Tag: David Legwand

Vancouver Scrapes by with Win in Nashville, Preds lose 4-3 in Shoot Out

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Colin Wilson gets the first goal for the Preds, but can't seal the win in the shootout.

The Nashville Predators welcome the always favored Vancouver Canucks to Music City on Tuesday night, hoping to continue their defeat of Western Conference rivals after the All-Star break. The Canucks, however, weren’t going to leave Nashville quietly, and both teams battled through regulation, overtime, and ultimately into a shootout.  Unfortunately for the Predators, it was the Canucks who slipped by with 2-point win, their 33rd win of the season, 4-3 in SO. Here are the highlights from Tuesday’s game against the Vancouver Canucks:

KEY POINTS:

  • The usuals found themselves scratched Tuesday night and that would be Jack Hillen, Gabriel Bourque, and the fighter himself, Brian McGrattan. Personally, we would have liked to see Big Ern take out Dan Hamhuis (boo) or Alex Burrows (oh heck, the whole team).
  • Both teams started out strong, but Vancouver struck first at 11:42 on the power play from Ryan Kesler, his 17th goal of the season. Both Alex Burrows and Dan Hamhuis (boo) assisted on the snap shot passed Pekka Rinne.
  • The Predators didn’t let the Canucks celebrate the 1-0 lead long, when Colin Wilson sent his own snap shot passed Roberto Luongo at 13:47, his 11th goal of the season. David Legwand and Patric Hornqvist picked up the assists.
  • Vancouver would return the pressure at 18:21 with a slap shot from Byron Bitz, his first goal of the season.
  • About 20 seconds later, the Canucks would score once more at 18:44 from Daniel Sedin, his 23rd goal of the season.
  • The Predators wasted no time in the second catching up the Canucks, with a tip-in from Sergei Kostitsyn at 4:14, his 14th goal of the season. Kevin Klein and Martin Erat assisted on the goal.
  • One minute later, at 5:16, Mike Fisher tied the game with a wrist shot passed Luongo, his 16th goal of the season. Captain Shea Weber picked up the only assist.
  • The third period produced no goals, but both teams fought hard for the winning goal. Overtime was basically the same as the third periods, with neither team able to seal the game, thus throwing the game into a shootout situation. Here is how the shootout played out:
  1. VANCOUVER – Mason Raymond – MISS
  2. NASHVILLE – Sergei Kostitsyn – SAVED BY LUONGO
  3. VANCOUVER – Ryan Kesler – SAVED BY RINNE
  4. NASHVILLE – Martin Erat – MISS
  5. VANCOUVER – Alex Burrows – GOAL
  6. NASHVILLE – David Legwand – GOAL
  7. VANCOUVER – Daniel Sedin – MISS
  8. NASHVILLE – Mike Fisher – SAVED BY LUONGO
  9. VANCOUVER – Cody Hodgson – MISS
  10. NASHVILLE – Ryan Ellis – SAVED BY LUONGO
  11. VANCOUVER – Alexander Edler – GOAL
  12. NASHVILLE – Colin Wilson – MISS
  • After twelve rounds, the Canucks were able to knock the Predators off and gain the 2-point win, leaving Nashville a little victorious (Nashville still got one point out of the game).
  • Pekka Rinne was just as strong as ever, stopping 3 of 31 shots. The Predators were able to get 4o shots on goal, with twelve of those shots taken in the second period.
  • The Predators only gave the Canucks one power play chance and, unfortunately, Vancouver was able to capitalize on Brandon Yip’s slashing penalty in the first period. The Canucks gave the Predators four power play chances, but the Predators were unable to use any of them to their advantage.

The Predators definitely felt this comeback loss to the Canucks, but at least scraped by with one point, much better than none at all. The Predators take some time in the Eastern Conference and head to the capital of Canada to face the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night and then over to Bean Town on Saturday to take on the defending Stanley Cup champs, the Boston Bruins at a special 12PM start game.

Until then,
GO PREDS.

(Photo credit: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images North America)

Predators Isolate the Islanders 3-1

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Kevin Klein tries to stop John Tavares from accessing the puck.

The Predators took New York by storm today, blowing passed the New York Islanders in their wake 3-1 (their 5th consecutive win).  The Islanders aren’t a terrible team, as they did dismantle the Detroit Red Wings on the 10th 5-1, but the Predators came out in Long Island on fire, prepared to sweep the East Coast (hopefully). Here are they highlights of today’s afternoon win on Long Island:

KEY POINTS:

  • Jerred Smithson is still tied down in the IR, but both Brian McGrattan and, despite feeling “100% better”, Craig Smith found themselves scratched from the game.
  • Sergei Kostitsyn was first to draw blood during this game, scoring his 11th goal of the season at 2:17 in the first period. His only assistance came from Ryan Ellis. This is also Sergei’s sixth goal in eight shots this month.
  • Matt Halischuk was quick to put the Predators up 2-0 at 5:34, with no assistance from his fellow teammates.
  • David Legwand also responded quickly, sending the Predators up 3-0 at 11:37 in the first period. He was assisted by Martin Erat and Colin Wilson.
  • At 7:04 in the first, Ryan Suter, who was rumored to have suffered an upper-body injury during the Flyers, as pulled from the game. He is expected to miss tomorrow’s game against the New York Rangers. The second period was relatively quite, with no goals from either team.
  • John Tavares would score the only goal for the Islanders during the game at 16:02 in the 3rd period.
  • Pekka Rinne was on his A-game, blocking 36 of 37 shots on goal. In the second period alone, Pekka blocked 19 shots. Only Tavares’s goal in the third slipped past the Finnish phenom.
  • The Predators were only given one power play opportunity, but the Preds gave the Islanders three chances to advance on the power play, including a 5-3. Here are the guys who took the penalties:
  1. Colin Wilson – 17:59 1st Period – Elbowing
  2. Gabriel Bourque – 8:33 2nd Period – Hooking
  3. Mike Fisher – 9:23 2nd Period – Hi-Sticking

Tomorrow, the Predators take on the other New York team, the Rangers, at 6:30PM CST. This will be on NBC-Sports, which is just Versus, but with a new name.

Until then,
GO PREDS.

(Photo credit: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America)

Double Dose for Avalanche: Predators Sweep Back-to-Back Games

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Pekka Rinne makes an unbelievable save against Colorado’s Milan Hejduk.

 

On Tuesday night, the Nashville Predators and the Colorado Avalanche began a two-game back-t0-back schedule, starting out in Denver, then moving the action to Nashville on Thursday. The Predators and the Avalanche only meet three times during this season, and with the first two being back-t0-back, both teams were looking to dominate the two-game series. Since we’re writing this with the Philadelphia game tonight in Nashville, we’ll shorten both games with the highlights of both games. That, and you probably already know who dominated the two-game series…!

 

Tuesday in Denver :

  •  Jerred Smithson and Jack Hillen found themselves scratched for the night in Denver. Although Jack Hillen’s scratch was a healthy one, Smithson’s was a little more complicated. Due to an undetermined lower-body injury, Smithson’s condition could render him out for a few games.
  • The Predators came out in Denver with hunger in their eyes, completely dominating the first period. The Predators in the first period alone had thirteen shots compared to the Avalanche’s six, if that tells you anything.
  • Nick Spaling drew blood first at 4:31 in the first period, with assistance from Jordin Tootoo and rookie Gabriel Bourque.
  • Thanks to a tripping penalty from Colorado’s T.J. Galiardi, Ryan Ellis was able to notch his second NHL career goal at 7:41 on the power play. He was assisted by Martin Erat and fellow rookie Roman Josi.
  • From his assist on Ellis’s goal, Martin Erat was quick to make a goal of his own at 15:05 with assistance from Mike Fisher and Ryan Suter.
  • Ryan O’Reilly would put the Avalanche on the board at 19:24 of the second period on a power play due to a hooking call on Francis Bouillon, but it wasn’t enough for the Avalanche to stop the Predators.
  • Patric Hornqvist would finish up the game with a goal at 15:34 in the 3rd period with assistance from Ryan Ellis.
  • As this season has proven, anytime Nick Spaling scores, the Predators haven’t lost in regulation. Nick Spaling should score more often.
  • Pekka was also on his game Tuesday night, blocking 32 of 33 shots on goal. Although the Avalanche were able to score their one and only goal on the PP, both the Predators and the Avalanche had the same amount of penalty chances. Here are the three Predators who sat in the box:
  1.  Matt Halischuk – 2:53 2nd Period – Interference on Goalkeeper
  2. Francis Bouillon – 18:25 2nd Period – Hooking
  3. Patric Hornqvist – 0:15 3rd Period – Interference
  • It was clear the Avalanche were not prepared for complete domination from the Predators Tuesday night, but were they more prepared for Nashville on Thursday night…?

 

Thursday in Nashville:

  • Both Jack Hillen and Jerred Smithson were scratched again against Colorado, with Smithson’s injury still tying him down.
  • Although the Predators dominated the Avalanche in Colorado, the Avalanche were more prepared when they arrived in Nashville, with Ryan O’Reilly scored unassisted at 6:09, putting Colorado on the board first.
  • At 12:17, Gabriel Landeskog put the Avalanche up 2-0, sending the Predators into panic mode.
  • In the 2nd period, David Legwand gave the Predators their first goal of the game at 11:02 with assistance from Matt Halischuk and Francis Bouillion.
  • Sergei Kostitsyn tied the game for the Predators at 8:48 in the 3rd period, with assistance from Mike Fisher and Roman Josi. Neither team was able to score again, thus throwing the game into overtime.
  • Thirty-four seconds into over time, David Legwand was able to slip one passed Colorado’s goalie, Jean-Sebastien Giguere to seal the game in the Predators favor.
  • Although they dominated the game in Denver, the Predators did not out-shoot the Avalanche, where as they did during this game 35 to 29. Even though Pekka let a few more get passed him than during the first game, he was still able to block 27 of 29.
  • The Predators also had six chances to score on the power play, but did not capitalize on any of them. The Avalanche were only given two chances, yet nor did they use them to their advantage (and they were given a double minor). Here are the two Preds that spent some unwanted time in the penalty box:
  1. David Legwand – 6:49 1st Period – Cross Checking
  2. Craig Smith – 16:17 1st Period – Hi-Sticking (double minor)
  •  Due to the snowy weather outside, the Predators were only 200 tickets short of another sellout, but Saturday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers is sure to fix that issue.

 

For a team to collect all four available points on a back-t0-back series is pretty outstanding, even if one of them went into over time. The next time the Predators will see the Avalanche will be Thursday, March 8th. Hopefully, by that time, Shane O’Brien will be off the Injured Reserve (he was placed on it just days before the first meeting on Tuesday).

The Predators welcome the Philadelphia Flyers tonight at 7PM, then are off to New York to face the Islanders and the Rangers next week. The Predators will return to Nashville on Saturday, January 21st to face the Chicago Blackhawks.

Until tonight,
GO PREDS.

(Photo credit: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images North America)