Scenes from the Road: Boston

The View was joined last weekend by a large contingent of Predator faithful that trekked to Boston to see the boys take on the Bruins. Here are some scenes from our road trip.

We arrived in Boston on Friday before the game to sunny and pleasant weather. That changed on Saturday to cold, raw, and spitting snow. A noon start and the nasty weather made for little time to sight see, but the team hotel was across the street from the famous Boston Commons. This is a picture from early morning on game day.

Like many modern arenas, TD Garden is architecturally nondescript, sitting in the downtown area. That plain exterior belies the expansive, bright, and clean interior of the arena. The concourses inside the Garden are wide, allowing for easy movement. There are numerous dining options along with several bars. Security entering the arena is much higher than most arenas to which I have traveled. Metal detectors are in use and security presence is high.

In the second picture, you will notice in the lower right hand corner a sign that says North Station. The Garden has several local rail lines that run directly to this station, and many fans use this as their mode of transportation to and from the games. Our hostess, C.J. Shepard, commutes to games this way, and I would love it if this was an option for Predator fans.

This is the Bobby Orr statue on the plaza outside the arena, which celebrates his Stanley Cup winning goal against the St. Louis Blues. Bruins fans- rightfully so- view it as a shrine, and numerous fans stop to have their picture made there. Wearing our Predators sweaters did not stop several B's fans from asking us to make their picture.

Notice in the background of the top photo of the statue a business called Ace Tickets. According to CJ, a number of the seats in the Garden are bought by ticket brokers like Ace and are re-sold. She said the entire row of seats behind her season ticket seats is owned by ticket brokers, and her guess was that a large number of the seats in the lower bowl were owned by brokers.

The view of the ice and the Garden before the pre-skate.

The Championship banners hanging in the rafters of the Garden. I can't wait to see some of those hanging at the Bridge.

The teams during the anthem and the view from our seats.

Beauty and the Beast. Our gracious and hockey savvy hostess CJ Shepard and the View after the game.

Red Wings Eke Out a 2-1 Win Over the Predators

The Nashville Predators looked to end the Detroit Red Wings 21 game home winning streak at the Joe in a contest between two Central Division foes fighting for division and conference supremacy. The Wings home winning streak was nothing short of amazing, and the Predators faced a daunting task trying to derail the home juggernaut that was Detroit.

Pekka Rinne got the start in net for the Predators, while Joey MacDonald, doing an admirable job filling in for the injured Jimmy Howard, manned the pipes for the Wings.

The Predators were playing without Patric Hornqvist, who was placed on injured reserve today with an upper body injury suffered in the game with the Boston Bruins. The Wings were missing Patric Eaves and Dan Cleary.

The Predators and the Wings both generated some good scoring chances, and both goaltenders were equal to the task that the opposing offenses presented. That changed at 12:44 of the first as the Predators defense left Johan Franzen alone in the low slot and the feed from Todd Bertuzzi was on his tape, allowing him to bury a quick wrist shot behind Rinne for a 1-0 Detroit lead.

The first period ended with the score 1-0 and the Wings recording 14 shots on goal to 9 for Nashville.

One mistake, and the Predators found the puck in the back of their net.

While not a bad period for the Predators, their offensive effort was going to have to improve with more shots and quality shots.

The second period, long a bane for the Predators, saw them out work, out hit, and out hustle the Wings. The Predators forecheck was working, bottling the Wings up in their zone and creating chances. The Predators best scoring chance came on a set up from Sergei Kostitsyn that sent Marty Erat in alone on MacDonald. Unfortunately for the Predators, MacDonald stopped the glorious scoring chance, as he had done so far during the game.

The Predators finally broke through at 14:58 of the second as Jordin Tootoo stole the puck from Jakob Kindl and fed Nick Spaling in front of the MacDonald. Spaling cashed in on the chance, tying the game at 1.

For the Predators, this had to be a big relief. Lots of chances and unable to beat MacDonald, the pressure was mounting.

The period ended tied at 1; Nashville had 8 shots on goal in the second, while Detroit had 7.

This presaged a third period that would be a battle.

And a battle it was. Both teams went up and down the ice, created chances, but could not finish.

That would change with just 5 seconds to go as Pavel Datsyuk broke in on a breakaway and beat Rinne over his shoulder to take a 2-1 lead, which would be the final score.

Let's face it, the Wings are the best team in the NHL, and the Predators competed and gave them all they wanted for the duration of the game. The Wings were just a little bit better tonight, but a little bit means a big difference in the outcome of a game like this.

I thought the effort by the Predators was solid. They forechecked well, were solid on defense, and except for two plays, could have won this game.

Yet those two plays were the difference, and those are the plays that elite teams make.

If I were to criticize any aspect of the Predators game, it was that they did not finish their chances. They had 4 breakaway attempts, none of which they could bury. They had some good scoring chances at even strength and could not finish. This is something that has to improve for this team.

This was at least one point the Predators gave away. That is painful.

The thing the Predators have to do now is learn from that pain and channel it. Use it to start another winning streak.

And don't let another team eke out a win.

My three stars:

1. Pavel Datsyuk

2. Nick Spaling

3. Johan Franzen

Predators Trade for Hal Gill

The Nashville Predators have acquired defenseman Hall Gill and a conditional 5th round draft pick from the Montreal Candiens, sending Blake Geoffrion, AHL defenseman Robert Slaney, and a 2012 second round draft pick back the other way. The conditional draft pick the Predators picked up from Montreal will become effective if Geoffrion plays 40 games for the Canadiens.

In acquiring Gill, the Predators get a solid and sizable defensive presence, a stay at home defenseman that excels on the PK and has extensive playoff experience as well as having won the Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Drafted by Boston in 1993, Gill has played for the Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Penguins, and the Canadiens. He has played in 1,047 regular season games and 105 playoff games.

Gill will join the Predators tonight in Detroit, but is not expected to play.

In Geoffrion, the Canadiens acquire the first player that was born in Nashville that has made it to the NHL as well as a player that has a rich legacy with the Habs. Geoffrion's father, Danny, played for Montreal, as did his grandfather, "Boom Boom" Geoffrion and his great grandfather, Howie Morenz. Geoffrion has been playing for the Predators AHL affiliate in Milwaukee since December after opening the season on the Predators roster.

Here is the press release from the Predators:

Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has acquired veteran defenseman Hal Gill and a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2013 Entry Draft from Montreal in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft and forwards Blake Geoffrion and Robert Slaney. He is expected to meet the team today in Detroit.

"Hal Gill brings our team a number of elements - size, penalty-killing ability, depth on defense and playoff experience," Poile said. "He has won a Stanley Cup and played a combined 69 playoff games over the last four years, experience that significantly benefits our team."

Gill, 36 (4/6/75), has suited up for 1,047 regular-season games (36g-143a-179pts, 940 PIMs) and 105 playoff contests (0g-6a-6pts, 68 PIMs) since 1997-98 - more than any player currently on the Predators roster. He appeared in back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals in 2008 and 2009 with Pittsburgh, winning the Cup in 2009. One of the League's tallest players at 6-7, 240 pounds, Gill has eight points (1g-7a) and 29 penalty minutes thus far in 2011-12 playing in his third season with the Canadiens.
The Concord, Mass., native was drafted 207th overall (eighth round) by Boston in the 1993 Entry Draft, and played eight seasons with the Bruins (1997-2006) before stints in Toronto and (2006-08) Pittsburgh (2007-09).
The Predators now have eight draft picks for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft to be held June 22-23, 2012 at Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pa. - their own picks in the first, and fourth through seventh rounds, in addition Toronto's third-round pick, Phoenix's fourth rounder and the New York Rangers' sixth-round selection.

My View

Random ruminations from your resident curmudgeon...

With the economy mired in a seemingly intractable funk and unable to create new jobs, there is much debate about what to do to change this situation. Many proposals are being discussed, but one thing that cannot be ignored is the effect of taxes on job creation. Congress has just sent to President Obama a bill that would extend the payroll tax cut for the remainder of 2012. Good news for every worker, but according to a massive and major study by the Tax Foundation, there is no correlation between payroll taxes and job creation. In other words, the payroll tax level does not have a significant impact on a company's hiring decisions. What does? Being the intelligent readers that I know you are, I knew you would ask. What the Tax Foundation discovered is that corporate income tax rates have a highly significant effect on long term economic and job growth. In fact, corporate tax rates are the single largest determinant of economic growth in a country. Closely behind corporate tax rates, according to the Tax Foundation study, are personal income tax rates. Where does the United States rank globally for corporate tax rates? The second highest nominal corporate tax rate in the developed world, behind only Japan. Consider the President's tax proposals outlined in his State of the Union address: extend the payroll tax cut (no significant effect on economic and job growth); reformation of the corporate tax code to close loopholes and have corporations pay more tax (very detrimental to economic and job growth); and allow the personal income tax rates to rise significantly with the expiration of the Bush tax cuts (an economy killer). So often, the rhetoric from Washington says that personal taxes must go up and corporations must pay more, all in the interest of "fairness". That populist theme sounds good, but the reality is that our economy will not grow if it is excessively burdened  with high taxes.

You know you're getting old when your friends compliment you on your alligator shoes and you're barefoot.

I want to give you some facts. These are just facts presented without my usual snarky commentary because I think it is important for all of us to understand the magnitude of the financial problems we face in this country. Here we go... Our national debt now exceeds $15 trillion. In and of itself, that is not necessarily bad. What is problematic is that our debt is growing at a geometric pace; this year's $3.6 trillion dollar budget is 20% larger than the 2008 budget. And while our government has been growing exponentially, our economy has been flat. And here is another stark truth: the $15 trillion we owe today does not take into account the $15 trillion we need to make Social Security solvent; the $20 trillion we need to fund the prescription drug benefit; nor the $115 trillion unfunded Medicare liability. Here is what you should know about those numbers. Our elected leaders and we as the voters have ignored these unfunded obligations, but we are already having to pay them. Total payroll taxes collected to pay these benefits last year were $800 billion; total spending on Social Security and Medicare last year was $1.5 trillion.This shortfall is adding to our annual deficit. So let's look at the big picture. Right now, we are spending $2.4 trillion per year on transfer payments (payments on all social programs) and interest on our debt. Right now, we are collecting $2.3 trillion in income, payroll, and corporate taxes. Understand this: Even if we cut every other government program, including the military, revenue collected by the federal government will not be enough to cover the costs of our transfer payments and the interest on our debt. I will let that sink in for a moment. And after it sinks in, I know that each of you are intelligent enough to realize that by all reasonable measures, our nation is bankrupt.

Impotence is nature's way of saying "No hard feelings".

After reading the two paragraphs above, you can see the financial dilemma we face. There are no easy solutions to these problems. You will not see the federal government make meaningful cuts to benefits, not when 50% of the populace pays no taxes and more than 40 million people (and that number is growing) are receiving food stamps. And just raising taxes on "the rich" will not work. Most marginal tax rates are now 50%, and higher tax rates actually reduce revenue as income earners adjust their behavior to minimize taxes. Understand this: capital (money) will ALWAYS go to its highest and best use, and staying in a high tax country with wasteful government spending is not the best use of capital. This is why so many U.S. companies have chosen to invest in other countries that have a more favorable tax and spending structure. How are we as a nation going to pay our bills? Here is how: since 2008, the Federal Reserve has expanded our monetary base (read: printed money) from $800 billion to $3 trillion. TRILLION. Think the next time the bills come due, our country will exact the painful fiscal discipline necessary to begin to correct these problems? Neither do I. More dollars will be printed, and for all of us, we had better hope that our creditors continue to believe that our country is a sound financial bet.

I try not to let my mind wander. It is too small to be out by itself.

And that, my friends, is my view.

Bruins Beat the Predators in a Shootout 4-3

The Nashville Predators fell to the Boston Bruins in a shootout 4-3 at the TD Garden, picking up a point to go to 70 points on the season.

Some observations about this contest...

Boston gave Nashville a dose of their own medicine, as they forechecked the Predators relentlessly throughout the game. The Bruins used their forecheck to disrupt the Predators offense all afternoon and control the puck throughout the contest. The Bruins offensive zone time was dominating, and it was reflected in the shots on goal, which favored the Bruins by a huge 41-22 margin.

The Bruins are an elite team, and the fact that the Predators kept competing and had a chance to win is heartening. The Bruins had a raucous crowd supporting their efforts, and they fed off that momentum. Yet the Predators kept fighting and clawing back. They showed flashes of playing excellent hockey. When they skated and controlled the puck, they forced the Bruins to try to match their speed, which was difficult for them to do.

Unfortunately for the Predators, their offensive effort was inconsistent. A good part of this was the play of a very good Bruins team. Another aspect was that the Predators did not handle the forecheck of the Bruins with efficiency. In the offensive zone, the Bruins used their size to win the majority of puck battles, short circuiting the Predators offensive flow.

Watching this game, and how the Predators struggled to handle the pressure from the Bruins, brought home the point that this team still needs players up front that have the grit and ability to handle a tight checking, physical game. This is the type of hockey this team will face in the playoffs, and this game was a good preview of what this team needs up front to go deep in the playoffs.

I was impressed with the play of several of the Predators. Brandon Yip played a gritty game and battled hard for the puck. Patric Hornqvist was his usual physical presence in front, working hard for position against a big and physical Bruin defense. Shea Weber was a force in the defensive zone and his goal to tie the game was an absolute rocket. Mike Fisher hustled all night, and his goal was a result of him never giving up on the puck or the play, and was a beauty of a backhand.

David Legwand continues to frustrate me with his play in the offensive zone. His puck handling abilities are second to none, but it almost appears that Leggy is afraid to shoot the puck. He almost invariably kills any offensive effort when the puck is in the zone by not shooting the puck and failing to distribute it to his wingers. To have over 20 minutes (20:12) of ice time and not record a single shot on net is both unacceptable and baffling beyond words.

Marty Erat and Colin Wilson both had one shot on goal. These are players that the Predators are counting on to generate offense and create chances. Their play in a tight checking, playoff like game, was invisible. These guys are going to face this type of effort in the playoffs, and their game is going to have to elevate for the Predators to make noise in the post season.

Pekka Rinne was outstanding in net. Without his solid play, the Predators would not have had a chance in this game. He was bombarded with shots throughout the game and made great save after great save. I really can't fault him for any of the goals he gave up as the Bruins made some great plays and the defense broke down in front of him. If Rinne is not in the Hart and Vezina consideration, it would be an injustice of epic proportions.

The Predators have gotten a taste of playoff hockey in their games against the Canucks and the Bruins. Both games have shown that the Predators have the components to win these types of games. These games have also shown that this team has to play with better intensity and focus to have a chance to win these types of contests. The roster does not have a skater that can take over a game, and because of that, this team has to play a total team game. They have shown this season that they can do that.

When they do not not, though, the onus of winning falls on the play of Rinne in net. That means that one mistake can mean the difference between winning and losing a critical game. That margin of error is too slim in the playoffs.

This game against the Bruins has given the Predators a good picture of where they are for the playoffs. to me, it is evident that they need that one piece up front that can play well and consistently in these types of games.

The February 27th trade deadline is going to be interesting.

My three stars:

1. Patrice Bergeron

2. Pekka Rinne

3. Patric Hornqvist

My View

Random ruminations from your resident curmudgeon...

If you want to get an understanding of what is  wrong with Washington and why our country is in the fiscal mess we are in, consider this fact: even though our nation is facing gargantuan debts that are growing exponentially, 33 members of Congress earmarked $300 million for projects that benefited their own private property. Earmarks are special allocations in bills that direct public monies be spent on certain projects or programs. According to the Washington Post, 33 members of Congress directed money for projects within two miles of land they own. Here are a few examples: Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) obtained a $900,000 earmark to resurface roads where he and his daughter own two homes; Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD) secured $4.5 million for an interstate interchange that leads to his 104 acre farm; Rep. John Oliver (D-MA) got a $5.1 million earmark to rebuild a road that is 200 feet from his 15 acre home and several other properties he owns; Rep Jack Kingston (R-GA) secured a $6.3 million earmark to replenish a beach 900 feet from a cottage he owns on the ocean. The list goes on, but you get a flavor of the gross and wanton spending that our elected leaders engage in even in light of our country's perilous financial situation. Their imperious manner in handling the nation's purse is a big part of the problem that our country faces as we attempt to get our financial house in order. And their spending shows no sign of slowing down. In 2010, members of Congress enacted a record 11,230 earmarks totaling $32 BILLION. Remember that the next time an elected representative of either party says that YOUR taxes have to go up to pay for government.

I'm not fat. I'm just easy to see.

Remember the payroll tax cut that Congress extended for two more months just before Christmas? After much debate, the tax cut was extended after Congress finally agreed that it was good for the economy and would lead to more Americans being put to work. Here is what Congress hasn't told you about that cut: our elected leaders found a way to "pay" for the cut with a new fee on home buyers. That's right- with the housing industry in the midst of one of the biggest slumps ever, Congress has tacked on a .01 fee on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans, the type of loans that many home buyers obtain when purchasing their home. This fee will be imposed on most mortgages and refinancings over the next 10 years. On a $200,000 mortgage for 30 years, this amounts to almost $9,500. This fee is included in the interest rate that is assessed on these mortgages, and is expected to generate $35.7 billion in revenue to the government. Here is the kicker: this back door tax will not go into the Social Security fund, which is bankrupt, to replace the lost payroll tax. These monies are going into the general treasury, where Congress is free to spend the money any way they want to do so. Read the paragraph above if you think that Congress will spend this money wisely. Friends, it should be apparent to you that our elected leaders in Washington do not care about you, the citizens that pay the freight for this country. And it is time for us to do something about it.

I think it's bad luck to be superstitious.

This past week, the Obama administration proudly trumpeted the fact that unemployment had fallen to 8.3%. That sounds really positive until you consider this fact: a record 1.5 million Americans mysteriously left the work force. Where did they go? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics that calculates the unemployment rate, they just "left" the work force. What? Here is the grim news: making these people magically leave the work force makes the unemployment number look better, but if you use the labor force rate (the number of people in the labor force) when President Obama took office, the nominal unemployment rate would be 11% today. It should be easy to see what is happening here. It is an election year, and the books are being cooked to make Obama look good. The fact is that our unemployment rate is unacceptably high. We know this intuitively- we all know friends, neighbors, or family members that are desperately seeking work, and not just a job, but work for which they are qualified. No amount of fudging the numbers is going to change the fact that our economy continues to be weak and is not creating jobs. Take the published numbers from the mainstream media and this administration (I repeat myself, I know) with a grain of salt.

I have always wondered why there are flotation devices under the seats of airplanes. Wouldn't it make more sense to have parachutes?

And that, my friends, is my view.

Senators Stymie the Predators 4-3

The Nashville Predators began a two game road trip by facing the Ottawa Senators in a game in which the Predators looked to get back to their winning ways. The Predators had dropped their previous game in a shootout to the Vancouver Canucks, while the Senators were looking to end a 7 game losing streak.

Pekka Rinne got the start in net for the Predators while the Senators gave Craig Anderson a rest and went with Alex Auld.

Both teams bring speed to their game, and the first period was played with great pace. For the Predators, it was going to be critical that they contain Jason Spezza and his explosive offensive game and the speed of the Senators.

Well... Mr. Spezza made his presence felt early as he roofed a wrist shot from the slot over the shoulder of Rinne to give the Sens a 1-0 lead at 4:46 of the first period. The Predators were guilty during much of the first period of not being physical with the Senators, and Spezza was able to cruise down the slot unchallenged.

Rinne kept the Predators within one as the puck was turned over and a glorious scoring chance in the slot was gloved to thwart the scoring chance.

The Predators created some scoring chances, but were not able to put a puck past Auld until Rookie Gabriel Bourque cranked a wrist shot over the shoulder of Auld at 18:46 of the period. Bourque has brought a physical presence to the line up, and finding a scoring touch is welcome for the Predators. This was Bourque's second NHL goal.

Ottawa out shot Nashville 8-6 in the first period, and the Predators were going to have to tighten up their defense in the second period to slow down the Sens and limit their quality scoring chances.

The Predators did not open the second period the way they wanted, as Sergei Kostitsyn was called for holding, and with 12 seconds left in that penalty, Nick Spaling was called for tripping. The Predators managed to kill both penalties and had a good scoring chance shorthanded but could not convert.

Chris Phillips gave the Sens a 2-1 as he joined the rush and buried a wrist shot at 7:50 of the second period as Rinne had two Senators in front screening.

The Predators answered on the power play as Patric Hornqvist tipped a puck past Auld off a wrist shot from Marty Erat to tie the game at 2 at 12:40 of the second period.

The Predators took a penalty late in the period and although they won the face off in their zone, Nick Spaling had the pick pilfered off his stick and it pinballed off several players before Jason Spezza found the puck and banged it past Rinne at 18:55 of the second.

For the Predators, this game was becoming a frustrating affair as they made mistakes that kept the Senators ahead and the team continually having to fight their way back into the contest. Going into the third period and trailing 3-2, the Predators were going to have to once again claw back into another contest.

Ottawa out shot the Predators 12-11 in the second, but the difference was that the Predators did not finish their chances and they were allowing the Sens good opportunities on which they capitalized.

The third period saw the Predators stymied trying to generate offensive flow. The Sens forechecked well and thwarted the Predators in the neutral zone and did not allow the Predators to enter the zone with speed. Offensive chances were limited and the Predators could not get their offense in gear.

The Predators fell behind 4-2 as Chris Phillips knocked in a rebound on the power play. Once again, the Predators were making mistakes and the Sens were making them pay for their transgressions. Phillips tally came at 13:35 and was his second goal of the night and his second of the season.

The hole was deep, time was running out, and the Predators were making the Sens look like world beaters.

Not a formula for winning a hockey game.

The Predators pulled Rinne for the extra attacker with 1:30 to go in the game. Even with the extra attacker, the Predators failed to generate much offense. They finally cracked the scoreboard with 10 seconds to go as Marty Erat banged home the rebound of a Shea Weber slap shot in a scramble around the net to make it 4-3.

The Predators could not get off a shot in the final 10 seconds and lost 4-3. This was a disappointing loss for the Predators because they got outworked in the third period, took numerous penalties, and made mistakes that wound up in the back of their net. They even managed to make Chris Phillips look like a scoring machine.

Just not very good hockey by the boys tonight.

Not much else can be said about this effort and this game. Poor play is not something this team can overcome, and tonight's play was poor.

It's now time for the Predators to get back to playing Predator hockey. Focused, aggressive hockey. Limiting mistakes and playing with a purpose. Characteristics that were absent for most of this night.

My three stars:

1. Jason Spezza

2. Chris Phillips

3. Patric Hornqvist