Tag: Chicago Blackhawks

Game 1: CHI – 4, NSH – 3

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usa-today-8521620.0

Original Photo Source: Christopher Hanewinckel – USA TODAY Sports

Where does one begin? Well, let me begin with the fact that I have not seen the Predators play such a physical period (first) in a very long time; definitely not within recent memory. They essentially played as a team; they read each other well. Something that certainly did not happen in the second period. I’d rather not discuss the second period – not necessarily regarding last night’s game – but the second period within the last couple of games. Talk about a case of déjà vu. The Predators have been on this route of going hard in the first, giving themselves what would once be a challenge for any team to tackle; completely bombing in the second period, allowing the opposing team to either tie or take the lead; then they cannot gather themselves to retake what they lost in the second, ultimately costing the team the game. As exciting as those three goals were in the first period last night, I feared – and I bet a lot of you did, too – how the team would approach the second period.

And alas, there was definitely a fallout in the second period. However, to make things a little more interesting, the “officials” forgot how to properly officiate a hockey game. This wasn’t your first rodeo, was it? You could’ve fooled me… along with the other 17k+ folks. Countless dives, off-sides, and icing… you how do you miss an icing call? I understand hybrid icing and that nonsense, but regular, no-holds-bar icing? That’s bush league, babe. However, let’s take the most questionable non-call in all of the missed ones last night:
https://twitter.com/myregularface/status/588549591492009984

I enjoy chiming in with a nice chant of “Ref You Suck”, but I have never heard it as loud as I did last night… and for good reason, too. Clearly, that should have been a penalty shot award to a one Mr. Taylor Beck. I am not much of a conspiracy theorist, but my goodness, after the atrocious officiating in last night’s game, you’d have thought something awfully fishy was going on. And I am not talking about the catfish that was thrown on the ice:

We know how you feel about small market teams, Bettman…

That was the Predators’ game to take; no doubt. The physicality of the first period was outstanding and must be repeated in the following periods. The Predators have always allowed for sloppy passes and whatnot, but we have now reached the post-season; a time when other teams have honed in on those typical mistakes – no matter how little – and capitalize on them. Laviolette knows this; Housley knows this. Time to get both the hearts and minds right and on focus. There’s no doubt in my mind that Nashville can defeat the Blackhawks in this round; they just have to stop doubting themselves.

Noteworthy Notes:

  • Mike Fisher returned to the lineup as expected after coming back from a lower-body injury. However, he took a nasty hit in the first period, causing him to miss the remainder of the game. I have a relatively good feeling we won’t see Fisher the rest of this round, possibly even well beyond this round if Nashville can knock off the ‘Hawks.
  • Colin Wilson, ladies and gentlemen. With only six points in the last 32, Wilson brought out the afterburners in Game 1. His two goals tied the franchise record of goals in a single playoff game.

  • Viktor Stalberg certainly showed his former teammates that he wants to hold that Cup again. His unassisted goal helped chase Corey Crawford from the net.
  • Scott Darling, the Blackhawks backup and former Milwaukee Admiral, certainly secured Chicago’s victory last night. Forty-two saves for 80 minutes worth of hockey. Yea, Crawford might want to watch his back.
  • As for our goaltender, Pekka was definitely on point last night. Unfortunately, someone had to lose. Rinne made some incredible saves, keeping the game going for as long as it did.
  • Paul Gaustad did his thing at the face-off circle, winning 17 and losing just six for a percentage of 76%.
  • The Game Ops outdid themselves with the new intro video for the playoffs. Though this is a little snippet, I suggest making it out to tomorrow’s game or finding a video on YouTube.

    View post on imgur.com

Time to take in a deep breath and shake it off; there’s no room for lingering on yesterday. Hopefully, last night’s tough loss will light a fire under Nashville’s butt so they can come out with the same tenacity as yesterday’s first period and keep that going for the entire game.

Game 1 is in the books, boys and girls. Chicago – 4, Nashville – 3. Onward to Game 2.

 Extra: Check out this video from 2011 of the Predators players talking about how great the fans are in Nashville. Surely, this’ll get you feeling all warm and fuzzy, right?

Only a Day Away…

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PPLAYOFFS

As the image above suggests, tomorrow begins the pursuit of Lord Stanley’s Cup and on the agenda? Ottawa at Montreal, Islanders at Washington, Calgary at Vancouver, and Chicago at Nashville.

It’s been two years since the Predators and Nashville have seen playoff hockey and there are a ton of new faces (both player and fan-wise) that will see an entirely new side of the game they’ve come to love. Here’s a few things that have been happening around the rink & then some:

  • The World is a Stage –
    Despite many claiming that the Predators will be “twisting” the National Anthem to thwart Blackhawks fans, they actually have been doing this for quite a few games now; nothing new, guys. What will they be doing, you ask? Simply having the crowd sing the National Anthem instead of a performer; that’s it. No “God Bless America” or what have you, just some good ole mono a mono American harmonizing… or lack thereof. So, if you are coming to Game 1 tomorrow, gargle some salt water and practice your “Do, Re, Mi”, because there’s good chance you’ll have to drown out some obnoxious hollering.
  • Return of the Kane –
    After suffering a broken clavicle back on February 24th, Patrick Kane has announced he will be suiting up for Game 1 tomorrow night. Chicago didn’t suffer as badly as many fans would’ve thought during Kane’s absence as they finished 10-4-1 without him. However, though Kane’s return really doesn’t scathe the Nashville bench, it will pose a bit of a threat.
  • Bring ‘Em On [Up] –
    With injuries starting to increase, Nashville has had to make a few recalls from the Milwaukee Admirals to adjust. Two players to make the recall list just in time for the playoffs are defenseman Joe Piskula and forward-favorite, Kevin Fiala. Piskula, who was signed on a one-year contract over the summer, has one game under his belt this season for Nashville, and likewise for Fiala (who was drafted this season). This could be a turning point for both men, as strength and tenacity shown during key battles (like the playoffs) always strike a [good] cord. Update – Piskula will not have a chance at the NHL playoffs, as he has just been reassigned to Milwaukee. What a bummer, man. So, here’s to you, Kevin Fiala!
  • Not quite IR Level –
    Let’s see… Mike Fisher (lower-body), Cody Franson (upper-body), and Eric Nystrom (lower-body). So the count isn’t as high as it has been in the recent past, but we’re beginning to wonder at least about Nystrom and his injury. Of course, Ellis’s recovery was never discussed when he was out for that extended period of time, so nothing to see here; just still day-to-day. Both Fisher and Franson were at practice today, though Franson donned a “no contact” white jersey. There’s a good chance Fisher may be back for tomorrow’s game, or at the least Friday.
  • Peks (and so forth) on Point –
    It’s hard to argue against Pekka Rinne’s excellence in goaltending, but all things must come to an end eventually. No, I am not saying Rinne is in the downside of his career by any means, but it is no secret the rest of the team (and fans) rely on the Finnish Phenom a little too heavily at times & Lord knows he isn’t perfect. With the defense on the slide as of late (and Pekka still recovering from the effects of – you know – e. coli in his reconstructed hip),  Rinne has let a few escape by him that he’d otherwise put a stop to before it could even leave the stick. In order to push the Blackhawks aside and move forward in the playoffs, both the defense and Rinne are going to need to be on point. With Patrick Kane’s return, there’s even smaller room for error as that kid is known for pinpointing weaknesses – be it on the goaltender or some other blunder – and he will eat well beyond his fill.

Surprise! The whole world is against the Predators… again. Of course, after a lovely six-game losing streak to end the season & completely letting the Central Division slip through their hands, it’s easy to see why the hype over the team we’ve held dear to has come crashing down. That’s fine – let those who follow the bandwagon push on elsewhere. As the national treasure Tracy Lawrence once (probably continues to) sang:

“Everybody wants to slap your back,
Wants to shake your hand
When you’re up on top of that mountain.
But let one of those rocks give way,
Then you slide back down,
Look up and see who’s around then”

Yea, that’s how it usually goes with the Predators and Nashville needs to feed off of that and put some momentum behind their skates. They are the perpetual underdogs who had an outstanding season and kind of sort of blew it in the latter half. All teams go through ruts, right? Ah, but Nashville’s ruts always seem to be a little more heavier than say, Pittsburgh or Chicago. It’s a stigma they’ll probably carry for the rest of their existence as an organization – a non-traditional team on the march to contend with the big boys. And, for those who are not native to Tennessee reading this post, uh… just as a head’s up: Pretty sure Calgary says “yee-haw” about 100% more times than we ever would. In fact, no one says it here so… stop. Ask Dallas about that saying; it’s more of a Texas thing anyway.

So, cheers to the first round of the playoffs and may the best team move onward to Lord Stanley’s silver Cup. And by best team, I mean the Predators.

timehop

First Round Playoff Dates Announced

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matchup

When Minnesota lost 4-2 to St. Louis yesterday, it officially setup the first round playoff match-ups. Blues vs. Wild, Ducks vs. Jets, Canucks vs. Flames, and Predators vs. Blackhawks. Yes, the unfortunate rift between both organizations is about to come to a head as the dates have also been released:

Wednesday, April 15th – Chicago, 7:30PM
Friday, April 17th – Chicago, 8:30PM
Sunday, April 19th @ Chicago, 2PM
Tuesday, April 21st @ Chicago, 8:30PM
Thursday, April 23rd – Chicago, TBD
Saturday, April 25th @ Chicago, TBD
Monday, April 27th – Chicago, TBD

I personally had my fingers crossed that the Predators would start Thursday, rather than Wednesday, as the Nashville Sounds have their home opener on Friday night in their brand new stadium. No surprise the sports in my life are working against me, but I do know quite a few people who have already bought tickets to both events. Don’t worry – you’ll be able to sell either one just fine.

Screen shot 2015-04-12 at 9.50.49 AM

Whether you are dreading Nashville’s match-up or you are playing with what hope you have left, playoff hockey is an experience all its own and it shall prove entertaining nonetheless.

If the Playoffs were Today…

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Source: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

With just three games left in the regular season, the Predators have comfortably nestled themselves into a playoff spot… but so have the St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks. Because Nashville has failed to notch wins in the last three games, St. Louis has pulled ahead of the Predators by one point, 105 to 104. Okay, so not winning the Central Division won’t be the end-all-be-all; after all, we are looking towards the future playoff games, right? Well… you know that little rift between Chicago and Nashville, yea? That scenario could just rear its ugly head earlier than Preds fans had hoped.

Here’s how the match-ups would look if the playoffs started today:

nhlYep, you are reading that correctly. If the playoffs started today, you’d be looking at a match-up between the Predators and Blackhawks in the first round. But you laugh and say, “But the playoffs don’t start today so there’s no need to panic us.” No, I am not trying to cause mass hysteria, but here’s a little secret: if the Predators don’t win the Central Division and the Wild don’t surpass the Blackhawks, this match-up is happening.

Now, it’s not that the Predators cannot beat the Blackhawks; after all, the Blackhawks only beat the Predators in regulation once within their meetings this season, with Nashville winning one. Not the best of records but those one-pointers helped push us above the ‘Hawks nonetheless. However, with the “heartless” way that Nashville has been playing as of late, it’s looking a little iffy for the first round of playoffs, no matter who the Predators get paired with.

Now, you probably have already known about this possibly pairing, as the Predators reported on it yesterday. Well, this is for all of my followers living under textbooks – err, rocks – and do not see everything that gets posted.

So, who’s left on Nashville’s regular calendar? At Colorado tomorrow, Minnesota at home Thursday, and rounding it out in Dallas on Saturday. Can Nashville beat all those opponents to jump ahead of St. Louis? Absolutely… if they – um – wake up.

Preds tackle Avs 5-2

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Source: John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images

Source: John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images

After a not-so stellar performance on the road, the Predators headed back home to welcome in the divisional rival Colorado Avalanche, who might be sitting at the bottom of the Central Division, but certainly not out. Last Friday night, the Avalanche whipped fellow Central Division mate, the Chicago Blackhawks, 4-1 and then went on to defeat the 7th team in the League (the Tampa Bay Lightning) 5-4. Again, Colorado might be down, but they aren’t out. However, Nashville is the Top Dog in the League for a reason and tonight was a night to shush the naysayers.

SCRATCHES: Taylor Beck

FIRST PERIOD:

  • Nathan MacKinnon (13) got the puck moving at 3:57, a lucky break as the puck deflected off of Roman Josi’s skate into the net. Ryan O’Reilly (25) and Brad Stuart (8) notched the assists.
  • Not fifteen seconds later, Mister “I was healthy scratched on Sunday” Calle Jarnkrok answered the call to action and netted one alone for his sixth of the season.
  • Around the 13-minute mark of the game, Avalanche Captain, Gabriel Landeskog took aim at Roman Josi along the boards.
  • As you can see, Landeskog absolutely levels Josi with the hit, prompting both Paul Gaustad and Shea Weber to come to the rescue. Though I wouldn’t want to go up against Gaustad or Weber, I think if I had to choose, I’d go with duking it out with Gaustad. Unfortunately for Landeskog, #AngryShea got to him before Gaustad did.
  • Both players would be given majors (5 minutes) for fighting, but somehow, Weber also received a 10-minute misconduct AND an instigator penalty, totaling his time in the box at 17 minutes.
  • Nashville would finish out the remainder of the first period without their Captain and notch nine SOG to Colorado’s three.

SECOND PERIOD:

  • Craig Smith would open the second period with his 19th goal of the season, giving Nashville the 2-1 lead at 4:32. Mike Fisher (17) collected the lone assist.
  • Roman Josi would punch his 11th goal of the season at 11:06 with assistance from Matt Cullen (10).
  • Colorado would only manage five SOG during the second compared to Nashville’s sixteen.

THIRD PERIOD:

  • To remind everyone he’s still here (like we’ve forgotten), Filip Forsberg gave the Predators a 4-1 lead just 52 seconds into the third period for his 21st goal of the season. Mike Ribeiro picked up the assist, his 39th of the season.
  • Patrick Roy, who is known for pulling his goaltenders early in the games, did just that, giving Colorado a two-man advantage (Craig Smith called for hi-sticking & Shea still in the box). Eric Nystrom (7) slapped a wrister down the length of the ice, nailing the empty net for a short-handed goal at 8:28. Roman Josi (33) grabbed the assist.
  • With under two minutes to go, Colorado slipped on passed Pekka Rinne for a powerplay goal by John Mitchell (7), but it was too late for the Avalanche to make a comeback run.

It is pretty evident why Shea Weber risked a lifetime in the penalty box to protect his fellow linesman. First off, he’s the leader and that’s what a great leader does; second, the memory of Steve Downie’s hit on Roman Josi, just two games into last year’s season. That hit was not investigated like it should have been and Josi was concussed for a few months. Though Downie no longer is a member of the Colorado Avalanche, that wound was reopened by Gabriel Landeskog last night.

Now 41-13-7, the Predators now sit six points ahead of the team second in the league, the Montreal Canadiens. The closest divisional rival, the St. Louis Blues, sit nine points back. Chicago? Twelve points back.

The Predators welcome in the Minnesota Wild for a special 7:30PM start time on Thursday night (airing on NBC Sports).

Preds plunder Panthers 3-2 in SO

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Source: Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images

Source: Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images

There ain’t no rest for the wicked, as they say and, whether you think the Predators are wicked or not is by personal opinion, Nashville hasn’t had much breathing room. After defeating the New York Rangers 3-2 yesterday afternoon, the Predators were back at it again this afternoon against the Florida Panthers in Sunrise.

SCRATCHES: Colin Wilson

FIRST PERIOD:

  • Very much like yesterday, the first period today was slightly uneventful with no goals for either team. Both teams were given powerplay chances, but neither goaltender was willing to let one by.

SECOND PERIOD:

  • The second period belonged to the Panthers, as both Tomas Fleischmann (6) and rookie Aaron Ekblad (8) would sink goals on Carter Hutton. The period would end in favor of the Panthers 2-0.
  • Mattias Ekholm suffered an upper-body injury late in the second period after slamming into the boards. Though he was able to leave on his own, Ekholm did not return to the game after his injury.

THIRD PERIOD:

  • The Predators finally hit the right notes at 4:44 into the third period with a powerplay slapshot from Seth Jones. Mike Ribeiro (34) setup the assist for Jones’ fifth goal of the season.
  • Filip Forsberg would tie the game at 15:17 on another powerplay opportunity, collecting his 18th goal of the season. No assistance was needed for Forsberg’s snapshot past Roberto Luongo.

OVERTIME:

  • Onward to the shootout!

SHOOTOUT:

  • FLA – Brandon Pirri – MISS
  • NSH – Matt Cullen – GOAL
  • FLA – Brad Boyes – GOAL
  • NSH – Craig Smith – GOAL
  • FLA – Nick Bjugstad – GOAL
  • NSH – Roman Josi – MISS
  • FLA – Dave Bolland – MISS
  • NSH – Filip Forsberg – GOAL

NOTEWORTHY:

  • With his game-tying and game-winning goal, Filip Forsberg is all smiles – as usual. With eighteen goals, Forsberg is tied with Alexander Radulov’s rookie goal record.

    Source: @tomawillis

  • Mike Fisher cup-checked Erik Gudbranson at the end of regulation and got away scot-free. Anyone who knows Fisher knows it was unintentional, but it’s still a wee bit funny:
  • Colin Wilson, who is day-to-day, did not make the trip with the team to Florida – unsurprisingly.
  • Carter Hutton is now 5-4-4 on the season and me thinks may have found his niche.

It is certainly safe to say that Nashville came into Sunrise, Florida and stole two points from the Panthers. With the collection of two points, Nashville is now 35-12-6 and, thanks to the Lightning defeating the Ducks 5-1, the Predators are now back atop the League with 76 points. Kudos to the Blackhawks as well for taking a chunk out of the St. Louis Blues 4-2 (the Blues are down by four at 72 points).

The Predators are back Tuesday night as they welcome the best in the Eastern Conference, the Tampa Bay Lightning.

2015 NHL All-Star Weekend in Review

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Source: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Columbus, Ohio was the place to be this weekend has the city hosted the 2015 NHL All-Star Weekend. As you know, Nashville was chosen as the host city for the 2016 ASG Weekend, which will be an event on its own. But until then, let’s recap the fun that happened this weekend in Columbus… Oh, and for the sake of keeping this post from being ninety pages long, we’ll stick to Nashville’s accomplishments:

Team Foligno:

  • Nick Foligno – Columbus Blue Jackets
  • Brian Elliot – St. Louis Blues
  • Marc-Andre Fleury – Pittsburgh Penguins
  • Carey Price – Montreal Canadiens
  • Drew Doughty – L.A. Kings
  • Duncan Keith – Chicago Blackhawks
  • Kevin Shattenkirk – St. Louis Blues
  • Dustin Byfuglien – Winnipeg Jets
  • Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Arizona Coyotes
  • Brent Burns – San Jose Sharks
  • Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Edmonton Oilers
  • Bobby Ryan – Ottawa Senators
  • Alexander Ovechkin – Washington Capitals
  • Anze Kopitar – L.A. Kings
  • Radim Vrabata – Vancouver Canucks
  • Ryan Johansen – Columbus Blue Jackets
  • Zemgus Girgensons – Buffalo Sabres
  • Claude Giroux – Philadelphia Flyers
  • Phil Kessel – Toronto Maple Leafs
  • Patrick Kane – Chicago Blackhawks
  • Steven Stamkos – Tampa Bay Lightning
  • Coaching Staff: Darryl Sutter – L.A. Kings

Team Toews:

  • Jonathan Toews – Chicago Blackhawks
  • Corey Crawford – Chicago Blackhawks
  • Roberto Luongo – Florida Panthers
  • Jaroslav Halak – New York Islanders
  • Aaron Ekblad – Florida Panthers
  • Mark Giordano – Calgary Flames
  • Shea Weber – Nashville Predators
  • Johnny Gaudreau – Calgary Flames
  • Brent Seabrook – Chicago Blackhawks
  • Ryan Suter – Minnesota Wild
  • Justin Faulk – Carolina Hurricanes
  • Filip Forsberg – Nashville Predators
  • Ryan Getzlaf – Anaheim Ducks
  • Patrik Elias – New Jersey Devils
  • Patrice Bergeron – Boston Bruins
  • Rick Nash – New York Rangers
  • Tyler Seguin – Dallas Stars
  • Vladimir Tarasenko – St. Louis Blues
  • Jakub Vorachek – Philadelphia Flyers
  • John Tavares – New York Islanders
  • Coaching Staff – Peter Laviolette – Nashville Predators

As you recall, Pekka Rinne was not included in the All-Star “draft” due to sustaining a knee sprain. Because Filip Forsberg was chosen last for Team Toews, he was the lucky winner of a brand new Honda Accord. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins also won a new Honda, as he was chosen last for Team Foligno.

Source: @NHL

Source: @NHL

Saturday – Skills Competition – Winner: Team Foligno

Despite a good show by Team Toews, it was Team Foligno who reigned in the Skills Competition held on Saturday evening. Both Weber and Forsberg participated in the relay and shootout, but it was Weber who shined – not surprisingly – during the Hardest Shot round.

Shea originally missed his first shot, but more than nailed his second attempt, clocking his shot at 108.5 MPH. Weber certainly won the competition, but missed notching the hardest shot ever recorded, which is held by Zdeno Chara at 108.8 MPH. Forsberg shined in the relay portion, showing off his crazy insane puck-handling skills.

Sunday – All-Star Game – Winner: Team Toews

Though the fell short in the Skills Competition, Team Toews out-powered Team Foligno by a long shot during the actual All-Star Game, winning 17-12. And, believe it or not, though the All-Star Game tends to always have a ton of goals, this was the highest scoring game in its history. Filip Forsberg’s two goals helped get Team Toews to the win, the first goals scored by a Nashville Predator in an All-Star Game. Shea Weber also notched an assist off of Tyler Seguin’s goal.

From the World Wide World of Twitter:

So that’s a wrap on the 2015 NHL All-Star Weekend. Next Stop: Nashville! But before then, the Predators must press forward with the remainder of this season and push into the playoffs. Pekka Rinne should also be re-evaluated soon, along with Ryan Ellis. The Predators return to the regular season this Tuesday as they welcome in the Colorado Avalanche at 7PM.

Gritty Third Period leads to NSH Victory over CAR

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Source: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America

A gritty third period indeed. After a lackluster performance within the first and second periods, the outcome of the game in favor of Nashville looked pretty bleak going into the third period. Carolina, who were 12-24-4, were already up by one on Nashville and, even though that should be nothing for a team that is 25-9-4 should be concerned with, the Predators have a lengthy record of flunking against the Hurricanes.

SCRATCHES:

  • James Neal Anton Volchenkov

First Period:

  • The Hurricanes jumped on the board with a powerplay goal at 17:25 from Eric Staal, his eleventh of the season for Carolina.
  • Carolina managed to notch twelve shots on net, while Nashville desperately hunted for it, only tallying seven shots on net.

Second Period:

  • The second period brought zero luck to either contender on the side of goals.
  • Nashville came out with a bit more gusto this period, taking twelve shots to the net compared to Carolina’s five.

Third Period:

  • Peter Laviolette must have sacrificed a rookie during the second intermission because the Predators finally hit the ice with some power in the third.
  • Ryan Ellis (5) put the team on the board at 4:43 with a tricky slip behind Cam Ward’s back. Viktor Stalberg picked up his second assist for the season – his first one gained just last Saturday against the Kings.
  • Carolina would regain the lead at 8:14 with a powerplay goal from Justin Faulk, their second of the night.
  • A little over two minutes later, Mike Fisher would tie it once again for his sixth goal of the season. Colin Wilson (12) and Filip Forsberg (24) tally the assists.
  • Noteworthy: With his 24th assist, Filip Forsberg has now surpassed Alexander Radulov’s Franchise Rookie Record of 37 points; Forsberg leads rookies in the league with 38 points, 14 goals, 24 assists, and 23 plus-minus points. If he isn’t a Calder contender, I will have no reason to doubt the NHL just hates Nashville.
    radulov
  • Roman Josi would nail the GWG at 15:17 for his seventh goal of the season, bringing Nashville back from a dismal first and second periods. Viktor Stalberg (3) and Eric Nystrom (4) would nab the assists.

As the saying goes, “They don’t ask ‘how’ you won, but ‘if’ you won. Gritty wins in regulation still give you the two points.” — Someone says that. And, as news on the standings goes, Chicago (54) was blanked by the Colorado Avalanche last night, pushing Nashville (56) up two points. Though the Predators were already at the top of the Central Division, it’s still nice to push forward even farther from the Blackhawks. It is important to note that the Predators are also just two points behind the Anaheim Ducks for first in the Western Conference.

The 18-15-6 Dallas Stars roll into town on Thursday, then Nashville is off to St. Paul to visit Ryan Suter and the 18-15-5 Minnesota Wild.

Preds try to give Fans Heart Attacks; Win in OT 7-6

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Source: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America

Did that title catch your attention? No time to sugarcoat it tonight; oh no. I won’t spoil the fun by telling you what happened here; you need to read the meat and potatoes of the post.

What’s with all the back-to-backs, am I right? After a back-to-back against Chicago Monday and St. Louis Tuesday, the Predators received an extended break for the new year before heading West to take on the LA Kings this afternoon. Of course, tomorrow Nashville hops a block or two tomorrow to take on the Anaheim Ducks. Fun times
(Note: I wrote this paragraph before the meltdown).

SCRATCHES: James Neal (lower-body injury), Victor Bartley, and Miikka Salomaki (sorry, kid).

First Period:

  • The Kings wasted no time lighting the lamp as Matt Greene sent a slapshot past Pekka Rinne just 32 seconds into the game.
  • Mike Fisher quickly tied it up at 4:54 with a wrister past Jonathan Quick; his fifth goal of the season. Roman Josi (18) and Shea Weber (18) tallied the assists.
  • Not even two minutes later, Colin Wilson would collect the deflected goal off of Matt Greene’s stick; his eleventh of the season. Viktor Stalberg collected his first assist of the season on Wilson’s deflection.
  • Noteworthy: With eleven goals, Colin Wilson now has as many goals this season as he did all of last season.
  • Birthday Boy, Ryan Ellis would tally his fourth goal of the season on the powerplay at 9:43 with a speedy slapshot past Quick. Mike Ribeiro (22) and Seth Jones (8) picked up the assists.
  • After Ellis’s powerplay goal, Jonathan Quick was “quickly” pulled and replaced by backup Martin Jones.

Second Period:

  • Replacing Quick didn’t help at the beginning of the second period, as Mattias Ekholm collected his second goal of the season at 2:16. Craig Smith (10) and Ryan Ellis (11) nab the assists on Ekholm’s goal.
  • Nashville would continue pounding the Kings just a minute later, as newcomer Mart Arcobello picked up his first goal as a Predator at 3:57; his eighth of the season. Colin Wilson (11) and Paul Gaustad (8) are awarded the assists.
  • The Kings would not stay down for long, as Alec Martinez flipped a wrister past Rinne to put LA within three.
  • Dwight King would finish up the second period with another Los Angeles goal, a tip-in assisted by Jake Muzzin and Anze Kopitar.

Third Period:

  • Olli Jokinen nailed his third goal of the season at 8:38 with a wrist shot past Jones, giving Nashville a 6-3 lead. Gabriel Bourque – who’s been awfully quiet – picks up his fourth assist along with Paul Gaustad (8).
  • Dwight King picked up his second of the night at 17:59 with some assistance from Jake Muzzin.
  • Alec Martinez managed to bring it within one, his fifth goal of the season.
  • …And then Jeff Carter ties it at six at 19:26…

    All Predators fans can relate.

    OVERTIME:

  • Noteworthy: The Predators were up 6-3 with two minutes left in the game. SIX-TO-THREE. Why are we having flashbacks to Monday against Chicago? WHY?
  • Thankfully, it only took Roman Josi (6) eighteen seconds into overtime to seal the win in favor of Nashville. Filip Forsberg (22) and Mike Ribeiro (23) collect the game-winning assists.
  • Noteworthy: With this overtime assist, Filip Forsberg is now one point away from tying Alexander Radulov’s franchise rookie record.

The Predators nab their first win of 2015 – though they tried to give it to Los Angeles – to give themselves a record of 25-9-3, but – as I write a lot – there’s not time for rest. Nashville has a bout with the leader of the Pacific Division, the Anaheim Ducks tomorrow night at 7PM. The Ducks rest just four points ahead of Nashville in the Western Conference, so it’s easy for me to say that a win in regulation tomorrow night would be splendid indeed. …And less stress on my heart, thanks.

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Okay, so heart attack relief comes in the form of the Central Division Standings.

Preds hold lead early, fall to Blackhawks 5-4

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Source: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images North America

So I asked the in the previous post (the Philadelphia one) as to who would be in net for Nashville tonight. Who is surprised it was Pekka again? Now, don’t get me wrong, if I had my way, Pekka would be half human/half machine and fully capable of handling a full 82-game season; no offense, Hutton. But alas, he is a mere mortal and needs a rest every now and then. However, there’s a good chance Rinne will not rest for tomorrow’s game either, as St. Louis is nipping at our heels as I type. Call me a worrier, but after losing him last season to that E. Coli hip, I have every reason to be nervous of his health. Though the Predators have gained strength under the leadership of Peter Laviolette, Pekka Rinne is still saving their butts more often than not.

Anywho, let’s discuss Chicago, who sits just two points ahead of Nashville for first in the Central Division. However, to discuss the bigger picture, it seems as if Anaheim is Nashville’s biggest threat thus far (when discussing the Cup); they are currently 24-8-6. So a night in the Windy City then back home to face the Blues? Giddy-up.

First Period:

  • Roman Josi got the party started at 11:50 in the United Center with a snap shot past Corey Crawford for his fifth goal of the season. Paul Gaustad tallies the lone assist.
  • Craig Smith pushed Nashville up 2-0 with a wrister at 17:12, his 11th goal of the season. Colin Wilson (9) and Mike Ribeiro (21) claim the assists.

Second Period:

  • James Neal picked up his 12th goal at 7:28 with a excellent tip-in with assistance from Colin Wilson (10) and Pekka Rinne (1). No, that isn’t a typo – Rinne, in fact, picked up the assist.
  • Brad Richards cut the Predators lead 3-1 at 10:33 with a slap shot past Rinne for his seventh goal of the season.
  • Chicago would then come within one of Nashville at 15:48 with a wrister from Andrew Shaw, his sixth of the season.
  • Just two minutes later, Chicago would tie it with slapshot from Marian Hossa on the power play, his eighth goal of the season.
  • With a power play goal of his own, James Neal gave Nashville the lead once again, his second goal of the night and 13th of the season. Filip Forsberg (21) and Roman Josi (17) collect the assists.

Third Period:

  • Sadly, at 18:47 with the extra attacker, Bryan Bickell sends a wrister past Rinne to tie the game, sending it into overtime.

Overtime:

  • No goals in overtime – to the shootout we go.

Shootout:

  • NSH – Ryan Ellis – MISS
  • CHI – Jonathan Toews – GOAL
  • NSH – Craig Smith – MISS
  • CHI – Patrick Kane – MISS
  • NSH – Filip Forsberg – MISS

And with that, the Nashville Predators fall 5-4 in the shootout and are now 24-9-3. As I have mentioned several times, the Predators take on the Blues tomorrow night at home. Luckily, the Blues may be just as exhausted as they, too have played tonight. However… they beat the Avalanche 3-0. Sheesh.