Rinne Leads the Predators To A Big 2 Points With a 3-1 Victory Over the Blackhawks

The Nashville Predators looked to continue their road points streak with a stop at the United Center to take on Central Division rival Chicago in their last meeting of the regular season.

The Blackhawks have won 3 of the 4 meetings between the teams this season.

The first period saw both teams get some good scoring chances but neither able to find the back of the net.

Brent Seabrook broke the scoreless tie early in the second period with a wrist shot from inside the face off circle past a screened Pekka Rinne to give the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead.

Viktor Arvidsson evened the game at 1 when he drove the net and sent a sharp angle shot over the shoulder of Corey Crawford.

After a scoreless second period, both teams spent most of the third period probing and looking for an opportunity to score.

That came with 1:52 to go in the third period as Mike Fisher outworked two Hawks defenders on the boards in the Hawks zone and slipped a perfect pass onto the tape of Calle Jarnkrok, who one timed a shot over the shoulder of Crawford to give the Predators a 2-1 lead.

Miikka Salomaki scored into the empty net from his own blue line to make it a 3-1 lead for the Predators.

The Predators would close out the Hawks by that margin for a much needed win.

Some observations:

• Shea Weber missed his second consecutive game with a lower body injury.
• Pekka Rinne had to be sharp in the first period as the Hawks had several very good scoring chances. Rinne moved well and did a good job of tracking the puck, including a very nice save on a 2 on 1 rush by the Hawks. If Rinne had not been on his game early, the Hawks would have had several scores in the first 20 minutes. Rinne turned aside 15 of 16 shots in the second period, including a breakaway by Andrew Shaw. For the game, Rinne stopped 38 of 39 shots.
• Viktor Arvidsson has shown no fear in going to the front of the net and capitalizing on his efforts. His 7th goal of the year was a result of hard work and driving the net and it was a thing of beauty, tucking the puck into a very narrow space. The Aardvark is showing that he belongs and is going to be hard to move out of the line up.
• The Predators set a franchise record by going 10 straight road games without a loss. They have gone 8-0-2 in their last 10 games.
• Back to Rinne for a moment. The Predators have often relied on Rinne to steal some games throughout his career. This season, that has rarely been the case. But recently, something has changed about Rinne's game. He has been more efficient in his movements, more calm in the net, and most importantly, looks like he has his swagger back. All of that was evident tonight as Rinne stoned the Hawks for 60 minutes and helped the Predators capture a critical 2 points. Hopefully, this is Rinne, and by extension, the team, starting to peak and play exceptional hockey at a time where they need to do so.
• The Predators blocked 19 shots while the Hawks had 12 blocks.
• Mike Fisher did yeoman's work tonight, playing a solid game in all zones and picking up 2 assists.
• The Predators out hit the Blackhawks 39-21.

To say this was a huge win for the Predators is  understating the obvious. The win allows the Predators to maintain their lead over the Avalanche and extend their lead over the Wild (who lost tonight).

More importantly, this win and the total game played by the team tonight is a massive confidence boost for the squad and for Rinne in particular.

The Predators have proven themselves to be successful road warriors.

Now to bring that mojo home.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Mike Fisher

3. Calle Jarnkrok

The Struggle Continues; Predators Fall to the Blackhawks 3-2

The Nashville Predators need a win in a big way.

The Chicago Blackhawks stood in the way of the Predators and that win, and the visiting Predators faced a tough task in getting a win at the United Center against a Blackhawks team that has won 7 in a row.

The Predators have lost 3 straight games.

Desperately needing the win, the Predators gave up the first 3 goals before dropping another game by a 3-2 score.

Andrew Shaw scored twice from the top of the crease and Brent Seabrook blasted a shot past Pekka Rinne from the blue line to give the Hawks a 3-0 lead. Mike Ribeiro scored for the Predators late in the second period to cut it to 3-1.

Filip Forsberg scored on a deflection that he batted out of the air with 36.3 seconds to go in the game and the Predators with the man advantage. That goal cut the Hawks lead to 3-2.

The Predators had difficulty getting control of the puck before one last scoring chance from Ryan Johansen that was turned aside by Corey Crawford.

Some observations:

• Colin Wilson missed his second straight game with a lower body injury.
• Anthony Bitetto was back in the line up and paired with Barret Jackman.
• Did you notice how the Blackhawks scored their first 2 goals? Andrew Shaw was creating havoc at the top of the crease and was the beneficiary of going to the hard area of the ice. This is an aspect of the Predators game that has been noticeably absent for too long.
• This is a Predators team that trying to find its identity right now. They are not overly physical; they are talented but not so that they can dominate an opponent; and they have difficulty  elevating their work ethic or overall game when they need to do so. Until this team discovers and embraces an identity, they are going to continue to be an average squad.
• I like the play of RyJo- Ryan Johansen. He is adept at winning face offs, is not afraid to go to the front of the net, and has shown that he has a wicked good shot. 
• James Neal came to play tonight. He was willing to shoot and play a physical game. he was one of the few bright spots for the Predators in a tough game.
• I can't fault Rinne for the first 2 goals, but man, that third goal was a back breaker that Rinne has to stop.

The Predators are a team on the skids right now.  And the only way out of it is to start to play fundamental hockey and bring a maximum effort for a full 60 minutes.

Until they do that, this is a team that will continue to flounder.

My three stars:

1. Andrew Shaw

2. Corey Crawford

3. Mike Ribeiro

Predators In a Deep Hole, Fall to the Blackhawks 3-2 in Triple OT.

The Nashville Predators trail the Chicago Blackhawks in their first round series by a 2-1 margin. To say that game Four at the United Center was a huge game for the Predators is an understatement of Brobdingnagian proportions.

A spirited and fast paced first period saw both teams go to the locker room having tallied once.

Colin Wilson redirected a Ryan Ellis shot past Scott Darling with the Predators on the power play to give the Predators a 1-0 lead.

The Hawks answered with a shot that was redirected by Antoine Vermette to knot the game at 1. Vermette's goal was his first of the series.

James Neal got his first goal of the playoffs as he corralled a loose puck and slid it off the skate of Duncan Keith and past Darling to give the Predators a 2-1 lead late in the second period.

Brandon Saad was left all alone in the slot and he blasted a puck past Pekka Riine to tie the game at 2 midway of the third period.

With neither team able to score in the remainder of the period, the teams went to overtime for the second time in this series.

These teams must really like playing each other, because the first OT wasn't enough to decide the game. For the second time in four games, the Predators and Hawks would go to double overtime.

Guess what?

That wasn't enough hockey for these two teams either.

Off to triple overtime.

And in the triple OT session, Brent Seabrook ended 1 minute in with a shot that eluded Rinne to give the Blackhawks a 3-2 victory. Rinne was screened by Brian Bickell on the shot from the blue line and he never saw the shot until it went in the net.


Some observations:

• Kevin Fiala saw his first post season action. Taylor Beck was scratched to make room for Fiala. Fiala is the 6th youngest player in League history to play in the post season. Fiala started the game on a line with Calle Jarnkrok and James Neal.
• Colin Wilson got the tip in front off the Ryan Ellis shot for his 4th goal of the series. Wilson has come alive in the post season, and this is obviously good for the Predators. Wilson went to the hard area in front of the net on the power play and was rewarded for his efforts. This is the kind of play the Predators need to consistently see from Wilson and it is good to see him step up on the big stage. Wilson goal came on the power play, and he has 3 of his 4 goals on the man advantage.
• The Predators iced a depleted line up without Shea Weber and Mike Fisher, two big losses for the team. Regardless, I liked the hustle and the effort of the Predators. The Blackhawks are clearly a more talented team, but the Predators didn't back down in the face of a hostile crowd or the pressure of the Hawks. The young players on the ice had to grow up quickly, and they did just that.
• Viktor Stalberg has played a solid series against the Hawks. We are seeing flashes of his skill and he is not afraid to throw the body around. I would really like to see Stalberg live up to his potential in these playoffs and in the coming season.
• James Neal notched his first goal of the playoffs, and it was good to see him get on the score sheet. Neal played a solid game all night, hustling, hitting, and fighting for the puck. This is the kind of play the Predators need from Neal if they are going to win this series.
• Two Predator players that stood out to me in this game were Gabby Bourque and Ryan Ellis. Bourque was a demon on the forecheck and was physical all night. Bourque doesn't often find the score sheet, but he plays with heart and passion, and I love that about his game. The mini-me D man, Ellis, also had a strong game. He was directly responsible for the Predators first goal, getting his shot from the point to the net. Ellis lacks size, but he is a very smart player and uses his hockey smarts to get into position in the offensive and defensive zone and generates a lot of offense from the blue line.
• The Hawks are a dangerous team throughout their line up and they made the Predators pay on Brandon Saad's goal. The defense was drawn to the puck carrier and Saad was alone in the high slot. His shot was blistered past Rinne and was perfectly placed inside the post.
•  While Rinne has struggled in this series, his save on Marian Hossa with about 5 seconds remaining in regulation was amazing. It was a beauty of a stop that Predator fans have become used to seeing to keep the Predators in a game.
• And Rinne made some great stops in overtime as well. This team really needs Rinne to get his mojo back, and hopefully those quality saves will help his confidence.
• I have seen pucks get lost in equipment before, but the one that got lost in Rinne's gear stayed hidden for about as long as I have seen a puck stay lost.
• Fatigue really played a factor as the OT sessions wore on. On the Seabrook game winner, no one attempted to move Bickell out of front of Rinne and the screen was perfect for the shot to sneak through.

The Predators competed and competed well, but they were not good enough to win this game. They had their chances but let the Hawks hang around and capture a critical win.

Their backs are really against the wall. Can they fight back and extend this series or will it be a disappointing first round exit?

We will find out what the team is made of Thursday night.

My three stars:

1. Brent Seabrook

2. Colin Wilson

3. Scott Darling

Predators Wilt in the Second Period (Again), Fall to the Blackhawks 4-2

A depleted Nashville Predators squad traveled to the United Center for the third game of their first round playoff series. The series is tied at 1 and both teams were looking to establish momentum.

The first first period ended with the game tied at 1. Andrew Desjardins scored for the Hawks, beating Pekka Rinne five hole. Mike Ribeiro immediately answered for the Predators with a shot from the slot that beat Scott Darling glove side.

Jonathan Toews opened the second period by beating Rinne through traffic. 22 seconds later, mattias Ekholm answered with a shot that beat Darling cleanly over the shoulder. Filip forsberg did a great job screening on that shot and Darling never saw it until it was in the net.

Brandon Saad gave the hawks a 3-2 lead, beating Rinne over the blocker. The play was set up when Seth Jones pinched down low and Saad beat Colin Wilson, who was covering the point, back into the the offensive zone.

This time, there was no immediate answer from the Predators, as Brent Seabrook tallied from the blue line to make it 4-2.

Once again, a disastrous second period sunk the Predators.

The Predators couldn't find the net in the third period, and a Mike Ribeiro penalty killed any chance with the extra attacker. The Predators dropped the game 4-2 and trail in the series 2-1.

Some observations:

• With Shea Weber out of the line up, Victor Bartley drew in and saw his first post season action. Bartley was paired with Cody Franson. Seth Jones took Weber's spot on the number one D pairing with Roman Josi.
• Great to see Ribeiro shoot the puck. He has too often passed up shots and it was good to see him pull the trigger from the slot and beat Darling from the glove side.
• I like the response of this team after the Blackhawks scored. Ribeiro's goal came just 31 seconds after the Hawks had taken a 1-0 lead. Ekholm's goal came 22 seconds after Toews had given the Hawks a 2-1 lead. In the playoffs, every team will face adversity. How you respond to that goes a long way toward determining how far you go in the playoffs. The Predators showed they were intimidated by the Hawks or their crowd.
• The Predators showed some good response, as mentioned, but the pressure from the Hawks started to wear on this young team. The Blackhawks stepped it up after Saad's goal and Rinne was under siege. Rinne was not at his best, but the Predators team in front of him often found themselves hemmed in their own zone after the Hawks started buzzing. This game in particular showed the difference between a veteran team and a very young team with little playoff experience. And once again, an awful second period had bitten the Predators in the ass. As to why this team cannot play solid hockey in the second period, I have no answer. If the Predators cannot figure out how to better compete in the second period, then this will be a short series.
• The Predators did a good job of getting shots in on Darling, but the better quality chances belonged to the Blackhawks. Rinne had to make some good saves, and yet he struggled with some shots that resulted in goals. Without Mike Fisher and Shea Weber, Rinne is going to have to be exceptional, and he was not in this game.
• Wins in the playoffs often result from the secondary scoring. The Predators third and fourth lines never really threatened the Hawks net today. They are going to have to pick up their play if the Predators are going to have a chance in this series.
• Regardless of the score, I certainly like the compete level of Craig Smith. he is not afraid to shoot the puck and goes to the hard areas. He picked up 2 assists today and is the leading scorer in this series.
• The Predators definitely need more out of James Neal. Neal has been a non-factor so far in this series.

 The Predators now find themselves in a hole and the Blackhawks have the home ice advantage. How the Predators respond in the critical game 4 will tell fans of the Fang how long this series will go.

My three stars:

1. Jonathan Toews

2. Craig Smith

3. Brandon Saad

Hawks Heartbreaker; Predators Fall In OT

The Nashville Predators are not playing for a spot in the playoffs. They are playing for pride, and in some situations, a roster spot for next season.

So there is a lot still at stake for the Predators, and they had an opportunity to play for pride against the best team in the NHL in the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center.

The Predators had Pekka Rinne in net, while the Hawks went with Corey Crawford.

The game opened with the Blackhawks flying and firing shots at Rinne. The Hawks opened the scoring on the power play as Brent Seabrook cruised down the slot and fired a wrist shot past Rinne.

The mix and match line up of the Predators responded to the opening salvo from the Hawks by scoring the next two goals in Predator fashion.

Kevin Klein pinched in from the blue line and fired a shot at the net that Crawford could not handle cleanly. Matt Halischuk was at the side of the net and was able to poke the puck past Crawford to tie the game at 1.

The Predators took a 2-1 lead as Booby Butler took a shot that Crawford could not control. New call up Kevin Henderson and Chris Mueller banged away at the puck and Henderson was able to shove it under the pads of Crawford to make it 2-1.

Two goals that were scored by going to the dirty areas and doing the hard work to score. Something that had been lacking from the Predators game recently.

The Hawks tied the game at 2 as Brandon Saad muffed a shot but got the puck back under control and beat Rinne glove side.

That was the way the first period ended. The Hawks out shot the Predators 15-8 in the period.

The Hawks made it 3-2 off a 2 on 1 break that began when Sergei Kostitsyn made an errant pass that resulted in Bryan Bickell breaking in with Patrick Kane. Kane was able to beat Rinne five hole for the go ahead score.

Matt Halischuk tied the game at 3 when Victor Bartley spotted Halischuk streaking through the neutral zone and hit him in stride with a beautiful pass. Halishcuk had his initial shot stopped by Crawford but got his rebound and banged the puck past Crawford. Kudos to Bartley for spotting Halischuk and hitting him with a great pass and to Halsichuk for staying with the play after his first shot was blocked.

The second period ended tied at 3 with the Hawks out shooting the Predators 12-9. Rinne made some big saves to keep the Predators in the game.

Perhaps more importantly, the Predators answered the Hawks goal and were playing with jump and determination. This is exactly what this squad has to do to stay in games and have a chance to win.

 The Predators made a gaffe that cost them a goal when Victor Bartley threw the puck to the middle and right onto the tape of Michael Handzus. Handzus ripped a shot from the slot top shelf to beat Rinne and give the Hawks a 4-3 lead.

The Predators once again answered as Shea Weber took a shot that caromed off bodies in front and came back to Bobby Butler, who made no mistake in burying the shot past Crawford to tie the game at 4.

Playing for pride and roster spots, the Predators kept fighting their way back into the game.

With 44 seconds left in the third, Rich Clune took a double minor for high sticking. The Predators were able to kill off the remaining time in regulation, but 51 seconds into the overtime, Marian Hossa scored the game winner to extend the Predators losing streak.

Some observations:

Henderson Helps

Kevin Henderson got his first NHL goal and played a strong game with lots of energy. The 26 year old is a big body and doesn't shy away from the physical game, and his effort in front helped the Predators notch their second goal of the game.

Butler Belongs

Bobby Butler is making a case to be on the roster next season. His game tying goal was a result of driving to the net and being in the right place at the right time. Butler needs to finish out strong to continue to make his case.

Good Jump

The Predators survived some strong pushes by the Hawks at various times during the game. More importantly, they did not quit and had the answer for every Hawks challenge in regulation. This effort is one that the team can use to build upon and should be a boost for their confidence.

Final Thoughts

There is no doubt that the injuries the Predators have suffered have affected their performance. It is not an excuse. Any player that puts on the sweater has to bring it when they step on the ice, and tonight, they did that. No one will feel sorry for them, so lace them up and play, boys. The effort tonight is what it takes to break out of this funk.

You have a few more chances to do that.

My three stars:

1. Marian Hossa

2. Matt Halsichuk

3. Duncan Keith

Predators Hand the Hawks a 5-4 Victory

The Chicago Blackhawks visited the Bridgestone Arena looking for their first regulation win against the Nashville Predators.

They got it courtesy of some sloppy play by the Predators.

Chicago won the game 5-4 in a wild contest that saw the Hawks jump out to a 4-0 lead only to see the Predators claw their way back and tie the game at 4 in the third period.

Some observations from the game:

Pekka Rinne was in net for the Predators, and he was victimized by the play of the defense in front of him. The Hawks scored the first goal of the game when a centering pass across the top of the crease went off the skate of Hal Gill and past Rinne with the Hawks on the power play.

Chicago had a lead of 1-0 at the end of the first period. The Predators would open the second period a man down as David Legwand was in the box for hooking. The Hawks tallied again on the power play as the Predators defense lost Dave Bolland. Bolland was left alone to take a pass from Marian Hossa and his one timer gave the Hawks a 2-0 lead.

Patrick Kane beat Francis Buillon down the ice and beat Rinne five hole on a breakaway. Another defensive breakdown and another Hawks goal.

Viktor Stalberg once again beat Buillon down the ice and scored off the rebound of his shot to give the Hawks a 4-0 lead.

At this point, the wheels had come off for the Predators and it looked like the Hawks were going to exact a measure of revenge for the 6-1 drubbing the Predators had put on the Hawks in their last meeting.

Up to this point, the Predators had not been able to rattle Corey Crawford, although their had been a good deal of traffic and activity by the Predators in front of Crawford. Crawford even got some punches in on Paul Gaustad when he was checked into Crawford in the first period. Crawford still looked in control, and the Predators were having a difficult time solving him.

That changed when the Predators kept firing pucks at the net and getting traffic in front of Crawford.

The Predators made it 4-1 at 9:29 of the second period when Marty Erat tallied on the power play. It was a simple play, as Erat took a shot from the slot with traffic in front and the screened Crawford never saw the shot.

Just under a minute later, Shea Weber notched the first of his two goals on the night with a wrist shot from the blue line that beat Crawford. Once again, there was traffic in front and Crawford could not pick up the puck.

In the third period, the Predators pulled within one as Alexander Radulov split Brent Seabrook and Sean O'Donnell and beat Crawford with a sweet backhand move at 4:38.

Shea Weber tied the game on the power play at 7:19 of the third with a blast from the blue line that Crawford never saw. Patric Hornqvist was screening in front and did a great job of taking away Crawford's eyes on the play.

Tied at 4, this was a game the Predators could take. Crawford and more than a few of the Hawks had a deer in the headlights look. Now the Predators needed to score that next goal.

Instead, it was the Hawks that tallied when Brent Seabrook scored to give the Hawks the final margin of victory. On the play, David Legwand got beat coming back and Seabrook took a nice pass from Andrew Shaw and beat Rinne with a one timer.

The Hawks are too good of a team to spot 4 goals. The fact that the Predators fought back and had a chance to win the game speaks volumes about their heart, but their play through the first 30 minutes of the contest caused them to expend an enormous amount of energy getting back into the game.

Their undisciplined play, taking 5 penalties and giving up 2 power play goals certainly did not help the effort.

The game winning goal was particularly galling. Legwand did not hustle back and left Seabrook open for the game winner. For a veteran, this play by Legwand was extremely disappointing.

The Predators finished the season series with the Hawks at 4-1-1. With 98 points, they sit one point in front of Detroit and Chicago, who tied the Detroit Red Wings with this win.

This game proved that the Predators can come back against any team. It also proved that they cannot play loose in the defensive zone and expect to win any game.

The Predators have 3 games remaining, and those 6 points are going to be important for the final seeding in the West. The Predators have to go out and capture those points.

And not hand any games to their opponents.

My three stars:

1. Shea Weber

2. Brent Seabrook

3. Ryan Suter