Tag: mike fisher

Radulov saves Preds from Shutout; Penguins Win 5-1 over Predators

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Alexander Radulov wastes no time getting back into a Preds sweater.

After a rough and embarrassing loss against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday, the Predators took to the road once again, seeking a win in Pittsburgh against the newly-returned Sidney Crosby and the Penguins. Since Crosby’s return last Thursday, the Penguins have left a wake of destruction behind them, burying the Rangers, the Devils, and the Jets. The only team to escape unscathed was the Flyers, and even then it was an OT loss 3-2. Just looking at Pittsburgh’s past schedule (their last loss since Sunday was against Buffalo on February 19th), it is clear the Predators weren’t just going to walk in here and walk out with a win. Even with the return of Alexander Radulov, the Predators were going to have to make little to no mistakes against this Eastern Conference powerhouse in order to steal their ranking back from the Red Wings.
Here are the highlights from tonight’s game:

KEY POINTS:

  • Pittsburgh wasted no time letting their fans sing, as Evgeni Malkin sent a speeding slap shot passed Pekka Rinne to seal his 44th goal of the season at 1:23. Malkin is currently 2nd in goals in the league, sitting just a few goals behind Steven Stamkos of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
  • Pascal Dupuis sealed his 22nd goal of the season at 4:06, putting the Penguins up over the Predators early in the 1st 2-0.
  • Pittsburgh would continue to dominate the Predators into the 2nd, with Matt Cooke sending a wrist shot passed Pekka to land his 17th goal of the season at 1:58.
  • Putting the Penguins up 4-0, Chris Kunitz would hit a wrist shot of his own passed Nashville’s goalie to collect his 22nd goal of the season at 7:35.
  • Nashville would finally sink a goal passed Marc-Andre Fleury at 12:01 from Alexander Radulov. Good start since leaving the Predators and NHL four years ago, it was clear that Pittsburgh fans did not approve of Radulov’s return. Hall Gill (11th assist) and Patric Hornqvist (14th assist) picked up the assists on the newly-returned Russian’s goal.
  • Evgeni Malkin would remind Pittsburgh fans who the better of the two Russians were with his second goal of the night at 19:04, sending the Penguins up 5-1. Although his 45th goal of the season, Malkin still falls behind Stamkos in the standings. However, he did surpass Steven Stamkos in points. Many believe Malkin will be top contender for the Hart Memorial Trophy this year.
  • The Predators took plenty of shots on goal tonight, but their accuracy lacked the intensity that the Penguins were able to bestow upon Nashville defense and net. Nashville out-shot Pittsburgh 30 to 23, but again, accuracy was just not in the cards with the Predators tonight. Sergei Kostitsyn, Martin Erat, and Mike Fisher had prime goal chances, but the connection just wasn’t there. Alexander Radulov and Craig Smith also had some close goals, but in the end, it just wasn’t meant to be for the Predators.
  • Although having a rough night, Pekka Rinne was not pulled and replaced with Anders Lindback. As you recall, Pekka was pulled at the beginning of the 2nd Period on Tuesday night against Edmonton due to a chippy performance. Trotz let Peks play the 60 minutes, which may have actually been the best for him. Instead of being frustrated and discouraged from being pulled, a loss at which he had control of may cause him to snap back into his former self. Unfortunately, goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has now surpassed Pekka as leader in wins… just by one point, though. Pekka still has a chance to overthrow the French-Canadian.
  • The Predators only gave the Penguins one penalty throughout the entire game with an interference call on Shea Weber at 19:01 in the 1st Period. The Predators were given two chances, but were unable to perform on either power play.

Most would say, “Oh well, at least the loss was to an Eastern Conference team.” However, with the playoffs inching closer by the minute and with teams like the Red Wings surpassing the Predators and Chicago on their coattails, the Predators have no room to be lazy and sluggish. Keep in mind, though, every team goes through rough patches and, unfortunately, the Predators happen to be bopping through theirs close to the playoffs. It’s easy to get discouraged and flustered about the Predators and their future in the playoffs (again, lackluster plays = couch time), but rough patches will and do happen.

Last but not least, congrats to Alexander Radulov and sealing his first goal of his NHL career since leaving for the KHL four years ago. Not only that, sinking that said goal in his first game back. Similar to Andrei Kostitsyn’s first goal as a Predator during his first game (also on the road), Radulov started off on the right foot tonight.

The Predators are on their way back to Nashville tonight, taking tomorrow off and then taking on another Eastern Conference foe, the Atlanta Thrash- err, Winnipeg Jets. And, just for good measure, the puck will drop at 6PM instead of the usual 7PM start time, easing the folks on EST (what about us with Pacific time?!). Don’t forget, the Predators will be having a public practice tomorrow at 11AM at Centennial Sportsplex.

Until then,
GO PREDS.

(Photo credit: Gregory Shamus/NHLI via Getty Images)

Lindback Shines for Predators, Ducks Swept by Nashville 3-1

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The Predators celebrate their win over Anaheim on Sunday night.

After the excruciating loss against the L.A. Kings the night before, the Predators trudged across the street (basically) into Anaheim to face the always pleasant Ducks. The Predators have dominated the Ducks all season long, so sweeping the Ducks in their final meeting of the season would give the Predators a giddy up in their step after a tough Western trek. The Ducks are currently sitting in 12th in the Western Conference, but don’t let that fool you; Similar to the Kings and the Sharks, the Ducks aren’t a team to overlook. They can be dirty, physical, and competitive; Did the Predators pull out a regulation win? Here are the highlights from last night’s game in Anaheim:

KEY POINTS:

  • Brian McGrattan, Ryan Ellis, Roman Josi, Paul Gaustad, Jack Maclellan, and Colin Wilson were the scratches for the night. However, it was Wilson’s injury that caused a stir among Predators fans yesterday. Wilson suffered a “tweaked” groin muscle during practice yesterday. Don’t worry, although he was missing from the lineup last night, it doesn’t seem to be life threatening.
  • Anaheim started out strong at 7:32 with a short-handed tip-in goal from Devante Smith-Pelly past Anders Lindback for his 5th goal of the season.
  • With no follow up goals in the 1st and no goals whatsoever in the 2nd, it was looking like Predators were struggling once again against their Western foes. However, Anders Lindback blocked 13 shots on goal during the second, proving he’s just as strong as Pekka Rinne.
  • Nashville looked like the Kings during the third period, coming out with a ferocity they should have emitted during the first two periods of the game. Patric Hornqvist struck fast at 1:19 with a wrist shot past Jonas Hiller for his 23rd goal of the season. David Legwand picked up his 30th assist and rookie Gabriel Bourque picked up his 8th.
  • Mike Fisher sounded off his 23rd goal as well at 10:27 with a beautiful tip-in with help from Ryan Suter (36th assist) and Martin Erat (38th assist).
  • David Legwand would seal the game for the Predators at 19:43 with an empty-netter power play goal for his 16th goal of the season. Sergei Kostitsyn picked up his 26th assist along with Kevin Klein for his 13th assist.
  • Besides the 3rd period, the Ducks out-shot the Predators in both the first and second periods. However, although backup goalie Anders Lindback hasn’t seen too much ice time behind Pekka Rinne, it was clear Lindback was itching for some ice time. If you hadn’t known Lindback was starting last night, you would have thought that was Pekka all the way. Blocking 30 of 31 shots on goal, we’d say Anders Lindback is a Pekka Rinne in the making.
  • Although the Predators allowed a short-handed goal in the first period, Nashville only gave the Ducks one penalty chance throughout the game. Martin Erat picked up an interference on goalkeeper penalty 33 seconds into the 2nd Period, yet Anders took control and blocked all 13 shots on goal during that period.

The Ducks were unable to snag one win over the Predators this entire season, hopefully giving the Nashville team a boost in confidence as they return to Smashville on Tuesday night to take on the Edmonton Oilers. Edmonton is currently sitting in 14th in the conference and 5th (last) in the Northwest Division. But again, the Predators should not underestimate the struggling Oilers.

The puck drops in Nashville at 7PM tomorrow night.

Until then,
GO PREDS.

(Photo credit of: Debora Robinson/NHLI via Getty Images)

L.A. Kings take advantage in 3rd, Predators fall 4-2

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Kevin Klein returns to the lineup on Saturday to take on the L.A. Kings

The Predators left San Jose with a shootout loss against the Sharks and came into Los Angeles, hoping to knock out the Kings, who are currently sitting in fourth place in the Pacific Division. Unfortunately for the Predators, like the Sharks, the Kings are desperate and hungry for a playoff spot. With Colorado, San Jose, and L.A. all bouncing around the last playoff spot, the Predators would have to come out strong and physical against the Kings to knock them down a notch. However, the Kings weren’t backing down. Here are the highlights from Saturday night’s game in Los Angeles:

KEY POINTS:

  • As expected, Kevin Klein returned to the lineup after sitting on the scratched list for a few weeks due to an upper body injury. Colin Wilson, Roman Josi, Brian McGrattan, Jack Maclellan, and (unfortunately) Paul Gaustad rounded out the scratched list.
  • The Kings took a bite out the Predators at 7:53 in the first with a snap shot past Pekka Rinne from Anze Kopitar (his 23rd goal of the season). Kopitar’s goal would be the only goal during the 1st Period, with L.A. cranking out 10 shots on goal and Nashville only taking 5.
  • The Predators would tie it at one with a power play goal from Martin Erat at 13:43 in the 2nd for his 18th goal of the season. Marty’s slap shot past Jonathan Bernier was assisted by Ryan Suter (35th assist) and Shea Weber (28th assist).
  • The Kings came out on fire during the 3rd Period, pressuring Pekka and the net with three goals at 8:04, 13:02, and 16:19. L.A.’s first goal was a tip-in by Dustin Penner for his 6th goal of the season. The second goal was snared by Dwight King, his 4th goal of the season. The third goal was sealed by Kyle Clifford for his 5th goal of the season.
  • Mike Fisher would attempt to regain composure for the Predators at 17:18 with a backhanded goal for his 22nd goal of the season, but it just wasn’t enough to derail the Kings’ momentum. Fisher’s goal was assisted by Kevin Klein (12th assist) and Martin Erat (37th assist).
  • Pekka Rinne took a beating Saturday night, although he did block 23 of 27 shots taken at him and the net. It was cracks in the Predators defense that the Kings took advantage of, knocking the Nashville team on their butts during the third period. The Predators were able to snag a power play goal and managed to stay away from the penalty box, minus three times. Here are the three culprits:
  1. Jordin Tootoo – 15:01 2nd Period – Interference
  2. Jack Hillen – 2:02 3rd Period – Hi-Sticking
  3. Brandon Yip – 18:21 3rd Period – Holding

It was clear the Predators did not expect the L.A. Kings to come tearing onto the ice as maniacally as they did during the third period, thus resulting in the 4-2 loss in regulation. The Predators have no time to sulk in misery, though; They will cross the street (basically) into Anaheim to face the Ducks on Sunday. The Predators have muscled-over the Ducks all season, so a final win would boost the team as they return to Nashville on Tuesday. After a nasty loss like tonight, the Predators will have to put forth an effort that, although the Ducks aren’t contenders, they can’t be overlooked.

The puck drops in Anaheim at 7PM.

Until then,
GO PREDS.

(Photo credit of: Noah Graham/NHLI via Getty Images)

AK46’s Accuracy saves Predators in SO, Nashville wins 5-4 in Phoenix

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Francis Bouillon and Ryan Ellis celebrate Frankie's first goal of the season.

The Predators began their Western trek last night with their first stop in Glendale, Arizona to face the team that currently holds the 2nd spot in the Pacific Division, the Phoenix Coyotes. After losing five games in a row, then coming back to demolish the San Jose Sharks on Saturday 3-0, the Coyotes were eager to jump back on the winning wagon and retain their #2 spot in the division. However, the Coyotes fall just two spots behind the Predators in conference standings, and just ten points behind the Preds… Who was more hungry for a win? Here are the highlights from last night’s all-nighter:

KEY POINTS:

  • Craig Smith was finally able to stretch his legs, getting off the scratched list to see some ice time. Kevin Klein, Brian McGrattan, Brandon Yip, and Roman Josi topped out the scratched list, with Roman suffering from a possible concussion. In fact, Josi didn’t even make the trip to Phoenix with the team, leading us to speculate that his concussion might lead to possible IR time. Yikes.
  • Both teams were shaky in the first, with both the Predators and the Coyotes only sending 8 goals a piece on net during the period. Martin Erat was finally able to slip a wrist shot past Mike Smith at 19:31 for his 17th goal of the season. Sergei Kostitsyn picked up his 24th assist and Hal Gill his 10th of the season on Marty’s Party goal.
  • Phoenix must have had an intermission intervention, for Daymond Langkow tipped the puck in past Pekka Rinne 49 seconds into the 2nd Period for his 9th goal of the season.
  • The Predators would finally take the lead once again at 11:04 with a beautiful setup between the dream team that is Martin Erat, Sergei Kostitsyn, and Mike Fisher. Fisher’s wrist shot gave him his 21st goal of the season, along with SK74’s 25 assist and Marty’s 34th assist of the season.
  • Keith Yandle didn’t wait too long to tie the game once more, gaining his 10th goal of the season at 14:23.
  • The back and forth would continue at 18:26 with a wrist shot from Francis Bouillon, his 1st goal of the season. Martin Erat picked up his second assist of the night (35th) along with Ryan Ellis (7th assist).
  • Craig Smith would come out fast in the 3rd Period, scoring his 13th goal of the season at 2:36 with a backhanded beauty. Paul Gaustad was the lone assist, picking up his 13th for the season.
  • The Coyotes wouldn’t let the Predators, who were up by 2 in the third, simply slip away with the easy win and came back with force. First with a goal from Oliver Ekman-Larsson (his 9th of the season) at 7:11 and then another from Raffi Torres at 15:01 for his 13th goal of the season. Both goalies and defense would block each team from taking the win, sending the game into OT.
  • Overtime, although with Phoenix taking 2 shots and the Predators only taking 1 on goal, would produce nothing for either teams, sending the go-around into a shootout, a testament for both teams’ goalies.
  1. PHOENIX – Ray Whitney – SAVE BY RINNE
  2. NASHVILLE – Andrei Kostitsyn – GOAL
  3. PHOENIX – Radim Vrbata – SAVE BY RINNE
  4. NASHVILLE – Martin Erat – SAVE BY SMITH
  5. PHOENIX – Mikkel Boedker – SAVE BY RINNE
  • Andrei Kostitsyn’s accuracy saved the Predators from a rough and too-close-for-comfort game. The Predators may have left with the two points, but the Coyotes slipped away with one, and after holding the lead by two, the Predators (although the victors) hung their head after letting an easy win turn into a fight for survival.
  • Both teams equalled out in shots on goal at 35, but both goalies took a beating. Both Pekka Rinne and Mike Smith made some remarkable saves, but due to flaws in the defense, Pekka wasn’t able to stop nasty goalies from the likes of Yandle and Langkow.
  • The Predators only gave the Coyotes one power play chance, with a tripping penalty called on Sergei Kostitsyn at 16:43 in the 2nd Period. The Coyotes handed the Predators three chances, but none were used to Nashville’s advantage.
The Predators slipped away with the win by the skin of their teeth, clearly a lack of motivation after gaining the lead by 2. The Coyotes ate up the sluggish, slackers and almost sent the Predators packing to San Jose with a loss under their belt. However, no matter how nasty of a win, a win is a win and the Predators came out the victors.
Trotz has probably already tanned their hides for the close call, so hopefully the Predators will be more focused and ready to win the game in regulation against the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night. The puck drops even later on Thursday with the game starting at 9:30PM CST.
We leave you with this video highlight of last night’s game, with a shot of AK46’s shootout goal that save the Predators from a loss.
…Who’s a happy GM? David Poile’s a happy GM!
Until then,
GO PREDS.

The Predators Wipe Out Avalanche 4-2

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Patric Hornqvist battles against former Predator Shane O'Brien

After a rough game against the L.A. Kings on Tuesday, the Predators needed a jolt on the ice to get the momentum going once again. Although currently 2nd in the Northwest Division and coming off a two-win streak against the Wild, the Avalanche have been a bit iffy this season. However, the Avalanche are not one to sit back and take a beating and Thursday’s game proved to be one with attitude. Here are the highlights from Thursday’s game against the Mile High team:

KEY POINTS:

  • Another night for plenty of healthy scratches, including Colin Wilson. Along with Wilson, the scratch list included Brian McGrattan, Craig Smith, Kevin Klein, and Jack Hillen. Although a healthy scratch, Klein is still suffering from an upper-body injury, but has yet to be placed on the IR.
  • Colorado started the night off with a goal at 1:14 with a wrist shot from Jamie McGinn for his 16th goal of the season.
  • The Predators quickly responded with their own goal at 2:54 with a wrist shot from Mike Fisher for his 20th goal of the season. Shea Weber and Ryan Suter picked up the assists on Fish’s goal.
  • Brandon Yip finished out the 1st Period with a tip-in past Semyon Varlamov at 6:58. After being credited to Roman Josi, it was finally rewarded to Yip for his 2nd goal of the season. Roman Josi and Gabriel Bourque picked up the assists.
  • The Avalanche came out with their pants on fire during the second, but not with shots on goal. In fact, the Predators out-shot Colorado 13 to 9 in the 2nd. Instead, the Avalanche took to throwing elbows and finally, at 19:43, Jordin Tootoo and Cody McLeod dropped the gloves and threw the fists.

    Unfortunately, Toots didn’t fair too well against McLeod, but it did get the crowd stirred up quite a bit. It also got the Predators fired up a bit, too.
  • While at even play with both McLeod and Tootoo taking the fighting penalty, Sergei Kostitsyn sealed his 17th goal of the season with a wrist shot at 19:28. Not only did SK74 put the team up 3-1, he also captured the elusive Goo Goo Goal. Matt Halischuk was the lone assist on SK74’s Goo Goo Goal.
  • The feisty Avalanche would continue to pressure the Predators into the 3rd Period, with Paul Stastny sealing his 17th goal of the season at 4:58.
  • Martin Erat would nail his 16th goal of the season on the empty-netter at 19:16, ending the game in the Predators’ favor 4-2. Paul Gaustad was the lone assist on Erat’s empty-netter.
  • The Predators, although bruised and blooded by the Avalanche, still managed to out-shoot Colorado in every single period, ending the game with 31 shots to Colorado’s 17. Pekka Rinne returned to his usual self after a rough game on Tuesday night, blocking 15 of the 17 shots.
  • Along with plentiful shots on goal, the Predators also managed to stay out of the penalty box more than two times. Colorado gave the Predators four penalty opportunities, none of which were capitalized on. Former Predator, Shane O’Brien found himself in the penalty box twice, once for interference, then for hooking. Here are the two penalty box lovers:
  1. Jordin Tootoo – 18:31 2nd Period – Fighting
  2. Mike Fisher – 19:43 2nd Period – Roughing

The Predators have beaten the Avalanche all three times this season and will see Colorado one last time during the season on April 7th in Denver.

The Predators finish up at home on Saturday as the Detroit Red Wings come storming into Nashville at 7PM.

Until then,
GO PREDS.

(Photo credit: John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images)

Predators Show no Mercy for Former Players, Defeat Panthers 3-1

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Pekka prepares himself for the game against the Florida Panthers.

The Predators didn’t fair too well in Raleigh, North Carolina against the Hurricanes on Tuesday night, prompting the team to take their next game a wee bit more seriously. Although another Eastern Conference team, the Florida Panthers are currently 1st in the Southeast Division, meaning the Predators would need to be a little more focused and much more ready to hit the ice (the Hurricanes are 5th in the Southeast).

However, those three days of rest (and reflection time) gave the Predators some much needed motivation when they took to the ice in South Florida tonight. How did the three new Trade Picks do against their former conference rivals? Here are the highlights from tonight’s game:

KEY POINTS:

  • Brian McGrattan is still sitting pretty on the IR, but was overheard as saying he should be back possibly by Tuesday’s game against the Kings (We’ll hope for that one). Kevin Klein is also feeling the pain from a recent injury, taking a night off to rest. Rookie Ryan Ellis is still fighting off a cold of some sort, and Brandon Yip and Matt Halischuk were the healthy scratches.
  • The Predators got the ball rolling at 11:35 of the 1st with a snap shot from newcomer, Andrei Kostitsyn, his 13th goal of the season and his 100th overall. With this just being his second game in a Predators sweater, AK46 is making a good name for himself with the team and the fans; looks like Sergei might have some competition as favorite brother. Paul Gaustad and Hal Gill picked up the assists on AK46’s goal, making for a “Trade Pick” goal.
  • Mike Fisher wasted no time in the 2nd period, scoring his 19th goal in just 28 seconds with a snap shot past Scott Clemmensen. Martin Erat picked up his 33rd assist on Fisher’s goal.
  • Florida would outplay the Predators for their first and only goal of the night, clearing the ice and giving Wojtek Wolski what was basically an empty-netter (sorry Peks) at 7:49. The 2nd period would end with the Predators still on top 2-1.
  • David Legwand would seal his 15th goal of the season at 7:02 in the third with a backhander past Clemmensen. Andrei Kostitsyn and Ryan Suter picked up the assists on Leggy’s goal.

At some point during the 3rd period, Jack Hillen was hit by this lovely thing:

And they think our catfish are dumb...

Similar to Nashville’s catfish, the Florida Panther fans throw their own animal of choice. This is just a generic photo we found on Google, so we’re almost positive the rat did not say “Panthers Win!” on it, but just in case you missed Hillen being smacked with it.

  •  As Nashville goes, the Predators won and still were out-shot 40 to 23 overall, with Pekka blocking 39 of those on goal (isn’t he a Finnish dream boat?). It’s pretty clear as to why Pekka Rinne was the First Star of the Game tonight.
  • The Predators are lucky Pekka is as good as he is, due to the fact they took some unnecessary penalties tonight, three compared to Florida’s one. Luckily, the Panthers were unable to capitalize on any of the chances handed to them.
  1. Mike Fisher – 7:20 1st Period – Holding
  2. Sergei Kostitsyn – 12:24 2nd Period – Slashing
  3. Jordin Tootoo – 16:45 2nd Period – Tripping
The Predators redeem themselves after the loss on Tuesday against the Hurricanes, showing no mercy to former Preds Jerred Smithson and Marcel Goc. The Predators are finished with the Eastern Conference for a while, coming home to take on the L.A. Kings on Tuesday and then welcoming back Shane O’Brien and the Avalanche on Thursday night. 

Andrei Kostitsyn celebrates his 100th career goal.

Until then,
Go Preds.
(Photo credit: First Image – Grant Halverson/Getty Images, Second Image – Eliot J. Schechter/NHLI via Getty Images)

Revenge is Sweet: Predators take out Canucks 3-1

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Mike Fisher continues to dominate as the race for the playoffs tightens.

The Vancouver Canucks are always able to draw a crowd in Nashville, only because of a building rivalry between the two Western Conference teams (and the fact Vancouver is mostly despised around these parts). After losing a in the shootout on February 7th against the Canucks, the Predators were itching to seek revenge against the Canucks at home. Here are the highlights from last night’s game:

KEY POINTS:

  • Mike Fisher wasn’t gone for long, quickly fighting off his bout with the flu. Brian McGrattan and Patric Hornqvist aren’t as lucky, still feeling the effects of their upper-body injuries, though Horny was seen on the ice during the morning skate. Jack Hillen and Chris Mueller were the healthy scratches for the night.
  • The first period was a nail-biter, with both teams putting the pressure on Luongo and Rinne in the nets. Neither team was able to produce a goal during the first, but the Canucks took 12 shots to the Predators’ 11 shots on goal.
  • The Predators struck gold first with power play goal from Mike Fisher at 5:42, his 18th goal of the season. He was assisted by Ryan Suter and Martin Erat.
  • Sergei Kostitsyn was awarded a beautiful short-handed goal at 13:16 for his 15th goal of the season. He was assisted by Mike Fisher and newcomer, Hal Gill.
  • The Canucks finally hit the board at 16:52 with a backhanded goal from Dale Weise, his 4th goal of the season. The 2nd period would end with the Predators up 2-1.
  • Similar to the first period, the 3rd period started out as a nail-biter as well. That was, until David Legwand hit a slap shot past Luongo at 17:09 for his 14th goal of the season. Leggy was assisted by Martin Erat and Mike Fisher.
  • Alex Burrows celebrated his 500th game on Tuesday night and got a little cocky somewhat. What do we mean? Well, he tried to take on Shea Weber. Unfortunately, no video could be found, but Burrows did a little pushing and Weber did a little tackling. Congrats on your 500th, Alex!
  • The Canucks ended up out-shooting the Predators 33 to 28, but Pekka Rinne was able to block 32 of those shots. Should we expect anything less? However, expect to see Anders Lindback in goal sometime soon…
  • Did you happen to notice we said Chris Mueller was scratched? Yes, the Predators called Milwaukee Admiral Chris Mueller up for the night, just as precaution. Unfortunately, Mueller got a free flight to Nashville for the night and was back at this airport this morning.
  • The Predators had more penalty kills than the Canucks, but luckily, Nashville was able to capitalize on one of Vancouver’s, and… one of their own? Short-handed goals are a slap in the face to the opposing team, and Sergei slapped the Canucks hard. Here are the three Preds who faced the penalty box:
  1. Colin Wilson – 8:35 2nd Period – Hooking
  2. Francis Bouillon – 12:29 2nd Period – Tripping
  3. Shea Weber – 19:23 2nd Period – Roughing

The Predators got the sweet revenge that they sought after, but the team doesn’t have much time to celebrate. The St. Louis Blues are on their way to Nashville and now they are seeking the revenge, having lost every game this season against the Predators. The puck drops at 7PM and, don’t forget, it’s college night!

Until then,
GO PREDS.

(Photo credit: John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images)

Predators Face 3rd Loss in a Row, Fall to Bruins 4-3 in Shootout

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Shea Weber scored the first goal for the Predators, but was it enough?

The Predators hoped to shrug off the past two losses with a trip to Bean Town to face the 2011 Stanley Cup champs, the Boston Bruins this afternoon. However, similar to the Ottawa situation, Boston was coming off a nasty previous loss, one where they lost 6-0 to the Buffalo Sabres. As such, the Bruins were seeing red and the Predators, although in white, blue, and gold, might as well should have been wearing giant targets on their chests. With 17,565 in attendance, could the Predators knock out the reining Stanley Cup champs and seal the win? Here are the highlights from today’s noon start game in Boston:

KEY POINTS

  • A surprise in the scratch department, silent but deadly Matt Halischuk was scratched, along with rookie Ryan Ellis. This meant the usual Brandon Yip and Jack Hillen finally got some ice time, but sadly, Brian McGrattan was scratched yet again.
  • Both teams battled back and forth until 16:00 in the first when Boston’s Patrice Bergeron hit a wrist shot passed Pekka Rinne on a shorthanded goal for his 16th goal of the season. The Predators and the Bruins would ended the first period 1-0.
  • The Predators caught up at 7:32 when Shea Weber used the power play to his advantage and nailed his one-of-a-kind slap shot passed Tim Thomas, his 11th goal of the season. Ryan Suter picked up the assist on Weber’s goal. The Bruins and the Predators would end the 2nd period tied at 1.
  • The Bruins wasted no time in the third, with a backhand goal from Daniel Paille, his 9th goal of the season.
  • Patric Hornqvist waited until 9:33 to slip a wrist shot passed Tim Thomas for his 17th goal of the season, tying the game at 2. Sergei Kostitsyn and goalie Pekka Rinne picked up the two assists.
  • Mike Fisher finally put the Predators up and over the Bruins at 16:28 with a backhanded goal of his own, his 17th goal of the season. Patric Hornqvist and Francis Bouillon picked up the assists on Fisher’s goal.
  • At 18:53, Milan Lucic was able to tie the game by sending a wrist shot passed Pekka Rinne, his 20th goal of the season. Neither team was able to score again in regulation, thus throwing the game into overtime.
  • Both Boston and Nashville fought back and forth during overtime, but neither time was able to get one passed the goalies to end the game. Here is the shootout play-by-play:
  1. BOSTON – David Krejci – SAVED BY RINNE
  2. NASHVILLE – Sergei Kostitsyn – SAVED BY THOMAS
  3. BOSTON – Tyler Seguin – GOAL
  4. NASHVILLE – Martin Erat – SAVED BY THOMAS
  5. BOSTON – Patrice Bergeron – GOAL
  • With two successful sweeps passed Pekka, Boston sealed the 2-points and the game, leaving the Predators to hang their heads and tuck tail back to Nashville. Although Nashville slipped away with one point, now is not the time to go on a losing streak. This is the 3rd game in a row the Predators have lost 4-3 and, although it could be worse, a loss is a loss.
  • Although it’s easy to blame Pekka, he honestly hasn’t done anything different. He was able to block 38 of 41 shots on goal, which is pretty outstanding. It all plays back to the Predators defense and shots, neither of which we want to delve into at this moment.
  • The Predators were given three power play opportunities, one of which they were able to capitalize on. Unfortunately, the Predators were able to give Boston two power play goals out of four chances. Here are the penalty takers:
  1. Mike Fisher – 10:37 1st Period – Hooking
  2. Craig Smith – 13:02 1st Period – Too many Men/Ice
  3. Sergei Kostitsyn – 10:30 2nd Period – Interference
  4. Sergei Kostitsyn – 17:42 3rd Period – Tripping

The Predators head home with a third loss hanging over their heads and hope to start back on a winning streak when division rival the Chicago Blackhawks come to town on Valentine’s Day. As stated before, there’s never a good time to have a losing streak, but with the battle for division and conference leaders at steak, now is really not the time. We can only hope for the best on Tuesday.

Until then,
GO PREDS.

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

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)

St. Louis leaves Singing the Blues for Fourth Time in Smashville

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Sergei Kostitsyn sealed the game for the Predators with an empty-netter.

The Predators welcome the St. Louis Blues back to the Bridgestone Arena Saturday night, the fourth meeting this season between the two division rivals. Before this game, the Predators had already shutdown the Blues all three times, so St. Louis was itching to ruin the fourth try on Nashville’s home turf. Saturday’s game also welcomed a ton of fans from both sides, the 16th sellout of the season for the Predators. Here are the highlights from Saturday’s game:

KEY POINTS:

  • Even though he made the cover of Saturday’s Preds Press, Jack Hillen found himself amongst the scratched that night, along with Jerred Smithson (his thirty-third birthday, geez – no love) and rookie Gabriel Bourque.
  • The Blues came out a bit scrappy, eager to get the first goal on Pekka Rinne. However, St. Louis made a fatal mistake when David Perron took a hooking penalty, giving Martin Erat his 12th goal of the season with a slap shot passed Jaroslav Halak on the power play at 6:59. Both Patric Hornqvist and Ryan Suter assisted on the power play.
  • Mike Fisher wasted little time at 12:30 with a wrist shot in front of the net, sending the Predators up and over the Blues 2-0. Fisher’s 15th goal of the season was assisted by Sergei Kostitsyn and Martin Erat.
  • The second period produced no goals, but Brian McGrattan reminded Ryan Reaves who you should and shouldn’t drop the gloves against. Though the video is voiced by the St. Louis announcers (and of course they are going to go for Reaves), but anyone with a brain can tell you Big Ern put the little Blues player in his place. We put the video on our Facebook on Saturday, but here it is in case you missed it:
  • Chris Porter made up his fellow Blues players with a goal at 4:01 in the third, finally getting the St. Louis Blues on the board (Dang! No doughnut for us…), his 3rd goal of the season.
  • St. Louis would continue to push Pekka Rinne to his limits, but in the end, at 19:37 with a nice, clean pass from David Legwand, Sergei Kostitsyn sealed the empty-netter along with the game, his 13th goal of the season. Along with the assistance from Leggy, Martin Erat picked up an assist and his third point for the game.
  • Pekka Rinne has been on fire since the get-go, and these last few games have produced some new contortionist moves from the Finnish phenom, keeping expectant goals away from the net. How was he not an All-Star goalie again? Pekka was able to block an amazing 42 of 43 shots on goal (we wouldn’t expect any less).
  • The Blues and the Predators both faced their share of penalties, with the Predators capitalizing on one of three given to them. The Predators also gave the Blues three chances, and here are the culprits:
  1. Jordin Tootoo – 13:27 1st Period – Tripping (absolutely horrible call)
  2. Brian McGrattan – 8:49 2nd Period – Fighting (awesome beat down)
  3. Craig Smith – 8:49 3rd Period – Delaying the Game – Puck over Glass (he sure makes some silly mistakes)

Since the Predators dismantled the Blues and their thought of a win, Nashville is now 4-0-0 against the Blues this season, though each game has been nail-bitingly close. The Predators continue at home on Tuesday when they welcome the oh-so-lovable Vancouver Canucks to Nashville. The puck drops at 7PM!

Also, congrats to everyone who ran, walked, jogged, etc. today during the Predators Fangtastic 5K! Although it was raining, that didn’t stop 1400 fans from taking on the 3 miler! We jogged it, but still felt the burn the next day!

Until then,
GO PREDS.

(Photo credit: Frederick Breedon/Getty Images North America)