Tag: Filip Forsberg

Predators bounce past Maple Leafs 4-3

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carter

Where you at, Hutton Haters? Oh ye, of little faith! Carter Hutton is a mess of a goaltender (in a good way). One minute, he’s making these insane, slap-yo-mama saves, then he’s watching one skip right by him like he was frozen. Luckily, in recent bouts, Hutton’s accuracy has improved by leaps and bounds, which is nice because those naysayers start getting drowned out by the cheers for the backup goaltender. Look, the bottom line is, Hutton is no Pekka Rinne – and that’s something he should never strive to be. He is an excellent goaltender and would not be in the NHL if he wasn’t. As I recall, it wasn’t too far in the past that echoes of Pekka Rinne being a terrible replacement to Dan Ellis *shutters* were being spit by the congregation. Naysayers, be gone! Carter Hutton is the real deal & a great stand-in while Rinne’s away. Now on to the meat and potatoes of last night’s game:

SCRATCHES: Pekka Rinne, Ryan Ellis

NOTEWORTHY: If you follow our Facebook or Twitter, you probably saw where I kept obnoxiously reminding you – if you were attending last night’s game – to sing “O Canada” to show some Southern Hospitality towards Toronto. In a nutshell, when the Predators were in Toronto last (yes, the game where we beat them 9-2 on November 18th), the mic went out on the performer during the U.S. National Anthem, to which the Maple Leafs fans then picked up and sang. As a token of thanks, word was spread via the local media, Predators bloggers, and then some to show some love. Here’s the result:

I’d say it turned out pretty well, eh? Hockey is truly a classy pastime.

FIRST PERIOD:

  • Seth Jones got the party started at 11:52 with a shorthanded goal, his fourth goal of the season. The young defenseman had no assistance on his shorty.
  • At 15:31, fellow defenseman Shea Weber picked up a powerplay goal, giving Nashville an early 2-0 lead over the Maple Leafs. Filip Forsberg (28) and Mike Fisher (11) would notch the assists on Weber’s 11th goal of the season.

SECOND PERIOD:

  • The second period was a little sluggish for the Predators, as Toronto managed the only goal during said period at 7:49 from Daniel Winnik (4).
  • Toronto would notch one goal out of their thirteen shots-on-goal, whereas Nashville would only take nine.

THIRD PERIOD:

  • It appeared that Toronto planned on winning last night’s bout as, at 2:19 into the third, Nazem Kadri managed to tie the game at two. Then, not forty seconds later, Mike Santorelli would give the Maple Leafs the lead 3-2.
  • Mike Fisher would take a strike at 6:55, bringing the game back to a tie. Colin Wilson (19) and Roman Josi (25) would tallying the assists on Fisher’s 13th goal of the season.
  • Then, at 11:18, Colin Wilson sunk the GWG to give Nashville the regulation win and Toronto’s 10th consecutive loss. Wilson’s 16th goal of the season was assisted by Mike Fisher (12) and James Neal (13).
  • Ahh, but let us not forget, though Wilson scored the game-winning-goal at 11:18, there was still a good nine minutes left to go in regulation before that title was given. So, who’s to thank for that? The guy plastered at the top of the post, of course. Check out this incredible save that would’ve certainly tied up the game, had it gone in:

    Terrible goalie, eh Craig Button?

NOTEWORTHY:

  • I couldn’t not mention Carter Hutton being plastered all over SportsCenter, could I? The rarity of SportsCenter or ESPN at all mentioning hockey, let alone allowing for a goaltender to be their Top 10 no.1 is amazing all in its own; awesome that it’s a Nashville Predator.
  • Tonight was the first time in Predators history that defensemen have scored both a shorthanded goal (Jones) and a powerplay goal (Weber) in one night.
  • Another note for the history books is that the Predators have set a new franchise record with nine consecutive home game wins. Neato.
  • Mike Fisher is on a roll, notching 24 points in his last 26 games.
  • Mike Ribeiro is still one point away from his 700th; he’s certainly due.
  • Ryan Ellis continues to skate alone at practice — not ready to pop back in with the team just yet.
  • Pekka Rinne continues practicing with the team — should be ready to go as early as tomorrow’s game against the Ducks.
  • Filip Forsberg, with one assist tonight, continues his reign as points leaders amongst the Predators and rookies across the league with 45 points.

The Predators stay put, welcoming in the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday night. Anaheim, who won 5-4 over the Carolina Hurricanes last night, are tied with Nashville in points (72). Whoever wins tomorrow night will either remain the leader of the league (Nashville) or take over that position (Anaheim). Let’s hope for the first option.

KRc2irc

Where you at, Hutton Haters?!

Carter Hutton Shines as NSH blanks PIT 4-0

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Source: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

After being shutdown by the Colorado Avalanche Friday night 3-0, the Predators retreated to the City of Brotherly Love in search of a win against the 28-13-8 Penguins on Sunday afternoon. However, the last meeting between these two ended poorly for Nashville, as Pittsburgh entered the Music City and wiped the floor with the home team 3-0 (on the James Neal bobblehead night, no doubt). But the woes of being shutout aren’t the only thing nagging at the Predators; the St. Louis Blues are on a hot streak and have their sights set on taking the Central Division lead.

SCRATCHES: Pekka Rinne, Olli Jokinen

FIRST PERIOD:

  • Roman Josi put Nashville on the board at 4:05, sending a slapper by Marc-Andre Fleury, his ninth of the season. Filip Forsberg (26) and Shea Weber (24) notched the assists.
  • At 6:38, Gabriel Bourque sent his own slapshot towards the net, tallying his third goal of the season. Bourque’s slapper needed no assistance.
  • Nashville only had two more SOG than Pittsburgh, giving Carter Hutton some much deserved credit (NSH, 7; PIT, 5).

SECOND PERIOD:

  • In what looked like a goal-less period, Eric Nystrom gave the Predators a 3-0 lead at 19:19, his sixth of the season. Taylor Beck (5) notched the assist.
  • Again, props to Carter Hutton as this time the Penguins tallied eleven SOG compared to Nashville’s seven. Oh, and Nashville took four penalties during the second, giving the Penguins too many man-advantages.

THIRD PERIOD:

  • Nashville’s only goal during the third would come from Mike Fisher’s wrister on the powerplay at 8:20, his twelfth goal of the season. Filip Forsberg (27) and Roman Josi (24) would collect the assists.

NOTEWORTHY:

  • Filip Forsberg surpassed Mike Ribeiro to take the lead in points amongst the team. Ribeiro, who is one point shy of his 700th career, has 43 whereas Forsberg now has 44.
  • Not only was this Carter Hutton’s first road win of the season, it is also his first shutout (second career shutout).
  • Predators continue to hold first in the league (again) at 70 points. The Ducks, too, are at 70 points, but alas, they have lost one more regulation game than the Predators.

So there you have it: Shutout by Colorado on Friday, retaliated against Pittsburgh on Sunday and blanked them 4-0. Nashville also held off St. Louis taking the Central Division lead as well (NSH has 70 pts, STL has 68). It’s no doubt the Blues are hot right now (won the last five) and are, at this point, biting off Nashville’s heels for the lead. Chicago isn’t too far away, either; they sit a comfortable six points back, but that hasn’t stopped them before.

Want to see the Predators in action? Well, February is your month as Nashville has more home games on the schedule than I know what to do with, starting tomorrow against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Preds fall to Blues 5-4 in SO – BONUS: Questionable Audio

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Source: Harry How/Getty Images

The after effects of the All-Star break has been so-so for the Nashville Predators, with the team pulling out an overtime win against the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 at home on Tuesday, then losing last night to the St. Louis Blues in a shootout 5-4. Getting away with points is good and better than straight losing in regulation, but you can only plaster that “don’t freak out yet” smile across your face in so many games and continue to believe yourself. The thoughts of knowing you cannot get away with this within the playoffs keep pounding in the back of your mind, but you just… keep… smiling. Onward to the recap:

SCRATCHES: Taylor Beck, Pekka Rinne

FIRST PERIOD:

  • The Predators started out strong and on the right foot, with Mike Fisher notching his 10th goal of the season on the powerplay. Roman Josi (22) and Shea Weber (23) picked up the assists.
  • Carter Hutton screened twelve shots on goal by the Blues, keeping the Predators up 1-0 going into the second period.

SECOND PERIOD:

  • Nashville would continue dominance over St. Louis going into the second, as Filip Forsberg notched his 17th goal of the season at 5:36. Craig Smith (13) and Mike Ribeiro (33) pick up the assists.
  • But after Forsberg’s goal, the second period became St. Louis’ property, with Jaden Schwartz helping the Blues to a goal at 8:22.
  • Shortly thereafter, at 12:36, TJ Oshie helped himself to his 14th goal of the season, tying the game at two.
  • Not even thirty seconds later, Steve Ott would take the lead with his second goal of the season.
  • Mike Fisher would step up at 15:32 to tie the game once more, his 11th goal of the season with a short-handed goal. Roman Josi (23) and Calle Jarnkrok (8) would notch the assists.
  • Ryan Reaves, however, would give St. Louis the lead once again at 18:15, his fourth goal of the season.

THIRD PERIOD:

  • James Neal would be the only player to come through for either team during the third period, tying the game and pushing it into overtime. Mike Fisher (10) and Colin Wilson (18) would assist on Neal’s 16th goal of the season.

OVERTIME:

  • No goals – to the shootout we go.

SHOOTOUT:

  • STL – TJ Oshie – GOAL
  • NSH – Matt Cullen – MISS
  • STL – Vladimir Tarasenko – MISS
  • NSH – Craig Smith – MISS
  • STL – Alexander Steen – MISS
  • NSH – Roman Josi – GOAL
  • STL – Kevin Shattenkirk – GOAL
  • NSH – James Neal – MISS

With St. Louis closing the gap for the lead of the Central Division, Nashville really could’ve used two points – especially in regulation. However, to be positive, they still left with a point and still lead the division by four points. Here are some other important notes to take away from this game:

NOTEWORTHY:

  • The St. Louis Blues hold the best powerplay percentage record in the league. Not only did they muster six powerplays last night, Carter Hutton and the Predators’ special teams held the Blues to all six. Oh, and not to mention, Mike Fisher scored on one of their said powerplay opportunities.
  • Mike Fisher collected his 500th and 501st career point during last night’s bout in St. Louis. Congrats, Fish.
  • Speaking of Mikes, Mike Ribeiro continues to prove why he was the best free agent signing for the Preds this past off-season. Collecting an assist, he continues to lead the Predators in points at 47 this season; he currently has 699 career points… I am willing to bet he’ll have 700 by tonight.
  • Filip Forsberg continues to lead rookies in all categories that he can, with 42 points, 17 goals, 25 assists, and 25 plus/minus points.
  • Rinne traveled with the team to St. Louis and participated in practice. His return is eminent. Soon.
  • Carter Hutton picks up yet another loss, but blocked 31-35 shots. Some blocks were outrageous; others, well… his inconsistency with rebounds needs some serious, urgent care.

Now… to discuss what everyone is wondering… What the heck did we hear during the broadcast last night?!
Here’s a little background, in case you missed it: During the first period, sometime around Mike Fisher’s first goal of the night, the sound of a woman… uh… in action (?) could be heard whilst Pete Weber and Stu Grimson were commentating. Take a listen (warning: could be considered offensive or you may be unable to control your laughter):

Yes, you heard exactly what you thought you heard, my friends.

https://twitter.com/JPMarkle31337/status/560971840990892032
Yes, I deemed it as “barking” at first because I did not want to automatically assume some lady was uh… yea.

Fox Sports Tennessee was quick to apologize, but not before we also got to hear Stu Grimson belching on air:

Needless to say, it was quite an eventful first period for those of us watching from home. I’d also like to say this is the first – and hopefully last – time I have ever had to mention the word ‘porn’ on my blog. Never again, y’all.

The Predators are back at it tonight in Denver to take on the Avalanche, a team the barely defeated on Tuesday. Tonight’s game is Nashville’s last Central Division away game until April 7th and their last Western Conference away game until March 9th.

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.

Filip Forsberg added to NHL All-Star Roster

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Source: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America

Rookie Filip Forsberg is saying bye-bye to the kids table and is saying hello to a roster spot during the NHL All-Star Game this coming Sunday, January 25th. Here’s a snippet from the press release:

Nashville, Tenn. (January 22, 2015) – The National Hockey League announced today that Nashville Predators rookie forward Filip Forsberg has been named to the 2015 Honda NHL All-Star Game on Sunday afternoon (4 p.m. CT, NBCSN). Forsberg – who was already slated to head to Columbus this weekend to participate in the rookie portion of the NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft presented by Draft Kings on Friday (7 p.m. CT, NBCSN) and the Honda NHL All-Star Skills Competition on Saturday (6 p.m. CT, NBCSN) – is the only rookie named to the Game.

Forsberg joins defenseman Shea Weber, goaltender Pekka Rinne and the Predators coaching staff led by Head Coach Peter Laviolette in being selected to the 2015 All-Star Game, forming the largest Predators contingent ever to represent the franchise at the contest.

Forsberg replaces an injured Evgeni Malkin, who is currently suffering from a lower-body injury. It is also interesting to note that Forsberg will be the only rookie taking part in the All-Star Game and he continues to lead all rookies with 40 points in 45 games.

Are we proud? You bet we are!

Hutton Shines but Preds fall 2-1 in OT to Habs

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Source: John Mahoney

Source: John Mahoney

Are you still a little hot under the collar after last night’s game? You should be. Though the Predators came out with one point, they still lost in what could be the worst way possible: terrible calls from the officials. Both goals awarded to Montreal were brought on by fluky penalties called on Craig Smith (first a holding, then a tripping in OT). The Predators also lose their record of no back-to-back losses this season. Very frustrating, indeed.

Things to take away from this game:

  • Taylor Beck was indeed the odd man out for last night’s bout against the Canadiens, meaning Olli Jokinen is safe for another day.
  • Eric Nystrom, as expected, returned to the ice last night after being placed on the IR back on January 8th. Nystrom saw 13:41 minutes of ice time.
  • Mike Ribeiro notched his 10th goal of the season off a tip-in deflection from a Seth Jones shot. Ribeiro was drafted 45th overall by the Canadiens in the 1998 NHL Draft and spent the 1999-00 through 2005-06 seasons (including a few stints with Montreal’s AHL team and a stint in Finland during the 04-05 lockout) with Montreal. Needless to say, last night’s goal for him hit the sweet spot for this native of Montreal.
  • Seth Jones collected his 11th assist of the season on Ribeiro’s goal, along with Filip Forsberg who picked up his 25th assist. Forsberg know has 40 total points this season and continues to lead rookies in all categories.
  • Carter Hutton had his best game this season, hands down. Sure, he hasn’t gotten to see too much ice time, but with Pekka out, he has certainly stepped up when it mattered most. Check out this save below:

  • Though his record states 1-4-3, you cannot argue that this is truly a stat that undermines the true skill behind Carter Hutton. He blocked 25 of 27 shots, most of which were very Pekka-esque. Luck, sadly, just hasn’t been on his side so far.
  • Peter Laviolette had some choice words for the officials last night after that botched tripping call that lead to Montreal’s victory in OT. If you read lips, you know what the head coach is barking about (and he has every reason to do so):
  • Mike Ribeiro also went on record to express his feelings towards the refs:

The Predators are now 30-10-5, which – on the bright side – is a feat to be proud of in its own right. Unfortunately, it stings a little more when you’ve gotten spoiled on multiple victories. A game like Detroit’s on Saturday should’ve hit Nashville right in the gut – now that was a face-plant. Last night’s in Montreal, however, can be dealt to the zebras; the Predators dominated that entire game and did not pull a “Green Bay” and drop the ball in the last few moments of the game.

The Predators get a much needed hiatus due to the All-Star break and will be back here at home on Tuesday, January 27th to welcome in the Colorado Avalanche.

Noteworthy Notes: Montreal Calling

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Source: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images North America

After a disappointing loss to Detroit 5-2 Saturday, the Predators hit the road to Montreal for one more game before the All-Star break this weekend. Though Nashville handled themselves well last Friday against the Washington Capitals with Carter Hutton in net, bringing him in back-to-back the next night proved fatal; though Detroit was on point that night no matter who was guarding Nashville’s net. So, what’s been going on since the defeat?

  • As fast as he came, Anthony Bitetto was reassigned to the Milwaukee Admirals after his NHL debut and first career call up. Bitetto tallied 11:01 of ice time for his first shot at the big time.
  • Viktor Stalberg might as well live out of a suitcase due to being reassigned to Milwaukee once again.
  • That being said, Eric Nystrom will make his return after a hiatus on the IR tonight in Montreal.
  • But… that leaves Olli Jokinen out. The lines for yesterday’s practice amongst forwards were: Forsberg-Ribeiro-Smith; Wilson-Fisher-Neal; Cullen-Jarnkrok-Bourque; Nystrom-Gaustad-Beck.
  • Ah, but this morning, practice amongst forwards fell as: Forsberg-Ribeiro-Smith; Wilson-Fisher-Neal; Cullen-Jarnkrok-Bourque; Nystrom-Gaustad-Jokinen with Taylor Beck as the odd man out. All the speculations!
  • Fun Fact: The Predators hold a 6-5-(1)-4 all-time record against the Montreal Canadiens.

WORLD WIDE WORLD OF TWITTER:

Predators rally past Capitals 4-3

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Source: Kristen Jerkins Photography

Source: Kristen Jerkins Photography

Phew! You want to talk about a dirty, gritty win for the Predators? Well, last night was certainly an example of a robbery in progress and there was nothing Barry Trotz and the Capitals could do but watch. Granted, the Predators started the game out on the right foot, but leave it to Alexander Ovechkin to come roaring in to help the Capitals take and hold the lead late into the third period. Ah, but those pesky Preds had other ideas up their sleeves.

SCRATCHES: Viktor Stalberg (who has a birthday today) and Pekka Rinne

FIRST PERIOD:

  • Braden Holtby didn’t waste a moment showing off how on fire he has been as of late, keeping the first period rather uneventful until at 16:16 when Seth Jones’ (3) wrister sent the young goaltender falling backwards and the puck floating in the net. Calle Jarnkrok (7) collected the lone assist on Jones’ game-starter.
  • But before Jones got the ball rolling, the much anticipated video tribute to former head coach Barry Trotz was aired to a standing ovation. In fact, I couldn’t even hear what the video was saying because the cheers were so deafening. You can view the tribute here.
  • SOG: NSH – 10, SOG: WSH – 8 at the end of the first period.

SECOND PERIOD:

  • James Neal collected his 14th of the season at 1:50 into the second period, giving Nashville an early 2-0 lead with a beautiful deflection from Mike Fisher, leaving the net wide open. Mike Fisher (9) and Victor Bartley (7) pick up the assists.
  • But it was bound to happen: Ovi woke up. Ovechkin notched his 23rd goal of the season after sinking his signature in the top left corner of the net; Carter Hutton had no chance.
  • Capitalizing on a powerplay chance, Ovechkin (24) would sink another past Hutton to tie the game, sending the Predators defense into an obvious panic.
  • SOG: NSH – 8, SOG: WSH – 14 at the end of the second.

THIRD PERIOD:

  • Marcus Johansson would give Washington a lead of 3-2 at 2:38 into the third period on a powerplay opportunity.
  • But thanks to a powerplay slapshot from Mattias Ekholm (4) at 15:31, the Predators found a much needed spark to push through the remainder of the period.
  • At 18:20, James Neal (15) would sink one of the most beautiful goals I’ve ever seen, giving the Predators a 4-3 lead late in the third.

NOTEWORTHY NOTES:

  • Carter Hutton’s record now improves to 1-3-2 as he collects his first win of the season. A much deserved stat as well, since some folks seem to think Carter Hutton is a horrible, no good goaltender.
  • Hand it to Seth Jones for clocking 23:01 minutes of ice time and collecting his third goal and tenth assist of the season.
  • James Neal is now tied with Filip Forsberg for goal leader amongst the Predators at 15.
  • Though the Islanders notched 30 wins before the Predators last night (due to being in the Eastern Time Zone), Nashville is still on a franchise march. The Predators are now 30-9-4 on the season in mid-January, a stat that took the team all the way until March last season to reach.

I’ll leave you with the post game presser of Barry Trotz’s take on his tribute video and a reminder that the Predators are at it again tonight against the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings are also coming in after playing last night, defeating the St. Louis Blues 3-2 in overtime. There are a lot of doubters amongst the league on if Nashville’s leadership is just a fluke, but that’s what tends to push the human spirit to persevere.

Noteworthy Notes: Welcome Back, Trotz!

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barry

Unless you live under a rock and are just now crawling up from underneath it, you know that a certain someone who helped establish Nashville as a legitimate hockey town will be making an appearance tonight on the opposing team’s bench. Yes, Mitch Korn will be here also but I’m talking about former Predators head coach (and now head coach of the Washington Capitals), Barry Trotz.

If you were lucky enough to score tickets to tonight’s match up (the game sold out a few days ago), you’ll be certain to get a little teary-eyed with a touching tribute video to the former coach who helped Nashville in so many ways both on and off the ice. But don’t you dare forget this man is here to collect two points and hit the road and what better way to continue their three-game winning streak than to knock out the league leader?

  • Forsberg-Ribeiro-Smith, Wilson-Fisher-Neal, Cullen-Jarnkrok-Jokinen, and Bourque-Gaustad-Beck were today’s lines during practice.
  • Eric Nystrom skated with the team this morning (his second straight practice), but since he is not listed in the lines above, don’t expect him in the game tonight.
  • If you missed any information yesterday, Pekka Rinne will be out for around 3-5 weeks due to his sprained knee injury.
  • Marek Mazanec was called up from Miwaukee to backup Carter Hutton in Rinne’s absence.
  • As a stark reminder of how you should have some faith in Carter Hutton, one year ago today he made one of the most incredible (very Pekka-esque) saves ever… well, made:

From the World Wide World of Twitter:

https://twitter.com/alex_prewitt/status/556135957721022464

Preds trample Canucks 5-1; Rinne Injured in Process

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IMG_3589

Source: Yahoo! Sports

The Predators improved their record to 29-9-4 after trampling the Vancouver Canucks 5-1 last night, but that wasn’t before losing goaltender Pekka Rinne a few minutes into the third period. Chris Higgins slid into Rinne while storming the crease and both collided into the boards. Higgins got up unscathed; Peks, on the other hand, was a little more hesitant. After reluctantly leaving the ice, it was announced that Rinne had suffered a lower-body injury and would not return for the remainder of the game. Carter Hutton, who had been sitting stone-cold for a good two hours, was prepared to be thrown to the metaphorical wolves.

SCRATCHES: Viktor Stalberg and Mark Arcobello

First Period:

  • Craig Smith got the ball rolling at 4:07 with a powerplay goal, which – notably – Nashville has gotten a better hand at, to say the least. Colin Wilson (15) and Mike Ribeiro snag the assists on Smith’s 13th goal of the season.
  • After notching an assist, Colin Wilson would collect his 13th goal of the season at 6:22 to put Nashville up 2-0 early. Mike Fisher (8) and James Neal (11) would assist in Wilson’s goal.
  • SOG – NSH: 12, SOG – VAN: 9

Second Period:

  • Vancouver came out in the second with a fire lit under their pants, giving Nashville the runaround for a majority of the period. Alexander Edler would put the Canucks on the board at 2:47 for his fifth goal of the season.
  • SOG – NSH: 9, SOG – VAN: 11

Third Period:

  • And we have reached the point in the post where we return to the first paragraph: Vancouver’s Higgins slides into Rinne, causing both to crash into the boards behind the net.
    MeekFatherlyFlickertailsquirrelAs you can see, it really wasn’t that bad of a collision and Anton Volchenkov also had a play in Rinne hitting into the boards (but we like to blame the Canucks for any and everything). As previously mentioned, Rinne was hesitant to leave the game and left on his own power, leading me to believe that Rinne being pulled from the remainder of the game was more of a precautionary tool than anything. Let me finish the recap and we’ll return to this subject.
  • Carter Hutton wiped off his cap, slapped on his pads, and hit the ice, his first appearance on home ice this entire season (his previous five appearances were on the road).
  • The Canucks pressured Hutton and the net well after he entered the game, but a noticeable fire was lit under the Predators.
  • Filip Forsberg put the Predators up 3-1 at 13:32 for his 15th goal of the season. Mike Ribeiro (29) and Victor Bartley (6) notched the assists.
  • Mike Fisher would take the Preds up 4-1 at 15:31 for his 8th goal of the season. James Neal (12) and Colin Wilson (16) would tally an assist from Fisher’s goal.
  • And, what was originally called as Craig Smith’s goal, Colin Wilson collected his second goal of the night (14th overall) on the powerplay at 17:39, taking the wheels right out from under the Canucks.
  • SOG – NSH: 9, SOG – VAN: 11

Noteworthy Notes:

  • Carter Hutton, though he came in for Rinne in the third, does not actually collect the win; Pekka still does. This is due in part to the fact Hutton did not allow a goal, but Rinne did during his time in net. Had Hutton allowed a goal and Nashville still won, he would’ve collected the win.
  • Hutton did, however, stop the ten shots on goal that came his way, and many were pretty nail-biting.
  • Mike Ribeiro continues to be a proving asset to the Predators as he has now tallied 20 points in his last 20 games.
  • This is the third time in Colin Wilson’s career that he has tallied four points within a game. The kid’s on fire.
  • Back to Pekka: Later on after the game, it was announced that Rinne was day-to-day with his lower-body injury and that he would be re-evaluated on Thursday. Again, I believe that he being pulled from the game last night was purely precautionary and a “rather be safe than sorry” scenario; boy, do I hope I am right. Because he was able to get up on his own, stretch, and debated on whether he’d go back to the net or not is my reasoning behind believing this may just be a safety measure. Again, I really, really hope I am right. As great as Nashville has been, Pekka Rinne is a huge factor in that success and it would be hard to seal those gritty wins without him.

The Predators take two days off – plenty of time to work some kinks out – and then welcome in Barry Trotz (and Joel Ward, Mike Latta, and Jack Hillen) to Nashville on Friday. It is also Mike Fisher bobblehead night, though I think the game may already be sold out. Stub Hub and NHL Ticket Exchange have tickets available, but – in personal experience – my tickets sold in less than fifteen minutes yesterday. Needless to say, if you want to go, you better get on it.

As for Pekka Rinne, I will keep you updated as news becomes available regarding his condition. Cross your fingers, say your prayers, do whatever your little superstitious heart desires, Preds fans.