Predators Drop the Final (Meaningless) Game of the Year to the Stars 3-2

The Nashville Predators finished the regular season with a stop at Dallas to take on the Stars. For the Predators, the game meant nothing. In fact, Pekka Rinne, Mike Ribeiro, Mike Fisher, Shea Weber, and Roman Josi did not make the trip.

The game was certainly meaningful for the Stars, however. Win and they have a chance to clinch the top spot in the Central.

After going up 2-0 on goals by Ryan Ellis and Calle Jarnkrok, the Predators gave up a hat trick to Jason Spezza to fall 3-2.

This game was...blah.

It meant nothing, and the best thing about it was that the Predators got out healthy.

Other than that, just...meh.

Of note, Craig Smith, Filip Forsberg, and James Neal played all 82 games for the Predators.

There is not much else to mention about this game.

A full playoff preview will come next week.

Predators Blow 2 Goal Third Period Lead, Fall In SO to the Sharks

The Nashville Predators went into the second intermission of their game with the San Jose Sharks at Bridgestone Arena with a 2-0 lead. They built that lead by attacking the Sharks and keeping them off balance, forechecking aggressively and not letting the Sharks get into any offensive flow.

All they needed to do to end a 3 game losing streak was to continue to do those same things over the last 20 minutes.

Easy, right?

Well, nothing is easy with the Predators.

They decided to sit back and go into a shell over the last 20 minutes, and it allowed Tomas Hertl to score twice forcing the game to OT.

Predator fans know all too well that OT is a disaster for this team.

The good news...the Predators didn't lose in OT.

The bad news...the Predators lost in a shootout 1-0 to drop a 3-2 decision that they never, NEVER, should have lost.

Shea Weber opened the scoring for the Predators with a rocket from the blue line over the shoulder of James Reimer to give the Predators a 1-0 lead.

The Predators looked to have made it 2-0 on the power play as the period was winding down, but the goal was deemed to have occurred just a split second after the period expired.

The Predators would make it 2-0 in the second period as Calle Jarnkrok redirected a James Neal shot past Reimer to send the Predators into the second intermission with a lead that should have stood.

Instead, the Predators sat back and let the Sharks dictate play. Hertl made it 2-1 when he banged in a rebound past Carter Hutton.

Hertl struck again when he was able to beat Hutton off a rebound of a Brent Burns shot.

The teams went to OT, and the Predators managed to kill off a penalty and hold the Sharks off the board.

In the shootout, Logan Couture was the only scorer to seal the win for the Sharks.

Some observations:

• The Predators are certainly not inspiring a sense of confidence heading into the playoffs. Yes, they are in the playoffs, but this team should be sharpening their game. Instead, they are just muddling along, and I am afraid they are not going to be able to flip a switch and turn their game back on when the post season gets here. Sloppy play, defensive breakdowns, and a lack of mental focus are troubling. Hopefully, this team gets its act together in the last 3 games.
• Stefan Elliott saw action in his second game due to the absence of Ryan Ellis. Elliott looked much better in this game- more confident and positionally sound. Good experience for Elliott.
• Roman Josi picked up an assist on Weber's goal, his 45th of the year.
• The Predators continued their awful play in the face off dot, winning only 29% of their draws. This is an area of the Predators game that has to improve quickly.

This team has shown flashes of being outstanding, yet they have also shown glimpses of mediocrity. Until they decide to get consistent and elevate their game, I will not be confident in their prospects in the playoffs.

There are 3 regular season games left, boys.

Time to get your act together.

My three stars:

1. Tomas Hertl

2. Logan Couture

3. Carter Hutton

Predators Pummel Columbus 5-1

The Nashville Predators are playing for playoff positioning.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are playing out the string.

That was never more evident at the Bridgestone Arena as the Predators demolished the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-1.

James Neal, Mattias Ekholm. Craig Smith, Shea Weber, and Calle Jarnkrok tallied for the Predators. Boone Jenner notched the lone goal for the BJ's.

Joonas Korpisalo faced a barrage of shots from the Predators, including a franchise record 27 in the first period. He got little help from his teammates, who mustered only 19 shots for the game.

Pekka Rinne had time to listen to his iPod, read a book, and write a couple of notes as the BJ's threatened only once in the game, and that was a goal from Boone Jenner as he poked a rebound past Rinne before the defense could get back into position.

Some observations:

• This was as complete game by the Predators. Defensively, the Predators took away any quality scoring chances by the BJ's. Offensively, the Predators attacked all night, pouring shots on net. They played disciplined hockey, taking only 2 penalties on the night and killing them both. Perhaps the most heartening aspect of the Predators game was that they attacked all night, never letting their foot off the gas. Too often, we have seen the Predators get a lead and go into a shell. Not tonight. The attack mode was going for a full 60 minutes.
• I know it is easy to say this was the BJ's and that they have nothing to play for, but I would strongly disagree. These players are playing for contracts and ice time, not to mention pride. Think this type of game doesn't hurt? Think pride and egos weren't bruised? The BJ's have a talented core that has yet to gel (for whatever reason), but they are NHL'ers and they have pride and the self interest to impress their coach or some other NHL team. So yes, there was something to play for on the BJ side of the ice.
• Since February 12, the Predators have logged more points (33) than any other team in the NHL. The team has gone 14-2-5 during that stretch.
• All time, Nashville is 54-19-7 against the BJ's, including a 32-5-4 mark at the Bridge.
• Roman Josi picked up 3 assists to set a franchise mark for assists by a defenseman.
• Shea Weber's power play goal moved him to second all time in goals for the franchise. Weber's 18th goal of the season gives him 164 for his career, moving him past Marty Erat (163) into second place. behind David Legwand (210).
• James Neal scored the first goal of the game with a perfectly placed shot to give him 30 goals for the season. The last time the Predators had two 30 goal scorers was 2005-06 when Steve Sullivan and Paul Kariya accomplished the feat.
• The Predators were only 35% in the face off dot tonight. They can get away with that against a team in the BJ's position. They cannot against a playoff team.
• The game against the Canucks on Thursday was a slog. Tonight, the Predators came out with jump and out skated the BJ's all night. When the Predators are skating and playing with jump, they are a deadly team that can create all sorts of problems for the opposition.
• I continue to like the play of Viktor Arvidsson. The Aardvark creates with his speed and puts all kinds of pressure on the opposing D with his pressure and speed. He HAS to get stronger, but the Aardvark is quietly becoming a player that is creating problems for the defenders he faces.

Solid win by the Preds, a win that showed they can be not only explosive but can surgically take apart an opponent. It will get tougher against some desperate opponents, but this team is gelling and playing some great hockey at the right time.

Now to keep it up.

My three stars:

1. Roman Josi

2. James Neal

3. Shea Weber

Johansen and Neal Carry the Predators to 4-2 Victory Over the Islanders

The Nashville Predators returned home to the friendly confines of Bridgestone Arena and showed themselves to be less than gracious hosts to the New York Islanders. The Predators dispatched the Islanders 4-2 for their second win in a row and their 4th win in their last 6 games.

James Neal, Ryan Ellis, Ryan Johansen, and Austin Watson (empty netter) tallied for the Predators. Ryan Pulock notched his first NHL goal and Brock Nelson finished the scoring for the Islanders.

Neal and Johansen each had a goal and an assist.

Neal gave the Predators a 1-0 lead going into the first intermission, taking a nice feed from Calle Jarnkrok and burying a shot from the slot past Thomas Greiss.

Pulock tied the game with a shot from the blue line that Pekka Rinne never saw until it hit the back of the net to tie the game.

Ryan Ellis scored with a laser while the Predators were on the power play. Ellis deposited the shot under the crossbar with Mike Fisher in front screening Greiss.

Ryan Johansen took a lead pass from Anthony Bitetto and skated in alone on Greiss. RyJo fired a wicked wrist shot over the glove of Greiss into the top corner to make it 3-1.

Nelson was able to get a shot past Rinne, who got most of the puck but it leaked under his arm and over the goal line to make it 3-2 going into the second intermission.

The only scoring in the third was an empty net goal from Watson with just under a minute remaining.

Some observations:

• Great vision and on ice awareness from Calle Jarnkrok to set up the Predators first goal. He drew three isles defenders to him and was able to spot Neal and hit him with a perfect backhand pass. The Real Deal made no mistakes in whistling a wrist shot past Greiss.
• Neal has been on fire recently, tallying 21 (12G-9A) points in his last 28 games. He has 4 goals in his last 2 games and has recorded at least one point in 10 of his last 11 games against the Islanders (7G-9A). 
• With 2 points tonight, Neal now has 398 career points.
• The Predators took no penalties tonight.
• The Islanders took one penalty for the game, and the Predators power play converted (huge sigh of relief) on their opportunity with the man advantage.
• The Predators are 12-7-2 all time against the Islanders. They are 8-3-0 against the Isles at Bridgestone Arena.
• Both goalies made some very good saves tonight. Rinne had to scramble in the second period as the Islanders stepped up their game and brought some good pressure. I can't fault him on the Pulock goal that made its way through a maze of bodies, but the Nelson goal should have never happened. Greiss faced considerably more pressure than Rinne in the first period especially, and he made some very good saves, including a spectacular save on a Ryan Ellis backhand from the slot.
• The Predators offense never stopped coming, though. The Ellis goal was a blast just under the crossbar. Johansen's goal was a pure goal scorer's goal, over the glove and into the top corner. I like the fact that the Predators keep coming with the pressure. This is the formula for success for this team.
• The Predators did an exceptional job most of the night of disrupting the Isles breakouts. Their forecheck and pressure in the neutral zone negated the speed of the Islanders and made it difficult for their potent offense to find rhythm and space. How effective were they? They held the Islanders to 2 shots on goal in the third period, and for the game, they out shot the Islanders 32-22.
• The Predators have 1 regulation loss in their last 17 games (11-1-5).

This was a solid win against a very good team. It should give the Predators confidence that they can own the ice at home. They will need to do so if they are to have continued success.

The Predators improved to 36-22-13, good for 85 points. They are 4th in the Central and sit 3 points behind the Blackhawks for 3rd.

They will get an opportunity to close that gap tomorrow night in Washington.

My three stars:

1. Ryan Johansen

2. James Neal

3. Ryan Ellis 

Neal's Hat Trick Leads the Predators to A 3-2 Win Over the Oilers

The Nashville Predators wrapped up 2 weeks on the road with a stop at Rexall Place to take on the Edmonton Oilers. The Predators 14 game point streak was stopped in their last game, a 4-2 loss to the Canucks, and the Predators were looking to get back to the win column to maintain their lead in the Western Conference Wild Card race.

James Neal would carry the Predators to the 3-2 win, scoring all of the Predators goals.

Jordan Eberle and Neal tallied in the first period to send the teams into the first intermission tied at 1. Eberle scored after a turnover by the Predators and was set up by Connor McDavid. Eberle redirected a perfect pass from McDavid in the low slot. Neal tallied off a head man pass from Anthony Bitetto for a breakaway goal.

Iiro Pakarinen took advantage of a broken stick of Mattias Ekholm to make it 2-1 early in the second period, taking a centering pass that Matty Ek could not defend, lifting a shot that floated over the shoulder of Pekka Rinne.. That goal was immediately answered by Neal, who notched his second goal from outside the face off circle with a shot through traffic that beat Laurent Brossoit to tie the game at 2.

Neal would strike again in the third period for his third goal of the game with a wicked wrist shot to give the Predators a 3-2 lead.

The Predators would hold off the Oilers with Brossoit pulled for the extra attacker for the final 1:23. Shea Weber was in the box for the final 12 seconds to give the Oilers a 6 on 4 advantage, but the Predators defenders and Rinne were solid and secured the 3-2 win.

Some observations:

• After being a healthy scratch for the last 5 games, Barret jackman drew back into the line up. Petter Granberg was a scratch.
• Connor McDavid was in the line up for the Oilers, having missed the last contest between the two team with a broken collarbone.
• A brutal turnover by Shea Weber led to the Oilers first goal. Those are the types of plays this team has to clean up or they will be haunted by them in the remainder of this season.
• Nice pass from Anthony Bitetto to spring James Neal for the Predators first goal. Bitetto had his head up and put the pass right on the tape of Neal's stick. Neal's first period goal was his 24th of the season.
• Neal carried the Predators offensively, picking up a hat trick. His goals came off his wickedly quick release that left Brossoit with no chance on the shot. When Neal is on, he is a handful for the opposing defense, and he was on tonight.
• Pekka Rinne had to make some big saves, especially in the second period as the Predators gave up several odd man rushes and breakaways. Indicative of the sloppy play and turnovers by the Predators that gave a dangerous group of forwards from the Oilers some good scoring chances.
• The third period saw the Predators defense settle down and do a better job of limiting the quality scoring chances by the Oilers. They were especially good at disrupting the Oilers speed coming through the neutral zone.
• The Predators PK continues their excellent play, killing all 3 of the Oilers power play chances. The PK unit has killed 18 straight power plays.
• The Predators power play continues to struggle, going 0-2 and not generating any quality chances. Gotta improve this area, boys. 
• Calle Jarnkrok has continued to blossom on the first line. He plays in all situations and gives the Predators quality minutes and lots of jump. He picked up 2 assists tonight.
• The Predators picked up 7 out of a possible 10 points on this 5 game road trip.

This game was not pretty by any stretch, but it was a good win against a team that has explosive offensive potential. It is especially heartening to see the team bounce back after the dud of a game against Vancouver.

Kudos to James Neal, who put the team on his back and provided all the offense the Predators would need. It is important to have contributions from all lines and all players, and Neal was superb tonight with his second hat trick as a Predator.

The Preds return home to take on the Islanders on Thursday.

Time to keep piling up the points.

My three stars:

1. James Neal

2. Pekka Rinne

3. Calle Jarnkrok

Predators Slam the Stars 5-3

The Nashville Predators continued their torrid play of late, demolishing the Dallas Stars 5-3 at Bridgestone Arena.

The Predators have recorded a point in 10 straight games, tying a team record. The Predators are 7-0-3 in their last 10 games.

The Predators got on the board first as Craig Smith tallied his 15th goal of the season from the top of the crease, beating Antti Niemi, who could not control the rebound.

The Stars would tie the game just 10 seconds later as Antoine Roussel would beat Anthony Bitetto off the boards to stuff the puck between Pekka Rinne's skate and the post.

The teams would head into intermission tied at 1 but with the talented Stars holding a decided territorial and shot advantage.

That would change in the second period as the Predators would light up Niemi for 3 goals and chase him from the game.

Calle Jarnkrok showed some amazing hands to re-direct a James Neal Shot past Niemi to make it 2-1.

Shea Weber unleashed a blast from the blue line that Niemi is still looking for to make it 3-1. Weber's power play goal was his 16th of the season.

Mattias Ekholm slid a backhander past Niemi to end his night and make it 4-1 for the Predators.

The Stars cut the lead to 4-2 late in the second period with a 5 on 3 power play goal by Jason Spezza.

In the third period, James Neal extended the lead to 5-2 with a shot placed short side between the pads of Kari Lehtonen.

Vern fiddler would end the scoring with a goal from the point through traffic for the final margin of 5-3.

Some observations:

• The Predators welcomed back Shea Weber, who had missed the last 3 games with a lower body injury. Weber lasered a blast from the blue line that just blew past Niemi for a goal. He also picked up 2 assists on the night. He laso unleashed a blast from the face off circle that caused a brief delay as the shot hit Lehtonen in the...uh...man parts. Lehtonen stayed in the game but was in obvious discomfort. It is no wonder that opponents don't want to get in front of Weber's shot when he loads it up.
• Weber's goal tonight gives him 162 for his career. he is one goal away from tying Martin Erat (163) for second all time for the Predators. Weber has 182 points on the power play (78G-104A) to tie Kimmo Timmonen for first all time in power play points.
• Balanced scoring and contributions from throughout the line up, and that is what it takes to win games in this league. The Predators forwards were flying on the forecheck and had good break outs that created some scoring chances. As Ryan Johansen said after the game, this team is getting a sense of swagger and it shows.
• This was the 12th time this season that the Predators have scored 5 or more goals.
• Craig Smith has been playing some very good hockey lately. He is moving his feet, going to the front of the net, and battling in tough areas for the puck. And he has been rewarded for his efforts. He has 9 points (4G-5A) in his last 11 games.
• The Predators are 6-1-2 in their last 9 home games against the Stars. The last time the Stars won in regulation in Bridgestone Arena was April 12, 2013.
• The Predators were 53% in the face off circle.

A strong game by the Predators against a very good Stars team. A balanced attack and, for the most, some solid defense led to this win. Even though Rinne gave up 3 goals, I can't fault him on the 5 on 3 marker and the Fiddler goal through traffic. His confident play has flowed through this squad and it is translating to wins on the ice.

In the ultra competitive West, the Predators will need to keep it rolling.

My three stars:

1. Shea Weber

2. James Neal

3. Craig Smith

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

Predators Swamp the Sharks 6-2

The first 10 minutes of the first period of the Nashville Predators game against the San Jose Sharks at Bridgestone Arena was all Sharks and saw the Predators register just 2 shots on goal. Pekka Rinne was outstanding, keeping the Sharks off the board with some great saves, but the Predators offense needed to get going.

It finally did on their third shot of the period.

Ryan Johansen sent a spinning backhand pass from behind the net to James Neal in the slot, and Neal unleashed that wickedly quick wrister to beat Martin Jones five hole to give the Predators a 1-0 lead.

That goal opened the door for the Predators as they cruised to a 6-2 victory.

Viktor Arvidsson scored twice. Calle Jarnkrok scored from the slot with a shot that just overpowered Martin Jones, glancing off his glove and into the net. Filip Forsberg added a shorthanded goal and Shea Weber finished the scoring for the Predators with an empty netter.

The Sharks got power play goals from Joe Thornton and Logan Couture for their goals.

Some observations:

• Pekka Rinne was outstanding tonight. The first 12 minutes of the first period saw the Predators get out skated and trapped in their zone. Rinne made some great saves to keep the Sharks off the board and from seizing momentum. The Predators were outshot 9-1 in the first 10 minutes and had some quality scoring chances, but Rinne made some athletic saves and his work in net seemed to settle down the Predators as they started to geneerate some offense. If Rinne had not been sharp the Predators would have been blown out of the barn. The two power play goals he gave up were just on great plays by the Sharks and there was really nothing more he could do after making some good saves. Credit this win to the effort of Rinne.
• Calle Jarnkrok drew first line action on a wing with Johansen and Neal, and he had a a strong game. Head Coach Peter Laviolette  has been searching for a winger that can slot in on that first line and Jarnkrok has made a strong case to be that player. His shot from the slot was gloved by Jones but was so strong it bounced out and trickled over the goal line. Hopefully Jarnkrok is that player that can solidify the first line wing spot that has been in flux. He made a solid case for that tonight.
• Viktor Arvidsson spent a lot of time getting knocked on his ass tonight. I commented to a friend at the game that the Aardvark has to get stronger to play consistently at this level. But wow, when he gets some open ice he can be very dangerous. He showed that as the game went on, first with a beautiful top shelf goal and then with a move that turned Jones inside out. The aardvark has shown some signs of explosiveness and he needs some space to be a difference maker. His hustle and effort are exemplary, and it was good to see him find the back of the net. This was Arvidsson's first multi point game of his career.
• Filip Forsberg recorded 2 assists and a shorthanded goal for his 102 points for his career. Forsberg plays a lot of quality minutes as well as time on the PK and has shown that he is going to be an elite player in this League. Forsberg recorded his second 3 point game of the season. Of the 2012 draft class, Forsberg, Nail Yakupov, and Alex Galchenyuk have recorded 100 points.
• Mike Ribeiro played in his 1000th NHL game tonight. Ribeiro celebrated by picking up 2 assists.
• The Predators are 9-2-2 against the Pacific Division this season.
• Ryan Johansen's 2 assists gives him 13 points in 13 games with the Predators.
• Weber's empty net goal was his 14th goal of the season.

This was a quality win against a very good Sharks team. The Sharks have 17 road wins this season and lead the NHL in road victories, so the Predators captured a much need and quality win against a very competitive opponent.

The Predators started very slowly, and this is the kind of start that the Predators cannot have.  Fortunately, Rinne kept them in the game until the team got its skating legs going.

The Predators have shown they can compete against some of the best teams in the League.

Now they need to do it consistently.

My three stars:

1. Viktor Arvidsson

2. Filip Forsberg

3. Ryan Johansen

Predators Lack Urgency and Effort, Get Shelled By the Flyers 6-3

The Nashville Predators need points. They wasted a great opportunity to pick up 2 points against the Philadelphia Flyers at Bridgestone Arena by playing a half-hearted game and dropping a critical contest by a 6-3 score.

Wayne Simmonds scored twice and the Flyers added goals by Matt Read, Brayden Schenn, and two goals by Claude Giroux, the last an empty netter.

Ryan Johansen, Calle Jarnkrok, and Shea Weber scored for the Predators.

Some observations:

• The Flyers first goal came as the result of a breakaway after a brutal non-call for interference on the Flyers. Michael Raffl skated into two Predators and took them out of the play, allowing Read to skate in an beat Rinne for the first goal of the game. How the officials don't make that call is beyond me, but it is an embarrassment to the League that a call gets blown so badly.
• Simmonds scored on a follow up of his breakaway. Rinne made the first stop, but Simmonds gathered his rebound and tucked it between Rinne's skate and the post. The play was set up when Shea Weber broke his stick and in the process of retrieving another one, Simmonds got behind him for the score.
• The Predators had ample opportunities on the power play, but could only capitalize once off a blast by Weber that he blew past Steve Mason. Other than that score, the Predators power play was inept. They had a 4 minute power play in the first period and generated only 2 shots. The power play is lacking a hard edge and a player that will go to the front of the net and create havoc. Instead, this unit is too content to float and toss the puck around the perimeter. It looks pretty, but is highly ineffective.
• I am going to call the experiment of constant line juggling by Head Coach Peter Laviolette a failure. The constant changes have disrupted chemistry and leaves the forwards looking uncertain and unsettled. I understand the need to mix up line. Occasionally. Not all the time. And the lack of chemistry and cohesiveness among the forwards is hurting this team.
• The Predators lack snarl. This team has no edge and a player that will be a shift disturber. There a re talented and dangerous forwards, but the Predators have players that more often than  not are not going to the hard areas and claiming that ice. This makes them very easy to defend and makes it more difficult to score goals in this time of the season where hard hockey is the norm.
• That said, I like the play of Miikka Salomaki. He is physical and hustles all over the ice. He is by far the most physical forward that the Predators have on their roster. 
• Rinne didn't have an exceptional game, but two breakaways and a perfect pass to Schenn alone at the side of the crease were difficult to stop. He didn't make some outstanding stops but he didn't get a lot of help in front of him either.
• Trailing going into the third period, it was almost inevitable that the Predators would absorb another loss. This team has only won 2 games this season when trailing going into the third period. They are now 2-15-3 when trailing after 2 periods, and that is awful.
• Filip Forsberg will be an elite player. Right now, however, he is on a dry spell and I get the feeling that he is trying to do too much with the puck on his stick. Skating into two or more defenders is usually a formula for turning over the puck, which he did on multiple occasions tonight.
• Forsberg, Mike Ribeiro, and Barrett Jackman were all -3 tonight. 

The Predators are going to need, I believe, 100 points to make the playoffs. With 30 games remaining and 56 points on their ledger, that means the team is going to have to go 22-8 to get to that point total.

The runway is getting short for this team.

Keep playing without a sense of urgency and desperation, and they will run out of runway very quickly.

My three stars:

1. Wayne Simmonds

2. Claude Giroux

3. Calle Jarnkrok

Predators Get Much Needed Win Against the Jets 4-1

The Predators ship has been taking on lots of water in January, recording just 2 victories for the month. To say they desperately needed a win is the understatement of the year.

The Predators got that win against Divisional for Winnipeg with a 4-1 win.

The game didn't start the way that the Predators wanted, as a defensive breakdown led to a breakaway goal by Nick Ehlers to give the Jets a 1-0 lead.

Pekka Rinne would shut down the Jets the rest of the way and the Predators attacked Connor Hellebuyck and the Jets goal for 4 goals.

Ryan Johansen tied the game in the first period with a power play goal. Craig Smith scored a beauty to give the Predators a 2-1 lead at the end of the second period.

James Neal added a third period goal to make it 3-1. Calle Jarnkrok ended the scoring with an empty net goal for the final margin of 4-1.

Some observations:

• Roman Josi played in his 300th game tonight. Josi has by far and away been the Predators best and most consistent player this season.
• Lines and D combos in a blender again. First line of forwards remained the same (Fiala, Johansen, and Neal). Second line was Ribeiro centering Forsberg and Craig Smith. Third Line was Fisher centering Salomaki and Jarnkrok. Petter Granberg drew back in on the blue line and was paired with Mattias Ekholm. Barrett Jackman was paired with Ryan Ellis.
• Cody Bass chucked knuckles with Brad Stuart after Stuart's big hit on Mike Fisher. The scrap started slowly but Bass flattened Stuart with a big right to end the fight. 
• Has the Johansen for Jones trade paid off for the Predators or what? 8 points in 7 games for RyJo and he is showing he was absolutely worth the swap of an up and coming blueliner. Johansen's goal was a workmanlike goal, going to the net and not quitting on the puck before he jammed it past Hellebuyck.
• Welcome back to the score sheet, Craig Smith. A beautiful shot in a small space for his 10th goal of the season. The Predators need to get Smith untracked and finding the net consistently, and hopefully this will open the door for some more goals by the Honey Badger.
• Goodness, the Predators defense has been awfully leaky of late. The first period goal by Ehlers was the result of a forward jetting behind the Preds defense for a breakaway goal, the second in consecutive games allowed by the Predators D corp. Rinne had to be sharp on several occasions as the Jets forwards were roaming almost uncontested through the low slot. The Predators are going to have to tighten up this aspect of their game if they are going to start winning games consistently.
• Petter Granberg picked up his first NHL point with an assist on Craig Smith's goal.
• James Neal has to have one of the most wicked releases in the game. His goal off the face off was a rocket that hit the post and then bounced off the back of Hellebuyck for breathing room for the Predators. Neal's goal was his team leading 17th of the season.
• How good was it to see Pekka get this win. There is no doubt that he has struggled over the past 2 months. Tonight, Pekka looked relaxed in net and was less frenetic than he has been in recent games. He stopped 26 of 27 shots tonight and several of them were very high quality chances.
• The difference in the game tonight? The Predators got the puck deep and attacked the net with traffic in front. That is the simple formula for success for this team, and if they play the way they did tonight, they will have a good opportunity to start consistently winning games. 
• The PK was solid tonight. They killed off all 4 of the Jets power plays. The Preds power play was 1 for 3 tonight, getting their first power play goal in their last 12 attempts on their first power play.

This was a must have, solid game by the Predators. They were strong in all phases and got traffic to the net to challenge Hellebuyck.

Now they have to string together some games just like they played tonight.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Craig Smith

3. James Neal

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 Pick Up First OT Win, Top the Canes 2-1

After getting trucked by the Dallas Stars on New Year's Eve, the Nashville Predators traveled to Raleigh to try to right the ship against the Carolina Hurricanes.

No easy task as the Hurricanes have been playing some excellent hockey in the month of December, while the Predators have sputtered.

The Predators didn't get run out of the building in this one, winning a hard fought 2-1 game that took overtime to decide it.

Victor Rask opened the scoring for the Canes as the Predators defense broke down and allowed him to swoop in uncontested and bang home a rebound that Pekka Rinne gave up.

With the Predators on the PK, Mattias Ekholm took a shot from the blue line that hit and broke Paul Gaustad's stick and fluttered past Eddie Lack to tie the game at 1.

That was all the scoring in regulation and once again the Predators were headed to the black hole known as 3 on 3 OT, where they had never won.

Well, it is a new year and hopefully new luck for the Predators as Mattias Ekholm drove the net and fired a shot over the shoulder for the game winner.


Some observations:

• Cody Hodgson drew back into the line up. Austin Watson was the healthy scratch.
• Calle Jarnkrok faced his cousin, Elias Lindholm, a center for the Hurricanes and a 2013 first round pick.
• The Predators defense has uncharacteristically been breaking down in front of Rinne. The Canes first goal came when Victor Rask cleanly beat Mattias Ekholm to the front of the net to slam home a rebound. Rinne has made some big saves but has gotten very little help from his D recently. Until that trend changes, the Predators are going to continue to give up goals.
• The Predators recorded their second shorthanded goal in the last 3 games. Mattias Ekholm figured on both of those, getting the goal in St. Louis and firing a shot that hit the stick of Paul Gaustad to change direction past Lack. This was Gaustad's first goal of the season.
• It will be criminal if Roman Jois doesn't win the Norris. I defy anyone to show mw an NHL defenseman that has a more complete game than Josi. His play to break up a second period breakaway was stellar and demonstrated his speed and on ice awareness.
• Once again, defensive breakdowns and turnovers resulted in a great scoring chance in the third period by Jeff Skinner. Only a superb save by Rinne kept the Canes off the board. Sheesh...the sloppy play at times by the Preds in the defensive zone is just stunning. Rinne made some amazing saves in the third period to keep the game tied.
• Rinne stopped 27 of 28 shots.
• The Predators power play was 0-4 and rarely looked crisp. The power play has been hot recently and the Predators need to keep that unit rolling.
• In regulation, the Predators won 31 of 60 faceoffs and out hit the Canes 48-27. 
• Carolina out shot the Predators 11-3 in the third period as the Predators had no offensive push at all. For the game, the Canes out shot the Preds 26-20.
• Mattias Ekholm continues to blossom as a complete defenseman. He is a solid, physical presence that is seeing his offensive game grow nicely. I really like his pairing with mini-me Ryan Ellis as they compliment each other well.
• Filip Forsberg picked up the assist on the game winner and nearly had the regulation winner as his wicked wrist shot hit both posts but never crossed the goal line.

This was a nice rebound game after the debacle in Dallas. Rinne was outstanding and the Predators did just enough to win the game.

Now it is time to start stringing together some wins.

A new year, a new game, boys.

My three stars:

1. Mattias Ekholm

2. Pekka Rinne

3. Paul Gaustad

Predators Hang 5 on the Habs In 5-1 Victory

There have been games in the last few weeks where the Nashville Predators outplayed their opponent but came up on the losing end of the scoreboard.

That role was reversed tonight at Bridgestone Arena, where the visiting Montreal Canadiens outshot and outplayed the Predators but came up on the short end of a 5-1 score.

This was the first time the Predators have won back to back games in 4 weeks.

The Canadiens outshot the Predators 36-19 for the game.

The Predators did not record their second shot of the game until 8:40 of the first period, but it was a rocket from Shea Weber that found its way perfectly through a maze of bodies to beat Dustin Tokarski for a 1-0 Predators lead.

The Predators first shot of the second period came 8:22 in with the man advantage, and it was a blast from Roman Josi that hit both posts and fell into the net for a 2-0 Predators lead.

Ryan Ellis gave the Predators a 3-0 lead at 3:08 of the third period as his point shot deflected off a Habs defender and past Tokarski. That goal, the third on just 14 shots, ended Tokarski's night and saw Mike Condon take over the net for the Habs.

Calle Jarnkrok welcomed Condon to the game with a shot from the slot to make it 4-0 for the Predators.

The Habs appeared to have scored midway of the third period, but that goal would be overturned on a challenge from Peter Laviolette as it was deemed that Pekka Rinne had been interfered with trying to make the save.

Montreal would end Rinne's shutout bid with a power play goal by Alex Galchenyuk.

Colin Wilson would score the final goal on an empty netter.

Some observations:

• The Habs dominated play all night, winning puck battles, controlling the boards, and knocking Predators off the puck. It is a testament to the Predators resolve and resilience in hanging in and getting timely scoring to secure the win.
• There is no doubt that the Predators D pair of Shea Weber and Roman Josi are the best in the NHL. These two defenders have combined for 19 goals and 32 assists. Even when teams are trying to take away their space and limit their scoring chances, these guys find a way to score. Weber has 15 points in the month of December, the most by any player in the NHL. 
• Good on Colin Wilson for finally getting his game going. Wilson picked up 2 assists to go along with his empty net goal, his second of the year. Wilson played a solid game, and hopefully this gets him going. Wilson moved up to the second line in an attempt to get his game going, and it was a great call by the coaching staff. 
• I really liked the play of Colton Sissons and Miikka Salomaki. They played some hard minutes and their effort on the forecheck created some disruption for the Habs as well as being solid in the defensive zone. Sissons was also 50% in the face off circle.
• Calle Jarnkrok continues to impress and play some very good hockey. Jarnkrok picked up his 6th goal of the season and has been solid in all zones. Jarnkrok has stepped into the role of first line center and has acquitted himself well in that role.
• You have to realize how much the Canadiens miss the injured Carey Price after watching this game. The inability to make timely saves by Tokarski and Condon cost them this game, because they clearly outplayed the Predators. The Habs have now lost 8 of their last 9 games.
• The Predators have not lost in regulation to the Canadiens at Bridgestone Arena since March 10, 2003. The Predators are 5-0-3 in their last 8 games against the Canadiens.
• The Predators were 1 for 3 on the power play and killed off 2 of 3 Habs power plays.
• The Predators won 31 of 56 faceoffs, good for 55%
• Pekka Rinne was outstanding tonight. He was under pressure all game and kept the Predators in it in the first period while the Habs were bombing shots at the net. If Rinne had not been as sharp as he was, the outcome of this game would have definitely been different. Rinne tracked the puck well and frustrated the Habs with his glove and his athleticism in net. Rinne has looked like the Rinne of old in the last couple of games and that is a huge positive for this team.

Kinda nice to see the tables turned, eh?

Getting outplayed but coming up with a huge win.

Predators fans have too often recently been on the wrong side of that story, but tonight, the roles were reversed and the Predators picked up a much needed win.

Time to enjoy the holidays and come back Saturday and keep the momentum going.

My three stars.

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Roman Josi

3. Shea Weber

Predators Continue to Struggle, Drop 2-1 OT Decision to the Flames.

The Nashville Predators have not won an overtime game this season.

The Calgary Flames have won 7 OT contests.

That trend continued at Bridgestone Arena as the Nashville Predators dropped a 2-1 overtime decision to the Flames.

The Predators continue to struggle, creating lots of shots but few quality scoring chances. The Predators only goal came a first period penalty shot as Cody Hodgson beat Kari ramo with a nice snap shot to the glove side.

The lead held up until midway of the second period as the Predators defense broke down and allowed T. J. Brodie to skate uncontested down the slot where he beat Pekka Rinne over the shoulder to tie the game at 1.

The game remained scoreless, but not for lack of effort by the Flames. Rinne made several great saves to keep the Flames off the board.

The Predators never really challenged Ramo with good scoring chances and the game was headed to OT.

In the extra session, the Predators turned the puck over and Johnny Gaudreau fed the puck to Kris Russell on a 2 on 1 and Russell buried the shot top shelf for the game winner.

Some observations:

• There are a lot of problems with this Predators squad right now. One of them is the lack of a strong presence in front of the net. While the Preds are getting shots, there is rarely good traffic in front of the net . Ramo was spitting out rebounds all night long, but rarely were the Predators in a position to retrieve the puck and put follow up shots on the net. Unless that changes, this team will continue to look good on the stat sheet and bad on the scoreboard.
• Calle Jarnkrok continues to grow in his role as the number one center. He is defensively responsible, has a deft touch with the puck, and is fast becoming the Predators best face off man. He was 10 of 15 in the circle tonight. Jarnkrok is not a true number one, but he is a solid number 2 center and has shown that he is a responsible and solid forward.
• The Predators struggling penalty kill showed up tonight. Granted, the Flames power play has been abyssmal, ranking 30th in the NHL (the Preds PK is 28th), but the Predators killed off a full two minutes of 5 on 3 after Mike Ribeiro took a penalty and James Neal took a stupid penalty for a shot to the head on the continuation of Ribeiro's penalty. The only shot the Flames got during the two man advantage was a spectacular stop by Rinne on the goal line with his pad. Hopefully this effort tonight gives this unit a bit of confidence and gets them on an upswing.
• It is obvious that the Predators forwards are struggling and frankly have lost their mojo right now. The shots are coming, but they are not dangerous. Rebounds are controlled by the defense (see point above) and there is little follow up or traffic to disrupt the opposing netminder. Until that changes, this team is going  to have a hard time scoring goals.

There is noit much to say about this game, or the games over the last 6 weeks. The Predators have shown themselves to at best be a middle of the pack team in the West and they will continue to occupy that position until they have some changes up front.

And in the brutally competitive Central Division, middle of the pack may mean being on the outside looking in when the playoffs roll around.

My three stars:

1. Kris Russell

2. Cosy Hodgson

3. T.J. Brodie

Predators Return the Favor, Dominate the Blackhawks 5-1

The Nashville Predators were dominated by the Chicago Blackhawks in their previous game on Tuesday in Chicago.

They returned the favor tonight, blowing out the Blackhawks at Bridgestone Arena by a 5-1 margin.

The Predators rode 3 first period goals by James Neal, Craig Smith, and Filip Forsberg to a lead that was insurmountable by the Hawks.

After a scoreless second period, Patrick Kane scored on a goal that never should have been allowed as Pekka Rinne was shoved into the net and Kane was able to tap home the puck that was knocked loose.

Leading 3-1 and with the potent Hawks offense attacking, Predators fans had to be nervous.

Those fears were calmed when James Neal beat Scott Darling 5 hole for his second goal of the game and a 4-1 lead.

With the Predators on the penalty kill and Darling pulled for an extra attacker, Eric Nystrom was able to gather in the puck and fire it down ice for the empty net goal.

Pekka Rinne was outstanding, returning to form and making some high quality saves to keep the Hawks from grabbing momentum.

Some observations:

• Paul Gaustad said in his post game comments that the Predators were "pissed" with the way they played in Chicago and wanted to send a message to the Blackhawks. Message delivered. The Blackhawks are a team that the Predators need to surpass in the regular season and if they play like they did tonight, they will accomplish that goal. The Central is so tough, and the Predators need to take care of business in the Division. Games like tonight show that they can do just that.
• The key to the Predators win tonight was their ferocious forecheck. They did a superb job of disrupting the Hawks breakouts and forced 5 giveaways coupled with 8 takeaways. For most of the night, the Predators did not allow the Hawks to get clean breakouts and move through the neutral zone with speed. This forced the Hawks to try to set up in the offensive zone, where the Predators defense did a good job of limiting scoring chances. This is the way that the Predators have to play to win games, and tonight they were on their game.
• That isn't to say that the Hawks didn't have some glorious scoring chances. Pekka Rinne was called upon to make so high quality stops and he rose to the occasion. The Hawks had a slow first period but came on strong in the second and third. The Predators out shot the Hawks 18-7 in the first period. The Hawks out shot the Predators 13-8 in the second and 16-8 in the third.
• The goal that the Hawks scored was off an abominable call (or lack thereof) by the officials. Rinne had secured the puck until he was shoved into the net and the puck squirted loose and Kane was able to score. The lack of consistency by NHL officials is incredible and is a detriment to the game.
• How about that first goal of the game by James Neal? He absolutely undressed Niklas Hjalmarsson to get to the low slot and beat Darling 5 hole. This game was starting like so many others with the Predators attacking the net but having nothing to show for it. Once Neal scored, it was like a great weight was off the shoulders of the Predators and it opened up the offense. Neal has 7 goals in his last 5 games against the Blackhawks.
• Roman Josi picked up an assist tonight to extend his point streak to a careeer high 6 straight games.
• I continue to like the play of Viktor Arvidsson and Calle Jarnkrok. Both Players are playing with great energy and are contributing on both ends of the ice. Both players picked up an assist tonight and are showing they can handle quality mninutes.
• The Hawks have the 5th best power play in the NHL. Tonight, the Predators PK, which has been bad recently, was perfect, killing all 3 Hawks man advantage opportunities.
• The Predators had 1 power play opportunity and they cashed in, with Forsberg chipping a puck between Darling and the post.
• Man it was good to see Craig Smith and Forsberg find the back of the net again. Those guys have to get going consistently and hopefully their play tonight gets them going.
• Smith's goal was odd to say the least. His shot hit several bodies and then Darling. Darling was out of position and couldn't control the rebound, which seemed to move in slow motion before it finally crossed the line.
• The Predators are undefeated (9-0-2) when leading after two periods.

This was a solid game and win for the Predators. It came about because the Predators played their brand of hockey and dictated the play for most of the game.

Now they have to consistently bring that level of play in the next game and start building on this positive momentum.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. James Neal

3. Craig Smith

Josi's Two Power Play Goals Leads the Predators Over the Bruins

The Nashville Predators needed to play a solid game and get a win to boost their confidence and break out of the funk they have been in recently.

The Boston Bruins were just what the Predators needed to accomplish those goals.

Roman Josi had a monster game, scoring two power play goals. Viktor Arvidsson added the game winner in the third period and Carter Hutton made 15 saves as the Predators defeated the Bruins 3-2 at TD Garden.

Down 1-0 off a goal by Kevin Miller, Josi beat Jonas Gustavsson short side top shelf to tie the game.

After Loui Eriksson gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead, Josi struck again on the power play. He stole a clearing attempt by Zdeno Chara and drove the net, turning Gustavsson inside out before burying the puck into a wide open net.

Viktor Arvidsson notched the game winner as he drove in the low slot, got Gustavsson to commit, and then patiently pulled the puck back and slapped it into the open net.

The Predators were able to hold off the Bruins, who had the extra attacker for the final 1:43 of the game to secure the win.

Some observations:

• Man, if the Predators didn't have bad luck, they would have no luck at all. Kevin Miller's shot hits Roman Josi and deflects into the net. Eventually, the Predators puck luck has to change. Doesn't it?
• Roman Josi has as good of a shot as anyone on the team. His power play goal was perfectly placed to the top corner. Josi has to be a serious candidate for the Norris Trophy this season if he continues to play at the level he has in this first quarter of the season. Josi now has a 4 game point streak. His second goal of the game was an absolute beauty, taking the puck into the slot and deking Gustavsson out of his jock.
• The Predators penalty kill continues to struggle. The goal by Eriksson was just too easy as he was alone at the side of the net. Granted, the Bruins have the number one power play in the NHL, but this goal was a cake walk. I don't know why this unit, that has traditionally been in the top 25% of the of the PK units in the NHL, has lost their focus or their mojo or whatever, but it has to be addressed and improved quickly.
• You really wonder how players like Zac Rinaldo are even in the League. He brings nothing to the game except dangerous hits and questionable play.
• Colin Wilson had several good chances in close but could not bury a shot. Look up the definition of "snake bitten" in the dictionary and you will see a picture of Wilson. I do appreciate the fact that the coaches are sticking with Wilson and giving him a chance to get his game on track, but Wilson has to get it going soon. The team needs his production and the only way to get his game going is to play his way out of this brutal slump.
• I continue to like the play of Viktor Arvidsson. You can just see his game continuing to mature and he is willing to go to the tough areas to battle for the puck and get shots on net. The Aardvark was rewarded for his efforts with the go ahead goal in the third period by going to the slot and exhibiting great patience to draw Gustavsson out of the net before potting the goal into the empty net once the Bruins tender was out of position. He has goals in two consecutive games.
• Calle Jarnkrok centered the first line and he played a very solid game. Jarnkrok has quietly grown in his game. He is the Predators leading goal scorer among the forwards since the 1st of November and is very solid in the defensive zone. The Predators definitely won the deal with the Red Wings when they acquired Jarnkrok for David Legwand.
• The Predators were 2-5-2 coming into this game. Needless to say, this was a much needed win.
• The Predators defense did an exceptional job of limiting the Bruins scoring chances, holding them to 17 shots for the entire game. The Predators had 33 shots.
• The Predators were 2 of 7 on the power play. They were able to kill 2 of 3 power play chances by the Bruins.
• 5 of the last 7 goals that the Predators have scored have been by defensemen (Weber with 3; Josi with 2). The other 2 goals? The Aardvark, Viktor Arvidsson.
• Carter Hutton played his best game in a while. He was positionally sound, controlled rebounds, and looked poised in net. Hutton can get scrambly at times, but not tonight. Perhaps most importantly, he didn't give up the goal off the long unscreened shot from the blue line. You certainly can't fault him on the Bruins first goal, a deflection off a Predator that changed direction.

This was a solid 60 minute game by the Predators, one they had to have to try to reverse their fortunes.

Now they have to bring it again in their next game tomorrow night.

My three stars:

1. Roman Josi

2. Viktor Arvidsson

3. Shea Weber

Predators Fall to the Panthers 2-1 In Another Frustrating Loss

The Nashville Predators fell to the Florida Panthers at Bridgestone Arena by a 2-1 margin. Another game where the Predators dominated on the shot counter (33-16) but came up short on the scoreboard.

Quintin Howden opened the scoring for the Panthers as the puck took a funny bounce off a stanchion and caromed to Howden in the middle of the ice. That sent Howden in on a breakaway and he beat Pekka Rinne stick side for a 1-0 Panthers lead.

The Panthers took a 2-0 advantage on the power play as Jonathan Huberdeau got free in the slot and beat Rinne over the shoulder.

The Predators would cut the lead to 2-1 as Roman Josi, driving the net, deflected a shot from Craig Smith past Roberto Luongo.

That was a s close as the Predators could get, although they had a shot that beat Luongo and hit both posts with 30 seconds remaining, but the puck did not cross the goal line.

Some observations:

• The Predators offense was disrupted all night by the forecheck and trap of the Panthers and they could not seem to figure out how to solve it. In game management and adjustments at intermissions have to be made, but it appeared that the Predators made none and  allowed the Panthers to choke down their speed all night.
• The Predators, by contrast, did not forecheck well. Often they dumped the puck in the zone but there were no Predators able to retrieve the puck. Worse yet, the Predators lost puck battles on the boards all night. 
• This was the first game that the Predators played without Mike Fisher. He has been placed on IR and will miss at least 4 games with a lower body injury.
• Calle Jarnkrok moved up to center the second line and played well. He is playing with speed and confidence and you can see his game growing each time he is on the ice. Jarnkrok won 64% of his faceoffs tonight.
• The Predators got away from what brought them a win against the Coyotes in the previous game. Although they had a lot of shots, there was not a lot of traffic in front of Luongo. This is a league where you have to score goals from the hard areas, and tonight, the Predators didn't make much of an effort to get to those hard areas.
• The Panthers blocked 21 shots. The Predators blocked 6.
• This is the first time the Panthers have won a game in Nashville since 1999.
• The Predators PK is a woeful 77% for the season. In the last 10 games, it is 57%. Awful.
• The officiating  did not cost the Predators the game, but the late game embellishment call against James Neal was just embarrassingly bad. When a player is tripped with a stick in his skate blade and falls, that is not embellishment, and the NHL should be ashamed of the lack of integrity in the officials on the ice.
• The Predators are 2-6-2 when they allow the first goal, and they have won only 2 games this season when trailing after two periods.

The Predators are dealing with injuries, and that obviously has an impact on this team. But the fact is that this team is just average right now and outside of Filip Forsberg, lacks a real game changer.

So that means this team is going to have to play gritty hockey that is not fancy but tough.

Time to change, boys.

My three stars:

1. Jonathan Huberdeau

2. Roberto Luongo

3. Roman Josi

Predators Explode Out of Their Slump, Defeat the Coyotes 5-2

The Nashville Predators have been in a slump and have struggled to score goals and get a bit of puck luck.

Through two periods against the Arizona Coyotes at Bridgestone Arena, the struggles looked as if they would continue. The Predators had out shot the Coyotes 27-10 and had hit 5 posts. When they looked at the scoreboard, they trailed 2-1 and looked as if they would not be able to solve Coyotes goalie Mike Smith.

The hockey gods- along with a lot of hard work by the Predators- changed their fortunes in the third period as the Predators exploded for 4 goals en route to a 5-2 victory.

The Coyotes opened the scoring in the first period on the power play as Oliver Ekman-Larsson sent a seeing eye shot through traffic from the high slot that completely eluded Pekka Rinne.

The Predators returned the favor on a power play in the second period as Calle Jarnkrok redirected a slap pass from Shea Weber between the pads of Mike Smith to tie the game at 1.

Late in the second period, Kyle Chipchura outworked the Predators defense to the front of the net and was able to chip the puck past Rinne to send the Coyotes into the second intermission with a 2-1 lead.

That would be all the Coyotes could get past Rinne and it set the stage for the Predators offense to get on track.

Mike Ribeiro stole the puck in the offensive zone and beat Smith from the slot to tie the game.

Filip Forsberg wove his way through the Coyotes defense and worked to some open space in the slot and beat Smith low stick side to give the Predators their first lead of the game at 4:49 of the third period.

Forsberg would take a nice pass from Ribeiro and laser a wrist shot past Smith to make it 4-2.

James Neal iced the game with an empty net goal to give the Predators their final margin of 5-2.

Some observations:

• Big ups to the Predators defense. The Coyotes have shown they can be explosive and have some talented players, including dynamic rookie Max Domi and second year man Anthony Duclair. The Predators defense limited the Coyotes to only 15 shots for the entire game. The Coyotes did not register their first shot on goal until 8:34 of the first period. They had 4 shots in the first; 6 in the second; and 5 in the third. The Predators also blocked 18 shots from the Coyotes.
• I can't fault Rinne for the goals he gave up. The power play was a seeing eye shot that made its way through a maze of bodies, a shot he never saw until it was in the net. The Chipchura goals was just hard work by the Coyotes forward, who worked his way into prime scoring territory and was able to bang the puck past Rinne. Rinne did not have a lot of work, obviously, but he made a spectacular save on Domi in the first period. Domi had an empty net but Rinne was able to reach back with his paddle and sweep the puck off the goal line to keep the Coyotes off the board. Truly a candidate for the save of the year.
• The injury bug hit the Predators hard again as Mike Fisher crashed into the boards early in the second period and looked to have injured a knee. He was barely able to get off the ice and went straight to the locker room. He did not return to the game.
• This game had the makings of another frustrating outing for the Predators. The difference this time, and what swung the game in their favor, was that they kept attacking with traffic to the net. Mike Smith was outstanding through two period, turning away some prime scoring opportunities by the Predators. The Predators were relentless in their attack and kept putting pucks on the net with bodies in front. This is something they have not done consistently when they were in their funk, and hopefully they see how this formula can yield success.
• I really like the play of Calle Jarnkrok. He has stepped up his game and has been flying on the ice and is willing to go to the hard areas. The Predators first goal was a result of Jarnkrok establishing position in the low slot and being able to redirect the Weber pass. Jarnkrok ate up some big minutes after the Fisher injury, playing 25 shifts and logging 20:20 of ice time. He was also 9 of 19 in the face off circle.
• This is only the second time this season that the Predators have won a game when trailing after two periods.
• The Predators are now 6-0-1 in their last 7 games against the Coyotes.
• Shea Weber picked up 3 assists and was a +3 on the night. He led the Predators in TOI with 24:12.
• Filip Forsberg had a team high 8 shots on goal and had 2 goals and an assist.
• Roman Josi blocked a team high 5 shots.
• Colin Wilson was scratched tonight. No word on an injury, but Wilson has been ice cold this season. Cody Bass was called up from Milwaukee and took his place in the line up.
• Another player that stood out to me tonight was Viktor Arvidsson. He was flying all over the ice and his battle level was better than at any time he has been up with the Predators. He won puck battles and kept plays alive. He logged 21 shifts and 18:57 of ice time.

This was a win the Predators really needed. Hopefully it gets their confidence back where it needs to be and they start finding the net consistently.

Busting out of the slump is sweet.

Now we have to overcome injuries and keep it rolling.

My three stars:

1. Filip Forsberg

2. Shea Weber

3. Mike Ribeiro

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