Jets Crash and Burn, Pummeled By the Predators 7-0

The Nashville Predators were looking to get their offense back on track after a lackluster performance in their last game.

The Winnipeg Jets were just what they needed.

The Jets were pummeled by the Predators 7-0 at Bridgestone Arena that saw an abundance of scoring and penalties.

The Predators were handed 72 penalty minutes. The Jets, frustrated and gooning up the game after falling behind by a large deficit, were called for 84 minutes in the sin bin*

*That number could change as the official game sheet is not in hand as of this writing.

The Jets, losers of their last 4, were desperate for a good start and looking to get back to the win column against a division rival.

That didn't happen, as the Predators torched starter Michael Hutchinson for 3 goals on 7 shots.

Calle Jarnkrok, Craig Smith, and Seth Jones lit up Hutchinson for 3 goals in the first 12 minutes of the first period. That was all for Hutchinson as Ondrej Pavelec came on in relief.

Pavelec was welcomed to the game 2 minutes later as Mike Ribeiro scored.

Pavelec would give up 3 more goals. James Neal would score in the second, and Jarnkrok and Mattias Ekholm would notch goals in the third for the final margin of 7-0 for the Predators.

The Jets never threatened Pekka Rinne, who had to turn away only 20 shots.

Some observations:

• The Jets were obviously frustrated with the losing streak and the way the game went tonight. And they decided to goon it up. Cheap shots and unnecessary rough play resulted in both teams sending a steady parade of players to the penalty box. How bad was it? Take a look at the Predators penalty box in the third period:

This was after all 5 players from each team on the ice were sent to the box for unsportsmanlike conduct calls

• Good to see Calle Jarnkrok stepping up his game. he has settled in to the third line center position and is playing some very good hockey of late. Jarnkrok is playing with confidence and seeing the ice well. Now he is finding the back of the net and this is adding some pop to that line.
• Craig Smith had a goal and 2 assists. He has always worked hard, but has not been rewarded on the score sheet. His goal tonight was his first in 10 games, and hopefully this opens the door for his game to continue to find the net.
• How snake bitten is Colin Wilson? For the second game in a row, he worked to find open ice but rang a shot off the post. It is just a matter of time until he starts to find the net.
• Seth Jones scored his first goal of the season. Good for Jones, as it took him 31 games to score his first goal last season.
• Isn't this Predators offense fun to watch? They have scored 15 goals in their last 3 games, and when they are skating, they are a dangerous team that can put the puck in the net.
• Pekka Rinne recorded his 38th career shut out tonight. He has 112 games where he has allowed 1 goal or less. Rinne is 8-1 all time against the Jets.
• Filip Forsberg picked up an assist and now has a 3 game point streak (3A).
• The 4 goals the Predators scored in the first period are the most goals in a period since their game against Toronto on 11/18/2014, when they scored 5 goals in the third period of that game.
• James Neal has 14 goals against the Jets, the most against any team.
• The 156 minutes (so far) in this game were the most penalty minutes in any NHL game this season. The Predators 72 minutes in penalties was the third highest in team history.
• Nashville is 9-1-1 when scoring first.

Although this was rough game, mostly initiated by the Jets, the Predators maintained their composure and kept their foot on the gas. When the Predators are skating, they are a dangerous and explosive team, and it showed tonight as they took the game to the Jets for 60 minutes.

This was a good response game by the Predators after the snooze fest in their previous game.

And how sweet was it to put on this kind of show on a Hockey Night In Canada game?

Good to show those folks in the Great White North that hockey in the South, especially in Smashville, is pretty damn good.

Now to finish off the 5 game game homestand with this kind of game against the Ducks on Tuesday.

My three stars:

1. Craig Smith

2. Calle Jarnkrok

3. Pekka Rinne

Predators Trapped By the Leafs, Fall In A Shoot Out

The struggling Toronto Maple Leafs ventured into Bridgestone Arena to take on the high flying Nashville Predators, and on paper, this should have been a game the Predators would chalk up in the win column.

However, the game is played on the ice, and the Leafs played a perfect road game in defeating the Predators in a shootout 2-1.

The Leafs, under new Coach Mike Babcock, looked like an incarnation of the early version of the Minnesota Wild when they were coached by Jacques Lemaire. The Leafs trapped all night long and choked the offensive life out of the Predators, holding them to just 22 shots for the game. This included the Predators having 1:50 of power play time in the overtime period.

The Leafs did a good job of disrupting the Predators breakouts and rush through the neutral zone all night. When the Predators did challenge the net, James Reimer was equal to the task.

The Predators finally broke through on the power play in the third period as Shea Weber tallied his 5th goal of the season.

The Predators let the Leafs tie the game on a defensive breakdown. Tyler Bozak beat Filip Forsberg back through the slot and capitalized on the mistake, roofing a shot over the shoulder of a sprawling Pekka Rinne.

The Predators couldn't capitalize with the lengthy man advantage in overtime, mustering only 1 shot on goal in the 5 minute period. The Leafs managed just two shots in the extra period.

The shootout went to 5 rounds before Peter Holland beat Rinne with a forehand snap shot to give the Leafs a 2-1 win.

Some observations:

• The Predators were woeful in the shootout with 3 of the 5 shooters failing to get off a shot. Too much talent to waste chances like that.
• Shea Weber played in his 700th NHL game. Calle Jarnkrok played in his 100th NHL game.
• This is the first time this season that the Leafs have won consecutive games. They defeated the Stars in their previous game.
• The Leafs trapped all game and the Predators could not seem to figure out how to handle the pressure. After pouring 45 and 38 shots on goal in their previous two games, the Predators could muster only 22 shots in regulation and overtime, and many of those were not quality shots. The Predators are going to have to figure out how to handle this type of pressure because as the season goes along, they will face teams that will attempt to thwart their speed.
• The Predators were much better in the face off dot, winning 59% of their draws. Calle Jarnkrok won 78% of his draws while Mike Ribeiro won 71%.
• Speaking of Ribeiro, he has been invisible in the offensive zone recently. Ribeiro needs to elevate his game to make the second line go, and his play has been average at best recently.

This was a trap game (literally) for the Predators and they fell victim to a team that is playing for jobs and pride. The Predators did not match the effort of the Leafs and it showed on the scoreboard.

It's time for a better effort in the next game.

My three stars:

1. James Reimer

2. Tyler Bozak

3. Shea Weber

Predators Win A Wild One Over the Senators 7-5

Relentless.

That is the only way to describe the Predators effort against the Ottawa Senators at Bridgestone Arena.

After an atrocious first period that saw the Predators surrender goals to Milan Michalek and two to Zach Smith, the last a short handed goal, The Predators battled back to take a wild 7-5 win.

Colton Sissons, called up to replace an injured Paul Gaustad tallied a first period goal to send the Predators into the intermission trailing 3-1.

The Predators came out flying in the second period and notched three straight goals to take a 4-3 lead.

Shea Weber scored on the power play to make it 3-2.

Just 1:34 later, Roman Josi undressed Eric Karlsson with a sweet move a t the blue line, walked in and roofed shot over the shoulder of Craig Anderson to tie the game at 3.

Austin Watson deflected a puck that Seth Jones shot from the blue line to give the Predators a 4-3 lead 54 seconds after the goal by Josi.

Eric Karlsson beat Pekka Rinne for his first goal of the season just 41 seconds after the Watson goal to tie the game at 4.

Curtis Lazar scored with just 52 seconds left in the second period to send the Sens to the locker room with a 5-4 lead.

That lead would not stand up as Mattias Ekholm, Barret Jackman, and Gabriel Bourque all scored in the third period while the Predators held the Senators off the board to secure a win in a game that was more pond hockey than a structured NHL game.

Some observations:

• Big ups to Shea Weber. The Captain recorded his 150th goal and 400th point in his 699th game of his career. Weber has been a steady, physical presence on the blue line and has been a consistent scoring threat throughout his career. And in my humble opinion, there is no way Karlsson should have won his Norris Trophy over Weber two years ago. Karlsson is a one dimensional player that can amass points, but Weber is a complete player that plays well in all situations and can put up points. I'm just saying...
• Big ups to Colton Sisson. He was called up to replace an injured Paul Gaustad and recorded a goal and logged some quality minutes. He was thrown out on the penalty kill as well and was solid.
• How about the Swedish Chef, Gabriel Bourque getting his first goal tonight? Bourque plays hard and it was good to see him get rewarded for his efforts. he went hard to the front of the net and was able to bat in a rebound off the pads of Anderson for the 7th goal of the night.
• Did you notice the scoring tonight? 5 of the 7 Predators goals came from defensemen. This is a talented group of blue liners that play solid defense (on  most nights) but can activate and contribute offensively. I would suggest that this is the best blue line corp in the NHL.
• One could look at the 5 goals allowed and say that Rinne did not have a good night. He wasn't getting much help out front from the skaters in front of him and gave up some goals through traffic. Yet Rinne shut down three break away attempts by the Sens and did make some very good stops during the course of the game.
• I said the effort by the Predators was relentless. Here are the shot totals by period: 12 in the first; 12 in the second; and 14  in the third. 38 total shots. More importantly, the Predators held the Sens to 10, 3, and 14 shots over the three periods. The Sens went 12 minutes in the second period without a shot.
• It was good to see the response by the Predators after a bad first period. The Sens have suffered only one road loss before tonight, and one could see the Sens just choking the life out of the Predators in the final 40 minutes. Instead, the Predators stepped up the intensity and took the attack to their opponent. That is the kind of response that the Predators had to have to secure the win.
• The best line on the ice for the Predators tonight was the 4th line. Bourque (1G-1A), Sissons (1G) and Watson (1G-2A) were major contributors to the win.
• The Predators were better in the face off dot tonight, winning 56% of the draws.
• Shea Weber lead the team in shots (6) and blocks (4). Roman Josi led the team in TOI with 24:38.

This was a wild game that took fans for a ride. It certainly is not the way the coaching staff would draw up a game, but the main take away from this contest is that the Predators battled and turned up the intensity to secure the win. That is heartening and a good sign for this team.

My three stars:

1. Austin Watson

2. Gabriel Bourque

3. Colton Sissons

Predators Fall Flat Agaisnt the Blues 4-0

After a successful road trip, the Nashville Predators returned to Bridgestone Arena and promptly fell flat on their face in a 4-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues.

Although the Predators out shot the Blues 45-28, Blues netminder Jake Allen was rarely called upon to make quality saves.

Pekka Rinne, however, was under assault, as the Blues scored 2 power play goals and then added an even strength goal from former Predator Scottie Upshall and a final goal from Alex Steen to round out the scoring.

Colton Parayko opened the scoring as the Blues moved the puck well on the power play and he was left all alone on the right side of the ice inside the face off dot. His blast beat Rinne to give the Blues a 1-0 lead.

That lead held up until the third period when the Blues erupted for 3 goals. Alex Pietrangelo tallied on the power play to give the Blues a 2-0 lead before Upshall emptied the arena with his marker. Steen added the icing to the cake with his 8th goal of the season to make it 4-0 and seal the win.

Some observations:

• The Predators continued their uncharacteristically undisciplined played by taking 6 penalties. As in their previous game against the Wild, the Predators PK gave up 2 goals with the opponent on the power play. Continuing to put a man in the box is going to be trouble for the Predators as the pressure on the penalty killers against good teams is tempting fate. The Predators survived the Wild, but good teams are going to capitalize om the power play. Tonight, it cost the Predators.
• Once again, the Predators were horrific in the face off dot, winning only 22 of 57 draws. Puck possession is critical, and the Predators have been woeful in winning draws, especially in the offensive zone. The Predators are going to have to improve quickly in this area. 
• On the other side, the Predators Were ice cold with the man advantage. They were 0-5, including 1:46 of a 5 on 3. The power play has got to get going for the Predators to be successful,  and tonight, they were impotent.
• Colin Wilson, among others, has to get his game going. Tonight, he had 1 SOG, and he has too much talent to be as invisible as he is in recent games.
• The same can be said for Craig Smith. A non-factor in recent games.
• The Predators hung Rinne out to dry on the two power play goals. The first goal by Parayko saw all the Predators defenders on one side of the ice, leaving parayko alone to receive the pass and one time the puck past Rinne.
• The Predators are 0-2-2 when allowing the first goal. They are 0-2-1 when trailing after two periods.
• The Predators were shut out for the first time this season.

The Predators started a 5 game home stand with a thud. It is easy to say they ran into a hot and very good goalie (they did), but they rarely challenged Allen to make quality saves.

The Predators are going to have to figure out how to play against a quality divisional opponent in the Blues. tonight, they showed they can get shots on the net but every mistake they made wound up in the back of their net. The Predators were found wanting against a quality opponent that they will have to defeat to win their first divsional title.

Learn from this and move on.

My three stars:

1. Jake Allen

2. Colton Parayko

3. Alexander Steen

Predators Survive Penalties, Hand the Wild Their First Home Loss

The Predators returned to action on their CMA road trip with a stop at the Xcel Energy Center to take on the Minnesota Wild for their first meeting of the season.

This is the Predators first game since their meeting with the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday. The Predators are squaring off against a Wild team that is 5-0 on home ice this season.

Pekka Rinne started between the pipes for the Predators, while the Wild had Devan Dubnyk in net.

After a scoreless first period, Mike Fisher broke the tie in the second period with a snap shot that beat Dubnyk stick side.

That lead stood until 17:36 of the second as the Wild scored on the power play as Marco Scandella beat Rinne to tie the game at 1.

Just 12 seconds into the third period, Roman Josi fired a shot from outside the face off circle that beat Dubnyk through traffic to give the Predators a 2-1 lead.

*I still don't think that Lyin Ryan Suter is better than Josi, and the numbers bear me out*

The Predators tempted fate by taking consecutive penalties and had to kill a 5 on 3. They were successful in that, but during the remaining power play, Matthew Dumba beat Rinne through traffic from the point to tie the game.

Cody Hodgson followed his own shot that Dubnyk could not control and gave the Predators a 3-2 lead. This was his first goal of the season and was a great hustle play to follow his shot.

A weak penalty call against Colin Wilson meant that the Predators were going to finish the final 1:39 down a man.

The penalty killers came up big and the Predators handed the Wild their first home loss by a 3-2 count.

Some observations:

•  This was the Predators first Central Division contest of the season. Both teams entered the contest with 16 points.
• While the Predators were finishing 10 days on the road, this was only their 4th game in this 2 week trip. 
• In his short time with the big club, Mikka Salomaki has brought a physical presence and a good fit to the second line. His physical play has opened up space for Craig Smith and Mike Ribeiro. It has also allowed Colin Wilson to drop to the third line, which has given him more favorable defensive match ups. It will be a big plus for the Predators if both those players can get their game going on their new lines.
• Salomaki was called up due to an injury to Eric Nystrom, who has missed the last two games.
• James Neal is a sniper, but you cannot underestimate his physical game. Zach Parise did, and got blown up in the first period by Neal. Parise finished the first period but did not return to the game in the second period and was called out for the remainder of the game with a lower body injury.
• Pekka Rinne had a lot of work and had to make some good saves with lots of traffic in front. Rinne did a very good job of tracking the puck and being positionally sound to frustrate the Wild.
• Welcome to the score sheet, Cody Hodgson. It took a while, but glad to see you find the back of the net. Hopefully this will open the door to your scoring touch. The Predators would welcome it.
• The Predators got sloppy with their penalties, especially in the third period. This is playing with fire against one of the best power play teams in the NHL. I really don't think the Wild were going to score 5 on 5 tonight, but the Predators kept them in the game with their transgressions.
• This was a very physical game, with not only Parise but Calle Jarnkrok and Paul Gaustad having to take trip to the locker room after getting dinged during play. Both of the Predators were able to return and finish the game.
• The Predators were out shot 29-24.
• The Predators blocked 23 shots.
• The Predators escaped with this win. They had 14 penalty minutes to the Wild's 4 and took the only 4 penalties in the third period.
• That said, the Predators penalty killers did a very good job against an exceptional power play team. The Predators killed off 5 of 7 chances the Wild had with the man advantage.

 This was a tough game and a scrappy win by the Predators against a tough Divisional opponent.

The thing I like the most about this win is that in times past, this was the type of game that would have seen the Predators wilt in the face of adversity like they faced tonight. Instead, they kept coming at the Wild and refused to quit.

And it was certainly a good way to start play in the division.

My three stars:

1. Cody Hodgson

2. Pekka Rinne

3. Roman Josi

* honorable mention: Mike Fisher

Predators Stymie the Sharks to Start the Road Trip Right

The Nashville Predators begin their two week road trip with a stop in San Jose to face the Sharks in their first meeting of the season.

The Predators entered the contest with a 6-1-1 record while the Sharks checked in with a 5-3 record.

Pekka Rinne was in the net for the Predators, while the Sharks had  Martin Jones between the pipes.

A first period goal by Eric Nystrom off a nice assist from Roman Josi stood up for two periods as the Predators took a 1-0 lead going into the third period.

That lead evaporated just over a minute into the third period as Joe Pavelski fired a shot from the low slot that beat Rinne to tie the game at 1.

The Predators came right back on the attack and kept the pressure on the Sharks in all zones.

And it paid off.

Calle Jarnkrok gave the Predators a 2-1 lead off a 2 on 1 break with a snap shot over the glove of Jones. Gsbriel Bourque picked up the assist off a nice pass to Jarnkrok.

That goal stood up as the game winner as the Predators defeated the Sharks 2-1.

Some observations:

• After missing the previous game against Pittsburgh due to illness, Calle Jarnkrok drew back into the line up. I liked the jump that Jarnkrok had in his game, but man, this third line has got to get going and start getting on the score sheet.
• Well, speak of the third line getting going, Calle Jarnkrok finally gets on the board with a big goal in the third period to give the Predators a 2-1 lead. Hopefully this will open the door for Jarnkrok and his line mates to get it going.
• Good to see Eric Nystrom finding the back of the net. He recorded his third goal of the season and the first goal of the game off a nice assist from Roman Josi. If  Nystrom and his line mates can contribute consistently for the Predators it makes them a much more dangerous team.
• The Predators have scored the first goal in 8 of their 9 games this season.
• The strong starts offensively have been good for the Predators, but their defensive effort in the first 20 minutes of games so far this season has been superb. Once again, they held an opponent off the scoreboard. Here's a blinding flash of the obvious: it is much easier to play with the lead than it is to play from behind. This Predators team is built for speed and is explosive, and making other teams have to work against that speed is tiring and is good for the way this team is constructed.
• No second period nap for the Predators as they out shot the Sharks 9-4.
• I really liked the push back from the Predators after the Pavelski goal. They had several good, attacking shifts and kept the pressure on the Sharks in the defensive zone. In times past, the Predators would often wilt under the push from their opponent. Not tonight. This was a full 60 minutes of attacking, up tempo hockey that the Sharks had a difficult time playing aginst.
• Bourque and Jarnkrok really stood out to me in this game. They have lots of speed and played with good jump all game long and created some chances in the offensive zone.
• Pekka Rinne faced 21 shots and made some good saves. He had no chance on the goal by Pavelski as the Sharks forward was lost by the Predators defense in prime scoring territory. Rinne is moving well and just looks poised in the net. More importantly, the team looks confident with him between the pipes.
• The Predators were awful in the face off dot, winning just 16 of 53 draws. This has to get better as the season goes along.
• The Predators PK was superb, killing all 4 of the Sharks power plays.
• The Predators out shot the Sharks 24-21. 

A good start to the road trip by the Predators, winning in a barn that has historically been a house of horrors for the Predators. The response by the Predators was excellent and it is the kind of play tonight that they will need for the remainder of this roadie.

My three stars:

1. Calle Jarnkrok

2. Pekka Rinne

3. Eric Nystrom

Predators Fall to the Penguins In OT 2-1

The Nashville Predators faced the Pittsburgh Penguins at Bridgestone Arena before heading out on a two week road trip. The Predators had not lost at home this season.

That changed as the Penguins claimed a 2-1 OT win. Phil Kessel notched the game winner just 41 seconds into the extra period as he got the rebound of his own shot and knocked it past Pekka Riine for the game winner.

The winning goal was not without controversy as Evgeni Malkin hooked down Filip Forsberg  at center ice to set up the 2 on 1 that lead to Kessel's game winning shot.

The teams got to overtime on a Chris Kunitz second period goal to give the Pens a 1-0 lead.

James Neal knotted the score at 1 with his 6th goal of the season to tie the game at 11:27 of the third period.

Both Pekka Rinne and Marc-Andre Fluery were solid in net for their teams. Fluery was the busier of the two goalies, turning aside 38 of 39 shots for the win. Rinne made 23 saves on 25 shots.

Some observations:

• Trailing 1-0 going into the third period, the Predators turned up the intensity to force overtime. The Predators out shot the Penguins 17-5 in the final frame.
• James Neal continues his torrid pace of play, tallying his 6th goal of the season and recording points in six straight games (6G-3A). How sweet it must have been to record that game tying goal against his former team. Neal is playing with serious jump and playing at the level that most expected and wanted when he was acquired two years ago.
• The Predators still have not allowed a first period goal this season.
• Mike Ribeiro picked up an assist and now has a 4 game point streak (1G-4A).
• The third line of Cody Hodgson, Gabriel Bourque, and Viktor Arvidsson did not record a point. Arvidsson was recalled from Milwaukee and Calle Jarnkrok was scratched tonight due to illness. That line has one point on the season (a goal by Arvidsson in the first game of the season) and the Predators need that line to get going. The third line has generated a few chances but has not consistently pressured the net and in a long season, this line is going to have to get going and make some offensive contributions.
• Barret Jackman had  a strong game. He picked up an assist, was a +1, and was a force in the defensive zone. Jackman has been a good add for the Predators and has logged some quality minutes. He had 18:51 in ice time and was strong in the defensive zone.
• This was the first time this season that the Predators have surrendered the first goal of the game.
• Roman Josi led the Predators in TOI with 22:46.
• The Predators have now lost 4 straight games against the Penguins on home ice. Last season, the teams split their two games, with the Penguins winning in Nashville and the Predators winning in Pittsburgh.
• The Predators PK was perfect tonight, including killing off a 5 minute boarding major against Austin Watson in the first period. On the major, the Predators allowed the Penguins just 2 shots on goal.

The Predators played an even game against the talented Penguins, but could not finish their chances and suffered the first loss on home ice. They did pick up a point and remain atop the Central Division.

They now go on a two week road trip while Bridgestone Arena is committed to the CMA festivities. It's time to regain the mojo that they have gained in the first two weeks of the season and continue to build on their solid play.

My three stars:

1. Marc-Andre Fluery

2. Phil Kessel

3. James Neal