Yesterday afternoon, the NHL announced the finalists for the 2016 Mark Messier Leadership award, which includes John Tavares of the New York Islanders, Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, and Shea Weber of the Nashville Predators.
The Mark Messier NHL Leadership Award is awarded to the player who exemplifies great leadership qualities to his team, on and off the ice during the regular season. Though suggestions for nominees are solicited from fans, clubs and NHL personnel, the selection of the three finalists and the ultimate winner is made by Messier, one of the finest leaders in NHL history; the six-time Stanley Cup champion is one of three players to have captained three teams (Edmonton, N.Y. Rangers, Vancouver).
Weber is the first Predators player/personnel to be nominated for a 2016 NHL award and Roman Josi was quoted about his fellow defenseman and captain:
“He’s one of those guys that leads by example. We know we can count on him every time he steps on the ice; we know he’s going to leave it all out there. He’s just a great leader, he’s been a great mentor to me. He’s one of those guys who plays the game really honest. He’s such a great leader, and we’re happy to have him as a captain.”
First Game 7 in franchise history? Check. Thousands of people booing you in Anaheim? Check. Feeling like your going to get a stomach ulcer thanks to stress? Check.
If you were feeling a cocktail mix of adrenaline, stress, and excitement during last night’s (this morning’s) game, then you weren’t watching Game 7 between the Anaheim Ducks and the Nashville Predators. After leading the series 2-0, Nashville managed to lose three in a row to Anaheim, thus bringing Game 6 back to Nashville to face elimination. Do or die for the Preds, Nashville took the ‘do’ and forced a Game 7 back in Anaheim, winning 3-1.
Anaheim was kind to Nashville in Games 1 & 2, but… not so much in Game 5. Nashville managed to survive one ‘do or die’, but could they muster the energy to do it again; especially with everything falling in Anaheim’s favor…
Except one little itty bitty fact: The Ducks have lost Game 7 (at home) four consecutive years. And this fact about goals that led to their losses:
Ducks opponents in Game 7 2013: 2 goals in first 16:37 2014: 2 goals in first 8:48 2015: 2 goals in first 11:55 2016: 2 goals in first 15:53
As a fairly superstitious person when it comes to hockey, I was not banking on Anaheim to make the same mistake again. Or, for the fourth time. There was just no way. I am glad I was wrong. But we all should have known that Nashville had the series when this guy chose the Predators over the Ducks:
There’s no doubting that Pekka Rinne was on point in Game 6 and, from the first puck drop of the night, the Preds goaltender was blocking shots and taking names. The Ducks would bring the pressure, but it would be Playoff Wilson who would get Nashville on the board first at 6:19:
Yes Colin, you have every right to celebrate this goal. You disappear in the regular season, only to emerge from your cocoon a beautiful playoff butterfly. Fly, Playoff Wilson; fly.
At 15:35, off a deflection from the Shea Weber slapper, Paul Gaustad would tally Nashville’s second goal of the night, giving the Music City team an early 2-0 lead:
The goal would be reviewed to see if Gaustad tipped it with a high stick, but – as you can see – it was a good goal and the folks in Nashville celebrated:
The second period would be a test for Nashville’s penalty kill, as the Ducks were awarded three different powerplay opportunities in this period alone. I could go on about how questionable some of these calls were, but the NHL refs (on all levels, not just this game) are a story for another time. We will just notate that Ryan Kesler did not receive a penalty for this head smash, which was quite obvious:
Kesler would do this again in the third period but to a helmet-less Barret Jackman. Penalty? Nope.
With their multiple powerplay opportunities, Anaheim would notch 13 shots on goal during the second period, but Rinne and the Nashville PK and defense would hold the Ducks at bay for another twenty minutes.
The penalties would keep coming into the third period, with both teams receiving two powerplay opportunities. Unfortunately, Ryan Kesler managed to score on one of those opportunities, putting the Ducks both on the board and into the game. This goal, of course, gave Anaheim a boost, but it also boosted Nashville’s desperation as well.
Nashville would only get four shots on goal during the third period compared to Anaheim’s thirteen. If that doesn’t tell you how on point Pekka Rinne was last night, I don’t know what will. How about this?
After what seemed like a lifetime, the clock finally ran down and it was official: Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs belonged to the Nashville Predators.
The fact that I am able to speak today is a miracle in itself. Also, the fact that my neighbors did not call the cops is amazing (and slightly terrifying because what if I was in trouble). If you were down at the Plaza Party Lexus Lounge Party, you had an extra special treat to share with all your fellow Preds fans.
After all the bickering and questionable hits and no-calls, it still never ceases to amaze me how professional both teams can be after it is all said and done. It is, after all, a career that they all love:
So, now that we can all somewhat breathe, what’s next? Well, Nashville doesn’t have far to travel. After eliminating the Ducks, and the LA Kings losing, the San Jose Sharks are the last California team to survive… and their Nashville’s next opponent. Here is the schedule:
Game 1 – Nashville @ San Jose – 9:30PM – Friday, April 29th
Game 2 – Nashville @ San Jose – 7PM – Sunday, May 1st
Game 3 – San Jose @ Nashville – 8PM – Tuesday, May 3rd
Game 4 – San Jose @ Nashville – 8PM – Thursday, May 5th
Game 5 – Nashville @ San Jose – TBA
Game 6 – San Jose @ Nashville – TBA
Game 7 – Nashville @ San Jose – TBA
So, you made it through Round 1. Congratulations. Let’s move onward to Round 2.
#Preds are 1st team to win a playoff round in the same season they hosted the All-Star Game as the 2000-01 #Avs. That COL team won the Cup.
The World Cup of Hockey, an international tournament set to start September 17th, announced its preliminary team rosters throughout the day yesterday & some of Nashville’s best got the call.
Pekka Rinne (Team Finland), Filip Forsberg (Team Sweden), Shea Weber (Team Canada), and Roman Josi (Team Europe) will be representing their respective countries in this year’s tournament. Below is a full rundown of each team and its participants:
TEAM USA
TEAM
POSITION
Ben Bishop
Lightning
G
Jonathan Quick
Kings
G
Cory Schneider
Devils
G
Dustin Byfuglien
Jets
D
John Carlson
Capitals
D
Ryan McDonagh
Rangers
D
Ryan Suter
Wild
D
Justin Abdelkader
Red Wings
F
Patrick Kane
Blackhawks
F
Ryan Kesler
Ducks
F
T.J. Oshie
Capitals
F
Max Pacioretty
Canadiens
F
Zach Parise
Wild
F
Joe Pavelski
Sharks
F
Derek Stepan
Rangers
F
Blake Wheeler
Jets
F
TEAM CANADA
TEAM
POSITION
Corey Crawford
Blackhawks
G
Braden Holtby
Capitals
G
Carey Price
Canadiens
G
Drew Doughty
Kings
D
Duncan Keith
Blackhawks
D
Marc-Edouard Vlasic
Sharks
D
Shea Weber
Predators
D
Jamie Benn
Stars
F
Patrice Bergeron
Bruins
F
Jeff Carter
Kings
F
Sidney Crosby
Penguins
F
Ryan Getzlaf
Ducks
F
Tyler Seguin
Stars
F
Steven Stamkos
Lightning
F
John Tavares
Islanders
F
Johnathan Toews
Blackhawks
F
TEAM RUSSIA
TEAM
POSITION
Sergei Bobrovsky
Blue Jackets
G
Semyon Varlamov
Avalanche
G
Andrei Vasilevskiy
Lightning
G
Dmitry Kulikov
Panthers
D
Andrei Markov
Canadiens
D
Dmitry Orlov
Capitals
D
Artem Anisimov
Blackhawks
D
Pavel Datsyuk
Red Wings
F
Nikita Kucherov
Lightning
F
Nikolay Kulemin
Islanders
F
Evgeny Kuznetsov
Capitals
F
Evgeni Malkin
Penguins
F
Vladislav Namestnikov
Lightning
F
Alex Ovechkin
Capitals
F
Artemi Panarin
Blackhawks
F
Vladimir Tarasenko
Blues
F
TEAM FINLAND
TEAM
POSITION
Tuuka Rask
Bruins
G
Pekka Rinne
Predators
G
Olli Maatta
Penguins
D
Rasmus Ristolainen
Sabres
D
Sami Vatanen
Ducks
D
Esa Lindell
Stars
D
Mikko Koivu
Wild
F
Jori Lehtera
Blues
F
Aleksander Barkov
Panthers
F
Mikael Granlund
Wild
F
Jussi Jokinen
Panthers
F
Valtteri Filppula
Lightning
F
Leo Komarov
Maple Leafs
F
Joonas Donskoi
Sharks
F
Lauri Korpikoski
Oilers
F
Teuvo Teravainen
Blackhawks
F
TEAM CZECH REPUBLIC
TEAM
POSITION
Petr Mrazek
Red Wings
G
Michal Neuvirth
Flyers
G
Ondrej Pavelec
Jets
G
Radko Gudas
Flyers
D
Michal Kempny
Avangard Omsk (KHL)
D
Roman Polak
Sharks
D
Andrej Sustr
Lightning
D
Michael Frolik
Flames
F
Martin Hanzal
Coyotes
F
Tomas Hertl
Sharks
F
David Krejci
Bruins
F
Ondrej Palat
Lightning
F
David Pastrnak
Bruins
F
Tomas Plekanec
Canadiens
F
Vladimir Sobotka
Avangard Omsk (KHL)
F
Jakub Voracek
Flyers
F
TEAM SWEDEN
TEAM
POSITION
Henrik Lundqvist
Rangers
G
Jacob Markstrom
Canucks
G
Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Coyotes
D
Viktor Hedman
Lightning
D
Niklas Hjalmarsson
Blackhawks
D
Erik Karlsson
Senators
D
Niklas Kronwall
Red Wings
D
Anton Stralman
Lightning
D
Nicklas Backstrom
Capitals
F
Loui Eriksson
Bruins
F
Filip Forsberg
Predators
F
Gabriel Landeskog
Avalanche
F
Daniel Sedin
Canucks
F
Henrik Sedin
Canucks
F
Alexanders Steen
Blues
F
Henrik Zetterberg
Red Wings
F
TEAM EUROPE
TEAM
POSITION
Frederik Andersen
Ducks (Denmark)
G
Jaroslav Halak
Rangers (Slovakia)
G
Zdeno Chara
Bruins (Slovakia)
D
Roman Josi
Predators (Switzerland)
D
Dennis Seidenberg
Bruins (Germany)
D
Andrej Sekera
Oilers (Slovakia)
D
Mark Streit
Flyers (Switzerland)
D
Mikkel Boedker
Avalanche (Denmark)
F
Leon Draisaitl
Oilers (Germany)
F
Jannik Hansen
Canucks (Denmark)
F
Marian Hossa
Blackhawks (Slovakia)
F
Anze Kopitar
Kings (Slovenia)
F
Frans Nielsen
Islanders (Denmark)
F
Tomas Tatar
Red Wings (Slovakia)
F
Thomas Vanek
Wild (Austria)
F
Mats Zuccarello
Rangers (Norway)
F
TEAM NORTH AMERICA
TEAM
POSITION
John Gibson
Ducks
G
Connor Hellebuyck
Manitoba Moose (AHL)
G
Matthew Murray
Penguins
G
Aaron Ekblad
Panthers
D
Seth Jones
Blue Jackets
D
Ryan Murray
Blue Jackets
D
Morgan Reilly
Maple Leafs
D
Sean Couturier
Flyers
F
Jack Eichel
Sabres
F
Johnny Gaudreau
Flames
F
Dylan Larkin
Red Wings
F
Nathan MacKinnon
Avalanche
F
Connor McDavid
Oilers
F
J.T. Miller
Rangers
F
Sean Monahan
Wild (Austria)
F
Mats Zuccarello
Rangers (Norway)
F
If you are confused by Team North America because there is already a Team Canada and Team USA, you aren’t alone. This new team consists of the top players from both the United States and Canada that are under the age of twenty-three.
The fun kicks off September 7th and runs through October 1st in Toronto. The final roster will be announced June 1st.
What a weekend for the city of Nashville and for hockey in general. It’s actually hard to believe, after fourteen months of planning, the festivities are over and all we have left are memories. But good memories they are! Thousands of hockey fans from across the world gathered in the Music City this weekend, packing the Music City Center, the Bridgestone Arena, Demonbreun Street, and everywhere within walking distance. Although we are fully aware of how great our city is, it was humbling to hear how much fun people from elsewhere were having and the great praise they had for Nashville.
Leaving Nashville. Can't wait to return. The city did a helluva job. This All-Star Weekend was the best I have ever covered. It's not close.
NHL Fan Fair, which opened Thursday at 4PM, had more than enough activities to keep you occupied for hours on end. While my STH Rep said – without kids – you could knock everything out in one day, I ended up going Thursday and Saturday (and could’ve gone Sunday if I felt like spending another $40 to get in). Merchandise booths to spend money, hockey-related activities, autograph hours, Jell-O molds, and a leaning tower of Velveeta kept everyone on their toes. Oh yeah, and the music. Music outside and music inside; hope you like it!
I am actually glad I went Thursday night because Saturday was just as crowded as I figured it would be. Thursday was busy, but you averaged 5 minutes per line compared to 15 to 20 minutes per line on Saturday.
NHL WINTER PARK:
The NHL Winter Park, which was opened back in December, kept fans busy with an outdoor skating rink, plenty of vendor booths, giant light-up hockey pucks featuring the All-Stars, and music. If you did not have tickets to the All-Star events or wanted to buy tickets for Fan Fair, the Winter Park area still provided plenty of hockey entertainment without breaking the bank.
I wish I had taken more pictures of all the pucks. I got a little busy checking everything out.
What is arguably the most entertaining event of the All-Star Weekend, the Skills Competition didn’t fail to impress the hockey masses. With appearances by Chewbacca, Jaromir Jagr’s “brother”, and Shea Weber’s epic slapshot, Saturday night’s festivities were ones to remember.
As no surprise, Shea Weber held onto his ‘Hardest Shot’ contest streak, notching a slapshot clocked at 108.1 MPH. A little less than last year, but 108 nonetheless. Detroit’s Dylan Larkin also made headlines, breaking the fast lap challenge record, one that has been in place since 1996.
NHL ALL-STAR GAME:
In what is normally considered the lesser of the two main events of the weekend, with the new 3-on-3 format, things got a little more interesting. The Atlantic Division knocked out the Metropolitan Division in the first round. Then, the Pacific Division surprisingly bumped out the Central Division in the second round. Even though the home team was knocked out, the final round between John Scott’s Pacific Division and Jaromir Jagr’s Atlantic Division was still pretty spectacular. But, while the Central was still in the game, all four Predators All-Stars ended up with at least one point (Rinne, assist; Josi, goal; Neal, two goals; Weber, assist). And the Man of the Hour John Scott? He notched two goals.
While the League didn’t start out with John Scott as an MVP choice for the All-Star Game, the fans made it very clear that if he didn’t win… Well, there’d be rioting equivalent to Vancouver’s epic Stanley Cup loss riot.
NHL guy #1: This has been great! NHL guy #2: Super great! NHL guy #1: But how can we send the fans home angry? MVP vote guy: I have an idea…
In what started out as a write-in vote turned into the highlight of the entire NHL All-Star Weekend. After the League tried to pressure him to drop out of the All-Star contention, John Scott not only won the hearts of Nashville but the hearts of the hockey world as a whole. As P.K. Subban said, “Everything he got at the end of it, he deserved”. You can’t even write stories as well as this played out. In fact, we hear he has already been approached about selling the movie rights. Okay, that’s a little crazy but hey, Hollywood’s struggling for some fresh material so you never know.
A successful weekend for the city of Nashville? You bet. Success at pointing out that Nashville is a hockey market? Amen. While we all soak in what’s left of our All-Star Weekend high, it’s time to focus on the second half of the 2015-16 season. Did this break help or hurt the Predators or anyone else? We’ll all find out soon enough. But I have to admit, it was refreshing to enjoy all things hockey with fellow hockey lovers from around the League and world. We were essentially one big happy hockey family. Now, it’s back to the real world.
What a great experience playing in my first All Star game. Thanks Smashville. You guys were… https://t.co/GYJ7ZThFyv
No one can argue that Nashville looked like a completely different team this time around when it came to a road trip; especially compared to the previous one. Perhaps it was a change in the lineups, a stern lecture from the coaching staff, or a combination of a multitude of factors. Whatever it was, something connected within the team out in Western Canada and the Predators now have a record to prove it. After losing 4-1 to the Chicago Blackhawks last Tuesday, the Predators hit the skies for Manitoba to take on divisional opponent the Winnipeg Jets. In their first meeting with the Jets back on November 14th in Nashville, the Predators dominated the former Atlanta Thrashers 7-0. After that? The Jets returned to Nashville on January 5th, crushing the home team 4-1. And after that? The Predators nabbed their only point in their previous road trip, losing to Winnipeg 5-4 in OT. Despite a blaring concern in the goaltending department, the Predators pulled themselves together and started to dig – as a team – out of the hole they currently find themselves in, defeating the Winnipeg Jets 4-1.
Next on the schedule was Taylor Hall and his Edmonton Oilers. Nashville and Edmonton have only met once this season, which was back on October 10th in Nashville when the Predators defeated the Oilers 2-0. For some reason, the Oilers have always been a team that, despite their not-so-great record over the years (they currently sit in last in the Western Conference), a team that the Predators have struggled to beat. That wasn’t the case on October 10th nor was it the case Saturday when Nashville claimed victory in Edmonton, winning 4-1.
The Vancouver Canucks were Nashville’s next opponent on the schedule, another team that has held Nashville back many times before. Strangely enough, this was Nashville and Vancouver’s first meeting of the season. Though Nashville is ahead of Vancouver in the standings, that means nothing to the Sedin twins. Thanks to a first minute of the game goal by Craig Smith, the Predators held onto that momentum, even after the Canucks tied it shortly thereafter. It would be James Neal who sent the Predators up 2-1 early in the third period that would seal the game in favor of Nashville.
And lastly, we come to last night’s game against the Calgary Flames. In their first meeting of the season, back on December 15th, the Flames barely slipped by with the 2-1 OT victory. Nashville, high from winning their past three games, were no doubt itching to claim victory. Pekka Rinne was given the start in the previous three games, but last night was Carter Hutton’s time. And boy, did he shine. It is no secret that Predators fans are a bit hard on their team’s goaltenders. Despite a terrible game from the rest of the team, if a loss happens, somehow, someway, the blame falls to the goaltender. Sometimes though, it is an issue with goaltending. There’s no denying that Rinne has been in a rut lately and Carter Hutton, who is usually the subject of ridicule, has been playing rather well. However, this road trip undeniably showed the strength of both goaltenders and boy, was it something to behold.
Just six minutes into the first period, Mike Ribeiro notched his sixth goal of the season with assistance from Craig Smith (6) and Mattias Ekholm (16). Surprising that Ribeiro would score, as he tends to drop pass more than anyone in the league it feels like, but Nashville would hang onto that 1-0 lead through the remainder of the first period. Calgary would get the upper-hand three times alone in the first period due to penalties on the Predators, but Carter Hutton and the defense held their own to remain in the lead.
In the second period, however, Calgary would be at the disadvantage the most, taking four penalties throughout its course. Perhaps Calgary was called for so many penalties because of… this:
Dennis Wideman, apparently a little ticked that the officials missed the hit Miikka Salomaki jarred him with, cross-checks a linesman in retaliation. The more you watch it, the less case Wideman has to say it was “an accident”. There’s a good chance he’ll face a ten-game suspension at minimum. It’ll be interesting to see what the League does… or does. Wideman was not penalized during this game for this hit, by the way.
But, thanks to so many penalties, Shea Weber was able to launch one of his signature slapshots Karri Ramo to give Nashville the 2-0 lead on the power play. Weber’s 12th goal of the season, he was assisted by Roman Josi (25) and Ryan Johansen (27).
The Predators would continue to hold onto that 2-0 lead until about five minutes left of the third period when Flames captain Mark Giordano and his team crowded the net, finally catching Hutton off guard. Similar to Tuesday night’s showdown in Vancouver, Nashville would take a last minute penalty to give Calgary at 6-to-4 man advantage. The defense did what it does best and Hutton kept his cool, holding back the Calgary Flames to seal the 2-1 victory and to sweep the Western Canada road trip 4-0-0.
The Predators and the rest of the NHL have descended upon Nashville for this weekend’s All-Star festivities and holy crap am I excited. As are you, I bet. It was just recently announced – as I was writing this – that James Neal will now replace the sick Jonathan Toews in the All-Star lineup. Yay! We have four All-Stars now! Another injury to note, Alexander Ovechkin, will not make the trip here either and has been replaced with Evgeny Kuznetsov who also plays for the Capitals.
Four victories in a row. It’s a nice feeling, isn’t it? Very reminiscent of last season, yes? Now the question is, will Nashville lose its strength and momentum with this All-Star Break? Honestly, it’s not that big of a break. They are technically missing one day in which their could be a game (normally); they’ll be back at it against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday. I guess we’ll just have to see. But for now, we’ve got some sure fire goaltenders and a spot in the wildcard for the playoffs.
It’s Monday and that means it is officially NHL All-Star Week in Nashville! The city has been preparing for this event for over a month now, but if you walk around SoBro before this weekend, you’ll see most of the changes happening right in front of you.
Winter Park Public Outdoor Rink: Of course, you are fully aware of the outdoor ice rink that’s been up and running since December 12th, but do you know it’s schedule? As a STH, you are given two complimentary tickets to skate on the Winter Park ice rink, but I have completely forgotten – and I bet a lot of you have, too. The rink will be torn down after all the festivities have packed up on January 31st, so this is your last week to get out there.
Ice rink hours:
Opens:
Closes:
Monday
3:30 p.m.
11:00 p.m.
Tuesday
3:30 p.m.
11:00 p.m.
Wednesday
3:30 p.m.
11:00 p.m.
I only mentioned through this Wednesday because there’s a good chance (because Fan Fair starts Thursday) that public skate times may be altered. For good measure, contact @PredsNHL on Twitter (or call, if you don’t tweet) to make sure you’re good to go before heading out there. $15/adult, $10/child and that includes skate rental.
NHL Fan Fair:
Ah, the NHL Fan Fair. The event my season ticket rep told me I could knock out in one day. Of course, I don’t have children, so it is feasible for me to do so. However, if you’ve got little kids, you might want to grab passes for two days so they can wear themselves out. Honestly, I’ll probably buy another day ticket just in case because of the player/alum meet-and-greets. If you are a STH, you missed your deadline to buy tickets at a discount, but they are only $20/piece, so it won’t break the bank if you choose to go last minute. Here is the breakdown of the schedule:
THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 2016 – 4PM to 9PM
TIME
EVENT
LOCATION
6:00pm
Mascot Showdown (Musical Chairs & Bowling)
EA Sports NHL 16 Rink
7:00pm
LOCASH
Honda Stage
7:00pm
Brent Burns (SJS)
Discover Theater
8:15pm
Lonestar
Honda Stage
FRIDAY, JANUARY 29, 2016 – 4PM to 9PM
TIME
EVENT
LOCATION
3:00pm
Craig Wayne Boyd
Honda Stage
4:45pm
Ryan Hurd
Honda Stage
5:00pm
Patrice Bergeron (BOS)
Discover Theater
6:00pm
Mascot Showdown (Relay Races)
EA Sports NHL 16 Rink
6:30 pm
Matt Duchene (COL) presented by Reebok
Autograph Stage
6:30pm
Aaron Ekblad (FLA)
Discover Theater
7:00pm
Steven Lee Olsen
Honda Stage
7:45pm
Cliff Ronning (NHL Alumni)
Autograph Stage
7:45pm
Justin Faulk (CAR)
Discover Theater
8:15pm
Lewis Brice
Honda Stage
SATURDAY, JANUARY 30, 2016 –10AM – 6PM
TIME
EVENT
LOCATION
10:45am
John Gibson (ANA) presented by Upper Deck
Autograph Stage
11:00am
Cory Schneider (NJD)
Discover Theater
11:30am
Lennon & Maisy
Honda Stage
12:15pm
Clare Bowen
Honda Stage
12:30pm
Brandon Saad (CBJ)
Discover Theater
12:30pm
Dylan Larkin (DET) presented by Upper Deck
Autograph Stage
1:15pm
Charles Esten
Honda Stage
1:30pm
Brandon Saad (CBJ)
Autograph Stage
1:30pm
Roman Josi (NSH)
Discover Theater
2:00pm
Mascot Showdown (Broomball & Dodgeball)
EA Sports NHL 16 Rink
3:00pm
Luc Robitaille (NHL Alumni)
Autograph Stage
3:45pm
Pat LaFontaine (NHL Alumni)
Discover Theater
4:00pm
Russell Dickerson
Honda Stage
4:30pm
Pat LaFontaine (NHL Alumni)
Autograph Stage
4:45pm
Kimmo Timonen (NHL Alumni)
Discover Theater
SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2016 – 10AM – 4PM
TIME
EVENT
LOCATION
10:30am
Danny Gokey
Honda Stage
11:00am
Shea Weber (NSH)
Autograph Stage
11:00am
Pekka Rinne (NSH)
Discover Theater
11:30am
MercyMe
Honda Stage
12:00pm
Pekka Rinne (NSH)
Autograph Stage
12:00pm
Shea Weber (NSH)
Discover Theater
1:00pm
Mascot Showdown (Dance Competition)
EA Sports NHL 16 Rink
1:00pm
Roman Josi (NSH)
Autograph Stage
1:00pm
Cliff Ronning (NHL Alumni)
Discover Theater
2:30pm
Tracy Lawrence
Honda Stage
***PLEASE NOTE ALL APPEARANCES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE***
If you are a STH, you can access the NHL Fan Fair from 2PM to 4PM on Thursday. Not so nice for us folks who work during those hours, but hey. Late lunch, right? Can’t make it to this special time for STHs? No problem. There will be an area only accessible for Preds STHs where you can access drink specials and meet Preds alumni, broadcasters, and whoever else shows up. Not all diehard Predators fans are STHs, so there will be a special area called “Preds Land” that will have special Nashville-related displays and – you guessed it – Predators stuff. As for what (or who) will be there is still TBA. As you can see, you can meet some NHL Alum and current players (I like how some players are presented by products) and there will be a mascot competition each day. Oh yeah, and music. Lots and lots of Country music.
Outdoor Concert Series:
As I mentioned, one of the unique features of Nashville hosting this year’s NHL All-Star festivities is the music. There will be music inside the Music City Center (NHL Fan Fair) and outside at the Winter Park. If you just want to peruse downtown and just want free music, this will be your best bet:
IntelliCentrics outdoor concert series:
Big & Rich
Thursday, Jan. 28
Lee Brice, Aaron Lewis, John Hiatt
Friday, Jan. 29
Chris Young, Tara Thompson
Saturday, Jan. 30
Dierks Bentley, Eli Young Band, Kelsea Ballerini
Sunday, Jan. 31
Beyond the controversy of people not knowing the musical acts (we’ll get to that momentarily), there are some rather big names in Country music here that you can see for free. Dierks Bentley, Big & Rich, Chris Young, etc. If you are like me and live here and don’t see these people randomly show up at Tootsie’s on a Tuesday night, then you’ll enjoy this (I don’t go to the “honky tonks” period unless someone from out of town demands it).
Parking:
There are plenty of places to park downtown, especially if you are used to being in Nashville all the time. However, as a frequent downtown parker, you also know that Nashville does not have a regulation to control parking fees. Needless to say, the Music City Center may charge $25.00 whereas, across the street, the Baptist Church may charge $14 every four hours. It’s an ugly mess and no one wants to waste $25 to park when you want to use that money to buy something or eat. Ticketmaster is offering parking in the Pinnacle Building for just $12/day. Of course, with fees, it turns out to be like $15, but at least you’ll know you are in a safe parking lot, it won’t go up after two hours, and it’s within walking distance of the SoBro. The parking will go fast, so jump on it while you can or face driving around finding one: Saturday Parking Sunday Parking
Celebrity Coaches: Know these faces? Apparently, the rest of the country does not. So that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but it did make for some good laughs on social media when it was first announced. Just for those who are not from the Music City, a lot of locals couldn’t name these fellas either because – news flash – we listen to more than just Country here. But two guys on here (that I know from experience) are big Preds fans: Dierks Bentley (first picture) and Vince Gill (last picture). Vince Gill has had season tickets since the get-go and Dierks? I’m not sure, but I’ve seen him at a more than a few games over my fandom. I’ve seen Charles Kelley, too (second picture) and I’m sure Chris Young (third picture) has made it to the ‘Bridge a time or two for a game.
Source: Google – Big Ben and Vince Gill
So, if you don’t know these guys, just know that two are big supporters of the Nashville Predators and the other two could possibly be – and that’s what really matters, right?
Skills Competition Format:
Team Captains Patrick Kane, Alexander Ovechkin, Jaromir Jagr, and John Scott have yet to choose from the lineup of players who made the All-Star roster as to who will be on their teams & as to who will perform in which competition, but that’ll come soon enough. Right now, we have the All-Star Skills Competition format and I’ve complied some videos to help if you have never seen it before:
Bridgestone Fastest Skater:
Four players from each team will test their speed, facing off against an opponent in a two-skater race. The race track for the head-to-head match-ups is the border of the rink split in half lengthways. Timing devices will record each skater to determine the winner of each match. If a race ends in a tie, each of the teams will be awarded one point. The skater with the fastest time in the head-to-head match-ups will skate a full lap of the outside border of the rink, in the direction of their choosing, in an attempt to break Mike Gartner’s record (13.386). If, at the completion of the event, two skaters are tied for the fastest overall time, both skaters will skate a full lap of the rink in an attempt to break the historical best record.
Points Available: 6 – The winner of each match-up scores one point; the team with the fastest skater scores a bonus point; if the fastest skater is successful in breaking Mike Gartner‘s record an additional bonus point will be awarded.
Honda NHL Breakaway Challenge:
Fans will have two opportunities to exercise their vote in the Honda NHL Breakaway Challenge. While five spots will be determined by team captains, one guaranteed spot in this event will be determined by the fans, who will vote on Twitter as part of the Honda NHL Breakaway Challenge Fan Vote campaign.
The eligible candidates are forwards Matt Duchene of the Colorado Avalanche, Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings and Brandon Saad of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Fans can vote via Twitter for their favorite eligible player by including his hashtag – #NHLBreakawayDuchene, #NHLBreakawayLarkin or #NHLBreakawaySaad. Voting will open on Tuesday, Jan. 26 at 12 p.m. ET and close on Thursday, Jan. 28 at 5 p.m. ET.
Each team will provide one goalie to participate in this challenge. Each shooter will attempt two shots, and teams will alternate after each shot. Style, creativity, and flair are encouraged. NHL penalty shot rules do not apply.
As soon as the last competitor completes his routine, fans in-arena and watching on television in the U.S. and Canada will get another opportunity to make their case on Twitter by casting their vote using the hashtag that corresponds to the player of their choice. The shooter with the highest fan vote will be crowned the Honda NHL Breakaway Challenge winner and score one point for his team.
Points Available: 1 – The shooter with the highest percentage of fan votes scores one point.
DraftKings NHL Accuracy Shooting:
Four shooters from each team will participate, with two additional players serving as passers. This event will consist of four head-to-head match-ups, with one shooter from each team per round. The goal is to hit four 15-inch diameter targets located in each corner of the net. The teams will be situated at opposite ends of the rink, and will alternate attempts. The first shooter to hit all four targets wins.
Points Available: 5 –The winner of each match-up scores one point; the player who hits all four targets in the fastest time scores the bonus point.
Gatorade NHL Skills Challenge Relay:
This timed relay event – involving 14 skaters and two goalies from each team – will consist of four relays with five challenges each: One Timers, with three shooters and one passer per team; Passing, with one passer per team; Puck Control, with one skater per team; Stick-Handling, with one skater per team; and Goalie Goals, with one goalie per team.
Each skill must be completed before moving on to the next challenge with the exception of one timers, passing and goalie goals in which a maximum of forty-five seconds will be allocated. The goal is to finish all five challenges faster than the opponent.
Points Available: 3 – The team with the fastest time in each heat scores one point; the team with the fastest overall time scores one bonus point.
Amp Energy Hardest Shot:
Four shooters from each team will test their slap shot skill in a head-to-head match-up. Each player will attempt two shots, with teams alternating after each player. One puck will be placed 30 feet from the center of the net. Each shot will be calculated in miles per hour (mph), with the highest speed of their two shots recorded.
Points Available: 5 – The winner of each match-up scores one point; the team with the player who has the fastest speed scores one bonus point.
Discover NHL Shootout:
18 skaters and three goaltenders from each team will participate in the three-round shootout. During each two-minute round, six skaters and one goalie from each team will take the ice. Teams will alternate after each shot with each player having a maximum of 10 seconds to take a shot. Players one and three from each team will be designated Discover puck players, each goal scored by these players will count as two points. NHL shootout rules apply to each scoring attempt.
Points Available: 1 point for every goal scored; 2 points for every goal scored with a Discover puck.
If you aren’t a seasoned NHL vet or normally watch the All-Star weekend on television every year, you may think the actual game is the real winner here. Wrong. The Skills Competition is the most entertaining, as you get to see your favorite players (and not so favorite) in a more casual setting where it’s more about having fun than taking everything so seriously. If you can’t make the Skills Competition, it’ll be on NBC Sports at 6PM January 30th.
2016 NHL All-Star Game:
So you may have heard there is a new format to the game than previous years. In the past, the two team captains would conduct a draft, choosing which players to add to their roster. The last guy would end up with a car.
(Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images)
Our own Filip Forsberg won a car last year because he was picked last. How nice. Well, the League has done away with the draft and the two-team system. Now we have four teams and 3-on-3. What? Here, we’ll let the League explain:
* The 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Game will be a three-game tournament played in a 3-on-3 format with a prize pool of $1 million to be paid in its entirety to the tournament’s winning team.
* The tournament will feature four teams, one team representing each NHL Division: the Pacific, Central, Metropolitan and Atlantic.
* Each team will be made up of 11 players: six forwards, three defensemen and two goaltenders.
* The 2016 NHL All-Star Fan Vote will allow fans to vote for one All-Star player from each Division, without regard to position. The top vote-getter from each Division will be named NHL All-Stars, as well as Captain of his respective team.
* The remaining 40 NHL All-Stars will be named by the NHL Hockey Operations Department for a total of 44 All-Star players, with at least one player selected from each NHL team.
* The 2016 Honda All-Star Skills Competition™ returns to a matchup between the Eastern Conference and Western Conference All-Stars on Saturday evening, with the winning conference earning the right to select when their semi-final matchup will be played; first or second on Sunday.
* Each game in the three-game, 3-on-3 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Tournament will be 20 minutes in length.
* Teams will change ends at the 10-minute mark of each game. Games that are tied after 20 minutes will be decided by a shootout.
* The Central Division All-Stars will face the Pacific Division All-Stars and the Atlantic Division All-Stars will face the Metropolitan Division All-Stars in the two Semi-Final games.
* The winners of each Semi-Final game will play each other in the All-Star Game Final to determine the overall tournament champion.
* The four division-leading NHL coaches (best points percentage following the completion of games on Jan. 9, 2016) will be named coaches for each of the four All-Star teams
Make sense? Well, we’ll all see how this will work on Sunday, January 31st at 4PM.
All-Star Roster: I could just link my old post with the roster in it to this post, but that would be too easy, wouldn’t it? In case you haven’t seen who made the list – or you just need a refresher – behold:
Atlantic Division
F Patrice Bergeron (BOS)
Central Division
F Jamie Benn (DAL)
F Jaromir Jagr (FLA)
F Matt Duchene (COL)
F Leo Komarov (TOR)
F Patrick Kane (CHI)
F Dylan Larkin (DET)
F Tyler Seguin (DAL)
F Ryan O’Reilly (BUF)
F Vladimir Tarasenko (STL)
F Steven Stamkos (TBL)
F Jonathan Toews (CHI)
D Aaron Ekblad (FLA)
D Dustin Byfuglien (WPG)
D Erik Karlsson (OTT)
D Roman Josi (NSH)
D P.K. Subban (MTL)
D Shea Weber (NSH)
G Ben Bishop (TBL)
G Devan Dubnyk (MIN)
G Roberto Luongo (FLA)
G Pekka Rinne (NSH)
Metropolitan Division
Pacific Division
F Nicklas Backstrom (WSH)
F Johnny Gaudreau (CGY)
F Claude Giroux (PHI)
F Taylor Hall (EDM)
F Evgeni Malkin (PIT)
F Joe Pavelski (SJS)
F Alex Ovechkin (WSH)
F Corey Perry (ANA)
F Brandon Saad (CBJ)
F John Scott (ARI)
F John Tavares (NYI)
F Daniel Sedin (VAN)
D Justin Faulk (CAR)
D Brent Burns (SJS)
D Kris Letang (PIT)
D Drew Doughty (LAK)
D Ryan McDonagh (NYR)
D Mark Giordano (CGY)
G Braden Holtby (WSH)
G John Gibson (ANA)
G Cory Schneider (NJD)
G Jonathan Quick (LAK)
Are you excited? You should be! Also, if you like beer, two local breweries have concocted some hockey brew just for this special occasion in our city:
Yazoo Brewery and Jackalope Brewery have both released special edition brews for your tasting pleasure. Yazoo’s “Winter Park Wheat” and Jackalope’s “All-Star Citra Pale Ale” are available in their taprooms. Check their Twitter handles for more info on where you can grab these puppies.
Okay, so I hope I covered everything. If not, you can always visit the official NHL All-Star site for more information. Actually, do check that website or the Predators because events are subject to change if something happens. Also, if you are not from Nashville and have questions regarding the city or whatnot, please contact me via @Lady_Preds on Twitter & I’ll be happy to answer your questions.
Everyone likes Fridays, but this one was a little extra special for Predators fans as newly acquired “savior of all things offense” Ryan Johansen would be making his debut in Nashville gold against the Colorado Avalanche. While we certainly didn’t expect Johansen to come out guns a blazing, the kid had other plans:
FIRST PERIOD:
Ryan Johansen decided 2:35 was the best time to show off his skills, notching his first shot as a Predator and his first goal (7th of the season) on the power play. Mattias Ekholm (10) and Mike Ribeiro (22) notch the assist on the new Predator’s goal. What beautiful patience.
Roman Josi would block a shot from captain Gabriel Landeskog shortly after Johansen’s goal, sending him to the locker room. Luckily, Josi would return to the bench.
Jarome Iginla would collect his 601st goal of his career (12th of the season) at 14:50 on the power play, tying the game at one.
A few minutes later, at 17:45, Cody McLeod would notch his seventh goal of the season, ending the first period 2-1 in favor of Colorado.
SECOND PERIOD:
Ryan Ellis would light the lamp early at 2:45 with a wicked wrister, tying the game at two. Mattias Ekholm (11) and Colin Wilson (12) collect the assists on Ellis’s fifth goal of the season.
Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog would give the Avalanche another lead at 7:40 for his 10th goal of the season.
Filip Forsberg would notch his 11th goal of the season at 16:37, tying the game once again. Roman Josi (22) and Ryan Johansen (21) would pick up the assists. Note, this is Johansen’s first assist with the Predators.
Despite Rinne’s exceptional moves, Tyson Barrie’s power play goal at 11:00 gave Colorado the lead once again.
Jack Skille would notch the empty-netter with just two seconds left in the match, sealing the game in favor of Colorado.
Despite the back-and-forth scoring between both clubs, the Predators could not regain the lead after Ryan Johansen’s initial goal in the first period and fell to the Avalanche 5-3. Though Johansen’s goal should have given Nashville a boost, it seemed as if the team did not respond well to the advantage. Penalties ravaged both clubs, with the Predators managing to tally six of the nine during the match. Within those six penalties, Colorado was able to score on three, essentially costing Nashville the win. However, looking at the bright side, Ryan Johansen looked great in his debut, collecting two points overall (1 G, 1 A).
Nashville will have to lick their wounds on the way to the airport as they take on the Arizona Coyotes tomorrow night in Phoenix.
LT: The full list of fastest goals by player making Predators debut:
J.P. Dumont (0:39)
Mikko Lehtonen (1:41)
Ryan Johansen (2:35)
Now that the dust has settled (for the most part), both Columbus and Nashville can rest easy – at least when it comes to the smoothness of said trade negotiation. In an interview today, General Manager David Poile noted that, “if Roman Josi wasn’t doing as good as he is, we wouldn’t have made this trade”. There no doubt this was a very difficult decision for GMDP; as a team possibly best known for its development of elite defensemen, it certainly wouldn’t be easy choosing which guy would be on the trade block.
Of course, Shea Weber is not up for debate (despite many throwing his name out there – it’s not going to happen) and, with the Norris-caliber performance Roman Josi has been displaying recently certainly meant he wasn’t going anywhere. Yes, trading off the budding 21-year-old who has plenty of potential and time to grow that is Seth Jones (and the fact Poile loved the kid) would be a difficult move to make. However, the success of this trade – a simple him-for-him – shows the urgent need of both teams. As stated in my previous post, Columbus is in desperate need of defense; Nashville is in serious need of some offense. The trade between both teams was a no-brainer. Now, decided who to let go (who could potentially boost an opposing team and cause an issue later on down the road) is the tricky part.
If you have done any digging on Mr. Johansen, or you’ve just been following current events relating to the subject, you’ve probably heard he and the Columbus organization – namely head coach John Tortorella – had some disagreements, so to say. Nothing major or involving off-ice behavior, just normal coach-to-player disconnect. Tortorella, who was hired in October, believed Johansen’s performance decline was due to being out of shape and essentially marked him as a healthy scratch a few times. It was later determined that the center had an “undisclosed illness” that was attributing to his negative performance.
I’ve come across a few comments from fans regarding Johansen’s performance once the trade was announced, including “good luck. Johansen is a lazy player” to “well, Columbus clearly got the better end of the deal”. Now, I must take the comments with a grain of salt (and so should you) as these are fans with some serious bias. Nashville is no different, with fans bashing Jones’ performance as well. To see an in-depth, detailed look at Jonansen’s numbers, check out OnTheForecheck’s assessment here. But, from what I gather, Ryan Johansen and John Tortorella simply did not mesh well and, let’s be honest, it is Tortorella we are talking about. The man is a bit on the nutty side, to put it nicely.
Again, I shall take those comments from Blue Jackets fans with a grain of salt and you should, too.
However, we shall be the judge of Ryan Johansen’s “laziness” starting tomorrow when the Predators take on the 20-18-3 Colorado Avalanche in Denver. Of course, Johansen is not going to come flying onto the ice with a golden halo with angels tooting horns behind him; he’ll need time to get used to a new system. This kid has spent his entire professional career under the Blue Jackets organization so it’ll take a bit to see which line he pairs best with. According to Adam Vingan of The Tennessean, Peter Laviolette stated that Johansen will start with Colin Wilson and James Neal.
Johansen: I've got to leave it all out there on the ice for my teammates. I know that can work, I'm confident in my abilities. #Preds
Ryan Johansen practiced with the team today and is expected to suit up for tomorrow night’s bout in Denver. Debate as to what number Johansen would choose was floating around yesterday as his current number 19 belongs to Calle Jarnkrok. It was announced earlier this morning that Johansen would go with #92 in recognition of his birth year, 1992. The 23-year-old center is confident in his abilities and, to quote GMDP, “We accomplished something we haven’t been able to do in 18 years. We got a first line center.” That tells you right there that GMDP is confident with this trade. Of course, offering up Seth Jones, who will likely become a defensive star within a few years, was enough of an example of Poile’s confidence as any.
Again, the most that you need to take away from this post is that don’t expect him to come out guns a blazing tomorrow night, though that would be awesome. However, Johansen has proven himself in more ways than one that projects a confidence that will result in great success for Nashville. As long as I didn’t just jinx it.
Also, for those wondering who are too afraid to ask, Ryan Johansen is from Vancouver, Canada. Needless to say, his name is pronounced JOE-Hansen, not YO-Hansen. I’ll be the first to admit I immediately thought it was YO-Hansen, but I blame Jarnkrok, Josi, and Juuse Saros for that. I just want more Scandinavian players, okay. You’ll hear various versions of how to pronounce Johansen as he settles in with the club (even David Poile has been calling him Yo-hansen), so just note that it is JOE, not YO.
Shortly after revealing the All-Star Game jerseys, the NHL released the ASG roster. Without further ado, here you go:
Atlantic Division
F Patrice Bergeron (BOS)
Central Division
F Jamie Benn (DAL)
F Jaromir Jagr (FLA)
F Matt Duchene (COL)
F Leo Komarov (TOR)
F Patrick Kane (CHI)
F Dylan Larkin (DET)
F Tyler Seguin (DAL)
F Ryan O’Reilly (BUF)
F Vladimir Tarasenko (STL)
F Steven Stamkos (TBL)
F Jonathan Toews (CHI)
D Aaron Ekblad (FLA)
D Dustin Byfuglien (WPG)
D Erik Karlsson (OTT)
D Roman Josi (NSH)
D P.K. Subban (MTL)
D Shea Weber (NSH)
G Ben Bishop (TBL)
G Devan Dubnyk (MIN)
G Roberto Luongo (FLA)
G Pekka Rinne (NSH)
Metropolitan Division
Pacific Division
F Nicklas Backstrom (WSH)
F Johnny Gaudreau (CGY)
F Claude Giroux (PHI)
F Taylor Hall (EDM)
F Evgeni Malkin (PIT)
F Joe Pavelski (SJS)
F Alex Ovechkin (WSH)
F Corey Perry (ANA)
F Brandon Saad (CBJ)
F John Scott (ARI)
F John Tavares (NYI)
F Daniel Sedin (VAN)
D Justin Faulk (CAR)
D Brent Burns (SJS)
D Kris Letang (PIT)
D Drew Doughty (LAK)
D Ryan McDonagh (NYR)
D Mark Giordano (CGY)
G Braden Holtby (WSH)
G John Gibson (ANA)
G Cory Schneider (NJD)
G Jonathan Quick (LAK)
I’ll be completely honest here (and so will a bunch of other bloggers): I honestly did not believe Nashville would get three players to the roster. Of course, it ended up between the three everyone thought had a chance. Shea Weber had a shoe-in, simply because he’s the captain and they want him in the ‘hardest shot’ contest, but Roman Josi and Pekka Rinne were toss-ups. Though Josi definitely deserves it, Rinne is more well known and money talks.
Over all though, I am definitely happy Shea Weber, Pekka Rinne, and Roman Josi will get to represent Nashville (in Nashville) for the 2016 NHL All-Star Game and weekend.
Here’s what others are saying about the roster choices:
Pekka Rinne definitely received the hometown nod. He leads NHL with 34 starts, but 16-12-6/2.43 GAA/.907 SV% doesn't scream All-Star.
Okay, so I am officially excited; I am not going to lie. Nashville is well represented and that is satisfying enough. Congratulations to Weber, Rinne, and Josi!
While Blackhawks fans joke that Bridgestone Arena may as well be “United Center South”, the boys in gold had different plans last night as they welcomed in fellow Central Division team the Chicago Blackhawks to Nashville last night. The first meeting in Nashville this season, the Predators and Blackhawks’ first bout with one another since last season’s playoff run was Tuesday in Chicago. Excelling on home ice, the Blackhawks dismantled the Predators 4-1 while extending Patrick Kane’s point streak.
While Predators/Blackhawks games aren’t exactly the most enjoyable when they come to town for the Nashville fan, it seemed like the building belonged to its home fans well before the hockey teams hit the ice. I’d go as far to say that the Predators fans drowned out the opposing fans quite well, minus the occasional Hawks cheer here and there. While Blackhawks band-wagoners scoff at the fact that Predators fans get run out of the building when they come to town, it’s the obvious and overstated reminder that Nashville is still a fairly young team. We don’t have to do the math to say that one of the Original Six teams that was established in 1926 has more fans than a team founded in 1998. Who gives a flying you-know-what as to how many Cups you have? You have six and three of those were won within the last decade. It’s not that Nashville has a lack of fans; hockey has been around long before the NHL decided to place a national team here. Piss-ass drunk fans that thrive on being an embarrassment to society are what make Predators fans avoid the arena when Blackhawks fans come to town. Congrats on that achievement.
Moving onward, after the loss Tuesday night in Chicago, the Predators didn’t have to wait long for a rematch as the Blackhawks would arrive for their first match in Nashville this season last night.
FIRST PERIOD:
James Neal launched the Predators in the right direction at 6:54 for his 11th goal of the season giving Nashville an early 1-0 lead over Chicago. Shea Weber (10) and Mike Ribeiro (13) notched the assists. https://twitter.com/TomAWillis/status/675123214167707649
Not even a minute later, Filip Forsberg would push Nashville up 3-0 with a power play goal. Heck, Paul didn’t even finish saying the word before Forsberg scored. It was pretty fantastic, really. Roman Josi (15) and Calle Jarnkrok (4) would notch the assists on Forsberg’s sixth goal of the season. https://twitter.com/CMS_74_/status/675128630310236161
There was no denying who dominated the first period, but the question on everyone’s mind was would Nashville continue the momentum through the remaining forty minutes? Pekka Rinne looked like him old self despite having a few uncharacteristic games as of late. Though Chicago only managed seven shots on goal in the first period, they were all pretty stout.
SECOND PERIOD:
Though no goals were scored in the second period, what was expected out of Chicago – for the most part – happened. They came out with more flames under their feet than Nashville did, but the Predators didn’t make the usual “second period funk” that they usually take. Chicago would out-shoot Nashville 13 to 8 in the second, but Pekka being Pekka and all… https://twitter.com/justinbbradford/status/675141340775215105
THIRD PERIOD:
At 5:43, Patrick Kane would “score” to not only put Chicago finally on the board, but extend his point streak to 24. Now, I am not one for conspiracies, but really… this was definitely goaltender interference. Any other time, I am almost willing to bet that goal would’ve been thrown out, but because Kane’s streak is involved… yeah, I do believe it. So sue me. I’m a fan, not a NHL employee. https://twitter.com/TomAWillis/status/675150837568679936
Neal, on the other hand, extended Nashville lead to 4-1 at 14:55 for his second goal of the night and his 12th of the season. No assistance was needed for his Frosty goal. https://twitter.com/TomAWillis/status/675157043905478660
And, in a last ditch effort to get Chicago in the game, Scott Darling was pulled to give the Blackhawks the extra man. Unfortunately for them, Eric Nystom has a way of hitting the empty nets (even when down a man on the penalty). Nystrom’s empty-netter + shorthanded goal is his fifth of the season. Like Neal’s second goal, no assistance was needed. https://twitter.com/SteveLayman/status/675157760699457537
While Blackhawks fans filed out of the arena before the final horn could signify the victory in favor of the home team, Nashville was gaining a huge morale boost in this win (along with the points, of course). The players are not immune to the fact that Chicago is notorious for taking over the Bridgestone Arena. They take just as much pride in winning these games as the fans do.
With this victory under their belts, the Predators improve their record to 15-9-5 and now sit in third in the Central Division with 35 points (Chicago has 34 and St. Louis -2nd- has 36). Nashville currently sits fourth in the Western Conference.
The Predators welcome in the 12-16-1 Colorado Avalanche on Saturday, but don’t let that standing fool you. Just because the Avalanche are last in the Western Conference doesn’t mean they won’t come out kicking and screaming.
Know these faces? Apparently, the rest of the country does not. So that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but it did make for some good laughs on social media when it was first announced. Just for those who are not from the Music City, a lot of locals couldn’t name these fellas either because – news flash – we listen to more than just Country here. But two guys on here (that I know from experience) are big Preds fans: Dierks Bentley (first picture) and Vince Gill (last picture). Vince Gill has had season tickets since the get-go and Dierks? I’m not sure, but I’ve seen him at a more than a few games over my fandom. I’ve seen Charles Kelley, too (second picture) and I’m sure Chris Young (third picture) has made it to the ‘Bridge a time or two for a game.
Lady Preds 