Okay yes, the Predators lost their first preseason game last night to the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2… but what’s with all the panicking? Who’s panicking, you ask? Let’s take to the Nashville Predators Facebook page for inspiration (courtesy of @PredsFacebook on Twitter):

Okay so most of us have not tried jumping ship like the above samples, but those were just the tip of the iceberg (there are a ton more that’ll make you smack your mama). Look, if you are already having mild heart palpitations and feel a panic attack coming on, you must not have been a Preds fan for far too long. Take in a deep breath and repeat after me: It is preseason. Yes, it feels wonderful to win – preseason or not, there’s nothing like it – but this is the time when teams get a feel for the ice and who pairs well with who. Coach Laviolette is not going to send them out in a blazing glory, though they should go out there with the intent to win. Overall, if you listened to the game at all, I’d say that is exactly what they did. Had they not, we would be reflecting on a 4-0 loss rather than a 4-2, where Nashville lead for a while.

Yes, it is good to win in preseason, but it’s not the end of the world. Yes, it does somewhere reflect on how the team is doing, but this is the period of time when they work out those differences, those problems before October 9th.

So again, if you are already writing Nashville off after the first preseason game, by all means, get off this train. For all of you who have not lost your mind and are quite sensible, I expect to see you tomorrow at the Bridgestone Arena, say around 7PM.