Blake Geoffrion takes a stand for fellow teammate Jordin Tootoo by fighting Matt Beleskey.

Yet another amazing display of Predators hockey tonight in Nashville, as the Predators send the the Anaheim Ducks limping back to California 3-0. Tonight’s game was the most physical game of the season and the games to come with have a tough time rivaling this one. The Ducks were still clearly upset with the Predators knocking them out of the playoffs last season and made it known very early in the game. As usual, Corey Perry pulled dirty moves and tried to weaken the Predators defense. However, the Predators stuck together and fought back, sending the Ducks waddling home without a goal to their name.

KEY POINTS:

• For the first time this season, the Predators lead the game in scoring with 29 to the Ducks’ 20! It’s about time!
• Patric Hornqvist was quick on his feet tonight, scoring the first goal of the game, only 14 seconds after the puck dropped! He was assisted by both Colin Wilson and Captain Shea Weber. This is Horny’s second goal of the season and it seems the old Hornqvist is back in the game. Horny also lead the team in shots at the net with seven.
• Was Erat just taking a break for a few games or was he really hurt because Marty came out on fire against the Ducks after sustaining an upper body injury, sending him on the IR. Erat scored the second goal of the night (also in the 1st) with assists from Jordin Tootoo and Alternate Captain Ryan Suter. It is good to see Marty returning from an injury with such fire.
• Mike Fisher was helped off the ice during the first period after a devastating and blind-sided blow from Francois Beauchemin. He did not return to the game and Barry Trotz told the media that he suffered from an upper body injury and could be out for a few games. As you know, Fisher just returned this season after getting shoulder surgery over the summer. Beauchemin was sighted with an illegal check to the head and roughing, sending him to the box for a total of four minutes.
• Brian McGrattan dropped the gloves with George Perros in the 1st, showing off his rough and tough fighting skills. Both were sent the box for 5 minutes for fighting. McGrattan blew kisses to the crowd while making his way to the penalty box, and after the way the Ducks were playing, fans truly enjoyed the dukes being thrown.
• Also throwing bows was Kevin Klein after Fisher was blind-sided by Beauchemin. Klein went after Beauchemin and showed how much his teammates mean to him, letting him know cheap shots aren’t welcome in Smashville. Like Beauchemin, Klein found his way to the penalty box for 4 minutes due to Roughing.
• Another boy standing up for his teammates was Blake Geoffrion, who took after Matt Beleskey after a cheap shot was taken on Jordin Tootoo while he was face down on the ice. Although not a fighter, Geoffrion made it clear that he did not appreciate the Ducks and their lack of class. He was able to get three good punches in before the two players fell to the ice. Both were sent the penalty box for 5 minutes for fighting.
• Corey Perry was faced with a penalty after taking a personal stab at a downed Jordin Tootoo during the third period. The refs called it “slashing”, but it was clearly a blow with his stick. Perry is known for using his stick as a weapon and notoriously getting away with it. It’s time for the NHL to step in and do something about his behavior.
• Props to Jordin Tootoo for keeping his cool under pressure tonight. The Ducks took jabs at him all night, but Toots kept a level head and avoided the penalty box, which was what the Ducks were intending. Toots should have been a “Star of the Game” for taking hit after hit and still fighting through without complaint.
• Shea Weber hit his first goal of the season in the third, sealing the game for the Predators. Weber took his famous slapshot towards the goal, and we all know you do NOT get in the way of that shot. His shots have been clocked in the 100MPH range if that gives you an indication.
• And, last but not least, star of the night goes to Pekka Rinne! Tonight’s win sealed Pek’s 100th win with the team and his 22nd career shutout, surpassing Tomas Vokoun’s Predators record. We are very proud to have such a great goalie who takes his position seriously and enjoys the game and fans as much as Pekka Rinne does.

Martin Erat will be taking the ice tonight, but Kostitsyn is looking iffy.

After the exceptional display of true Smashville hockey Thursday night, the Predators are looking to continue their hard work with a win tonight over division rivals the Anaheim Ducks. Now, the Ducks and the Preds were not always big rivals, but after the Predators knocked the Ducks out of the first round of the playoffs, these two teams have found new life in rivalry.

The Ducks are 5-3-1 so far this season, with players such as Corey Perry, Teemu Selanne, and Bobby Ryan leading the pack. Jonas Hiller, who was out due to vertigo during the playoffs, is back and ready in goal tonight. However, if the Predators play like they did Thursday, the Ducks will be easy shot down by Nashville.

Good news on the Preds front, Martin Erat has recovered from his “upper body” injury and is ready to hit the ice tonight. Sergei Kostitsyn, who was knocked to the ice Thursday by the Lightning’s Brett Connolly, was said to be ready for tonight, but his return has been a bit iffy today. He twisted his left leg when he fell, but Coach Barry Trotz was confident that SK74 would be ready to go tonight. We shall all see at game time.

Tonight could also be quite memorable for a certain Finnish goalie of ours (who could it possibly be?). If the Predators win tonight, Pekka will have won his 100th regular-season game. And the team can’t disappoint him, right?

Are We in Smashville or Halloweentown?
Tonight is Halloween in Smashville, which means it’s time to dress up in your best ghoulish costume to compete for some great Preds prizes. The festivities begin with a Plaza Party at 4:30 and, as you may have guessed, the fans with the best costumes will be featured on the Megatron (I prefer to say Jumbotron since Megatron sounds like a Transformer). So come on down early and show off your Halloween costumes!

The puck drops at 7PM – We hope everyone is ready for some Duck domination tonight! GO PREDS.

The Nashville Predators have just recently announced that they will be trading forward Cal O’Reilly to the Phoenix Coyotes in return for a 4th Round Draft Pick in the 2012 NHL Draft. The Predators now have nine draft picks for the 2012 Draft, which will be head in Pittsburgh, PA.

Many fans were surprised that O’Reilly was not traded earlier, before the season started, due to the fact he suffered a season-ending injury against the Blue Jackets on January 2nd. However, due to his injury, players Blake Geoffrion and Chris Mueller were able to move up and take to the NHL. Craig Smith’s development has also been a factor in the O’Reilly trade.

We wish Cal all the best of luck in Phoenix.
You can read more about the trade here on the Predators website.

What a game for Mike Fisher tonight! Carrie would be more than proud!

Now this is what Smashville hockey is all about! The Predators tore out onto the ice tonight, itching to get their first win at home this season, hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning. Not only did they crave the win tonight, they earned it! This is the hockey Predators fans live for and expect from such a great team. This is the team we are used to. Tonight’s game definitely boosted the confidence of both the fan base and the players, no doubt.

If you saw the game or were there, your jaw more than likely hit the floor a few times (that’s if it didn’t stay there the whole game). Every single player was on his A-Game tonight, give or take a few flukes. The guys worked exceptionally well together and executed several outstanding plays. That, and the Predators actually took shots! No, they didn’t surpass the Lightning for most shots, 32 to our 27, but please, reread that; 32 to 27! It seems the Predators took a chance tonight and tried the “shoot the puck” method and it definitely worked in their favor, smashing the Lightning 5-3.

KEY POINTS:

• The Predators have found a pair in Mike Fisher and Sergei Kostitsyn. These two blended seamlessly together tonight, with Fisher getting an assist to Kostitsyn’s goal (the first goal of the night) and then the two switched with the second goal, giving Fisher the goal and Kostitsyn the assist. However, these two were torn apart when Kostitsyn suffered a leg injury due to a hit from Tampa Bay’s Brett Connolly. He was helped off the ice, but Coach Barry Trotz does not think Sergei will be absent from Saturday’s game against the Ducks. Sergei did not return to the game, but Fisher continued his domination by scoring the final goal, sealing the win for the Preds. If Sergei is able to play Saturday, we want to see him and Fisher back together. These two could eventually be a deadly combination.
• The “Peks Reflex” was back in full force tonight, with Pekka Rinne saving 29 of the 32 shots taken on goal tonight. Peks has been shaky the last few games, letting more pucks slip passed than normal, but it looked like tonight the old Pekka is back and ready to take names. He made several unbelievable saves that only our Finnish phenom can accomplish.
• Welcome back, Horny! Patric Hornqvist scored the 3rd goal tonight during the 2nd, to the relief of many fans. Horny has had a rough few games and hasn’t been his usual self, but tonight was the exception. It is good to see Hornqvist back on the board.
• Let’s also welcome back, The Cube! It’s pretty apparent Francis Bouillon has a “Napoleon Complex”, and we are perfectly okay with this! Bouillon juked around the ice, tripping up the Lightning during several plays, helping keep the puck away from Pekka’s net. It is a relief to see him recover from his concussion he suffered back in January against the Chicago Blackhawks. The fans are more than happy to welcome him back!
• Nick Spaling put some “Spals to the Walls” tonight and scored the fourth goal of the night during the 2nd. Spaling has been alright this season, but it was good to see him step up tonight and seal a goal for the team. Also showing up tonight was Jonathon Blum, Kevin Klein, Jerred Smithson, and Colin Wilson. All five of these guys seemed to have had their heads in the game and, although there were a few mishaps, no complaints can be made here. Oh, and let us not forget our favorite rookie, Craig Smith. He’s on fire during every game.

Tootoo loses his footing against San Jose's Justin Braun.

Although the Predators got some much needed help from both Mike Fisher and Francis Bouillon, neither one could keep the San Jose Sharks from devastating the team on home ice last night, sweeping passed the Predators 3-1.

It seems the Predators are facing a “home ice curse” this season, losing every home game they have played this season (three games). Are they nervous in front of their own fans? If the Preds have problems on Thursday, we might start wondering who put a curse on the Bridgestone Arena.

San Jose’s Logan Couture struck first, gaining a goal on Peks during the first period. It took until the third period for Craig Smith, with an assist from Mike Fisher, to score on the Power Play. Unfortunately, within seconds, the Sharks struck again, taking the excitement of a possible overtime away from the fans. The game was sealed when Peks was pulled and the Sharks scored on the empty net, ending the game 3-1.

As usual, the Predators lagged behind in shots, only hitting 20 to San Jose’s 36. Unlike normal, however, the Preds did not find themselves in the penalty box as much, with only Nick Spaling and Sergei Kostitsyn being sent to pout.

Colin Wilson took the initiative and looked as if he was trying to cover the entire ice and Craig Smith also fought hard and did some much needed covering and pressure against the Sharks. Mike Fisher and Francis Bouillon played well and suffered no injuries, although Bouillon did have a bout with Brad Winchester, who checked him in the head. Bouillon leveled Winchester in the first period, but didn’t think Winchester’s check was intentional.

It is never fun to write a post about a loss, but it has to be done. It is clear that the Predators need to just shoot and not try to set up these “perfect” plays. Now, don’t get us wrong, we used to get annoyed by fans who would just scream “SHOOOOTTT”, but when we just dribble the puck behind the goal, waiting for someone to open up, it gets a little daunting. Maybe we just haven’t been paying attention, but do other teams do that or do they just pressure the goalie? We would like to see the Predators shoot and pressure the goal more, but then again, we aren’t the coaches and surely they know best, right? However, when you continue testing the same criteria and the result is always the same, maybe something new should be tried?

The puck drops at 7PM tomorrow night against the Tampa Bay Lightning at home. Be sure to stop by Rippy’s before the game for Preds pre-game party with 102.5 The Game and Aaron Solomon! They will be giving away tickets to future home games and other prizes!

Also for Preds fans, the first installment of The Jordin Tootoo Radio Show starts tonight at the Blackstone restaurant on West End at 7PM. Tootoo will be covering everything Preds and Matt Halischuk will be his special guest! Prizes and tickets will also be given away to luck fans!!

Both Fisher and Bouillon are ready to hit the ice tonight. Are you ready for their return?

Alert, Preds fans! It is official; BOTH Francis Bouillon and Mike Fisher are ready to play TONIGHT! How awesome is that? Both Bouillon and Fisher will be a much needed veteran influence and force for the youngest roster in the NHL.

As you recall, Fisher has missed the first seven games due to undergoing shoulder surgery during the summer and Bouillon has been recovering from a concussion he suffered in January against the Chicago Blackhawks.

How will Fisher and Bouillon’s return effect the team? Hopefully, for our sake, on a positive note, but we are a little nervous for Bouillon. It has taken him a while (six months) to recuperate from his injury, and for some reason, we just can’t shake the whole Matthew Lombardi situation from our recent memory. Of course, Bouillon has been working hard to recover, much more than could be said for Lombardi (let’s not discuss his trade to the Maple Leafs and how well he’s done). Mike Fisher, on the other hand, we aren’t too worried about. He, like Francis, has been practicing and focusing on recovering to return.

Don’t forget, the puck drops at 7PM tonight against the San Jose Sharks! Do you think they’re ready for The Cube and Mr. Carrie Underwood (sorry, Mike!)?

Mike Fisher is ready to hit the ice!

Here’s a little news alert for all you Mike Fisher fans: Mike Fisher announced via his Twitter account that he is in full health and is ready to hit this ice this season!

As you may recall, Fisher underwent shoulder surgery over the summer and has spent the preseason and part of the regular season recuperation and healing his shoulder. Although he did not travel to Canada with the rest of the team this past week, Fisher has been ever-present on the ice during practice while in Nashville and finally feels good enough to return to the ice.

However, it is not promised that he will play tomorrow against the San Jose Sharks, but best bet he should be ready for Thursday’s game against the Lightning.

Also running through the grapevine is the update on Francis Bouillon. Like Fisher, Bouillon has been practicing and preparing himself for a return (as a reminder, Bouillon suffered from a concussion in January). Supposedly, he has made mention about being ready by tomorrow, but we highly doubt that. He may, however, be ready by Saturday, possibly. It would be awesome if he could! Until then, it is nice to know that Fisher is ready to hit the ice this season! He will make a huge difference for the team!

If you do not follow Mike Fisher on Twitter, here is his Twitter account!

Jordin Tootoo in all his glory. We wouldn't have him any other way.

Jordin Tootoo is taking the airwaves starting this Wednesday, hosting his very own radio show! The Jordin Tootoo Radio Show will be every Wednesday from 7 to 8PM at the Blackstone Restaurant and Brewery and is open to the public! Tootoo will also be featuring guests on his show and tomorrow’s special guest is Matt Halischuk! Autographs and photos are welcome!

As most remember, the late Wade Belak hosted his show at the Blackstone; Tootoo will pick up where his former teammate left off this season. More information on the show and its contents will be updated soon, but if you’re itching for some hockey between Tuesday’s game against the Sharks and Thursday’s game against the Lightning, then come on down to the Blackstone Restaurant and Brewery between 7-8 this Wednesday. The restaurant is located off West End in downtown Nashville.

After four straight losses, Pekka redeems himself with a shutout against Calgary Saturday afternoon.

The Predators’ last stop in Canada ended on a high note Saturday, with the Preds extinguishing the Calgary Flames 2-0. This win officially ends the losing streak plaguing the Preds for the last four games, relieving most of the tension hanging over the players.

It was rumored that Anders Lindback, who replaced Pekka during the second and third periods of last Thursdays devastating loss against the Canucks, would be the starting goalie against the Flames, allowing Pekka to rest and take a breather for a game. However, in true Peks fashion, he did not let the bad vibe of four straight losses affect his train of thought, blocking all 33 shots the Flames chucked at the Finnish goalie. Also a plus for Pekka, this shutout was his 21st shutout, thus tying him with Tomas Vokoun for most in franchise history.

Both the Predators and the Flames were relatively quiet during the first period, but the Predators took the reigns in the second, with Niclas Bergfors striking the first blow against the Flames; this was also his first goal as a Nashville Predator. Taking responsibility for the second goal (during the 3rd period) was Sergei Kostitsyn, his second goal of the season.

Although the Predators were out in full force Saturday and were clearly ready to play, they still ran into hurdles with very little shots to the goal (14 to Calgary’s 33) and unnecessary time in the penalty box. However, after the truly embarrassing game against Vancouver, we here at Lady Preds believe the players may have caught on to their mistakes; hopefully.

Also on a Predators note, Captain Shea Weber has been fined $2,500 for boarding Jannik Hansen during the Vancouver game last Thursday night. Weber spent 5 minutes in the box during the third period after receiving boarding and unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.

Now that the losing streak has been nipped in the bud in Calgary, are the Predators ready to face the San Jose Sharks at home? If so, this will be the first win at home for the Preds, which would be so very nice for the fans (and give the team some hope, too). The puck drops at 7PM and, if you can’t make it to the game, you can watch it on Fox Sports South (check your local listings). We here at Lady Preds are finally happy to write an upbeat post and we hope to continue with more!

GO PREDS.

Daniel Sedin strikes first against the Predators and Peks looks physically & emotionally drained.

Here’s the fourth depressing blog post in a row for the Predators fans. After the embarrassing game from Saturday, the Predators were expected to make a roaring comeback against the slacking Vancouver Canucks tonight when the puck dropped at 9PM. However, it seems the guys are still up to no good and penalties plagued the Preds once again. Matt Halischuk scored the Preds only goal in the game during the first period, and Pekka Rinne, after having four goals scored on him during the first period alone, was pulled and replaced with Anders Lindback during the second and third periods.

Don’t Blame the Goalie for Terrible Defense:
Despite being pulled during the first, blame cannot be placed atop Pekka’s head. “Fans” on the Predators Facebook accused the Predators leading goalie of being “too big headed” and “overrated”, but again, we call these people “fans” with quotation marks for a reason. When you are under as much pressure as Pekka Rinne is, there is going to come a time when his body becomes both emotionally and physically exhausted from having to cover the rest of his team’s mistakes (hence why Peks is called “The Eraser”). When a team’s defense is terrible and players are constantly in and out of the penalty box, the goalie has to work extra hard to prevent the opposing team from scoring, wether they hit the goalie with 50 shots or 12, eventually a few will slip by. It was evident from tonight (and even Saturday’s game) that Peks is getting worn out due to his team’s performance. It has nothing to do with his “big headed-ness” or being “overrated”. If you have actually ever met the man, you would know he doesn’t have a single selfish bone in his body and is actually shy when it comes to fame. There is no PRIDE in this WHATSOEVER.
Pardon my soapbox moment, but sometimes the obvious has to be stated.

Speaking of goalies, Anders Lindback play exceptionally well after replacing Pekka during the second period, allowing only one puck while in goal. Pretty good for his first appearance this season, right? We think so and we are glad to see Lindback is following in Pekka’s footsteps.

Now on to the depression stats: As usual, the Predators lost in the shooting round, being out shot by the Canucks 40 to 26. This number rose, however, from the Edmonton game, in which the Preds only shot 12 times. Also plaguing the Predators, as stated above in the first paragraph, were unnecessary penalties; 30 minutes worth, in fact. This also including both Shea Weber and Ryan Suter being sent to the box at the same time with Weber facing unsportsmanlike conduct, a double minor of 5 minutes.

On a lighter note, Colin Wilson went after Dan Hamhuis and clocked him a few times, making this his third NHL fight. Sadly, Hamhuis won the fight, but barely. Colin also spent some time in the penalty box tonight. A fight and a trip to the penalty box; Good birthday presents, right? Also putting up the dukes was good ole Jordin Tootoo, who completely wrecked Aaron Volpatti, a Canuck left wing from Brown University.

Freak Out Time:
So after four straight losses, is it time for fans to start jumping ship and running? Well, first off, if you are loyal to your Preds, that thought wouldn’t cross your mind. Furthermore, the season is only six games in and the Predators have won two. Okay, so we are hitting a sour note right now and yes, it really, really sucks, but to give up is not an option. We shall make lemonade with lemons and let Barry Trotz scare the living H-E-Double Hockey Sticks out of us and try again Saturday against the Calgary Flames. However, the Predators seriously need to get their defense in order and focus on discipline and stop finding themselves on the other end of a penalty kill. The lack of defense is having a huge effect on Pekka Rinne and it’s finally beginning to show.

The Predators finish up their Canadian run on Saturday in Calgary as they take on the Flames at 3PM.