Behind much? Yea, we definitely are, but we are finally updating the site to announce what all (unless you live under a rock) Predators fans are aware of, due to the fact their Twitter, Facebook, and all other social media accounts are being blown up by… Pekka Rinne has made it to the final round of the NHL13 game cover.
Nashville’s top goaltender has made it through three grueling rounds, facing and surpassing big names like Patrick Sharp, Henrik Lundqvist, and John Tavares. Now he’s down to the final round, up against Philadelphia’s Alternate Captain Claude Giroux.
Predators fans have truly stepped up for their Finnish phenom, teaming up along the way with the New York Islanders and the Philadelphia Flyers. However, now that both goalies are in the finals, allies have backed down and now it’s on like Donkey Kong.
Pekka has had a strong lead throughout his run thus far, but cut it close in the last round, almost being knocked out by John Tavares. However, Nashville has a little star power backing up the 29-year-old Finn. Former players like Shane O’Brien, Steve Sullivan, and Joel Ward have tweeted to vote for their friend. Carrie Underwood and Charlie Sheen have also been sending out the love for Pekka, trying to bump up his votes.
Voting ends on June 4th, so don’t procrastinate! Results will be revealed during the 2012 NHL Awards on June 20th, so nails will be bitten until then! Keep it up, Preds fans!
Sergei Kostitsyn, or SK74 as he is affectionately called, is what is known as a “young gun, rebel” type… or, at least, he was. Sergei has worn the Predators jersey for two seasons now and, although they’ve heard the many of rumors, Nashville has never seen the rebel, immature side of the 25-year-old Forward from Belarus.
A 7th Round Pick in the 2005 Draft at the tender age of 18, Sergei was a bit of a diamond in the rough. The potential was clearly there (he wouldn’t have even been considered for the NHL if it hadn’t), just a little masked by insecurity and a lack of confidence in himself. SK74 was drafted by the Montréal Canadiens, the same team that found potential in older brother, Andrei Kostitsyn.
As most former Habs players have admitted, finding the perfect fit in Montréal is a bit challenging, and with his lack of confidence and insecurity, Sergei found himself fighting to stay above water. In frustration, Kostitsyn did whatever he thought would get himself more attention, and potentially more ice time. However, acting out and bad behavioral issues wasn’t the direction the young Forward wanted to walk down, especially alone.
Missing the bus to a preseason game in 2009, being suspended for not reporting to Montréal’s AHL farm team, the Hamilton Bulldogs; Sergei and fellow teammate, goaltender Carey Price even got into an argument about Sergei’s lack of effort and commitment to the team. Montréal and Sergei Kostitsyn were clashing, and both the NHL and the KHL were watching.
Though his behavioral issues out-shined his potential as a great player at times, one team saw past the frustration and immaturity that comes with being a young, ice-deprived hockey player. The Nashville Predators traded Dustin Boyd and Dan Ellis in the off-season of 2010, giving the Belorussian a chance at a fresh start.
Both Coach Barry Trotz and General Manager David Poile worked with Sergei, highlighting both his strong and weak spots, instead of letting him fall the the wayside like he had with the Habs. Two seasons later, Sergei Kostitsyn found himself on the top line along with Mike Fisher and Martin Erat, and notched his first career Hat Trick on January 1st.
However, Sergei still had his off moments in both the 2011-12 season and post season. Lack of confidence still plagues the young Belorussian, causing him to miss key passes, shots, and goals. Although he performed well during the Detroit series in the playoffs, SK74 struggled in the Phoenix series, being replaced on the top line by Colin Wilson.
After two season, Sergei Kostitsyn has expressed his desires to be signed to a long-term contract by Nashville, the one team who he was nestled with soundly. No word if SK74’s agent has met with the club yet, but the deadline to tender qualifying offers to restricted free agents is June 29th, giving both sides a little over a month to come to a decision.
Recently, both Sergei and older brother Andrei jumped on board with Team Belarus for the IIHF World Championship. Although Belarus was recently knocked out by Team Canada, Sergei was able to score a goal in his short time with his country’s team. However, Sergei collided with Team Canada’s Kris Russell yesterday, separating his shoulder. Team Belarus Head Coach, Kari Heikkilä stated that Sergei will be all right, but will need to rest for one to two weeks.
Looking back at his issues with Montréal, it’s clear why Sergei wishes to stay with the Nashville Predators. Not only has Nashville worked one-on-one with SK74, tweaking and fine-tuning his value, the club has become both a home and family to Sergei. Nashville has just begun polishing this diamond in the rough, and Sergei Kostitsyn wants to shine brighter.
Here’s a highlight video of today’s (15 May 2012) IIHF tournament games. You can see Sergei’s goal against Canada at the beginning of the video.
Pekka Rinne blocks 40 of 41 shots on goal against Detroit.
The Nashville Predators had already claimed one victory in the Joe Louis Arena on Sunday, their first post-season win in Detroit in franchise history, meaning the Detroit Red Wings would come out swinging in the next round. However, Nashville had a relatively good season against the Red Wings in Detroit, so the pesky Predators weren’t just going hand the Wings the victory without a price. Here are the highlights from last night’s game in the Detroit/Nashville series:
KEY POINTS:
Jordin Tootoo, Hal Gill, Colin Wilson, Brian McGrattan, Jack Hillen, and Chet Pickard were the scratches for the night, giving Ryan Ellis another chance at playoff hockey. Along with Ellis returned Matt Halischuk, who was feared to have broken a few ribs against Detroit on Friday night.
Both the first and second periods proved goal-less, but that doesn’t mean neither team was given prime scoring chances. Thanks to a stellar performance from the Finnish phenom, Pekka blocked 11 shots during the first (Nashville only shot 7) and 17 in the second (Nashville only got 3 shots).
After David Legwand’s first goal was waved off due to an “intent to blow the whistle” call, Gabriel Bourque made sure his goal was seen around the arena at 1:55 into the third period. Bourque’s snap shot passed Jimmy Howard was his third of the playoffs and Alexander Radulov (3rd assist) picked up the lone assist on the goal.
Jiri Hudler would score a few minutes later on the power play at 3:14 with a tip-in passed Pekka Rinne, his first goal of the post season.
Kevin Klein would shine yet again against Detroit, sinking his 2nd post season goal at 6:25. Klein’s wrist shot was assisted by Martin Erat (2nd assist) and Mike Fisher (2nd assist). While the Detroit line followed Martin Erat, Kevin Klein was left wide open, cleaning tapping the puck into the net while Jimmy Howard and the rest of the team tried desperately to adjust.
Nashville would hold off Detroit until 19:21 when David Legwand made certain Detroit acknowledged his goal. Leggy was unassisted on his tip-in goal.
As stated in the headline, Nashville was out-shot 41 to 17 overall, but if you’ve followed the Predators at all this past season, you’ll agree this isn’t surprising that Nashville was able to pull out the win. During this series, Nashville has been out-shot all but once, and that was last Friday when they lost. It’s clear Nashville does much better when they aren’t constantly taking shot after shot, despite the fan base wishing they would.
The Predators were plaque with penalties, yet again, but only allowed one power play goal out of seven chances for the Red Wings. Nashville was only given three power play chances, with David Legwand capitalizing on the last one. Though the refs seemed to favor Detroit, it was clear the penalties called for both teams were over the top. Here are the seven penalty offenders:
Roman Josi – 7:38 1st Period – Interference
Alexander Radulov – 12:18 1st Period – Tripping
Roman Josi – 14:27 1st Period – Cross Checking
Francis Bouillon – 14:01 2nd Period – Hooking
Andrei Kostitsyn – 2:44 3rd Period – Too Many Men/Ice
Andrei Kostitsyn – 7:15 3rd Period – Interference
Matt Halischuk – 13:41 3rd Period – Interference
If there is one thing Detroit needs to realize, it’s that Nashville does better both on the road and when out-shot. After last night’s game, we’re pretty sure the team has come to that realization. With this win in Detroit, Nashville has now pushed themselves up 3-1 on the series, meaning one more win and they clinch the series. The Predators returned home last night at 12:45AM to a sea of adoring fans, who stood out in the cold and rain to welcome their boys home. The Predators could end the series with a win on Friday in Nashville, so be prepared for both teams to come out with passion.
Game 3 of the Detroit/Nashville series started bright and early today with the puck dropping at 11AM; the first game scheduled for the day.
Nashville struggled Friday night on home ice, losing to Detroit 3-2 in regulation and tying the series 1-1. With two games down in Nashville, it was time for the Predators to head north to the Motor City to throw-down in the Joe. However, the Predators last visit in Detroit bounced in their favor, wiping out the Red Wings 4-1. Needless to say, the Predators aren’t afraid of Detroit and its fans, but would it be enough to erase the power play issues from Friday? Here are the highlights from today’s game in Detroit:
KEY POINTS:
Colin Wilson, Craig Smith, Jack Hillen, Chet Pickard, Brian McGrattan, and Hal Gill rounded up the scratched list for Game 3, but one surprise was the scratch of Matt Halischuk. In replace of Hali, Jordin Tootoo hit the ice, along with rookie Ryan Ellis.
Good thing Shea Weber feeds positively off of negativity, for he sealed the first goal of the game at 2:48 on the power play for his 2nd goal of the playoffs. Every time Weber’s stick would touch the puck, a cascade of “boos” would float amongst the crowd, but Weber quickly silenced them. Andrei Kostitsyn (1st assist) and Alexander Radulov (2nd assist) picked up the assists on Weber’s silencer.
Kevin Klein would pick up a goal of his own at 3:50 in the 2nd Period, his first of the playoffs after scoring only four during the season. Martin Erat picked up his first assist of the playoffs, also the first point acquired by the top line of SK74-Marty-Fisher.
Pavel Datsyuk would finally get Detroit’s ball rolling at 15:03 with a wrap-around goal passed Pekka Rinne. This was Datsyuk’s first goal of the playoffs.
Johan Franzen stopped the hearts of millions watching when he was able to slip the puck by Pekka Rinne, essentially tying the game with under a second left in the 2nd Period. The goal was reviewed and it was clear the clock had run out just milliseconds before passing Pekka, rendering it no good. Whew!
Sergei Kostitsyn would sink the third goal for the Predators at 16:30 with a clean snap shot passed Jimmy Howard. Mike Fisher picked up his first assist and point of the playoffs along with Kevin Klein (1st assist) on SK74’s first goal of the playoffs.
Henrik Zetterberg would leave fans biting their nails at 19:06 when he was able to put the Red Wings within one of tying the game with Nashville on the power play, but the Predators defense would prove impenetrable, holding the Wings at bay until the final horn sounded to end the game.
Call this the Series of the Penalties! Twelve penalties in all, with six penalties for each team, giving both Detroit and Nashville equal power play opportunities. Unlike Friday, Nashville was finally able to snag a power play goal, but Detroit was able to snag one as well. Pointless penalty of the day came from Jordin Tootoo, who was called for roughing after pushing on Henrik Zetterberg. If you’re going to take a penalty, at least get a few swings in first! Here are the other Predators who took some time to reflect in the box:
David Legwand – 12:53 1st Period – Tripping
Jordin Tootoo – 1:21 2nd Period – Roughing
David Legwand (served by Patric Hornqvist) – 14:33 2nd Period – Interference
Mike Fisher – 17:46 2nd Period – Roughing
Sergei Kostitsyn – 19:49 2nd Period – Hi-Sticking
David Legwand – 18:23 3rd Period – Holding
Pekka Rinne blew Detroit away in usual fashion, blocking 41 of 43 shots on goal. Nashville lacked on the shots on net, only attempting 22, but the accuracy was much better and Howard just wasn’t expecting to be taken out on his own ice.
Kevin Klein stepped up today, gaining an assist and a goal, only his 2nd playoff goal of his career. Both Kostitsyn brothers picked up points, with Andrei gaining an assist and Sergei collecting a goal. The top line all finally found a groove, with Fisher and Erat both gaining assists and, again, SK74 with a goal.
The Predators came out swinging in the first period, but the second and third periods left us biting our nails down to the quick. However, a win’s a win and we will take it, especially when it is up in Motown. This win was actually Nashville’s first post-season win in Detroit in franchise history. As “Not Paul Gaustad” said on Twitter:
Follow @PaulsStick on Twitter
The Predators stay in Detroit until Tuesday, taking on the sea of Red at 6:30PM. Although the defense has been doing pretty well thus far, if Hal Gill can return by Tuesday, we believe there’s no stopping Nashville from taking this series.
Alexander Radulov celebrates with teammate David Legwand.
It’s hard to believe, but the regular season came to an end last night for the National Hockey League and the Nashville Predators. Although the post season gets underway starting next Wednesday for the Predators and many other teams, for Nashville’s oppenent last night, the Colorado Avalanche, the skates will be hung until October.
The Avalanche, despite making the playoffs, actually had a pretty good season. Holding 3rd place in the Northwest Division, Colorado had every intent on slipping into a playoff spot. Unfortunately for Colorado, 3rd place in their division just couldn’t top the tougher Western Conference teams, ending their run 41-35-6 for the 2011-12 season.
The Predators scratched quite a few of their predominate players, trying to avoid injury at all cost. Thus, it was basically the rookies chance to prove themselves amongst the team going into the playoffs. Here are the highlights from last night’s game in Denver:
KEY POINTS:
As stated above, many top players were scratched last night including Sergei Kostitsyn, Martin Erat, Mike Fisher, Brian McGrattan, Francis Bouillon, and Hal Gill. Colin Wilson got another chance at ice time, along with Jack Hillen and Ryan Ellis.
David Legwand wasted no time getting points on the board, hitting a wrist shot passed Jean-Sebastien Giguere at 3:39 in the 1st Period. Gabriel Bourque (12th assist) and Alexander Radulov (4th assist) picked up the assists on Leggy’s 19th goal of the season.
Colorado tied it up shortly after at 8:09 with a goal from Matt Duchene, his 14th goal of the season.
Craig Smith would gain his 14th goal of the season at 12:10, his first points (and goal) since playing against the Phoenix Coyotes back on March 12th. Matt Halischuk (13th assist) and Colin Wilson (20th assist) grabbed the assists.
Patric Hornqvist would seal the final goal of the first period with less than a second left at 19:59, ending the regular season with 27 goals (Coincidence?). Kevin Klein (16th assist) and Andrei Kostitsyn (20th assist) picked up the assists.
Roman Josi would notch his 5th goal of the season at 16:09 in the 2nd Period, with assists from Craig Smith (21st assist) and Kevin Klein (17th assist).
Brandon Yip would cause the Colorado bench to cringe as he scored his 3rd goal of the season against his former teammates at 1:57 into the 3rd Period. With a wrap-around goal, did Yip remember that was Giguere’s weakness? Nick Spaling (12th assist) picked up the lone assist.
Matt Halischuk added the last nail in the coffin at 6:20 for his 15th goal of the season. A trend is starting to appear with Hali, where when he is scratched, he retaliates with a goal the next game. Good way to retaliate, we think. Craig Smith picked up his third point and 22nd assist on Hali’s goal.
Anders Lindback took the reins in the net last night, blocking 28 of 29 goals taken on goal. Unfortunately, in a freak accident, Ryan Ellis fell onto Lindy’s head during play, sending Lindback to the locker room. Pekka Rinne finished out the rest of the game, blocking all 10 shots taken on goal. Anders is expected to be Pekka’s backup for Wednesday’s playoff game, but for safe measure, Jeremy Smith was brought up from the Milwaukee Admirals.
Both the Predators and the Avalanche were equal in penalties, with neither team able to snag a goal. With as many penalties as the Predators have been taking lately, racking up just two last night was a relief. Here are they two offenders:
Patric Hornqvist – 14:03 2nd Period – Cross Checking
Craig Smith – 19:45 2nd Period – Hooking
It’s been a long and rewarding season for the Predators, who are preparing for a challenging post season against the Detroit Red Wings. The Predators have thus far proven themselves Stanley Cup worthy, but they just need to cling to their confidence and strength throughout this upcoming playoff round. The Predators have faced the Red Wings before in the playoffs, losing both times. However, this is a different team and a ready team.
We leave you with this video we came across on YouTube. The first 1:49 is rough, but it leads up to Nashville showing off their “pesky” comeback skills from the 2011-12 season. It’s been a roller coaster, but we’ve enjoyed every second of it.
Until Wednesday,
GO PREDS.
(Photo credit: Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
For once, we thank you, Chicago Blackhawks. Thanks to Chicago’s 3-2 win over Detroit just a few moments ago, the Predators have now clinched the 4th position in the playoffs AND (AND!!) home ice advantage! Phew!
Not that the Predators couldn’t have made it far starting out away, but home ice can make or break a team’s outlook on a playoff series. So yes, home ice is very nice… and for the fans, of course! Now who will the Predators take on first? Well, it’s going to be the Detroit Red Wings. No need to panic, the Predators could knock out any team in the Western Conference if they can focus and keep their minds on the game. This is actually the first time in franchise history the Predators have come out with more points at the end of the season than the Detroit Red Wings. The potiential that the Predators have is outstanding… now if only they can grasp their talent and find confidence in it.
The NHL Playoff Schedule will be released tomorrow at 12PM CT and when it becomes available, you will see it here.Again, rarely will we EVER thank another Central Division team for winning, but Chicago did Nashville a huge favor by knocking off Detroit.So what does that mean for the fans? Please, please, PLEASE go out and buy your playoff tickets! #KeeptheRedOut is trending throughout the Twitter world, as we do not want the Red Wings fans taking over the Bridgestone, similar to what happened when Chicago came to town a few Saturdays ago…
Until then,
GO PREDS
(Photo credit: John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images)
Pekka Rinne hits the ice after sitting a night on the scratched list.
KEY POINTS:
Jordin Tootoo managed to avoid the scratched list Thursday night, but a few other guys weren’t as lucky. Craig Smith, Colin Wilson, Brian McGrattan, Matt Halischuk, Jack Hillen, and Ryan Ellis topped out the scratched list on Fan Appreciation Night.
With the first two periods proving scoreless, it was Francis Bouillon who finally got the ball rolling at 4:28 of the 3rd Period, sealing his 4th goal of the season. Patric Hornqvist (16th assist) and Andrei Kostitsyn (19th assist) picked up the assists on Frankie’s goal.
Patric Hornqvist would put the Predators up by 2 at 18:00 in the third for his 26th goal of the season. Brandon Yip (4th assist) and Mike Fisher (27th assist) picked up the assists on Horny’s 26th goal.
The Stars pushed the limit during the 3rd period after Frankie’s goal, but it was Pekka’s keen eye that gave the Predators their 5th shutout of the season. The Predators out-shot the Stars 31 to 28, something that normally doesn’t happen for the Predators.
Like Tuesday, penalties plagued the Predators and caused a bit of lag for the team. Four penalties compared to Dallas’s two could have ended badly for Nashville, but thankfully, Dallas was unable to slip one passed the Finnish Phenom. Here are the four offenders:
Bradon Yip – 2:44 1st Period – Interference
Hal Gill – 12:39 2nd Period – Interference
Andrei Kostitsyn – 9:52 3rd Period – Tripping
Mike Fisher – 19:05 3rd Period – Delaying Game – Puck Over Glass
On another good note to go along with the shutout, Detroit lost to the New Jersey Devils Thursday night, bumping the Predators back into the 4th playoff position. With Detroit’s loss, the Predators are now guaranteed no worse than 5th position. However, it will be up to Chicago on Saturday to decide if the Predators will keep 4th position and home ice advantage.
So, if you didn’t get one of the jerseys off of the players’ backs, don’t worry – No one else we know did either. But what a great way to end the regular season at home with a shutout.
The Predators are off to Denver to take on the Colorado Avalanche for the last game of the regular season. The puck drops at 8PM CT.
Until then,
GO PREDS
(Photo credit: John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images)
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)
Even though it was Sergei Kostitsyn's birthday, the Oilers made no attempt to play nice.
The Predators returned home after a treacherous trip out West. Although the Predators were able to sneak away with two wins (first in Phoenix with a SO win and then against the Ducks in regulation), none of the games they played showed any confidence in the team and each game was played with a bit of a lackluster effort. But home games are always a confidence boost, right? Especially sweeping out the Ducks on Sunday.
Easy wins should never be assumed by a team like the Predators. Although the Edmonton Oilers are currently sitting in 14th in the league (yes, that means they are the second to last) and are dead last in the Northwest Division, the Oilers aren’t a team to just cast aside. In fact, in the last three games the Predators played against the Oilers, they only won one on November 28th in Edmonton 2-1. Otherwise, Edmonton, although clearly the weaker of the two teams, has embarrassed the Predators on both home and away ice.
Either the Predators were suffering from jet lag (which was still hanging around since heading to the West) or they were suffering from Rads-is-on-his-way syndrome. Either way, the Oilers brought their A-Game and the Predators did not. Here are the highlights from last night’s game in Music City:
KEY POINTS:
Brian McGrattan, Roman Josi, and Jack Hillen sat out on the scratched list last night against the Oilers. Along with those three, Colin Wilson and Paul Gaustad rounded out the scratched bunch. Wilson is currently still on the fence with a “groin” injury, whereas Gaustad is quickly healing and could possibly be back for Thursday’s game in Pittsburgh.
Former Predator, Darcy Hordichuk got the ball rolling at 12:50 for the Oilers, scoring his first goal of the season past Pekka Rinne.
The Oilers quickly put themselves up 2-0 over the home team at 16:22 with a wrist shot from Ales Hemsky, his 7th goal of the season.
David Legwand would relieve Preds fans at 19:53 in the 1st with his 17th goal of the season past Devan Dubnyk. Leggy was assisted by Shea Weber (29th assist) and rookie Gabriel Bourque (10th assist).
Ales Hemsky would seal his 2nd goal of the night (8th of the season) 28 seconds into the 2nd, sending Pekka to the bench and bringing out Anders Lindback.
Edmonton would continue to attack, putting the Oilers up 4-1 at 5:51 with a power play goal from Ryan Jones (15th goal of the season).
Between this point and Nashville’s goal at 12:35, something happened. Something that sent both the team (the Predators) and the fans into an uproar. An apparent goal by Patric Hornqvist was waved off by the officials, even though it was clearly and quite obviously a goal. The fans clearly shared their feelings with the refs, and even the Oilers announcers were said to have said it was a terrible call.
The refs tried to make up the slip in judgement by giving the Predators a 5-on-3. Patric Hornqvist sealed a goal at 12:35 for his 24th goal of the season. Mike Fisher (23rd assist) and Martin Erat (39th assist) assisted on the power play goal.
The Oilers would end the 2nd Period with another goal from Ales Hemsky at 14:03, giving the Czech his first ever Hat Trick in the NHL.
David Legwand would seal his second goal of the night at 4:18 in the 3rd, his 18th goal of the season. Patric Hornqvist (13th assist) and Gabriel Bourque (11th assist) were back in the lineup with Leggy, assisting him on the goal.
Sam Gagner would seal any chance of the Predators returning to the game with an empty-netter at 18:19 for his 16th goal of the season.
Pekka Rinne has been looking a bit sluggish lately, and last night showed through his padding. Pekka was pulled early in the 2nd Period, right after Ales Hemsky sealed his second goal of the night. Anders played well, blocking 10 of 12 shots on net. Edmonton resembled the Predators in that they managed to still win, dispite only having 20 shots on goal. The Predators took an outstanding 41, but the accuracy of the shots failed against goalie, Devan Dubnyk.
The Predators only had two penalties compared to Edmonton’s five, but the Predators just couldn’t find a way to capitalize on them, minus one. Here are the two penalty boxers:
Shea Weber – 4:09 2nd Period – Hi-Sticking
Francis Bouillon – 14:28 3rd Period – Roughing
Sloppy plays equal a short time in the playoffs. The Predators have been struggling as of late and, with the playoffs inching ever so closer, now is not the time to slack-off. Lackluster plays and puck-handling mistakes lead to quick “couch” time, as we’d like to call it.
RADULOV UPDATE:
As expected, Alexander Radulov made it into Nashville late last night, stopping by the Bridgestone Arena to meet with General Manager David Poile, Head Coach Barry Trotz, and other members of the staff and team. Radulov practiced with the team this morning (Wednesday, March 21st) and is expected to make the trip to Pittsburgh with the team on Thursday. Whether or not he will hit the ice tomorrow is still in question, but he was placed on a line with Legwand and Hornqvist and is expected to play Saturday in Nashville against the Winnipeg Jets.
Alexander Radulov stated that he was happy to be back in Nashville and was ready to play tomorrow against Pittsburgh, but all decisions will be decided upon tomorrow. Here a picture from the press conference this morning:
Radulov shakes hands with Predators GM David Poile.
Again, one player (Radulov…cough) is not going to save the Predators from their sloppy mistakes. Yes, Radulov will help tremendously, but it may take a game or two before he gets into the swing of things back here in the NHL (Yes, there is a huge difference between the KHL and the NHL). The Predators are off to Pittsburgh for the night tomorrow to take on Steve Sullivan, Sidney Crosby, and the Penguins at 6PM. The Predators return to Nashville on Saturday to welcome the Winnipeg Jets at a special 6PM start time.
While non-hockey fans in Nashville are sobbing thanks to Peyton Manning’s decision to go to Denver, hockey fans in the Music City are celebrating the announcement that the 2004 NHL Draft 1st Round Pick will be returning to the Nashville Predators after almost four years. Radulov has spent the last 45 months playing in the Kontinental Hockey League, and it has been confirmed that his KHL club will allow him to return to Nashville and the National Hockey League.
Per Nashville Predators General Manager David Poile, Alex could be back in the Predators lineup by Thursday, when the Predators head to Pittsburgh to take on the Penguins. That means Radulov could be on a plane as early as tomorrow. Tickets for Saturday’s game at home against the Winnipeg Jets skyrocketed when word of Radulov’s return was announced. Saturday’s game, if it isn’t already, is expected to be a sellout.
Alexander Radulov was, and will be for a very long time, the face of the Kontinental Hockey League. He’s accomplished a lot since bolting to his native Russia, including winning the KHL MVP award in 2010, becoming a KHL All-Star four times, and winning a Gagarin Cup Championship in 2011.
It’s amazing how Alexander Radulov went from the most hated hockey player in Nashville’s history, to one who is embraced and welcomed back with open arms by the same fans who shunned him when he left. Of course, the Predators and its fan base have chanced dramatically in the four years that Radulov has been gone and players have come and gone. Jordin Tootoo, Kevin Klein, Martin Erat, David Legwand, Ryan Suter, and Shea Weber are the only players who have played alongside the Russian phenom, and luckily, all were friends of Alex whilst he was on the team, especially Shea Weber and Ryan Suter. The younger and newer players are excited to usher Radulov onto the team as well.
It will be most interesting to see how Coach Barry Trotz will find a good placement in the lineup for Radulov once he does return. The chances of Trotz tearing apart the irrepressible SK-Fisher-Erat line is out of the question, but then again, the chemistry amongst the team and where Radulov will fit seamlessly will have to involve switching the norm up a bit. Perhaps that is what practice is good for.
With Radulov returning in time for the playoffs, the rest of the Western Conference is beginning to feel the heat as Nashville, who is currently sitting in the 4th spot, inches closer to the top. The Predators are currently tied at 92 points with Philadelphia for the #5 spot in league standings and Alexander Radulov could push the Predators higher. Without Radulov, the Predators have made a decent name for themselves, with players like Pekka Rinne, Andrei Kostitsyn, and Mike Fisher, the addition of a sniper shooter such as Radulov will only help the team in the standings.
Not all is gumdrops and rainbows as of yet for the Predators, though. Rumors that Radulov may have to return to the KHL after his short stint in Nashville when the season ends have been running amongst the media, but until more of that information is available, most believe it will come down to Alex deciding over the summer of whether he will re-sign with the Predators or, if anything, return to Russia and continue his rein as King of the KHL.
Until Alexander Radulov’s skates hit the ice at either the Bridgestone Arena or on the road with the Predators, we won’t promise Radulov’s return is for certain nor permanent. However, Alexander Radulov will give the Predators a boost of encouragement both on and off the ice with his return, extending the team ever so closer to the Stanley Cup.
Until then,
GO PREDS.
(Photo credit: Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images Sport)
UPDATE 3/20/12:
Per Alexander Radulov’s Twitter account, he is currently on a plane headed back to Nashville.
Lady Preds 