done well lately, but being on the kill is dangerous against Minnesota. With a power play percentage of 21.2, the Wild score, on average, just over one out of every five chances. Even with a good kill, Nashville needs to stay out of the box.
For Minnesota, I'm going to be keeping an eye on Cal Clutterbuck. Cal has three goals and four points in his last five games, and has 19 points for the season thus far. The 23 year old winger has drastically higher numbers than last season, and with a little help, could be on pace to double last year's points.
Nashville's Sergi Kostitsyn is hot, and ready to continue his goal streak. Sergi has five goals and eight points in his last five games, and has five more points than he did last season, with ten less games played. The Kostitsyn line really seems to click, as I have said time and time again. This group in particular knows the meaning of the word "team" and the numbers prove it.
The puck drops at 7:00PM Central Time in Nashville. The game will be televised on KSTC Minnesota, which means the Nashville area can only see it on the NHL Network. Since this is what most of us call a radio only game, grab a ticket, pack a milk sandwich, and treat yourself to a night of Predators hockey.
Nashville has swept California, and has done many other great things this season, but the name of the game is going to be what the team is going to do, and what they are going to continue to do. Inconsistency will send the mediocre fans streaming out the door, so staying hot is going to be what it takes to compete. The penalty killing team for Nashville has done well lately, but being on the kill is dangerous against Minnesota. With a power play percentage of 21.2, the Wild score, on average, just over one out of every five chances. Even with a good kill, Nashville needs to stay out of the box.
For Minnesota, I'm going to be keeping an eye on Cal Clutterbuck. Cal has three goals and four points in his last five games, and has 19 points for the season thus far. The 23 year old winger has drastically higher numbers than last season, and with a little help, could be on pace to double last year's points.
Nashville's Sergi Kostitsyn is hot, and ready to continue his goal streak. Sergi has five goals and eight points in his last five games, and has five more points than he did last season, with ten less games played. The Kostitsyn line really seems to click, as I have said time and time again. This group in particular knows the meaning of the word "team" and the numbers prove it.
The puck drops at 7:00PM Central Time in Nashville. The game will be televised on KSTC Minnesota, which means the Nashville area can only see it on the NHL Network. Since this is what most of us call a radio only game, grab a ticket, pack a milk sandwich, and treat yourself to a night of Predators hockey.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Sharks Bitten Despite 43 Shot Attempt
On Saturday the Nashville Predators simply refused to lose against the San Jose Sharks, and Pekka Rinne made 42 blistering saves to give the Predators a 2-1 advantage. In front of a sold out house, the Sharks came to play a lot of hockey. Although the Sharks made 43 total shots, only one slipped past Rinne, and that one was scored in the second period to tie the game at 1-1 by Logan Couture who had the most shots on goal of any Shark, at 8. For the Predators, David Legwand scored in the first period unassisted, and Sergei Kostitsyn scored in the third period for the game winner. Kostitsyn has scored goals in five straight games.
Saturday was a great day for the Preds for one reason: this is only the second time in franchise history that Nashville has swept the California road trip. The Preds pick up six of six possible points on the trip, and jump all three California teams in the standings. With 50 points, the Predators now have 4th place in the Western Conference and will be looking for win number six on Tuesday night vs Minnesota in Nashville.
Saturday was a great day for me because it reminded me how much Nashville fans love their team. The support that I have seen the fans give this team over the course of this road trip has been something else. On the Internet, on the phones and TV, Twitter, Facebook, and everything else - it seems to be non stop. I can't wait till Tuesday night to experience the crowd; we might have a hard time controlling ourselves.
On another note, a moment of silence was held at the game for a former San Jose Shark. Tom Cavanagh died on Friday in Providence, Rhode Island. A Rhode Island native, Tom played four seasons at Harvard University and was drafted by the Sharks in 2001. His death has been ruled a suicide, and he was 28 years old. “Our son, Tom, was a young man who bravely fought the demons of mental illness for many years. This private struggle far surpassed his public athletic accomplishments.” -Joseph Cavanagh1.
1 Jason Remillard of The Republican
Saturday was a great day for the Preds for one reason: this is only the second time in franchise history that Nashville has swept the California road trip. The Preds pick up six of six possible points on the trip, and jump all three California teams in the standings. With 50 points, the Predators now have 4th place in the Western Conference and will be looking for win number six on Tuesday night vs Minnesota in Nashville.
Saturday was a great day for me because it reminded me how much Nashville fans love their team. The support that I have seen the fans give this team over the course of this road trip has been something else. On the Internet, on the phones and TV, Twitter, Facebook, and everything else - it seems to be non stop. I can't wait till Tuesday night to experience the crowd; we might have a hard time controlling ourselves.
On another note, a moment of silence was held at the game for a former San Jose Shark. Tom Cavanagh died on Friday in Providence, Rhode Island. A Rhode Island native, Tom played four seasons at Harvard University and was drafted by the Sharks in 2001. His death has been ruled a suicide, and he was 28 years old. “Our son, Tom, was a young man who bravely fought the demons of mental illness for many years. This private struggle far surpassed his public athletic accomplishments.” -Joseph Cavanagh1.
1 Jason Remillard of The Republican
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Nashville Visits San Jose To Wrap Up California Road Trip
The Nashville Predators will take on the San Jose Sharks tonight at 7:00PM Central Time to wrap up its three game California road trip. Nashville has beaten both the Kings and the Ducks on this trip, and hope to sweep the series to come away with a fifth straight win. Nashville comes in at 21-13-6, and San Jose at 21-15-5.
San Jose will be coming into this game having lost two straight and this season happens to be their 20th year of existence. The Sharks have had the upper hand on the Predators in recent years, but this year is a little different. Both teams seem to be very evenly matched, and Nashville won the only other meeting between the two teams this season 3-2 in Nashville on December 15. San Jose plays their games at the HP Pavilion (aka The Shark Tank) with a capacity of 17,562, and it is my opinion that they have the most annoying goal horn in the NHL.
Who to watch for San Jose:
Dan Boyle loves to play defense, and boy do they let him play. For his last five games Dan has four points, hasn't played less than 25 minutes, and for his last contest he spent 29:18 on the ice. Boyle will be hard to score on, but he is also a danger on offense. From the blue, Dan has 5 goals and 24 assists, making him a danger on both ends.
Dany Heatley can be dangerous on the right wing. He has two 100+ point seasons under his belt, and has 15 goals and 22 assists so far in this one. The Canadian Olympian is always fun to watch, and is 8th in the league in power play goals at 7.
Who to watch for Nashville:
I believe that goaltender Pekka Rinne will have his work cut out for him. Peks is well rested however, with Anders "The Giant" Lindback getting the start against LA on Thursday. Rinne has the ability to make an offense work so hard that it draws the life right out of them, and with the help of the defense there will not be many opportunities for the Sharks.
Marek Svatos scored his first goal with the Predators against LA, and I look for him to open up to become the beast that he is. I was unfamiliar with Marek before he started with Nashville, but I have found that his enthusiasm drives his line, and the entire team.
What Nashville needs for a win:
Strike hard and early. On a road game, nothing draws the life out of the fans, and the home team like an early goal. Like Terry said...score, score again, score some more. The Predators hope to make it a six point trip, and return home on January 11 to take on Minnesota.
San Jose will be coming into this game having lost two straight and this season happens to be their 20th year of existence. The Sharks have had the upper hand on the Predators in recent years, but this year is a little different. Both teams seem to be very evenly matched, and Nashville won the only other meeting between the two teams this season 3-2 in Nashville on December 15. San Jose plays their games at the HP Pavilion (aka The Shark Tank) with a capacity of 17,562, and it is my opinion that they have the most annoying goal horn in the NHL.
Who to watch for San Jose:
Dan Boyle loves to play defense, and boy do they let him play. For his last five games Dan has four points, hasn't played less than 25 minutes, and for his last contest he spent 29:18 on the ice. Boyle will be hard to score on, but he is also a danger on offense. From the blue, Dan has 5 goals and 24 assists, making him a danger on both ends.
Dany Heatley can be dangerous on the right wing. He has two 100+ point seasons under his belt, and has 15 goals and 22 assists so far in this one. The Canadian Olympian is always fun to watch, and is 8th in the league in power play goals at 7.
Who to watch for Nashville:
I believe that goaltender Pekka Rinne will have his work cut out for him. Peks is well rested however, with Anders "The Giant" Lindback getting the start against LA on Thursday. Rinne has the ability to make an offense work so hard that it draws the life right out of them, and with the help of the defense there will not be many opportunities for the Sharks.
Marek Svatos scored his first goal with the Predators against LA, and I look for him to open up to become the beast that he is. I was unfamiliar with Marek before he started with Nashville, but I have found that his enthusiasm drives his line, and the entire team.
What Nashville needs for a win:
Strike hard and early. On a road game, nothing draws the life out of the fans, and the home team like an early goal. Like Terry said...score, score again, score some more. The Predators hope to make it a six point trip, and return home on January 11 to take on Minnesota.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
The Power Play Is Good To Nashville In 5-2 Win Over Kings
Patric Hornqvist, Shea Weber, Ryan Suter, Colin Wilson, and Sergei Kostitsyn all have multiple points in Nashville's 5-2 win over the LA Kings, and there wasn't a single empty net goal to be found. Anders Lindback stopped 24 of 26 for .923, and Merek Svatos scored his first goal as a Nashville Predator. It was a GREAT night to be in LA.
The Predators knew that the first ten minutes was going to be key, and the first shift proved that they were ready. Getting physical early is exactly what the Preds wanted to do, and that they did. When looking at the boxscore, one would might assume that the first period was boring and event less. I promise it was not. With several hard working shifts, the final seconds ran out in the first period with David Legwand ringing one off the iron, and then a jam in front of the Nashville net. Remembering what happened in December when these teams met in Nashville, I knew that the Predators had the willpower to win.
The second period gave Nashville fans a sick feeling in their stomach, as Anze Kopitar's line opened up. Kyle Clifford (from Marco Strum and Anze Kopitar) started a crazy second period at 02:16 to put the Kings up 1-0. I sank in my seat a bit, but didn't panic. Francis Bouillon was called for an interference penalty at 06:13, and Jarrett Stoll (from Ryan Smyth and Anze Kopitar) made it 2-0 after he slapped one past Anders Lindback on the power play at 07:57. I hurt at that point, assuming that what little momentum the Predators had, had now been totally absorbed by the Kings. Little did I know that the Predators would score five straight, starting with Colin Wilson (from Suter and Kostitsyn) on the power play just one minute after the last Kings goal at 08:57. Just over a minute later, Marek Svatos would score his first goal as a Predator (from Wilson and Weber) at 10:19 to tie the game. Not only was I excited that the game was tied, honestly I was even more excited that Svatos had found a way to get one past Jonathan Beriner, who started in goal for the Kings due to his previous success against the Predators. Matt Greene's interference penalty put the Predators on the power play, and Patric Hornqvist (from Wilson and Suter) scored at 14:28 to make it a 3-2 game. I was very impressed with Colin Wilson in this period due to his shots. He was able to force rebounds that lead to two goals, and was able to score one himself. I tip my hat to you sir.
Third period motivation put the Predators up 5-2, starting with Sergei Kostitsyn (from Klein and O'Brien) at 09:10, and ending with Patric Hornqvist (from Weber and Kostitsyn) at 15:33. When the fifth straight goal was scored, the Kings fans lost hope.
In front of 17, 823 at the Staples Center, the Nashville Predators finally showed the Kings that they weren't going to take being pushed around. Nashville received a much needed two points with the regulation win, which gives us 4th place in the west with a total of 48. The Kings will stay at 45 points and they will have 11th place. Notice the log jam with only a three point difference (this has been going on for weeks, but I still like to point it out). The three stars for tonight's game are Colin Wilson, Shea Weber, And Anze Kopitar. In my opinion, all three are very well deserved. Nashville will take on San Jose on Saturday, with a 7:00PM Central Time puck drop.
Since we have a new year, it is time for me to start watching what the other teams are doing around the league. Sometimes the Predators can get some help in the standings from the others, and I'll pass along a few games to keep up with. On Friday, the NHL will have 7 games going, and most of them will affect Nashville in some way. First of all, the New York Rangers will take on the Dallas Stars. Since these two are from different conferences, Nashville fans will be rooting for NY to keep points out of the West. Chicago will take on Ottawa with the same East/West issue. Root for Ottawa. Calgary takes on Detroit tomorrow as well. Detroit (55) has more points than Nashville; Calgary (39) has less. Root for Calgary. Vancouver (57) takes on Edmonton (33). An Edmonton win may give the Preds some help down the road. Last but not least, Anaheim takes on Columbus. The points spread in this game is so close that I really don't think that it will matter. For the Western Conference games, we always pray that they do not go into overtime. No matter who wins and loses, three points are now issued out to the conference instead of two. And of course Eastern vs Eastern games are not listed because they have no affect on the Predators.
I am very pleased with tonight's performance, and I truly hope that the Predators play a full 60 minutes against San Jose on Saturday to pick up another two. A road sweep would be pretty darn cool.
The Predators knew that the first ten minutes was going to be key, and the first shift proved that they were ready. Getting physical early is exactly what the Preds wanted to do, and that they did. When looking at the boxscore, one would might assume that the first period was boring and event less. I promise it was not. With several hard working shifts, the final seconds ran out in the first period with David Legwand ringing one off the iron, and then a jam in front of the Nashville net. Remembering what happened in December when these teams met in Nashville, I knew that the Predators had the willpower to win.
The second period gave Nashville fans a sick feeling in their stomach, as Anze Kopitar's line opened up. Kyle Clifford (from Marco Strum and Anze Kopitar) started a crazy second period at 02:16 to put the Kings up 1-0. I sank in my seat a bit, but didn't panic. Francis Bouillon was called for an interference penalty at 06:13, and Jarrett Stoll (from Ryan Smyth and Anze Kopitar) made it 2-0 after he slapped one past Anders Lindback on the power play at 07:57. I hurt at that point, assuming that what little momentum the Predators had, had now been totally absorbed by the Kings. Little did I know that the Predators would score five straight, starting with Colin Wilson (from Suter and Kostitsyn) on the power play just one minute after the last Kings goal at 08:57. Just over a minute later, Marek Svatos would score his first goal as a Predator (from Wilson and Weber) at 10:19 to tie the game. Not only was I excited that the game was tied, honestly I was even more excited that Svatos had found a way to get one past Jonathan Beriner, who started in goal for the Kings due to his previous success against the Predators. Matt Greene's interference penalty put the Predators on the power play, and Patric Hornqvist (from Wilson and Suter) scored at 14:28 to make it a 3-2 game. I was very impressed with Colin Wilson in this period due to his shots. He was able to force rebounds that lead to two goals, and was able to score one himself. I tip my hat to you sir.
Third period motivation put the Predators up 5-2, starting with Sergei Kostitsyn (from Klein and O'Brien) at 09:10, and ending with Patric Hornqvist (from Weber and Kostitsyn) at 15:33. When the fifth straight goal was scored, the Kings fans lost hope.
In front of 17, 823 at the Staples Center, the Nashville Predators finally showed the Kings that they weren't going to take being pushed around. Nashville received a much needed two points with the regulation win, which gives us 4th place in the west with a total of 48. The Kings will stay at 45 points and they will have 11th place. Notice the log jam with only a three point difference (this has been going on for weeks, but I still like to point it out). The three stars for tonight's game are Colin Wilson, Shea Weber, And Anze Kopitar. In my opinion, all three are very well deserved. Nashville will take on San Jose on Saturday, with a 7:00PM Central Time puck drop.
Since we have a new year, it is time for me to start watching what the other teams are doing around the league. Sometimes the Predators can get some help in the standings from the others, and I'll pass along a few games to keep up with. On Friday, the NHL will have 7 games going, and most of them will affect Nashville in some way. First of all, the New York Rangers will take on the Dallas Stars. Since these two are from different conferences, Nashville fans will be rooting for NY to keep points out of the West. Chicago will take on Ottawa with the same East/West issue. Root for Ottawa. Calgary takes on Detroit tomorrow as well. Detroit (55) has more points than Nashville; Calgary (39) has less. Root for Calgary. Vancouver (57) takes on Edmonton (33). An Edmonton win may give the Preds some help down the road. Last but not least, Anaheim takes on Columbus. The points spread in this game is so close that I really don't think that it will matter. For the Western Conference games, we always pray that they do not go into overtime. No matter who wins and loses, three points are now issued out to the conference instead of two. And of course Eastern vs Eastern games are not listed because they have no affect on the Predators.
I am very pleased with tonight's performance, and I truly hope that the Predators play a full 60 minutes against San Jose on Saturday to pick up another two. A road sweep would be pretty darn cool.
Hold on! Preds Win in Anaheim and Take On Kings Tonight
On Wednesday night, the Nashville Predators beat the Anaheim Ducks 4-1, but don't let the score fool you. With two empty net goals, the Predators had to hold on for dear life. Jared Smithson opened up the scoring at 05:10 of the first period on a very odd goal. It was odd, because the only person that saw it was him. After he pleaded with the officials for a review, they finally consented. Sure enough, Jared Smithson never lies, and the Predators went up 1-0. Patric Hornqvist made it 2-0 at 03:56 of the second, and the score stayed that way even though we were out shot 16-28 for the first two periods. At 11:46 of the third, Saku Koivu pulled the Ducks within 1 with a slap shot, and I for one became a bit worried. The Ducks out shot the Predators 13-8 in the third period, and the rush was on after Nashville Goaltender Pekka Rinne was called for a tripping penalty at 16:13. That penalty was served by Colin Wilson. Jonas Hiller left the Ducks net with well over a minute to play, and Sergi Kostitsyn found the empty net at 19:08. After Chris Mueller was called for a holding penalty with only 20 seconds remaining, Shea Weber accidentally found the empty net again with a banked slap shot. The time of the goal was 19:59, and there were 0.2 seconds remaining.
The Predators are once again playing a back to back set, but this one happens to be a bit different because the team does not have to travel. A short bus ride from Anaheim to Los Angeles doesn't begin to compare with a two or three hour flight, and I believe that the team will be well rested. The Predators have won three straight, and the Kings have lost four.
Who do I watch for Los Angeles? Number 11 Anze Kopitar, and not just because his name sounds like Klingon Delicacy. Kopitar is a very dangerous left handed shooter at almost 230lbs, and he has seven points in his last five games. He gets lots of shifts, and his line seems to click. I hate to say that if we can shut down Kopitar's line we have it made, but at the same time, it wouldn't hurt.
For Nashville? First of all, it is rumored that Steve Sullivan may be back tonight. I'm not buying in. Patrick Hornqvist scored his tenth goal against the Ducks last night, and I believe that he will be interesting to watch tonight. He has three goals in his last five, with a five point total. Also last night he had more shifts than usual, and I'm ready to see him get to work.
There are people writing blogs out there who are "in the know" and I am not one of them. Some may already be able to tell me that I am wrong, but I'm going to go for it anyway. Against the Kings, I'm going to give Anders Lindback the start. Pekka Rinne did a wonderful job turning away 40 of 41 with .976, and I believe that he has earned the night off. I also believe that Lindback is ready to show the Kings what he is made of after the December 18 incident in Nashville.
I'm ready! We have a 9:30 Central Time puck drop in Los Angeles at the Staples Center. We do have TV coverage tonight on FSTN, so catch a nap and get ready to stay up late for this exciting match up.
The Predators are once again playing a back to back set, but this one happens to be a bit different because the team does not have to travel. A short bus ride from Anaheim to Los Angeles doesn't begin to compare with a two or three hour flight, and I believe that the team will be well rested. The Predators have won three straight, and the Kings have lost four.
Who do I watch for Los Angeles? Number 11 Anze Kopitar, and not just because his name sounds like Klingon Delicacy. Kopitar is a very dangerous left handed shooter at almost 230lbs, and he has seven points in his last five games. He gets lots of shifts, and his line seems to click. I hate to say that if we can shut down Kopitar's line we have it made, but at the same time, it wouldn't hurt.
For Nashville? First of all, it is rumored that Steve Sullivan may be back tonight. I'm not buying in. Patrick Hornqvist scored his tenth goal against the Ducks last night, and I believe that he will be interesting to watch tonight. He has three goals in his last five, with a five point total. Also last night he had more shifts than usual, and I'm ready to see him get to work.
There are people writing blogs out there who are "in the know" and I am not one of them. Some may already be able to tell me that I am wrong, but I'm going to go for it anyway. Against the Kings, I'm going to give Anders Lindback the start. Pekka Rinne did a wonderful job turning away 40 of 41 with .976, and I believe that he has earned the night off. I also believe that Lindback is ready to show the Kings what he is made of after the December 18 incident in Nashville.
I'm ready! We have a 9:30 Central Time puck drop in Los Angeles at the Staples Center. We do have TV coverage tonight on FSTN, so catch a nap and get ready to stay up late for this exciting match up.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
The Predators Visit The Land of John Wayne
With a 9:00PM Central Time start on FSTN, the Nashville Predators will take on the Anaheim Ducks in the first game of three in sunny California. The Predators will also take on Los Angeles and San Jose before returning home on January 11.
Anaheim seems to be a place that Tennessean's just can't seem to locate. I personally am still confused on the issue of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and often wonder if even the fine citizens of California can locate the stadium. The Ducks however belong solely to Anaheim and actually aren't much older than the Predators. In 1993 The Walt Disney Company founded The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim who play their home games in the Honda Center. Their capacity for ice hockey is very similar to the Bridgestone Arena at 17,174, and it has held a variety of tenants, including the Los Angeles Clippers from 1994 to 1999. The team changed its name to the Anaheim Ducks for the 2006-2007 season, and won the Stanley Cup in 2007.
I believe that Toni Lydman (D) is going to be the player to watch tonight for the Ducks. The 6'1" 33 year old Fin is playing his first season with the Ducks, has 4 points in 5 games, and is getting lots of ice time. For the Predators, Shea Weber is on top. On Sunday, Shea had a 3 point 2nd period against Columbus, and seems to be leading the team well in the Captain position. Speaking of Captains, Ryan Getzlaf is out for the Ducks.
The stretch moving toward the All Star break is going to be a tough one. The team is going to be on the road for 10 games, and will have to work very hard for a possible 24 points before the break. I'm going to take the keys to the game straight from Terry Crisp. Score, Score again, Score some more. Sometimes a simple strategy makes all the difference.
Anaheim seems to be a place that Tennessean's just can't seem to locate. I personally am still confused on the issue of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and often wonder if even the fine citizens of California can locate the stadium. The Ducks however belong solely to Anaheim and actually aren't much older than the Predators. In 1993 The Walt Disney Company founded The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim who play their home games in the Honda Center. Their capacity for ice hockey is very similar to the Bridgestone Arena at 17,174, and it has held a variety of tenants, including the Los Angeles Clippers from 1994 to 1999. The team changed its name to the Anaheim Ducks for the 2006-2007 season, and won the Stanley Cup in 2007.
I believe that Toni Lydman (D) is going to be the player to watch tonight for the Ducks. The 6'1" 33 year old Fin is playing his first season with the Ducks, has 4 points in 5 games, and is getting lots of ice time. For the Predators, Shea Weber is on top. On Sunday, Shea had a 3 point 2nd period against Columbus, and seems to be leading the team well in the Captain position. Speaking of Captains, Ryan Getzlaf is out for the Ducks.
The stretch moving toward the All Star break is going to be a tough one. The team is going to be on the road for 10 games, and will have to work very hard for a possible 24 points before the break. I'm going to take the keys to the game straight from Terry Crisp. Score, Score again, Score some more. Sometimes a simple strategy makes all the difference.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Post Game for 01/02/2010 Columbus at Nashville
The Nashville Predators outplayed the Columbus Blue Jackets for two out of the three periods on Sunday for a 4-1 win and two points against a central division rival in front of 14,593. With the two points, the Predators move to 44 points and 9th in the Western Conference while the Blue Jackets stay at 43 points and 10th. You may ask why I bother to mention our position in the standings this early in the season, and the answer is simply that I like it.
Tonight I brought five friends to the game with me, and three of those had never been to a hockey game of any type before. RJ Umberger put the Blue Jackets on the board, and before I ever noted the time, Jimmy (my first timer friend and boss), quickly informed me that the goal had come at 37 seconds in. My first thought was that I had totally failed, and I was sure that my first timers would never come back. My second thought was that we had the entire game ahead of us, and that we would be fine. The first sign, to me anyway, that there was going to be life was when I noticed that Wade Belak (Fireman Wade) was getting quite a bit of ice time in the 1st period. While there is a very large group that could not care less about Fireman Wade, I happen to like him. The 1st period ended with four penalty minutes split between the two teams, and Columbus up 1-0.
During the intermission while I was getting a Pepsi, the locker room erupted. I would have paid many dollars to have been a fly on the wall. The second period began with Shea Weber leading the team. At 02:59 he put the Predators on the board and my friend Jimmy excitedly put his hands straight up in the air, signaling a touchdown. I knew at that moment that he would be back, and win or lose, I had succeeded in my mission. Shea Weber would end up having a 3 point period, with 1 goal and 2 assists. Nick Spaling and Patric Hornqvist (PPG) would also score for Nashville in the 2nd.
Sergei Kostitsyn wrapped up the scoring in the 3rd period at at 05:53, and the coveted Frosty was mine. Time ran out, and the Predators were up 4-1.
My thoughts on:
Wade Belak: Fireman Wade had 08:44 of ice time tonight. I was impressed and excited to see him play.
Marek Svatos: Even though he ended up -1, this guy is going to be fun to watch, especially down the home stretch. When he learns his team mates, and his team mates learn him, he will be dangerous. Watching him skate is a pleasure.
Shea Weber: What a captain! This guy did so much more than have 3 points in the 2nd period. He moved and motivated this team.
The Predators have now won two in a row, after a five game skid. The Ducks host the Predators on Wednesday...catch it on FSTN with a 9:00PM (Central Time) West Coast puck drop.
Tonight I brought five friends to the game with me, and three of those had never been to a hockey game of any type before. RJ Umberger put the Blue Jackets on the board, and before I ever noted the time, Jimmy (my first timer friend and boss), quickly informed me that the goal had come at 37 seconds in. My first thought was that I had totally failed, and I was sure that my first timers would never come back. My second thought was that we had the entire game ahead of us, and that we would be fine. The first sign, to me anyway, that there was going to be life was when I noticed that Wade Belak (Fireman Wade) was getting quite a bit of ice time in the 1st period. While there is a very large group that could not care less about Fireman Wade, I happen to like him. The 1st period ended with four penalty minutes split between the two teams, and Columbus up 1-0.
During the intermission while I was getting a Pepsi, the locker room erupted. I would have paid many dollars to have been a fly on the wall. The second period began with Shea Weber leading the team. At 02:59 he put the Predators on the board and my friend Jimmy excitedly put his hands straight up in the air, signaling a touchdown. I knew at that moment that he would be back, and win or lose, I had succeeded in my mission. Shea Weber would end up having a 3 point period, with 1 goal and 2 assists. Nick Spaling and Patric Hornqvist (PPG) would also score for Nashville in the 2nd.
Sergei Kostitsyn wrapped up the scoring in the 3rd period at at 05:53, and the coveted Frosty was mine. Time ran out, and the Predators were up 4-1.
My thoughts on:
Wade Belak: Fireman Wade had 08:44 of ice time tonight. I was impressed and excited to see him play.
Marek Svatos: Even though he ended up -1, this guy is going to be fun to watch, especially down the home stretch. When he learns his team mates, and his team mates learn him, he will be dangerous. Watching him skate is a pleasure.
Shea Weber: What a captain! This guy did so much more than have 3 points in the 2nd period. He moved and motivated this team.
The Predators have now won two in a row, after a five game skid. The Ducks host the Predators on Wednesday...catch it on FSTN with a 9:00PM (Central Time) West Coast puck drop.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Just Doing My Part
While I have been interested in hockey blogging, and blogging in general for quite some time, I have put off actually starting the small engine that I have until now. Most of you know my interests and history, and just maybe I can actually drag a laugh or smile out of some of you. Meant to be educational, entertaining, and informative, I do hope that you enjoy my thoughts.
On 01-02-2010, The Nashville Predators will take on the Columbus Blue Jackets in Nashville with a 5:00PM puck drop. Now, some of you that keep track of current hockey blogs in Nashville expect me to give a lineup and a short history on both teams. This will not be the case. As the title suggests, I'm going to tell you how I'm going to do my part.
. The Predators organization is much more than a hockey team, and it has an army working for it. In 1998 the Predators came to Nashville, bringing with it hundreds of jobs, and millions in economic revenue to Middle Tennessee. I believe that the majority of people think that a professional sports team operates with ease, but I promise that it does not. In 2007, low attendance figures forced the Predators franchise, worth almost two hundred million dollars, to be sold. The team ended up staying in Nashville being sold to a group of local investors, and the memory of the incident is one that most like to store in the deep abyss.
Most of my readers will not know what the power play percentage is or even who is on injured reserve, but they WILL be filling seats on Sunday. For the game against Columbus, I've come up with a hand full of seats that may end up containing a die hard Predators fan. While I will be sitting in my seat keeping a close eye on David Legwand, who is playing only his third game since the middle of November due to injury, and making new notes on Marek Svatos, who is playing his second game as a Predator after being picked up on waivers from St Louis, my friends will be taking it all in, wondering what a hooking penalty actually is. "It Stays With You" is the point, and I hope that it actually does.
My segmented thoughts and writings are what they are. I do hope that you will find a ticket, attend a game, and most importantly, bring a friend. If you cannot find a ticket, or do not know where to look, shoot me an email, and I just may be able to help.
On 01-02-2010, The Nashville Predators will take on the Columbus Blue Jackets in Nashville with a 5:00PM puck drop. Now, some of you that keep track of current hockey blogs in Nashville expect me to give a lineup and a short history on both teams. This will not be the case. As the title suggests, I'm going to tell you how I'm going to do my part.
. The Predators organization is much more than a hockey team, and it has an army working for it. In 1998 the Predators came to Nashville, bringing with it hundreds of jobs, and millions in economic revenue to Middle Tennessee. I believe that the majority of people think that a professional sports team operates with ease, but I promise that it does not. In 2007, low attendance figures forced the Predators franchise, worth almost two hundred million dollars, to be sold. The team ended up staying in Nashville being sold to a group of local investors, and the memory of the incident is one that most like to store in the deep abyss.
Most of my readers will not know what the power play percentage is or even who is on injured reserve, but they WILL be filling seats on Sunday. For the game against Columbus, I've come up with a hand full of seats that may end up containing a die hard Predators fan. While I will be sitting in my seat keeping a close eye on David Legwand, who is playing only his third game since the middle of November due to injury, and making new notes on Marek Svatos, who is playing his second game as a Predator after being picked up on waivers from St Louis, my friends will be taking it all in, wondering what a hooking penalty actually is. "It Stays With You" is the point, and I hope that it actually does.
My segmented thoughts and writings are what they are. I do hope that you will find a ticket, attend a game, and most importantly, bring a friend. If you cannot find a ticket, or do not know where to look, shoot me an email, and I just may be able to help.
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