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.
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