Tag: Washington Capitals

Predators put on the Pressure, Coyotes Advance to Western Conference Finals

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Wilson was ready in practice on Sunday and proved himself on Monday night.

It was do or die time for the Predators as they stepped out onto the ice in Phoenix on Monday night. Desperation was the main play and collecting goals was the idea. However, with Commissioner Bettman wringing his hands at the thought of selling off the Coyotes, the Predators would need just about everything to fall correctly into place. Unfortunately, even after doing everything they could, including out-shooting the Coyotes, the Predators just couldn’t muster past Phoenix to press on. Although the odds did not fall into the Predators’ favor, Nashville still kicked butt and took names like the team Nashville is used to seeing. Here are the highlights from last night’s series and post-season ender:

KEY POINTS:

  • After the loss on Friday night, Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn were back in the line up, benching the bruised and beaten Jordin Tootoo and Matt Halischuk. Jack Hillen took to the pre-game warmups, but enviably sat on the scratched list with Brian McGrattan, Ryan Ellis, and Craig Smith.
  • The Coyotes struck first, with Derek Morris notching his first goal of the playoffs at 3:54 in the 2nd Period. As with this entire series, the first team to score won.
  • Phoenix would jump up 2-0 over the Predators at 15:09 with a wrist shot passed Pekka from Martin Hanzal. Hanzal’s goal was his 3rd of the post season.
  • Nashville would pressure the goal hard, keeping the puck, for the most part, in front of Mike Smith. It seemed, though, that no matter what the Predators did, the odds just weren’t in their favor last night (nor the refs…). Colin Wilson, who recently bumped Sergei Kostitsyn from the top line of Fisher and Erat, was the only Predator to slip one passed Mike Smith at 14:01 in the 3rd Period. Although his first goal of the post season, had he spent more time on the ice in the playoffs, we are positive Wilson would have had more. David Legwand (3rd Assist) and Ryan Suter (3rd Assist) picked up the assists on Willy’s goal.
  • The Predators never seem to do well when they out-shoot their opponent, which was the case for last night as Nashville out-shot Phoenix 33 to 17. With every close call, the Predators just couldn’t knock out the relentless Mike Smith.
  • The Predators were given plenty of power play opportunities as well (four), but just couldn’t get a grip around one. In Nashville’s favor, the Predators only gave the Coyotes one power play, with Roman Josi taken an interference penalty at 4:19 in the 2nd Period.

The Predators battled hard, but with fatal mistakes and terrible calls, both made and missed, making it passed Round 2 just wasn’t in the cards this year for Nashville. Although favored heavily to make it to the Western Conference final, Nashville just couldn’t catch a break in this series. The Predators had a tremendous 2011-12 season and notched a few franchise records along the way. To say the Predators “flopped” or “failed” is not optional, for Nashville defied the odds of an extraordinary hockey club in a non-traditional hockey market yet again.

Win or lose, we stand proudly behind the Nashville Predators.

With the advancement to the Western Conference finals, the Phoenix Coyotes will take on the L.A. Kings once the Capitals/Rangers series ends (possibly) tomorrow night. The New Jersey Devils surpassed the Philadelphia Flyers about an hour ago to move on to the Eastern Conference final.

The memories we gained from this past season and post season are once in a lifetime and we are proud to stand behind our Nashville Predators. Lady Preds will continue to post news and information throughout the off-season, so keep checking in!

Until October,
GO PREDS.

Around the League: Two Games & Fired Up

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The 2012 NHL Playoffs are in full swing, with every team already playing two games each (minus Florida and New Jersey, who started on Friday).

So far, everyone is tied at one a piece, minus Philadelphia, who holds a 2-0 lead over Pittsburgh, and the Kings, who hold a 2-0 lead of their own over the Vancouver Canucks. Here’s a good layout of how everything is going thus far:

The Panthers and the Devils just had to start on Friday...

We have to say, these playoffs haven’t been boring, with seven overtimes being forced (both Chicago/Phoenix games went to overtime). Along with overtimes and unbelievable comebacks (thanks a lot, Chicago…), it looks like Brendan Shanahan’s going to have a long night…

Detroit fans complained about Shea Weber’s hit on Henrik Zetterberg during Game 1 on Tuesday, but after all of the cheap shots that happened thus far, Weber’s hit looks like a tap compared to the following videos:

Andrew Shaw plows into Phoenix goalie, Mike Smith:


Shaw was immediately ejected from the game. Whether intentional or not, any hit to a player’s head is subject to automatic suspension, which means Chicago may not have Shaw in Game 3.

Carl Hagelin elbow’s Daniel Alfredsson in the head:


Hagelin has his disciplinary hearing with Mr. Shanahan on Sunday.

Matt Carkner’s cheap shot on Brian Boyle:


Scroll to 2:08 in the video where the camera angle clearly shows Carkner’s brutality. Carkner was penalized with a game misconduct, along with Rangers player, Brandon Dubinsky who was trying to defend his fellow teammate.

I'd throw that Gatorade cooler, too.

There was probably plenty of other controversial plays, but it is well passed midnight and we want to go to bed at some point, but you get the fact that these first two games have been awfully interesting. Most of us were thinking the majority of the fights would come out of the Penguins/Flyers match up, but they’ve been relatively quiet (minus the Flyers owning the first two games in the series).

Game 3 starts tomorrow for a few teams, including the Nashville Predators and Detroit Red Wings. For the Panthers and the Devils, Game 2 is just beginning. We will update happenings from around the league throughout the week, so keep checking in!

Predators vs. Red Wings – Playoff Schedule

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Feel free to use in honor of the NHL Playoffs!

The NHL Playoff schedule was released a 12PM today and, sorry, we are just now getting to putting it up on the site! Although you probably know by now, the Predators will be taking on the Detroit Red Wings in the first round of the playoffs, a challenge Nashville has faced twice before and failed.

However, the Predators get to start the playoffs out at home and are a much better team than when they faced the Red Wings in the playoffs before in 2004 and 2008. We’ve already gotten the schedule up on our Schedule page (just scroll to the bottom), but we’ve added it here for easy finding.

2012 PLAYOFF SCHEDULE: ROUND 1
Wednesday, April 11th – Detroit @ Predators -7PM
Friday, April 13th – Detroit @ Predators – 6:30PM
Sunday, April 15th – Predators @ Detroit – 11AM
Tuesday, April 17th – Predators @ Detroit – 6:30PM
Friday, April 20th – Detroit @ Predators – 7PM
GAME 6: TBA
GAME 7: TBA

The Predators finished 4th overall in the Western Conference, the first time in franchise history that they topped the Red Wings in points. With that confidence boost, the Predators have every chance to knock the Red Wings from the Cup race.

Interested in the other match ups? Here’s what’s going on in the rest of the league regarding the playoffs:

WESTERN CONFERENCE:

  • L.A. KINGS vs. VANCOUVER CANUCKS @ VANCOUVER
  • SAN JOSE SHARKS vs. ST. LOUIS BLUES @ ST. LOUIS
  • CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS vs. PHOENIX COYOTES @ PHOENIX
  • NASHVILLE PREDATORS vs. DETROIT RED WINGS @ NASHVILLE

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

  • NEW YORK RANGERS vs. OTTAWA SENATORS @ NEW YORK
  • BOSTON BRUINS vs. WASHINGTON CAPITALS @ BOSTON
  • PHILADELPHIA FLYERS vs. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS @ PITTSBURGH
  • NEW JERSEY DEVILS vs. FLORIDA PANTHERS @ FLORIDA

 

So there you have it. One great advantage is that no game starts after 8PM CST, which will be nice for all of us on Central Standard Time. The games begin on Wednesday, April 11th and we will update the winners of each round as the series plays out!

Until then,
GO PREDS.