Predators Cap an Improbable Comeback, Vanquish Vancouver 6-5

The Nashville Predators faced a monumental task, trying to get their game back on track against a formidable for in the form of the Vancouver Canucks at the Rogers Centre in Vancouver. The Predators came into the game 4-4-2 in their last 10 games, while the Cancucks entered the contest on a tear, with an 8-2 record in their last 10 contests.

Nashville had Pekka Rinne in net, while the Canucks countered with their red hot goalie- no, not that guy- Cory Schnieder, who was 5-0 in his last five starts.

The Predators changed up their lines, moving Craig Smith up on a line with Mike Fisher and Marty Erat. Smith was replacing the injured Sergei Kostitsyn, and the hope was that this line would generate some offensive push for the Predators, who desperately needed some scoring.

The Predators opened the contest skating hard and generating some offensive chances. Their offensive efforts would be short circuited early as the aforementioned Smith would get called for hooking. Fortunately for the Predators, Dan Hamhuis was called for holding just 58 seconds into the power play.

Shortly after the Predators went on the power play, Colin Wilson dug the puck out from behind the net and passed it to David Legwand. Legwand ripped a shot short side over the shoulder of Schneider to make it 1-0 Predators at 5:44 of the first period.

The Predators would make it 2-0 on a goal by Mike Fisher at 8:16. Fisher took a pass from Marty Erat and was strong on the puck driving the net. His backhand shot beat Schneider to the far side post and the Predators had tallied goals on their first two shots of the game.

One of the keys for the Predators was to stay out of the box, as the Canucks have the number one ranked PP unit in the NHL. Unfortunately, Shea Weber didn't get that memo, as he was called for holding. Cody Hodgson made the Predators pay for their transgression as he drove the net and beat Pekka Rinne over his shoulder to make it 2-1 at 9:58 of the first period.

The Predators managed to kill off a Marty Erat penalty (whew!) and got back to even strength and skated well with the Canucks. They managed to keep an explosive offensive relatively in check, helped by some good saves from Pekka Rinne.

At 18:49 of the first period, Henrik Sedin was called for for hooking. Cory Schneider made an amazing save on a Shea Weber blast from the blue line. Weber would get his revenge with just 10 seconds left on the period as he had crept down low in the zone and lifted the puck over Schneider to make it 3-1 Predators.

The Predators power play was very efficient, as was their offensive effort. The Predators scored on both their power plays and on 3 of their 5 shots in the period. The Canucks were held to seven shots in the first period.

A solid period of hockey by the Predators, save for the the three trips to the penalty box. It was time for this team to put together a full 60 minutes of hockey and capture an important victory.

Roberto Luongo came in for the Canucks to start the second period.

Once again, the Predators could not stay out of the box, and it bit them in the ass.With Jerred Smithson in the box for slashing, Daniel Sedin got loose at the side of the net and beat Rinne with a shot that Rinne would like to have back at 3:10 of the second.

Just 48 seconds later, Aaron Volpati got free in the low slot and beat Rinne five hole to tie the game at 3.

So much for that solid 60 minutes of hockey by the Predators. They now had to get momentum on their side and take back control of the game.

The Canucks took a 4-3 lead as Henrik Sedin walked out from behind the net and it was re-directed by Alex Burrows at 8:16 of the second period. Three goals erased all the momentum and work of the first period as the Predators collapse was in full swing in this period.

The defense of the Predators had become a sieve in this period, and it was burning the Predators. An absolutely horrific defensive effort in this period had victimized the Predators as they saw their momentum and their lead evaporate.

Jannik Hansen made it 5-3 Canucks at 10:29 as he blew a puck past Rinne, who was unscreened. That was it as Rinne was pulled and Anders Lindback came on for the Predators.

Jordin Tootoo has shown no quit in his game, and he got loose just inside the face off circle and rifled a shot past Luongo at 16:09 off as assist from Ryan Suter and Craig Smith. Tootoo's effort momentarily halted the momentum of the Canucks and breathed some new life into the Predators. This was Tootoo's third goal of the season, and for the night, Craig Smith had three assists.

Colin Wilson tied the game on the power play with Ryan Kessler in the box as he took a nice feed from David Legwand. Wilson was breaking in and took the puck to his backhand and lifted the puck over the shoulder of Luongo for the Predators third power play goal of the game.

Just when it looked as if the Predators had given up, suddenly, they showed some heart and clawed their way back into this game. Tied at 5, this game has the makings of a wild affair going into the third period.

The third period was back and forth, mostly back for the Predators as the Predators were kept on their heels for most of the period by the aggressive offensive attack of the Canucks. Lindback made some big saves, and for the most, the Predators were struggling to generate some offense.

That would change at 18:35 of the third as Marty Erat broke in toward the net and fed Mike Fisher who backhanded the puck over the sprawling Luongo to give the Predators an improbable 6-5 lead.

As unreal as it appeared after the Predators collapsed in the early part of the second period, they had come back to claim a huge 6-5 road win over a quality opponent.

This is the kind of win that can prove to be pivotal for a young team. Learning how to face down adversity and come back from a disastrous period of hockey. Learning how to keep fighting and scrapping and realizing that you are never out of a game.

Vancouver out shot the Predators 37-20, and kudos go to Anders Lindback, who stopped all 19 shots he faced.

In previous games, this team would have folded in the face of this kind of adversity. Tonight, they kept fighting. Tonight, they grew up a little.

This team still has lessons to learn. Never let an opponent claw their way back into the game like you did tonight, boys.

The other lesson? You are never out of it. Your heart and your fight and your character carried you to a win tonight.

Build on that lesson.

My three stars:

1. Mike Fisher

2. Anders Lindback

3. Colin Wilson

Predators Blank the Canucks 3-0

The Nashville Predators rolled into Vancouver in desperate need of a win after struggling to establish consistent momentum over the past few weeks. The task at hand was going to be monumental as they were facing the number one team in the Western Conference in the Vancouver Canucks. Looking at the talent on the ice and the level of play from both teams, this game appeared to be ready made for the Canucks to grab a win before they start a long road trip.

Problem is, when you compare two teams, you can't measure heart.

The Predators exhibited heart, grit, and mental toughness in shutting out the Canucks 3-0. This was the first time that the Canucks have been shut out on home ice this season.

Pekka Rinne stopped all 29 shots he faced, and some of his saves were outstanding. The play of Rinne has been solid all season, but he is elevating his game to another level, and this will always give the Predators a chance to win games.

The game started as a tight checking defensive contest, with each team thwarting the offensive flow of the other. The Predators offensive effort did not get untracked until after the halfway mark of the first period, when Nashville finally recorded their second shot on goal at 9:29. For the period, Vancouver outshot Nashville 11-8.

Rinne made some great saves in the first period to stymie the Canucks, notably stopping Henrik Sedin from the slot. Vancouver's Roberto Luongo had to make a few good saves as well to keep the Predators off the board. However, for the most, both teams were playing suffocating defense and limiting offensive chances.

The second period was a scoreless defensive struggle as well, but both teams had chances in the last five minutes. Mason Raymond rang a puck off the pipe, and just 40 seconds later Jordin Tootoo hit the crossbar. Scoreless at the end of two periods, it was going to be interesting to see which team would crack.

It would be the Canucks that cracked first, as Blake Geofrion cruised into the slot and took a pass from Jordin Tootoo from behind the net. Geoffrion lifted the puck over the shoulder of Luongo to make it 1-0 Predators just 1:59 into the third.

A one goal lead against the explosive Canucks is not one that can make you feel comfortable. The way that we were playing defense, you had to believe that if we had one more goal, this game would fall into the win column for the Predators.

That goal would come at 17:39 as a scene that was all too familiar to Predator fans would unfold in the Canucks defensive zone. Dan Hamhuis would *cough* *hack* up the puck to Patric Hornqvist, who made a great effort to strip the puck. Hornqvist broke in alone on Luongo and undressed him with a sweet move for his 18th goal of the season. Hornqvist continues to battle and bring it every night, and it was good to see him rewarded for his effort.

David Legwand would add an empty netter at 19:25 for his 11th goal to cap the scoring, and as improbable as it seemed, the Predators had clinched a decisive and critical win at Rogers Centre.

The beauty of this win for the Predators was the fact that in a must win game, they continued to battle in the third period, exhibiting mental toughness and grit. Where in previous games they have wilted, they were resilient and unyielding. This is the type of win that the team can build upon going into the sprint to the end of the season. It is the type of win that build confidence and a belief that this team can do what is necessary to make the playoffs.

It will be necessary to continue to play with this sense of desperation and determination. This is playoff hockey right now. The intensity is there in every game that will be played for the remainder of the season. The ability of this team to step up their intensity and level of play like they did tonight will be essential to making the playoffs. This is the proving ground for the team.

Continue to play like you did tonight, with intensity and heart, and you will be well rewarded.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Patric Hornqvist

3. Blake Geoffrion

Predators Beat Their Mirror Image, Down Coyotes 4-3

For the Nashville Predators, playing the Phoenix Coyotes is like looking in the mirror. The Coyotes and Predators are both hard working teams that can roll four lines, play sound defense, and have solid goaltending. Tonight, the mirror images decided that regulation play and overtime was not enough, and once again went to a shootout to determine the winner. Fortunately for the Predators, they prevailed 2-1 in the shootout to pick up a 4-3 win and two vital points.

After coming off a listless loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, it was important for the Predators to get off to a good start. Lee Stempniak thwarted that good start as he netted a goal at 5:54 of the first with a forehand that fooled Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne. The shot seemed to flutter and drop and found its way under the arm of Rinne, and once again, Nashville found itself starting in a hole.

That deficit would be erased by Patric Hornqvist at 13:09 of the first. Marcel Goc lead a rush into the Phoenix zone and got the puck to Hornqvist, who was driving the net. He was able to sneak a backhander low to the stick side of Phoenix goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov for his 29th goal of the season. Hornqvist continues to shine in this, his first full season of play.

Tied at one at the beginning of the second period, the Predators came out strong and put pressure on the Coyotes. J.P. Dumont, working the puck low in the zone, drew the attention of four Coyote defenders. He was able to get the puck to Marcel Goc, who found Steve Sullivan, alone just inside the faceoff circle and he roofed a puck over the shoulder of Bryzgalov for his 15th goal of the year and a 2-1 Predators lead.

The Predators continued to put pressure on the Coyotes, controlling the puck and keeping Phoenix in their end for much of the period. The pressure paid off as Dan Hamhuis unleashed a shot from the point that beat Bryzgalov over his shoulder at 9:28 of the second. The Predators kept the Coyotes boxed in their zone for much of the period and exited the second with the 3-1 lead.

The Coyotes are a talented team, and it was inevitable that they would keep pushing and make it a game. They cut the lead to 3-2 at 13:28 of the third as Wojtek Wolski scored through traffic.At 3-2 and six minutes remaining in the game, Predator fans knew that this game was not over.

Sure enough, the Coyotes tied the game at 16:03 of the third as Keith Yandle jumped into the rush and put a puck past a screened Rinne. All of a sudden, a game, and two precious points, that seemed in hand now hung in the balance.

Scoreless for the remainder of the third period, the game went to overtime. The Predators generated more offense and created some chances, outshooting the Coyotes 4-3, but couldn't solve Bryzgalov. And once again, these two mirror images were going to a shootout. The last time they faced each other, it was a ten round affair, eventually won by the Coyotes.

Lee Stempniak was the first shooter for the Coyotes, and he slipped the puck through Rinne's five hole for a 1-0 lead.

Young Cal O'Reilly popped the water bottle on the net on his shootout attempt, as he beat Bryzgalov top shelf. Cool, calm, and collected, O'Reilly is money in the shootout.

Rinne stopped Adrian Aucoin, who remarkably had never missed a shootout attempt in all five chances this season, and Marty Erat missed over the crossbar. Tied at one, Rinne now faced Radim Vrbata.  Vrbata drove wide and Rinne forced him to shoot high. The shot pinged off the crossbar to keep the score tied at one.

David Legwand was the third shooter for the Predators, and he beat Bryzgalov five hole for the game winner.Two points- two important points- for the Predators as they skated off the ice with the win.

The response of the Predators after the lackluster effort in the previous game was encouraging. This is a team that the Predators could possibly meet in a first round matchup in the playoffs, and tonight they acquitted themselves well. Good intensity and resiliency allowed them to skate away with the win.

There are concerns. Two power plays and no shots for the Predators. Failure to lock down a lead in the the third period. These have to be addressed and corrected.

The positives are that the Predators persisted. Giving up the lead would have caused a lesser team to fold. You did not. You played some solid hockey against a very good team. You showed that you can compete with one of the best in the Western Conference.

These are confidence builders. These are building blocks to a successful run to the post season.

Tonight, you looked into the mirror and saw a very good team. Tonight, you saw that you can compete and win against one of the best.

Remember what this looks like. You will be seeing teams like this again.