Predators Cap An Improbable Comeback With a 3-2 OT Win Over the Coyotes

In a game that was meaningless for the Predators and one in which they played for stretches like it was meaningless, the Predators shocked the Coyotes and the Predator fans with a 3-2 OT win.

The Predators were down 2 goals going into the third period when they supplied the wow factor.

Shea Weber drew the Predators within 1 goal with his 14th power play goal of the season to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Looking for all the world like Predator fans were going home disappointed, the Predators scored with 19 seconds to go. With Pekka Rinne pulled for an extra attacker, Roman Josi launched a shot toward the net that Filip Forsberg redirected past Mike Smith to tie the game at 2.

Overtime has not been kind to the Predators, but they figured it out in their second to last game of the year.

Josi took the puck through the neutral zone with speed, drove the net, and slid the puck past Smith for the improbable game winner just 20 seconds into the extra period.

Some observations:

• Antoine Vermette gave the Coyotes a 1-0 lead, deflecting a shot off his skate that was going well past the net. Shane Doan scored from the face off circle when the Predators failed to clear the puck. The play by Rinne was solid tonight, and I don't fault him for the 2 goals he gave up. It does point out that the defensive coverage has got to tighten up during the playoffs. There is no doubt Rinne will play his tail off but he is going to have to have some help out front.
• The Predators struggled for most of the night on the power play. The lone exception was Weber's goal. At times, the Predators wasted a lot of time just trying to get into the zone. That is an area of play that is going to have to improve in the playoffs.
• Speaking of Weber, he hit 20 goals for the third time in his career. His power play goal was his 14th of the year, tying Andy Delmore and Paul Kariya for a franchise high in power play goals.
• How about Filip Forsberg? His goal was his 33rd of the season and tied Jason Arnott for the franchise record. The thing about this goal that was exceptional to me is that it came with Forsberg right at the top of the crease battling for position. We have all seen and been amazed by some of his goals, but he has also shown that he is not afraid to go to the hard areas to score. 
• Big props to the fans. The team finished the season playing 41 home games at 99.2% capacity at the Bridge. 695,828 fans attended games this year, 4800 more than last season. The Predators sold out 35 of their 41 home games this season, eclipsing the previous high of 30 sellouts, set last season.
• The Predators are now 5-21-5 when they trail after 2 periods.
• The Predators are now 2-12 in OT.
• Anthony Bitetto returned to the line up after missing 9 games due to an injury.

As it was in the last game, this win was certainly not a thing of beauty. Yet it was beautiful from the standpoint that the Predators never quit and kept pressing.

And they were rewarded for that effort.

It is that kind of effort that the Predators will need in the playoffs.

My three stars:

1. Roman Josi

2. Filip Forsberg

3. Mike Smith

Predators Flame Out In OT (What Else Is new?) to Calgary

The Nashville Predators are red hot, having gone 9-0-4 in their last 13 games. The Calgary Flames are struggling. Two teams moving in the opposite direction clashed at  the Saddledome in Calgary, with one looking to continue their torrid play and one looking to reverse their fortunes.

Instead, it was the Flames that looked like a team contending for a playoff spot while the Predators were listless and looked tired.

The Predators gave up 2 first period goals in 10 seconds as Johnny Gaudreau hammered in all the scoring the Flames would need to put the Predators in a big hole.

The Predators failed to generate any quality scoring chances in the first 40 minutes- heck, they rarely generated any shots against Joni Ortio, while Carter Hutton gave up the 2 quick goals before settling in and making some good saves under a barrage of shots from the Flames.

Tony Bitetto finally got the Predators on the board with just over 12 minutes to go in the third period as he jumped up on the play and knocked in a rebound for his first NHL goal. Bitetto's marker made it 2-1.

That goal seemed to finally get the Predators going as they peppered Ortio with shots.

That energy translated to a tying goal with the extra attacker on for the Predators with 1:18 remaining in the game. Viktor Arvidsson slid a shot toward the net and Mike Fisher was able to slap it past Ortio to make it 2-2.

And as improbable as it seemed the way this game was unfolding, the Predators had picked up a point and sent the game to OT.

Of course, heading to OT is a guaranteed loss for the Predators and they were true to form as Mikael Backland pots the OT winner as the Predators fall 3-2.


Some observations:

•  The first goal that Hutton gave up was a wicked good shot by Gaudreau that was perfectly placed. The second goal was one that Hutton cannot allow. He was beaten cleanly through a wide open 5 hole.
• But on that second goal...what a keystone cops play by the Predators blue liners Ryan Ellis and Mattias Ekholm. Ellis was surprised by the speed of Gaudreau and tripped over his feet, taking out Ekholm in the process. This comedy of errors allowed Gaudreau to break in alone for the shot.
• The Predators had no jump in the first period and it resulted in Head Coach Peter Laviolette throwing the lines in a blender in the second period. That may work every now and then, but the Predators have yet to show that they respond positively to this tactic each time it has been tried this season.
• The Predators mustered absolutely no response in the second period, generating just 4 shots on net. One of the hallmarks of this streak has been the Predators ability to respond to adversity and falling behind. In the second period, the Predators showed no push back at all.
• Hutton did make some good saves as the game wore on. The Predators defense was leaky in front of him and he had to come up big on several occasions to keep the Flames off the board.
• The Predators did not record their first shot on goal in the third period until there was 12:53 remaining on the clock.
• Great play by Tony Bitetto to record his first NHL goal. He jumped up in the play and had a yawning net to slam home the puck. And a heck of an assist from Mike Fisher, who slid the puck over to Bitetto while on his butt.
• Viktor Arvidsson continues to impress with his jump and overall level of play. The Aardvark was once again using his speed to create some chances for he and his line mates. I really like the play of Arvidsson and how he has settled in on the wing. Arvidsson picked up assists on both of the Predators goals in regulation.
•  Once again, the Predators look lost and apathetic in the OT period. Their loss drops their record in the extra frame to 1-12. That is just freaking unbelievable. Win half these games and this team is contending for the Central Division crown.

This was an ugly game by the Predators, but I will take the point. It goes without saying that this team  doesn't believe it can win in OT and they play like it. Yet, you take small victories,and the point is important.

The Predators ran their consecutive point streak to 14 games and they now have 81 points.

Get some rest and get back on the horse on Saturday night.

My three stars:

1. Johnny Gaudreau

2. Viktor Arvidsson

3.Mike Fisher

Predators Get Back In the Win Column, Defeat the Wild 3-0

to say the Nashville Predators needed a win is a gross understatement. Playing against the Minnesota Wild, who commit to the horribly boring trap game, meant that the Predators were going to have to play with energy and get to the net.

They did just that as they shut out the Wild 3-0 at Bridgestone Arena.

The Predators scored on their first shot of the game as Eric Nystrom re-directed a point shot from Shea Weber past Devan Dubnyk to give the good guys a 1-0 lead.

Carter Hutton got the start in net and he had to be sharp as the Wild at one point in the first period out shot the Predators 9-1. The Predators rallied back, getting out shot 12-11 at the end of the first period and leading 1-0 going into the intermission.

After a scoreless second period, the Predators did a good job of getting traffic to the net and it paid off on the power play as Roman Josi cashed in on a rebound of a Ryan Johansen shot to give the Predators a 2-0 lead.

Filip Forsberg iced the game with an empty net goal to give the Predators their final margin of 3-0.

Some observations:

• Carter Hutton was outstanding tonight. He made some very good saves and was positionally sound all night. Hutton is often scrambling around in the crease, and although he had a few frenetic moments, was solid in his positioning and appeared to be calm and in control of the play around his crease. Big ups to Hutton for his play tonight. Hutton recorded his third career shut out.
• The much maligned penalty kill of the Predators was very good tonight. They killed off all 3 man advantage chances by the Wild and gave them very few good looks. This is the kind of effort the Predators needed and they definitely need to build on their play tonight.
• I questioned Eric Nystrom moving to the third line, but two goals in two nights shows that he can contribute and be effective. Nystrom is not shy about going to the net and his efforts have been rewarded. His re-direct of Shea Weber's shot was perfectly placed to the far post where Dubnyk had no chance.
• This was the last game of the regular season with the Wild. The Predators captured the season series by a 3-1 margin.
• Anthony Bitetto got the start again on the third pairing with Barrett Jackman and played a solid game. Bitetto is looking more comfortable and brings a solid physical presence on the ice.
• The Predators power play got back on track, going 1 for 2 tonight. The addition of Ryan Johansen has been a big plus to this unit. He is dangerous with his passes and his shot, and Roman Josi was the beneficiary of Johansen's ability to find the shooting lanes. Having an elite center has been a plus for this unit and for the team. Johansen has 7 points in 4 games with the team. Johansen also recorded his 200th career point.
• Calle Jarnkrok was very good in the face off circle. He led the the team, winning 6 of 9 faceoffs, good for 67%.
• I like the hustle and effort of Craig Smith. Now if he could just bury some shots.
• Paul Gaustad played in his 700th NHL game tonight.

No doubt this was a much needed win for the Predators, and it was a solid team effort. After a slow start, the Predators got their feet moving and played a complete game.

Now the Preds need to build on this win and start stringing together some victories.

My three stars:

1. Carter Hutton

2. Roman Josi

3. Eric Nystrom

Predators Sloppy Play Dooms Them in 5-3 Loss to the Avalanche

Ryan Johansen was on the ice for his much anticipated debut for the Nashville Predators as they traveled to the Pepsi Center to take on the Colorado Avalanche.

While there is much anticipation about the appearance of a legitimate number one for the Predators, the importance of this game for the Predators shouldn't be lost.

The Predators hold the last wild card slot in the West, with 45 points. Colorado sits right behind them with 43 points. Patrick Roy, Head Coach of the Avalanche, called this game a "playoff game" and that only served to emphasize the importance of this game.

In a game as important as this to the Predators, their play was horrendously sloppy. They took 6 penalties and gave up 2 power play goals.

The Predators wasted a strong debut by Johansen with an abundance of penalties and sloppy play on the way to dropping a critical game by a 5-3 score.

Johansen made his presence felt immediately with the Predators on the power play. He held the puck before roofing a shot over the shoulder of Semyon Varlamov into a very small space for a Predators 1-0 lead. That was the Predators first shot of the game, and it was beautiful to see the finish and placement on that attempt.

The Avs evened the game on a power play of their own as they outnumbered the Predators down low and Jerome Iginla was able to gather in a rebound and slam it past Pekka Rinne.

The Predators got trapped in their zone late in the period and couldn't clear the puck. The turnover committed by the Predators resulted in a goal by Cody McLeod to make it 2-1.

Ryan Ellis tied the game at 2:45 of the second period with a wrist shot from the face off circle.

The Avs broke that tie as the Predators gave up a 2 on 1 and Gabriel Landeskog buried the shot to make it 3-2.

Once again, the Predators bounced back to tie the game on a wrist shot by Filip Forsberg from the slot. Johansen would pick up an assist on the play.

Tyson Barrie would break the tie with the Avs once again on the power play as he blasted a shot from the high slot to make it 4-3. On the play, Paul Gaustad's stick had broken, and he tried to get a new one from the bench. That decision left Barrie open for the shot.

And that was certainly not a good decision.

Jack Skille iced the game with an empty net goal with 1.4 seconds remaining on the clock for a 5-3 Avs win.


Some observations:

• Johansen opened the game on a line with James Neal and Colin Wilson. 
• My goodness, that first goal by Johansen showed what an elite finisher can do. He fit that shot into an extremely small window. That goal was a goal scorers goal, something the Predators have been lacking.
• Anthony Bitetto was in the line up and paired with Barret Jackman on the third D pair. 
• With the arrival of Johansen, players moved down in lines. Calle Jarnkrok centered the second line with Filip Forsberg and Mike Ribeiro on the wings. Mike Fisher centered the third line with Craig Smith and Miikka Salomaki on the wings.
• The Avalanche opened the game with lots of jump, in fact more than the Predators, which forced the Predators into three penalties in the period. The Predators got lucky in that the Avs wiped out one of their power plays with a penalty on the opening face off of the second Preds penalty. 
• The Predators defense has broken down numerous times recently, and they continued that trend again tonight. Part of this was the pressure that the Avs forecheck put on the Preds defense; part of it was that the Avs outskated the Predators for much of the game. These uncharacteristic breakdowns have cost the Predators as more often than not, the puck is finding the back of the net.
• Midway of the game, Filip Forsberg moved up to the first line with James Neal and Johansen. That lined combined for the Predators third goal of the game. they had several shifts together before Wilson rejoined that line early early in the third period.
• The undisciplined play of the Predators cost them this game. The Avs outworked the Predators all over the ice and forced them into taking way too many penalties. And the Avs have an excellent power play and they burned the Predators when they went down a man. This is the kind of play that this team cannot overcome.
• Austin Watson had a tough game, recording only 5:50 in ice time and was a -2 for the night.
• Anthony Bitetto logged 12;20 in ice time and was even +/- for the night.

The Predators looked like a team that didn't have a sense of the importance of this game. As it is, by continuing to fail to take care of business, they now find themselves tied with the Avalanche for the last playoff spot.

And if the Predators continue to struggle and play inconsistently, they won't be tied for long.

They will be on the outside looking in.

My three stars:

1. Ryan Johansen

2. Tyson Barrie

3. Carl Soderberg

Predators Run Aground Against the Islanders

The New York Islanders rode a three goal outburst in the first period and added two more goals in the third period in a 5-2 drubbing of the Nashville Predators at Nassau Coliseum.

The resurgent and talented Islanders are the best team in the East, and they showed it in this game, using their speed and tenacity and a bit of puck luck to dominate the Predators.

Brian Strait, Johnny Boychuk, and John Tavares scored in the first period before Filip Forsberg was able to score late in the period to make it 3-1.

James Neal notched his 21st goal of the season in the second period to make it 3-2 going into the third.

The wheels came off for the Predators as Nick Leddy scored off a rush and Roman Josi tried to clear a rebound and banged it off Pekka Rinne's pads and into the goal to make it 5-2 Islanders. Josh Bailey had taken the shot and was credited with the goal.

Jaroslav Halak had a fairly easy night, stopping 30 of the 32 shots he faced.

By contrast, Pekka Rinne was under siege for most of the night as the Isles got an abundance of quality scoring chances as the Predators defense was spotty at best.

Thankfully for the Predators, the Islanders didn't score again and make it worse.

Some observations:

• Nice gesture by the team to let Anthony Bitetto lead the team on the ice for the pre-skate. Bitetto is a native of Island Park, NY and had family in attendance.
• The Islanders had significantly more jump than the Predators in the first period and that set the tone for the game. Rinne was under assault with some quality scoring chances by the Islanders and if he had not made some good saves, the score could have been much worse.
• Filip Forsberg gave the Predators some life in the first period, recording his 20th goal of the season with an Isles defender hanging all over him. We have all marveled at his skill set, but an underrated aspect of his game is his strength. He is surprisingly strong and very hard to knock off the puck.
• Eric Nystrom leveled Mikhail Grabovski with a booming hit in the first period. Nystrom caught Grabovski with his head down and planted his shoulder in the chest of the Isles forward. Grabovski was rattled by the hit and hit his head on the ice when he fell. Scary moment off a clean hit as Grabovsky didn't move for quite a while. The stretcher was called, but eventually Grabovsky got to his feet and skated to the locker room. Hopefully he did not sustain a serious injury. No penalty was called on Nystrom on the play.
• James Neal just has a wickedly good release on his shot. He displayed that release on a rocket for his 21st goal of the year.
• Lines were juggled as Forsberg was reunited with Craig Smith and joined by Mike Fisher on the top line. Forsberg needs dynamic and creative line mates and frankly, I don't think he had them with Beck and Jarnkrok. Mike Ribeiro dropped down to the second kline to center James Neal and Colin Wilson.
• Uncharacteristic turnovers and defensive breakdowns hung Pekka Rinne out to dry. The Isles got numerous uncontested shots from the slot and quality chances off the rush. Rinne would have had to been perfect to stop the onslaught from the Isles. He wasn't and he got very little help from the team in front of him.
•  The Islanders did a great job of winning most of the puck battles and throttling the Predators rush through the neutral zone. The offense never seemed to find its rhythm and get in gear. This has been a problem for this team at times this season and is one that will have to be corrected.
• The Predators had 17 shots on net in the first period. After that, they had 8 in the second and 7 in the third. They were outworked and outhustled by the Islanders in the final 40 minutes, and that is reflected in the score. by contrast, the Islanders consistently brought offensive pressure, netting 40 shots on Rinne. 
• Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli have cleared their paperwork and should be in the line up for Saturday's game.

After winning 6 straight games, the Predators couldn't bring the effort and intensity to capture a 7th consecutive win against a very talented Islanders squad.

If this is a measuring stick game, the Predators came up woefully short.

If this is a learning experience, then it will be good for the Predators.

Time to get back on the horse on Saturday against the Flyers.

My three stars:

1. John Tavares

2. Nick Leddy

3. James Neal

Predators Filet the Sharks 5-1

Outside of Bridgestone Arena, it was frigid and icy. Inside the barn, it was red hot as the Nashville Predators dominated the San Jose Sharks for a 5-1 victory.

The Predators spotted the Sharks a 1-0 lead when Matt Irwin split the Predators defense and was wide open going down the slot. His wrist shot beat Pekka Rinne over his blocker for the first score of the game.

That was the only goal Rinne allowed as he stopped 42 of 43 Sharks shots. Some of his saves were absolutely amazing.

After that Sharks goal, the Predators ran off 5 straight goals to secure the win.

Shea Weber opened the scoring for the Predators as he blasted a shot from the blue line that went over the shoulder of Sharks netminder Alex Stalock to tie the game.

Craig Smith got the first of his two goals of the night as Stalock gave up a rebound that fluttered in the air. Smith, showing freat eye hand coordination, batted the puck out of the air and past Stalock to give the Predators a 2-1 lead.

The second period opened with the Predators on the power play, and Smith notched his second goal going to the front of the net and jamming a rebound between the skate of Stalock and the post for a 3-1 lead.

Just 50 seconds later, Paul Gaustad took a pass from Gabriel Bourque and wristed the puck past Stalock for a 4-1 lead.

While the Predators were enjoying the three goal lead, the Sharks had no quit and kept attacking. With the Predators on the penalty kill, Rinne made 4 saves on a frantic scramble in his crease. Rinne stopped three quick shots with his pad and then plucked a shot from Joe Pavelski out of the air that seemed destined for the back of the net.

James Neal rounded out the scoring off a beautiful assist from Mike Ribeiro. Ribeiro held the puck in at the Sharks blue line, spun around and found Mattias Ekholm, who got the puck to Neal. Neal snapped a wrist shot past Stalock for the Predators final goal and a 5-1 lead, the final margin of victory.

Some observations:

• I tweeted during the game that if Pekka Rinne doesn't win the Vezina and the Hart, it will be criminal. Rinne is absolutely amazing with his athleticism and his compete level, and some of his saves are incredible. The sequence in the second period when the Sharks were on the power play exemplifies his play this season. The Sharks tried three times to jam the puck past Rinne and he stopped all three attempts. Rinne had to be strong to turn back those point blank attempts, kicking out each attempt. He then tracked the shot from Pavelski and squeezed it it between the glove and the mask. After the whistle, you could see the looks on the faces of the Sharks, at to a man it was disbelief that they didn't score. Rinne was under pressure the entire game and was up to the challenge that the Sharks presented. Rinne picked up his League leading 34th win.
• I really liked the way the Predators attacked the Sharks throughout the game. Sharks score first? No big deal. The Predators just stepped on the gas and buried the Sharks under a relentless attack. The Predators have shown they can score brom the blue line- historically they have been good at that and they are again this year. But now they have a talented and explosive group of forwards that can score consistently and that is a welcome change for this team.
• James Neal scored his 20th goal of the season. This is the 7th consecutive season that Neal has scored at least 20 goals.
• This was the Predators 6th straight win, a season high.
• Kudos to the hardy fans that braved the ice and frigid conditions to show up for the game. The attendance was 8,215, and they were vocal and loud all night supporting the Predators.
• Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli, recently acquired in a trade from Toronto, were listed as scratches for the game as they were still getting their visas and other paperwork in place so they can join the team. 
• Because of the scratches of Franson and Santorelli, Anthony Bitetto was a late recall from Milwaukee. Bitetto was not at the arena for the pre-skate and missed some time in the first period until he jumped on the ice for his first shift about 5 minutes into the game.
• Mike Ribeiro picked up two assists in the game tonight, his first being a beauty to set up Craig Smith's first goal. Ribeiro has such excellent hockey sense and on ice awareness and his ability to distribute the puck has been critical to the success of the team this season.
• There are a lot of things that are different about the Predators this season, but one aspect of this team that I really like is that this team just keeps attacking throughout the game. Rarely does this team get back on their heels, which was a characteristic of past Predator teams. That attacking style has paid dividends, as the Predators are 17-11-2 when the opposition scores first.
• Good to see the fourth line getting some scoring. Paul Gaustad was set up for his goal on a sweet pass from Gabriel Bourque. This was Gaustad's second goal of the season and his first since the Predators second game of the year.
• I said Craig Smith is a streaky scorer in my last game recap. Well, Smith now has 3 goals in his last 2 games and 17 on the year. Let's hope the hot streak continues.

Although the Sharks have struggled, going 1-4-1 in their last 6 games, they are a talented and desperate team, fighting for a wild card spot. They are a team that can explode for goals and they have historically given the Predators problems.

That is why this win is so important for the Predators. Not only does it extend the Predators lead over the Blues in the Central, but it gives the team the confidence that they can not only play with the Sharks but dominate them.

And the Sharks have been a team in the past that has given the Predators fits. Having the confidence that as a team you can defeat an old nemesis does nothing but good things for the Predators as they head toward the playoffs.

Now it's on to the road and away from the friendly confines of the Bridge.

And it's time to bring this kind of effort in hostile environments.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Craig Smith

3. Shea Weber

Predators Defeat the Devils 3-1

For two periods and about half of the third, the New Jersey Devils played rope-a-dope with the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena.

The Predators threw a barrage of shots at Cory Schneider but found themselves tied at 1 with the Devils and less than 4 minutes remaining on the clock.

That's when Mike Ribeiro, Victor Bartley, and Colin Wilson worked a perfect tic tac toe pass through the slot resulting in Wilson burying the game winning goal.

Shortly after, Craig Smith would jam home another goal and the Predators would defeat the Devils by a 3-1 margin.

The first period was a shooting gallery for the Predators. They fired 20 shots on net to just 3 for the Devils.

Matt Cullen got the Predators on the board, carrying the puck from behind the net and beating Devils netminder Cory Schneider to the far post.

Schneider kept the Devils in the game, making some outstanding saves to keep the Predators from blowing the game wide open.

On the other end of the ice, Pekka Rinne was bored, facing only 3 shots and never seriously challenged.

The Devils got their legs going and their offensive pressure in the second period, and it resulted in the visitors getting back in the game.

The Devils tied the game on a power play in the second period when Steve Bernier backhanded a shot off the end boards over the glove of Rinne.

Rinne made an outstanding save on Mike Cammalleri in the second period to keep the score knotted at one.

That set up the heroics by Wilson and Smith in the third period as the Predators notched their 24th win on home ice.

Some observations:

• Head Coach Peter Laviolette juggled his lines for this game. Colin Wilson and James Neal moved to the top line, centered by Mike Ribeiro. Mike Fisher centered Matt Cullen and Craig Smith on the second line. Calle Jarnkrok centered Filip Forsberg and Taylor Beck on the third line. Paul Gaustad centered Eric Nystrom and Gabriel Bourque on the fourth line. While you can't argue with the results of goals from the top two lines, I absolutely think that it was a waste to have Forsberg on that third line.There was not a lot of chemistry (okay, there was none) on that line and Jarnkrok and Beck are not good complimentary players to Forsberg's play making skills. Hopefully this is a short lived experiment with Forsberg on that line.
• Anton Volchenkov was a scratch and Anthony Bitetto was in the line up. Bitetto logged 14:12 on the third D pair and has looked like he is getting more comfortable and settled in on the blue line.
• Matt Cullen's goal was his first since December 20th. It was his 5th goal of the season.
• Mattias Ekholm returned to the line up after being injured against the Florida Panthers last Sunday. Matty Ek played a solid 17:15 and was a +2 for the night.
• Good to see the Honey Badger Craig Smith get back on the score sheet. His goal and assist were his first points since January 29th. Smith is a streaky scorer and let's hope this is the start of a scoring streak for Smith.
• Pekka Rinne was not severely tested throughout the game, but he came up with a huge save on Mike Cammalleri in the second period. He slid across the crease and batted the puck out of harm's way with his arm. This was a key save as the Devils had gotten their legs and were starting to take the attack to the Predators. Rinne has the ability to make those highlight reel saves during the course of the game and swing momentum back to the Predators.
• How important is Rinne to this team? In his last 16 games played, Rinne is 14-1-1, capturing 29 out of a possible 32 points for the team. If Rinne doesn't win the Vezina (and probably the Hart as well), it will be a crime.
• Colin Wilson continues his strong play. Schneider robbed him in the first period, but Wilson just keeps playing a strong and determined game. Good to see him find the back of the net for the game winner and his 18th goal of the season.
• You have to give props to Cory Schneider. He fought all night and made some great saves to keep the Devils close.He faced 21 shots in the first period alone and 38 shots for the game. Having played last night in Chicago, it looked like he finally wore down late in the game, but he was outstanding and the reason the Devils were still in the game late in the third period.
• Jaromir Jagr played in his 1,525th game tonight, 13th in NHL history. His game tonight moved him past Brendan Shanahan.
• The Predators are 15-5-1 against Eastern Conference opponents, including an 11-0 record at the Bridge.
• The Predators have 82 points and are 6 points ahead of the Blues, who were off tonight, and 10 points ahead of Chicago, who was also idle. The are 5 points ahead of the Ducks, also off tonight.

This game had the makings of a trap game- an Eastern Conference opponent that had played the night before and has struggled this season. Add in an outstanding goalie and the Predators had to fight to pull out the win.

The difference in this team than in previous iterations is that they did fight for the win. They were relentless in their attack and just kept attacking until they secured the win.

They will have to keep up that intensity in the weeks ahead.

My three stars:

1. Colin Wilson

2. Matt Cullen

3. Cory Schneider

In A Battle of the Best, Predators Beat the Lightning In OT

The Best of the West, the Nashville Predators, faced the Beast of the East, the Tampa Bay Lightning, at Bridgestone Arena. The Predators took this game in over time 3-2 for a League leading 22 home ice wins.

A spirited first period was scoreless but not for lack of effort by both teams. Andrei Vasilevskiy stoned Mike Ribeiro from point blank range with a sprawling pad save, while Pekka Rinne stopped all 10 shots he faced.

The Predators got on the board in the second period on goals by Seth Jones and Taylor Beck. Jones ripped a slap shot over the shoulder of Vasilevskiy and inside the far post that hit the goal net and came out so fast it was called a no goal by the on ice officials. After a video review, the call was corrected and Jones had his 6th goal of the season and the Predators had a 1-0 lead.

Taylor Beck made it 2-0 as he battled to the front of the net and slammed home a rebound of a Paul Gaustad shot. The goal was purely a result of Beck fighting through a defender to get to the front of the net and getting into prime scoring position.

Going into the third period leading 2-0, the Predators needed to play good defense and continue to generate chances in the offensive zone.

That didn't happen as the Lightning totally outworked and out hustled the Predators and tallied twice to tie the game.

Brett Connolly got the Bolts on the board as he banged home a rebound of a Valtteri Filppula shot. Connolly got to the front of the net unchallenged by the Predators defense and Rinne had no chance to stop the shot.

Nikita Kucherov tied the game with his 21st goal, and the Predators were back on their heels and chasing the puck throughout the period.

Regulation ended with the teams tied at 2.

In overtime and with time winding down, James Neal fired a wrist shot from the face off circle that beat Vasilvskiy between the pads for the game winner.

Some observations:

• The Predators turned the puck over 14 times, the bulk of those coming in the 3rd period. Several of those turnovers resulted in Rinne having to make some good saves to keep the Lightning off the board. Puck management was about as poor as I have seen in a while, and turning the puck over like the team did tonight is a formula for disaster. This area has to improve because good teams are more often than not going to make you pay for sloppy puck management.
• Once again, an aggressive forecheck by an opponent caused all sorts of problems for the Predators. The Lightning have some very talented players that play good team defense and they stymied the Predators on their breakouts and coming through the neutral zone, especially in the third period. Puck support was horrible tonight, as often a defenseman would be pressured by two forecheckers and have no one making themselves available for a pass. This often resulted in turnovers and the Predators be bottled up in their defensive zone.
• Great to see the line of  Gaustad, Eric Nystrom, and Taylor Beck rewarded with a goal tonight. They often draw the toughest defensive assignments and it was good to see them get on the scoresheet tonight.
• Speaking of Gaustad, Beck, and Nystrom, they were matched up against Steven Stamkos most of the night. Stamkos is arguably the best player in the NHL and they held him without a point tonight.
• With the injury to Mattias Ekholm, Anthony Bitetto was called up from Milwaukee. Bitetto logged 10:09 of ice time and dropped the gloves with Brett Connolly, whom he proceeded to hammer. Bitetto is a big body who is not afraid to mix it up physically and skates well. He was paired with Victor Bartley tonight on the third D pairing.
• Viktor Stalberg was also called up with Colin Wilson injured. Stalberg played on the second line with Mike Fisher and James Neal and picked up an assist tonight. I would really like to see Stalberg get his game going. He is big and fast and has a good shot. If he can find consistency to his game, he could be a big contributor for the Predators.
• Seth Jones continues to mature and elevate his game. His goal was a rocket of a shot, perfectly placed inside the far post. Jones is drawing some bigger minutes on the second D pair and is playing well. With his goal tonight, he has a career high five game point streak (3G-2A).
• The Predators have a league best 24-4-6 record in one goal games.
• James Neal's overtime goal was his 5th game winning goal of the season.
• The Predators won 57% of their faceoffs and were led by Paul Gaustad, who won 14 of 19 for 74%.
• Shea Weber led the Predators in TOI with 30:56.
• The Lightning have a very good young goalie in Andrei Vasilevskiy. He is athletic and made some very good saves, especially a first period save on Mike Ribeiro.

Make no mistake, the Lightning are an excellent team with lots of talented players. This wasn't a pretty win, but it was a win nevertheless. The Predators continued to attack and press and prevailed because they didn't back down.

There are some things to work on and improve, but the fact is that the Predators found a way to win and still sit first in the NHL.

And the view from there is great.

My three stars:

1. James Neal

2. Pekka Rinne

3. Andrei Vasilevskiy