Predators Return the Favor, Defeat the Canadiens in OT

The two best goaltenders in the NHL as well as two of the best teams went head to head at the Bridgestone Arena as the Nashville Predators dueled with the Montreal Canadiens.

In their first meeting, the Canadiens won in overtime.

The Predators returned the favor, defeating the Candiens 3-2 on a Filip Forsberg power play goal.

Forsberg's heroics were set up by a tripping penalty on P.K. Subban for the Predators 5th power play goal of the night.

Mattias Ekholm opened the scoring with a highlight reel goal. Ekholm stole the puck, split the defense and was tripped. Ekholm got up off his belly, got to his knees, and flipped the puck past Carey Price to make it 1-0 for the Predators.

The Candiens came back strong in the second period, scoring twice to take a 2-1 lead. The Predators failed to clear a puck that Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne should have covered. The puck squirted out into the slot and Brendan Gallagher slammed the puck past Rinne to tie the game at 1.

David Desharnais gave the Habs the lead when the Predators defensive coverage broke down. Desharnais was left alone at the side of the net, and P.A. Parenteau found him with a perfect pass. Rinne had no chance as Desharnais banged home the puck into a wide open net.

Ryan Ellis tied the game in the third period when his flip from the blue line hit the ice 10 feet in front of Price. Filip Forsberg was in front screening Price and the puck took a high bounce and into the net over the shoulder of Price for a 2 all score.

In the overtime, Forsberg stole the puck from Subban and was off on a breakaway when Subban tripped Forsberg. On the ensuing power play, Mike Ribeiro mad a nice pass across the slot and Forsberg buried the game winner over an out of position Price.

Some observations:

• Mattias Ekholm scored a beauty of a goal. He stole the puck, split the defense, was tripped, and still had the presence to get his stick on the puck and lift it over Price. That goal was the first goal that Price had given up in 166:10 of play. Ekholm has been solid in the defensive end and has shown some surprisingly good offensive flair. That goal had to lift the Predators as it showed they could score against the best netminder in the NHL.
• Price leads the league with 40 wins. Pekka Rinne is right behind him, picking up his 39th win tonight. Rinne was strong in the net and made some quality saves. Both goals that the Canadiens scored occurred off defensive breakdowns by the team in front of him. The Desharnais goal was especially egregious, as the forward responsible for Desharnais was no where to be found on that scoring play. Rinne was solid and made some very good saves on quality scoring chances by the Habs.
• Ryan Ellis scored his career high 7th goal with what could be charitably called a fluke goal. The puck took a high bounce over the shoulder of Price, but full marks to Ellis for getting it on net and to Forsberg for doing a good job battling in front of the net and screening Price.
• Kevin Fiala, the Predators first round draft choice in 2014, made his NHL debut. He logged 11:25 in ice time and put 3 shots on net. The 18 year old has had quite a year, playing in the Swedish Elite League, the World Junior Championships (representing Sweden), the American Hockey League, and now the NHL. And he is not even close to being old enough to buy a beer.
• Fiala was a call up because Viktor Stalberg was injured in the morning skate. Matt Cullen was also scratched. No word on his status.
• With the win, the Predators are now 14-8 in overtime.
• Colin Wilson picked up an assist on the goal by Ryan Ellis, his 100th assist.
• Mike Ribeiro had 2 assists, giving him 497 for his career.
• Filip Forsberg picked up his 22nd second goal of the season with his overtime tally. This was his 6th game winning goal of the year.
• This is the first time that the Predators have won back to back games since February 22nd and 24th.
• Props to the Predator fans. Tonight's sellout crowd was the 26th of the season, setting a franchise record.
• Although the game winning goal came on the power play, the Predators power play unit continues to struggle. They were 1-5 tonight and often had trouble just entering the zone. The Predators are going to have to get the power play fixed and become more of a threat with the man advantage or it is going to bite them in the ass in the remainder of the season and in the playoffs.
• The Predators were 60% in the faceoff circle. Mike Fisher led the way, winning 16 of 20 draws.
• The Predators out shot the Canadiens 31-29.

The Predators sit 1 point behind St. Louis and Anaheim with 98 points and 4 points ahead of Chicago. With the point tonight, the Canadiens are the first team in the NHL to reach 100 points.

It doesn't get any easier for the Predators as they will have a 2 game roadie with Tampa Bay and Washington, two teams that will look to avenge earlier season losses to the Predators.

Play like you did tonight and you can win those games, boys.

My three stars:

1. Filip Forsberg

2. Pekka Rinne

3. Carey Price

Predators Start Strong, Can't Finish in OT Loss to the Canadiens

The Nashville Predators dominated the first 40 minutes of their game with the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Center.

Unfortunately, it is a 60 minute game, and in this case, an overtime period as well, as the Canadiens defeated the Predators 2-1 in overtime.

Mike Ribeiro redirected a Seth Jones shot from the blue line over the shoulder of Carey Price to give the Predators a 2-1 lead in the second period.

Alex Galchenyuk tied the game on the power play in the third period as he redirected a P.K.Subban shot from the point past Carter Hutton.

Tied at the end of regulation, the game headed to overtime, and in the extra period, a weak tripping call on Craig Smith gave the Habs a power play.

On the 4 on 3 man advantage, P.K. Subban scored on a blast from the face off circle for the game winner.

Some observations:

• The Predators out shot the Canadiens 14-4 in the first period and looked like the...well, Predators. After a lifeless game against Detroit, one wondered what Predators team would show up tonight. The first period saw the Preds get pucks to the net and aggressively forecheck, disrupting any offensive flow of the home team.
• The Predators did a great job of blocking shots and passes, frustrating the Canadiens offense. When you have a goalie that has struggled and may be lacking a bit in confidence, playing outstanding defense in front of him and keeping pucks from getting to the net are essential. The Predators blocked 19 shots tonight.
• Now that those first two positive points have been made, here is the negative. The Predators didn't finish some glorious scoring chances. Part of that was the play of Carey Price. Part of it is just not finishing. The forwards worked hard to create those chances and they have to bury when them have the opportunity.
• I really liked the play of Gabriel Bourque. He played with lots of jump and was strong in all zones. Maybe playing in his home province brought out another level of play. Bourque and his line mates, Calle Jarnkrok and Matt Cullen, played with speed and created some chances tonight.
• Carter Hutton made some huge saves tonight. He wasn't tested often in the first 40 minutes, but he had to come up with a big save late in the second period and was challenged in the third  when the Canadiens started their push. Hutton played with confidence and moved well in net. He was screened on the game winning shot and didn't have much of a chance.
• Carey Price is an excellent goalie. The Predators threw a ton of shots at the net and Price was equal to the challenge. He is similar to Pekka Rinne- big and very athletic and turned away some very good scoring chances by the Predators. 
• The Predators out shot the Habs 37-27.
• Shea Weber led the Predators in TOI with 27:34.
• Seth Jones had a solid game, logging 23:31 in ice time and recording an assist on the Ribeiro goal. Jones started slowly this season but is starting to hit his stride, and that has to continue after the All Star break.
• This is the first time this season that the Predators have dropped back to back games.

This was a disappointing loss for the Predators, a game that got away after dominating play for two periods.

Now is the time for some rest and come back ready for the push to the playoffs.

My three stars:

1. Carey Price

2. P. K. Subban

3. Seth Jones

Predators Slow Start Costs Them In OT Loss to the Habs

The Nashville Predators stumbled out of the gate at the Bridgestone Arena, falling behind 3-0 in the first period to the Montreal Canadiens and looking as if they were going to be embarrassed in front of the home crowd.

After waiting 20 minutes to begin playing hockey, the Predators clawed their way back into the contest, tying the game at 3 and forcing overtime.

How did we get there?

It was all Habs in the first period. P.K. Subban got loose in the high slot and blistered a shot past Marek Mazanec to make it 1-0 at 11:30 of the first period.

Max Pacioretty drove around Kevin Klein like he was anchored to the ice and beat Mazanec with a backhand at 13:20.

Tomas Plekanec re-directed a Brain Gionta shot at 14:37 to make it 3-0 Habs.

The Predators had given up only 5 shots to this point in the game. The problem was that the Canadiens had scored on 3 of those shots. That meant that Mazanec was done and Carter Hutton entered the game.

Hutton was solid in regulation, stopping all 17 shots he faced.

The Predators began to work and skate in the second period, and their efforts were rewarded as Gabriel Bourque to a pass from Matt Cullen and roofed a shot over Canadiens netminder Carey Price to make it 3-1 at 11:51 of the second.

Nick Spaling tallied on the power play at 18:09 of the second. Spaling was alone at the side of the net when he re-directed a slap pass from Shea Weber.

In the third period, the Predators tied the game at 3 on the power play as Shea Weber snuck into the low slot. Mike Fisher found him with a nice pass through the box and Weber buried a quick wrist shot at 13:40 of the third period.

The effort by the Predators over the final two periods of regulation was solid. They out shot the Canadiens 26-14, including a 20-6 shot advantage in the second period.

That effort was for naught, however, as in overtime Mattias Ekholm had the puck stripped away from him by David Desharnais in the defensive zone. Desharnais blew a shot from the face off circle past Hutton for the game winning goal on the Habs only shot in over time for the 4-3 victory.

Some observations:

• Brutal. That is the only way to describe the outing by Mazanec. While the re-directed shot by Plekanec was unstoppable, Mazanec has to make the save on the first two goals he allowed. The stoppable goals that are allowed makes the hill that much steeper for this team, and the play of both Mazanec and Hutton has to be more consistent.

• Brutal, part II. Ekholm cannot turn the puck over in the defensive zone. Desharnais is quick, but Ekholm just needed to use the boards and clear the puck out of the zone. He was guilty of over handling the puck, and it cost the team.

• Seth Jones took a puck to the side of his face in the second period. A hard shot from the point hit a stick and ramped up and caught Jones. This didn't look good at all and he did not return to the game.

• The power play has started to become more productive. There is more movement and players are getting into better shooting position. The power play needs to continue to score goals for the Predators to have success.

• Five on five is another story. The Predators had some good scoring chances and could not finish. In the first period, Viktor Stalberg hit the post twice. Often, Predator forwards had good scoring chances and shot the puck into the logo on Price's sweater.

• I liked the play of Viktor Stalberg. As mentioned, he created some scoring opportunities and hit the post twice. He showed good jump and puck possession all night. Say it with me... he has to finish.

• The Predators are not good enough to take a period off. Coming out and playing poorly in the opening period created a huge hole from which the team had to overcome. This team has to play a full 60 minutes or more often than not, they will wind up on the short end of the score.

The Predators continue to struggle to find consistency. After winning three straight, they have now dropped three straight.

Realistically, this is a team that will not make the playoffs. Their goal now should be to improve their play in all phases of the game.

And try to be consistently better.

My three stars:

1. David Desharnais

2. Shea Weber

3. Carey Price

Predators Pick Up First Road Win, Defeat the Canadiens 2-1

The Nashville Predators began a three game road trip in Montreal looking for their first road win of the season while facing a Canadiens team that is fast and talented.

Mission accomplished.

The first period was a fast paced, penalty filled period that saw the Predators capitalize on one of their four power play opportunities. P. K Subban was in the box for tripping when Ryan White cleared the puck over the glass to give the Predators 39 seconds of 5 on 3. Subban had just exited the box when Shea Weber attempted a cross crease pass that hit Montreal defenseman Josh Georges and caromed into the net past Canadiens netminder Carey Price. Weber's second goal of the season came at 12:31 of the first period.

The Predators out shot the Canadiens 14-6 in the first period thanks to the power play opportunities.

The Predators opened the second period with good jump and had some quality opportunities on the power play  and at even strength but could not bury their shots.

The Canadiens tied the game at 1 at 7:02 of the second as they sent traffic to the net. Pekka Rinne made two stops close in but Brendan Gallagher gathered in a loose puck in the crease and banged it past Rinne.

The Predators kept up the pressure in the second period, out shooting the Canadiens 16-11, but failed to finish on their chances.

Montreal opened the third period swarming the Predators net and was awarded a goal after a furious goal mouth scramble. The play went to review and it showed that Rinne had covered the puck and it did not cross the goal line. For once, the Predators had caught a break after a review from the war room in Toronto.

The Predators would be shorthanded, however, as David Legwand was called for cross checking on the play. Fortunately, the Predators were able to kill the penalty.

The Predators flirted with disaster in the third period, taking three penalties and putting the potent Canadiens power play on the ice. The Predators PK unit came up big, killing all penalties.

The Predators took a 2-1 lead at 18:33 as David Legwand worked a nice give and go with Seth Jones. Jones passed to Legwand on the half board and fed a pass to Jones who was driving the net. Jones beat Price from just inside the face off circle with a nice wrist shot over the blocker.

The Predators defense made that goal stand up for the win.

Some observations:

• Remember when the Predators wouldn't shoot the puck? The Predators out shot the Canadiens 37-29 and were pouring shots on net. Lacking elite goal scorers, this team has to shoot the puck and go hard after rebounds. They have been doing that this season, and this is how they are going to have to play to win games.

• Seth Jones has been solid on the blue line, but he has some very good offensive skills. His goal was a thing of beauty, as he drew the puck back away from the defender and scored off a well placed wrist shot. Jones showed good instincts in jumping into the play and more importantly was able to finish the chance.

• Rinne was very solid. he made some good, scrambling saves when the Canadiens were putting pressure on the net. As goes Rinne, so goes this team.

• The Predators were without Mike Fisher, who was out of the line up with a lower body injury.

• Still waiting for Viktor Stalberg to show up. Once again, he had 10:29 of ice time, the lowest of any Predator that dressed, and has yet to get on the score sheet.

• The Predators PK was outstanding. They killed all five man advantage opportunities by the Canadiens and their play helped to keep Montreal from seizing momentum in a very tight game.

• While the PP did score on one opportunity, this unit has to improve. They are showing some positives, but too often, there is no motion and they are too easy to defend.

This was a solid road win against a very good team. This is the type of win that the team can use to build momentum, and they will get their chance to do just that tomorrow night in Winnipeg.

My three stars:

1. Seth Jones

2. Pekka Rinne

3. David Legwand