Predators Defeat the Panthers In a Shootout Again

In their first meeting in Nashville, the Predators held a 2-0 third period lead over the Florida Panthers before the Panthers scored 2 late in the third period to send the game to a shootout, which the Predators eventually won.

In their rematch in Florida, the roles were reversed as the Panthers had a 2-0 third period lead until the Predators scored twice in the third period to tie the game.

As in the first meeting, the game between these two teams went to a shoot out.

Once again, the Predators won in a shootout. And once again, Filip Forsberg got the game winner.

Deja vu, anyone?

After a scoreless first period, the Panthers used some sloppy play by the Predators to gain a 2-0 lead in the second period. Thomas Fleischman scored after Matt Cullen turned the puck over at the Predators blue line.

Aaron Ekblad, the Panthers stellar rookie, scored on a delayed penalty when he crashed the net and chipped a puck over the shoulder of Carter Hutton.

Roberto Luongo had a fairly easy time of it until the third period, when the Predators tallied twice on the power play.

Seth Jones scored from the point with Taylor Beck in front screening Luongo to make it 2-1.

Filip Forsberg scored from the slot with a shot over the shoulder of Luongo to tie the game at 2 with just under 5 minutes remaining in the game.

After a scoreless overtime, the game went to a shootout.

Matt Cullen, Craig Smith, and Filip Forsberg scored for the Predators, while Brad Boyes and Nick Bjugstad scored for the Panthers. Hutton stopped Dave Bolland in the fourth round to set up the heroics by Forsberg.

Some observations:

• Colin Wilson missed this game and is called day to day with an upper body injury after absorbing a big hit in yesterday's game with the Rangers. Wilson was injured in the first period and did not play in the remainder of the game.
• Olli Jokinen, a healthy scratch the last three games, was back in the line up and was on a line with Mike Fisher and James Neal.
• The Predators faced brothers in back to back games. Kevin Hayes played against the Predators in the Rangers game, and his brother, Jimmy Hayes, was playing for the Panthers.
• Mattias Ekholm left the game in the second period and did not return with an upper body injury after being ridden hard into the end boards.
• The Predators did not look good at all on their entries into the zone. They didn't have much flow and were often disorganized throughout the game. They were also guilty of several turnovers, which cost them as the Panthers were able to convert them to goals.
• Seth Jones scored on the power play and now has points in 4 straight games. Jones is elevating his game and just looks like he is getting stronger as the season grinds on, and this is good to see.
• What a snipe by Filip Forsberg on the power play late in the third period to tie the game. Forsberg has great puck sense and gets to the scoring area. More importantly, he finishes his scoring chances. This was Forsberg's 18th goal, which ties Alexander Radulov's rookie goal scoring record.
• High marks to the Predators power play. They weren't getting much done 5 on 5, but were able to convert two critical power plays to tie the game and pick up a point.
• The Predators had been 1-3-2 in the second half of back to backs before todays game.
• The Predators were out shot 36-25 in the game, including a 15-4 Florida advantage in the third period.
• The Predators blocked 20 shots in front of Hutton.
• I thought Hutton played a good game. He had to make some really good saves with traffic in front of him and kept the Predators in the game until they could get the tying goal.
• Shea Weber led the Predators in TOI with 31:49. Roman Josi had 30:15 and Seth Jones had 25:30.

This was certainly not the best game that the Predators have played, and if we are honest, they stole the two points. They were outplayed throughout the game by a rested Panthers squad and looked dead in the water until the third period.

Yet this is what good teams do- they win some games they are not supposed to win.

With the win, the Predators now have a 4 point lead over the Blues and have leapfrogged the Ducks, who are playing this afternoon.

The Predators are now 35-12-6 and their next 4 games are at home.

Time to pile up some points.

My three stars:

1. Filip Forsberg

2. Carter Hutton

3. Aaron Ekblad

Predators Fall to the Panthers In A Shoot Out

The Nashville Predators continued with their three game road trip, making a stop in Sunrise to do battle with the Panthers. The Predators were looking to continue to amass points as they scramble to get back into the playoff race.

For the Predators, a good start and a full 60 minute game were critical.

The good start came courtesy of Craig Smith. Smith pounced on a loose puck at the top of the crease after a Nick Spaling shot and got the puck through traffic and between the pads of Panthers netminder Tim Thomas at 6:32 of the first period.

This was Smith's 12th goal of the season.

The Panthers tied the game at 11:03 of the first as Alexander Barkov took a shot that Predators goaltender Marek Mazanec got under his pads but did not have secured. Brad Boyes drove in and tapped the puck out from under Mazanec's pads and into the net to knot the game at 1.

The Panthers took a 2-1 lead as Mattias Ekholm attempted to carry the puck behind the Predators net. The puck bounced off Ekholm and then Marcel Goc right to Tomas Kopecky in front of the net. Kopecky had an easy tap in over the shoulder of Mazanec at 17:56.

The period ended with the Panthers holding the lead and shots even at 10.

The second period saw the Predators get shots but few quality scoring chances. That changed late in the period as Patric Hornqvist worked to keep the puck in the zone by battling on the boards. he got the puck to Colin Wilson who drove the net and slipped a drop pass through his legs to Mike Fisher. Fisher used the defense as a screen and buried a shot to the far side post at 16:32.

The Predators, as they have been prone to do too many times this season, allowed the Panthers to score quickly after their goal. Just 57 seconds later, Sean Bergenheim fanned on a shot at the side of the net. Alexander Barkov tapped the loose puck back to Bergenheim and he didn't miss on his second shot, beating Mazanec stick side for a 3-2 Panthers lead at 17:29. On the scoring play, the defensive coverage broke down and allowed the Panthers forwards too much room to maneuver uncontested in front of the net.

The second period ended with the Predators trailing 3-2, They had 12 shots on goal to 7 for the Panthers.

The Predators needed a strong push in the third period to get back in this game. That didn't happen as former Predator Marcel Goc victimized his old team with a goal just 1:34 into the period to make it 4-2 for the Panthers. Seth Jones turned the puck over to Jonathan Huberdeau  behind the net and he found Goc alone in front for the score.

Defensive lapses had cost the Predators critical goals in this game, and the offense appeared unable to solve Thomas for a score. Not a combination for winning this game.

The Predators cut the deficit to one as roman Josi carried the puck deep and around the net. he found Seth Jones pinching down from the point and he hit Jones with the pass. Jones one timed the puck past Thomas at 14:52.

With Mazanec off for the extra attacker, Shea Weber took a shot that caromed off the bodies in front. Paul Gaustad gathered in the puck and slammed home the tying goal with 47 seconds left.

Improbably, the Predators, who had played a sloppy game defensively, had battled back to earn a point.

Neither team could score in the OT. The Predators had the best chances, launching 4 shots on goal while the Panthers had 1.

The shoot out went to 6 rounds. David Legwand scored for the Predators, while Craig Smith, Matt Hendricks, Colin Wilson, Patric Hornqvist, and Gabriel Bourque were stopped by Thomas.

Mazanec stopped Barkov,  Boyes, Nick Bjugstad, and Dimitri Kulikov. Jonathan Huberdeau scored in the second round and Tomas Kopecky won it in the 6th round.

Some observations:

• This is a game the Predators have to win if they are going to get back into the playoff hunt. The defensive lapses that cost the Predators this game was a bit of bad luck and momentary lapses of focus.

• The compete level in the third in the offensive zone was good. It is encouraging to seeing the team battle back and at least get the tie.

• I can't fault Mazanec on the goals that he gave up. The defense broke down in front of him and hung him out to dry.

• I like the compete level and the offensive presence of Craig Smith. He is showing the offensive skills that make him the most dangerous player for the Predators.

• Viktor Stalberg was relegated to the 4th line. Frankly, this makes no sense to me. He had shown good jump offensively and has been responsible in all zones. In my opinion, this is a waste of his talent and what he can bring to the team. He had 13:02 TOI tonight.

This was a squandered opportunity by the Predators for the two points. Kudos for fighting back to get at least one.

At this point of the season, the Predators cannot afford to give away points.

My three stars:

1. Tomas Kopecky

2. Mike Fisher

3. Shea Weber

Predators End Losing Streak With a 3-2 SO Win Over the Blues

The Nashville Predators showed much better spunk and fight in a 3-2 shootout win over the St. Louis Blues to end a horrid five game losing streak. With the win, the Predators run their record to 2-1 against the Blues in their season series.

This game was more like the style of hockey that wins games for the Predators. They went strong to the net all night, had an aggressive forecheck, and got great goaltending from Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne.

The Predators played much more fundamentally sound defensive hockey than they did in their five game skid. After being outshot 9-4 in the first period, the Predators limited the Blues to just 11 shots over the final two periods. St. Louis outshot the Predators 3-0 in the overtime period as the Predators spent the last 1:19 killing off a tripping penalty by Alexander Sulzer.

The Blues opened the scoring at 18:22 of the first period as the Predators failed to clear a puck in their zone as the Blues were swarming the Nashville net.David Backes ran over Steve Sullivan as he was trying to control the puck and the puck squirted through the slot. The puck came back to Backes and he buried the shot to give the Blues the advantage.

The Predators would even the game at 1 when Cal O'Reilly tapped home a shot from Francis Buillon. O'Reilly was camped at the top of the crease, and when Blues goaltender Jaroslav Halak could not control the rebound, O'Reilly cashed in for the tying score at 13:44 of the second period.

The Blues took the lead once again at 5:44 of the third as Kevin Klein took a bad angle on a stretch pass to Matt D'Agostini. This allowed D'Agostini to get in alone on a breakaway against Rinne, and he buried the shot low glove side.

The Predators answered at 13:08 of the third period when David Legwand fired a puck into the Blues zone and off the end board. The rebound came out to the side of the net and J.P. Dumont was driving hard to the net. He got his stick on the puck and lifted a quick backhand over a surprised Halak for the equalizer.

Pekka Rinne made some quality saves in the remainder of the period to preserve the tie. He stopped Vladomir Sobotka from in close and made a nice save on Patrick Bergland with traffic in front. As the game went on, Rinne looked more solid and comfortable in net, and that is a great sign for the Predators. They need the old Rinne back, one who is tracking and playing the puck well.

In the overtime period, David Legwand and Jerred Smithson won some key face offs in the predators zone that allowed the Preds to clear the puck on the penalty kill. These are the little aspects of the game that the Predators had not done very well during their five game losing streak. It's great to see them doing the little things well again as the little details often lead to big results.

In the shootout, the Blues opted to go first, and Matt D'Agostini beat Rinne blocker side to give the Blues a 1-0 lead. Cal O'Reilly smoothly beat Halak high stick side to tie it at 1.

Brad Boyes and Steve Sullivan were both stoned by the goaltenders, as were Andy McDonald and David Legwand.

Going to round 4, Rinne stopped Patrick Bergland. Marcel Goc was the fourth shooter for the Predators, and he mad a nice move to open Halak up and beat him with a shot that went between his skate and the post.

Game over. Losing streak done.

It feels good for the Predators to get the 800 pound gorilla of a five game losing streak off their backs. In this victory, they went back to basics and they did them well. The forecheck ramped up in the second period and kept the Blues out of their offensive flow for most of the rest of the game. The defense was much more sound than it had been in the five losses. When the Blues got scoring chances, Rinne was solid.

A special stick tap to Marcel Goc. He played a tremendous game, generating chances and was strong on the puck all game. He even made a save in the first period when the puck slid through Rinne and was laying on the goal line. Goc swept the puck to the corner to save the goal and keep the scoreless.

Now that the losing streak is over, the predators have to build on this win. They have to stay focused on what brought them victory tonight- sound defense, solid goaltending, aggressive forecheck, and opportunistic offense. This is Predator hockey. This is what the team has to do to win games.

The losing streak is over. It's time to start a new streak. One that puts wins on the board by playing Predator hockey.

My three stars of the game:

1. Marcel Goc

2. Pekka Rinne

3. Cal O'Reilly