Predators Bite Back, Defeat the Sharks 4-1

With their backs against the wall and down 2-0, the Nashville Predators needed an attacking, aggressive game to get back into their series with the San Jose Sharks.

Mission accomplished.

The Predators attacked all night and defeated the Sharks 4-1 to cut the Sharks series lead to 2-1.

After a fluky goal by Patrick Marleau, a play in which both Shea Weber and Pekka Rinne misplayed the puck, the Predators scored 4 consecutive goals to secure the win.

And the Predators power play finally woke up, with 2 of those tallies coming with the man advantage.

James Neal opened the scoring with the Predators on the power play with a snipe from below the face off circle that beat Martin Jones high glove side.

Shea Weber made it 2-1 with a howitzer from the slot that Jones is still trying to find.

Up 2-1 going into the third period, the Predators couldn't sit bakc and let the Sharks take the play to them.

The Predators didn't turtle, instead forcing the play in the Sharks zone.

Colin Wilson banked a puck off the back of Jones to make it 3-1.

Filip Forsberg finished the scoring with a power play goal for the final margin of 4-1.

Some observations:

• Pekka Rinne has been a steady presence in this series but was outstanding tonight. Outside of the crazy play that led to the Sharks only goal, Rinne was a rock between the pipes. He tracked the puck well, especially through traffic. His positioning was sound and his rebound control was excellent. He did a good job of frustrating the Sharks all night. This was big and hopefully gives the team confidence and gets in the head of the Sharks.
• Mike Ribeiro has had an awful playoff series, both in round 1 and through the first two games of this series. He was a healthy scratch tonight, and frankly the Predators looked better for it. They won the face off battle 36-25 and had more speed and jump with the remixed lines. I don't expect to see Ribeiro back in the line up again for the remainder of the playoffs.
• With Ribeiro out, the forward lines were: Johansen-Neal-Forsberg; Fisher-Smith-Wilson; Jarnkrok-Aberg-Arvidsson; and Gaustad-Sissons-Salomaki.
• Pontus Aberg played in his first NHL game on the line with Calle Jarnkrok and Viktor Arvidsson. I can only imagine the butterflies that he must have had, but he acquitted himself well. He used his speed to find open ice and made no glaring defensive mistakes. Aberg has a lot of upside, and this will be a confidence booster for him.
• Craig Smith isn't 100% healthy, and it shows. he didn't find the score sheet, but he played with a lot of heart and gutted it out tonight. Big props to the Honey Badger for his effort.
• Colton Sissons was run into the net and I thought he had broken his leg. He was taken to the locker room for x-rays, which were negative, and amazingly, he was back on the ice after missing a shift. That is a hockey player, friends.
• Woeful officiating tonight. No penalty on the Sissons play; Colin Wilson high sticked in front of the refs and no call. The League is going to have to make a commitment to quality officiating or they will continue to be an embarrassment among professional sports leagues.
• With his goal, Shea Weber has tied David Legwand for the most playoff goals in team history with 13 goals.
• Weber, James Neal, Ryan Johansen, Colin Wilson, and Mattias Ekholm are tied for the team lead in playoff goals with 3 each.
• The Predators blocked 19 shots tonight.
• Good to see the power play finally start to click. They were 2-5 tonighht, and it is critical that this unit get going. They did tonight and will need to do so with consistency in the upcoming games.
• The Sharks entered this game having burnt the Predators by going 3-5 on the power play in the first 2 games. Tonight, the Predators PK was excellent, killing all 4 of the Sharks man advantage attempts.
• This was the Sharks first road loss of the playoffs.
• Mattias Ekholm led the Predators in TOI with 24:35.

This was undoubtedly a confidence building win for the Predators. They have seen that when they attack and use their speed, the Sharks have difficulty handling the attack.

Now they have to do the same thing again on Thursday.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Shea Weber

3. James Neal

Predators Step On the Ducks 2-1, Advance to the Second Round

The Nashville Predators were going into the hostile environment of the Honda Center to play their first game 7 in their history. The Anaheim Ducks were trying to exorcise their recent failures in a game 7 match up.

And the Predators are making history.

The Ducks are still trying to exorcise those Game 7 demons.

The Predators came out strong with two first period goals by Colin Wilson and Paul Gaustad to take a 2-0 lead going into the first intermission.

The Predators spent the next 40 minutes absorbing the frantic push by the Ducks. They gave up a power play goal to Ryan Kessler early in the third period to exponentially increase the pucker factor for Pred nation.

Frederick Andersen was outstanding after giving up the first period goals. As good as Andersen was, Pekka Rinne was even better.

No, Rinne was absolutely outstanding.

He was under assault throughout the game, especially in the final 40 minutes. And the big Finn was up to the task. He made some outstanding saves, got some help from a crossbar, and from his D that cleared the puck out of danger.

That effort secured a 2-1 win and a second round match up with the San Jose Sharks.

Some observations:

• Cody Bass was out of the line up after being injured in game 6. Colton Sissons drew into the line up to replace Bass.
• This is the first game 7 that the Predators have ever played.
• Heck of an effort by Colin Wilson to settle the puck and place a perfect backhand under the crossbar. Wilson has been my whipping boy this season, but I have to give him props for stepping up his game in the playoffs. Teams that go deep in the playoffs have to get contributions from their bottom 6 and Wilson has been the best producer for the Predators in the playoffs.
• How about Paul Gaustad stepping up his game? He has been using his big frame to screen in front of the net and he was rewarded for going to the hard areas with a sweet redirect of the Shea Weber shot just after a power play had ended. This was a huge momentum swing for the Predators and you could hear the air suck out of the Honda Center after that score.
• Rinne had to come up with some huge saves in the first period to keep the Ducks off the board. The Ducks are talented and they were pressing after going down 2, and Rinne was scrambling but shut the door on the Ducks.
• The Predators had 4 first year players in the line up. The experience these youngsters are getting is invaluable to their development and bodes well for the future of this team.
• The best you can say about the second period is that the Predators weathered it. The Ducks had sustained pressure and several quality chances. The Preds are going to have to get their attack mentality back for the third period.
• Too many times tempting fate and the Ducks finally cash in on a power play. Ryan Kessler perfectly placed a shot past Rinne inside the far post to cut the lead to 1.
• This game was a perfect example of shoddy officiating. The refs swallowed their whistles and allowed anything short of severing a limb go. And it is a reason that the League continues to struggle with credibility.
• Goodness gracious, Pekka Rinne was a beast! He made save after save, some spectacular. Rinne was poised and strong between the pipes and was the difference in this game and this series. The Ducks poured pucks on Rinne, totaling 37 shots on net.

What a character win and comeback by the Predators! After losing 3 straight and being given up for dead, the Predators roared back to life and captured the series.

It was a long, tough series. Yet it is a series win that should really boost the confidence of the Predators.

Bask in it, Pred Nation.

It feels good.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Colin Wilson

3. Paul Gaustad

Predators Hold Off the Avalanche 4-3

The Nashville Predators have secured a playoff spot, and with 3 games to go, one could say that their game with the Colorado Avalanche at Bridgestone Arena didn't mean anything.

But it did. It meant a lot to both teams.

For the Predators, it was an opportunity to end a 4 game losing streak and sharpen their game. For the Avalanche, it meant keeping their faint playoff hopes alive.

The Predators weren't as sharp as they will need to be in the playoffs, but they did enough good things to defeat the Avalanche 4-3 and begin to build some positive momentum. As for the Avs, their playoff hopes were crushed by the Predators effort.

Colin Wilson opened the scoring with his first goal in 15 games, blasting a shot over the shoulder of Semyon Varlamov.

Filip Forsberg made it 2-0 with a goal that is a legitimate candidate for goal of the year. Watch and be amazed:

Seemingly in control of the pace of the game, Pekka Rinne let in a brutally soft goal on a shot from the goal line by Mikkel Boedker to send the teams into the first intermission with the Predators up 2-1.

The second period saw the Avs dominate possession and the Predators spend much of the period trapped in their own zone. Jerome Iginla sent the teams into the second intermission tied at 2 as he chipped the puck past Rinne from the side of the net.

With the game in the balance, the Predators came out with jump and capitalized. Mike Fisher scored just 36 seconds into the third to give the Predators a 3-2 lead.

That lead stood for all of 1:22 as Shawn Matthias beat Ryan Ellis to a rebound and slapped it into the open net to tie the game

The Predators took the lead for good as Craig Smith took a sweet pass from Forsberg and buried his 21st goal of the year for the game winner.

The Predators had to hold off the Avs for the final 3:40 of the game as Varlamov was pulled for the extra attacker. The Predators compounded their misery when Ryan Johansen took a high sticking penalty with 1:57 left in the game, but the Predators PK came up big to seal the win.

Some observations:

• That goal by Forsberg was amazing, to say the least. To have the presence of mind to kick the puck between his legs and get it on his forehand, get the stick between his legs, and place the shot perfectly is a talent level that the Predators have not had. Ever.  Couple those sick puck handling skills with his vision and hockey sense and Forsberg is the most talented and dangerous player that the Predators have ever had on their roster.
• Forsberg now has 32 goals for the season, one goal away from tying the franchise record for 33 goals in a season held by Jason Arnott.
• Although Rinne let in a bad first goal, he stood tall, especially in the second period when the Avs dominated play. He did a great job tracking the puck through traffic and generally controlling rebounds. 
• I continue to be impressed with the hustle and heart of Viktor Arvidsson. The Aardvark has to get stronger, but he is fearless and will mix it up in the tough areas. I especially like his motor- the kid goes full tilt every shift.
• Good to see Colin Wilson get his game going. His first goal was a perfectly placed rocket under the crossbar. Wilson also picked up an assist for a 2 point night. Hopefully Wilson will get his game in gear heading into the post season.
• Teams that go deep in the post season have to have strong play from their third line. Tonight, the line of Fisher, Wilson, and Arvidsson combined for 2 goals and an asist. If that line can produce consistently then the Predators can have some good results in the post season.
• Roman Josi and Shea Weber both picked up assists tonight. The gives the Predators D corps a total of 109 points for the season, a new franchise record.
• The Predators blocked 21 shots tonight, 17 through the first 2 periods.

Not the prettiest win by the Predators, yet it was a good win.

The Predators need to fine tune some aspects of their game and they have two more game to do so. They are going to have to step up their intensity and effort for a full 60 minutes. A period of hockey like tonight's second period usually spells trouble in the playoffs.

So the team has ended a losing streak and has started to build some positive momentum. Learn from the mistakes, tune up the performance.

And most importantly, keep it rolling into the playoffs.

My three stars:

1. Filip Forsberg

2. Colin Wilson

3. Craig Smith

Predators Blast the Blues 5-0 Behind Forsberg's Hat Trick

The Nashville Predators returned to Bridgestone Arena looking to continue the momentum they had built on the road as they faced off against the St. Louis Blues in their last meeting of the regular season.

They accomplished that task.

The Predators blasted the blues 5-0 as Pekka Rinne picked up his 4th shutout of the season and Filip Forsberg notched his second natural hat trick in three games.

Craig Smith opened the scoring for the Predators as he gathered in the rebound of a Forsberg shot and poked the rebound past Jake Allen for a 1-0 lead. that was the only goal of the first period, although the Predators were swarming the net and had several great scoring chances.

Forsberg would tally his first goal of the game just 54 seconds into the second period as he would pot a rebound of a Petter Granberg shot to make it 2-0.

Forsberg would make it 3-0 with a wicked shot to the far post off an assist from Craig Smith.

The hat trick goal would come from Forsberg on the power play to make it 4-0 to close out the seocnd period.

That goal would chase Allen and Pheonix Copley would man the pipes for the Blues in the third period.

Colin Wilson would tally the only goal of the third period for the final 5-0 margin for the Predators.

Some observations:

• Forsberg has been on fire recently, and his second natural hat trick in 3 games gives him 26 goals for the season. Forsberg has been good at finding quiet space on the ice and using his wicked wrist shot to find the back of the net. His second goal was a perfectly placed shot to the far post past Allen and is indicative of his scoring touch. Forsberg is physically strong and will battle in the tough areas of the ice, but his ability to find open space is underrated. Getting to those open areas allows him to use his accurate shot to his advantage and he is definitely a finisher, something the Predators need.
• Forsberg's second hat trick in a week is the first time in Predators history that a player has recorded two hat tricks in a season.Forsberg is tied for the NHL lead in goals in February with 12. It was also Forsberg's first career 4 point game.
• My goodness, Rinne was solid again in net. He shut down the potent Blues attack, and as the game wore on, you could see the Blues slump, knowing they weren't going to get a puck past the big Finn. Rinne is playing with confidence and his play breeds confidence in the team in front of him. When Rinne is playing the way he has in his last 5 starts, the Predators are deadly confident and it shows in their play. It bodes well for the Predators that Rinne has found his mojo going into the stretch run.
• Rinne's shutout was the 40th of his career and the 100th in Predators history. 
• Welcome to the party, Colin Wilson. It has been a long time since the big forward has found the back of the net, and it was good to see him get a goal. He has been playing well on a line with Mike Fisher and Viktor Arvidsson, and was rewarded for his efforts with a nice goal.
• The Predators have obviously made a commitment to driving the net and that has been essential to their recent success. They have capitalized on rebounds and the traffic they have brought to the net has created havoc for the opponent's defense and netminder. 
• Shea Weber missed his third consecutive game with a lower body injury.
• This was the Predators first win of the season over the Blues. They finished 1-3-1 against their Central Division rival.
• The Predators needed to find some consistency. They have done just that, going 5-0-3 in the month of February.

This was a complete game against a quality opponent and one that should give the Predators some additional confidence going into the stretch run.

Continue to build on it, boys.

Good things await if you keep playing like this.

My three stars:

1. Filip Forsberg

2. Pekka Rinne

3. Craig Smith

Predators Can't Finish, Bombed by the Jets 4-1

Driving to the game tonight to see the Nashville Predators take on the Winnipeg Jets, I had to contend with lots of traffic.

That is something that Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck rarely had to deal with as he stymied the Predators, turning away 43 of 44 shots on the way to a 4-1 victory.

The Predators threw 44 shots at the Jets netminder, but were content to fire away mostly from the outside, giving Hellebuyck the opportunity to make a  number of routine saves.

Drew Stafford scored two power play goals, Ben Chairot notched a horribly soft goal, and Alexander Burmistrov added an empty netter.

Colin Wilson got the only tally for the Predators long after the outcome had been decided.

Some observations:

• Yes, the Predators threw a lot of shots at the net. And Hellebuyck did make some very good saves. But the quality scoring chances by the Predators were belied by the vast number of shots. Many were from the outside with Hellebuyck totally unscreened. Rarely did the Predators get traffic to the net, and with the lack of finishers on this team, that is essential to their scoring efforts. Unless the Predators make that commitment to get to the dirty areas, the tough areas of the ice, this team is going to continue to struggle and will find themselves on the outside looking in when the playoffs roll around.
• The Predators offense has become very predictable. Teams are jamming the middle and forcing the puck outside. That is where many of the shots tonight came from, and there was rarely traffic in front of Hellebuyck. This made a lot of his saves very routine. It is apparent that we do not have shooters that can routinely pick a corner and score the "goal scorers" goal. So unless we get players that can finish their scoring chances or we get players that can create havoc out front, look for more of these types of games.
• I don't fault Rinne on the first two goals. The defense left Stafford alone in front on the first goal, and his second was a perfect re-direct. But that third goal that Rinne let in was absolutely brutal and killed any hopes of climbing back in this game. This team has to objectively look at Rinne and realize that they have a 32 year old netminder that has been elite but is now on the downside of his career.
• The Predators were out hit by the Jets, who were the more physical team tonight. Hits were 17-10 in favor of the Jets.
• The Predators have won only 2 games this season when trailing after 2 periods.
• The Predators PK was atrocious. They gave up 2 goals on 3 Jets power plays.

This team has shown no ability to build positive momentum. Win a game, lose a game (or 2 or 3). This is not a formula to get into the playoffs, and unless this team can gain some consistency and positive momentum, they will likely miss the playoffs.

Look, I love this team and will always support them.

But I am also a realist.

And the reality is that this team is at best average.

And average is not going to get you in the playoffs.

My three stars:

1. Drew Stafford

2. Connor Hellebuyck

3. Tyler Myers

Predators Battle Back For A Point, Fall In OT to the Blues

The Nashville Predators were looking to find some consistency in their game, and were trying to build upon the positive momentum from their win last night over the New York Rangers.

Standing in their way was their Central Division nemesis, the St. Louis Blues and their stellar netminder Jake Allen.

The Predators faced a tall task at the ScottTrade Center. The Predators are 0-2 against the Blues and Allen has stopped 73 of 74 shots that the Predators have put on net.

Demitri Jaskin opened the scoring for the Blues as the Predator defense left Jaskin alone at the top of the crease and he was able to bang home a rebound past Carter Hutton for a 1-0 Blues lead.

The Predators answered with a short handed goal by Mattias Ekholm off a clean face off win in the Blues zone by Mike Fisher.

Robby Fabri skated the puck out of the corner and uncontested into the low slot before depositing the puck in the net to give the Blues a 2-1 lead late in the second period.

Kevin Shattenkirk made it 3-1 early in the third period beating Hutton with a long shot from the blue line.

Shea Weber scored from the blue line with a wrist shot with 3:52 remaining to make it 3-2 in favor of the Blues.

The Predators tied the game with 1:32 remaining as a shot from Ryan Ellis was kicked out and Colin Wilson slammed home the rebound. This goal came as a direct result of Wilson driving the net.

The game was heading to overtime, which has been disastrous for the Predators.

It continues to be so for the Predators.

Alex Steen scored at 4:01 of the OT period on a breakaway to give the Blues a 4-3 OT win.


Some observations:

• Colin Wilson played in his 400th NHL game.
• The Blues have big, physical forwards and their game plan was to dump the puck deep and put pressure on the Predators defense with intense puck battles. The Predators defense struggled a bit in the first period in handling that pressure but settled down as the period went on.
• Nice quick shot by Mattias Ekholm with his shorthanded goal. Ekholm is overshadowed by the notoriety of Shea Weber and Roman Josi but has quietly developed into a very solid NHL blue liner. Quite a change from his first stint with the Predators, when then Head Coach Barry Trotz called his play "atrocious".
•  I don't fault Hutton for the first two goals that he gave up. The Predators defense broke down in front of Hutton and hung him out to dry. That third goal may have been deflected off Seth Jones stick, but man, you just can't give up that kind of goal in this game. Hutton tend to attempt to play pucks with his blocker or his glove, and when he misplays those shots, he usually gives up a goal. I would like to see Hutton get more positionally sound and have his body in a better position to take on those shots.
• The Blues are a heavy, physical team. The Predators are not. The Predators are always going to struggle against the Blues the way this team is built. Either the Predators are going to have to rebuild their roster and get bigger and more physical (they are not) or they are going to have to upgrade the skill of their forwards to counter this type of game that the Blues play.
• Once again, the Predators scored a critical goal by...wait for it...driving the net. Kudos to Colin Wilson for going hard to the net to get the tying goal.
• I ragged on the third goal that Hutton gave up, but he made some great saves in OT before giving up the goal to Steen on the breakaway.
• The Predators are a dumpster fire in OT. They have yet to display a sense of urgency and look as if they are always playing to get to the shootout. Until this style of play changes, the Predators are going to be awful in OT.
• The Predators out shot the Blues 33-25, but as said before, the Predators need to finish some of their chances.
• Playing the second of a back to back, I have to give the Predators full marks for battling back in this game. It would have been easy to roll over, but the fight back was heartening to see.

The Predators are going to have to win these types of games against the tough Central Division opponents. The fight, the compete level was good, but the fact remains the Predators are giving away critical points to teams that are in front of them in the standings.

Soon, that gap cannot be closed.

Take the positives out of this game and bring them to Dallas on Thursday.

My three stars:

1. Jake Allen

2. Alex Steen

3. Colin Wilson

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 Can't Hold the Lead, Give up 2 Third Period Goals in 2-1 Loss to the Blues

The Nashville Predators were looking to establish some positive momentum and turn their season back around.

Playing the St. Louis Blues made that task most difficult.

The Predators started well and took a 1-0 lead on a Roman Josi power play goal in the first period.

That lead stood up until the third period when David Backes redirected a puck past Pekka Rinne to tie the game at 1.

Vladamir Tarasenko beat Rinne on a Blues power play to make the score 2-1.

And once again, the Predators couldn't solve Blues netminder Jake Allen as the Blues held on for a 2-1 win.

Some observations:

• Colin Wilson returned to the line up after missing 4 games due to injury. He was slotted on the third line with Colton Sissons and Cody Hodgson. 
• With Wilson back in the line up, Austin Watson was the healthy scratch tonight.
• The Blues have the number one penalty kill in the NHL. It had to be a real confidence booster for the Predators man advantage unit to get the tally from Roman Josi on their first power play attempt. This unit, which had been hot, hit a cold streak in their last few games. This goal was the result of good puck movement and the smarts to exploit a Blues defender that had broken his stick. Hopefully this gets the power play jump started again.
• Shea Weber picked up an assist on the Josi goal, giving him 20 points on the season. Josi's goal gives him 23 points. The Predators are the only team in the NHL with two blue liners that have 20 points or more. 
• The Blues have a +15 goal differential in the third period. This is a testament to the ability of the Blues to turn it on in crunch time.The Predators are a +3 in third period goal differential. They have scored 29 times but have given up 26 goals against, indicative of the Predators struggle to lock down teams in the last 20 minutes. 
• There are a lot of cracks in the Predators facade. One of them is the inability to hold a lead in the third period. Once again, this fault came back to bite the Predators as they surrendered the lead to the Blues. Whether it is a lack of offensive aggressiveness, fear of making a mistake, or just sitting back on their heels and hoping Rinne stops everything thrown at the the net, this strategy isn't working for the Predators. Until they change their play in the third period, they will continue to give up leads and lose games.
• Allen has faced 71 shots in 2 games against the Predators and has given up one goal. No Predators forward has scored against the Blues this season.
• The Predators were dominated in the face off circle, winning just 24 of 59 draws for a 40% success rate.
• The play of Roman Josi continues to stand out. He has emerged as a complete and elite NHL defenseman. He is one of the few bright spots for the Predators.

Let's face it, we are seeing the real Predators. They are a middling team that will struggle to make the playoffs as the roster is built right now.

Unless there are some significant changes, this will be a team that will be lucky to get into the playoffs.

My three stars:

1. Jake Allen

2. Roman Josi

3. Vladamir Tarasenko

Predators Bomb Against the Blackhawks

The Nashville Predators faced a stiff test in the second game of a back to back series as they squared off against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center.

They failed the test. Badly.

The Predators dropped a 4-1 decision to their Central Division rivals in a game where Corey Crawford shined in net and the Predators couldn't find a way to get the puck past him.

Dennis Rasmussen redirected a point shot by Andrew Shaw in the first period to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead.

Andrew Shaw scored on a power play to make it 2-0 in the second period.

The Predators would draw to 2-1 on a goal by Eric Nystrom off a beautiful assist from Roman Josi.

That is as close as the Predators would get as Teuvo Teravainen would beat Pekka Rinne early in the third period with a perfectly placed shot to the top corner.

Patrick Kane would add an empty net goal for the final margin.

Some observations:

• Colin Wilson was scratched due to aggravating a lower body injury in last night's game against the Bruins.Craig Smith moved back up to the second line with Viktor Arvidsson and Mike Ribeiro. 
• There is no doubt the United Center can be an intimidating place in which to play. The Predators had several guys in their line up that were on UC ice for the first time, and they pressed the attack and played with some poise. 
• Paul Gaustad has been a good soldier, and I like Paul. But I think Paul's time has passed. He is contributing very little to the Predators this season. He has become average in the face off dot and is a liability in the offensive zone. I believe that it is time to put Salomaki, Watson, and Sissons together on the 4th line. They play with jump and have more offensive pop than than the current 4th line unit. Early in the season, the Watson, Bourque, and Sissons 4th line played exceptionally well and were able to contribute offensively. With Bourque out due to an injury, Salomaki can play on that 4th line and I think it will benefit the Predators to have a more offensively dangerous 4th unit.
• Roman Josi continues to play at an elite level. He absolutely undressed Duncan Keith with a sweet move to set up the goal by Nystrom. Josi is so smooth and calm with the puck and has exceptional vision on the ice, and he uses those skills to fire his underrated shot or set up teammates.
• In my view, the difference between the Predators and the Blackhawks is simply this: the Blackhawks have players throughout their line up that can score, and they do so on a consistent basis. The Predators have some talented players, but they are mostly players that disappear for long stretches at a time (Forsberg, Smith, Wilson, to name a few). There are fewer high end players on the Predators roster and their consistency is virtually non-existent. Until that changes, the Predators are going to be an good team but not remotely close to being an elite team.
• This game was indicative of the Predators talent level. Lots of hustle, fairly good effort, but no one that could finish The Predators talent level has improved, but clearly lags behind teams like the Hawks and Blues. This team tries hard, and will win their fair share of games, but the Predators are who they are- hard working but lacking in elite talent.
• Want proof? The Predators put 37 shots on goal compared to the Hawks 24. The difference? The Hawks have finishers and the Predators do not.
• The Predators out hit the Hawks 36-14, which is indicative of the fact they were chasing the puck most of the night.

 The Predators are 0-2 against the elite teams of the Central that they have played (Blues and Hawks) and have yet to play the best team in the Central, the Stars. The Predators are either going to have to get some players going (I'm looking at you, Smith, Forsberg, and Wilson) or they are going to have to seriously upgrade their talent.

Otherwise, they will be scrambling to make the playoffs.

My three stars:

1. Corey Crawford

2. Andrew Shaw

3. Teuvo Teravainen

Predators Dominate the Ducks 5-1

The Nashville Predators continued their torrid start to the season, running their record to 6-1 with a 5-1 pounding of the Anaheim Ducks at Bridgestone Arena.

After a scoreless first period that had the feel of two heavyweights getting a feel for each other, the Predators exploded for 3 second period goals to take a 3-0 lead going into the final frame.

Eric Nystrom was the beneficiary of strong play by Austin Watson to notch the first goal of the game. Nystrom took a pass from Watson and drove to the front of the net and beat Anton Khudobin to get the Predators on the board.

Ryan Ellis blasted a puck past Khudobin off a pass from Mike Ribeiro to make it 2-0. Ellis was able to fit the puck into a small opening as Khudobin was moving across his crease.

Mike Ribeiro made it 3-0 just after a Ducks power play had ended as Ribeiro's pass was blocked right back to him and he snuck the shot between the pad of Khudobin and the post.

The Predators didn't take their foot off the gas in the third period. ryan Ellis broke into the zone and slid a pass to Mattias Ekholm, who absolutely blew a shot past Khudobin to make it 4-0.

The Ducks scored on the power play as Jiri Sekac was left alone cruising down the slot and he beat Pekka Rinne to make it 4-1.

After the Ducks resorted to form and ran Rinne and go to the penalty kill, Colin Wilson roofed a laser under the crossbar to make it 5-1 and snuff out any possibility of the Ducks making a late ru n.

Some observations:

• Ryan Ellis, Mattias Ekholm, Mike Ribeiro, and Colin Wilson all tallied their first goal of the season. these guys, especially Wilson and Ribeiro, need to start finding the back of the net and hopefully this will be the start of a scoring run for them.
• James Neal picked up an assist tonight. With that point, neal tied his longest point streak as a Predator (4 games). Neal has 5 goals and 3 assists in his last 4 games.
• The three point night by Ellis (1G-2A) was the second three point game of his career. The last came October 21, 2014 against Arizona.
• Mike Ribeiro had a 3 point night with a goal and 2 assists. Ribeiro has dropped down to center the second line, while Mike Fisher has moved up to center the top line of Neal and Filip Forsberg. This move by the coaching staff has paid dividends for the Predators as both lines have really been going.
• The Predators have scored the first goal of the game in all 7 contests this year.
• The Predators have scored at least 3 goals in 5 straight games.
• The Predators have not allowed a first period goal this season.
• It was good to see the Predators play a full 60 minutes tonight. While the Ducks have struggled early this season, there is no doubt they are talented and can be explosive. The Predators kept the Ducks off balance throughout the game, and more importantly, kept up the pressure in the offensive zone and attacked the net. This is how this team has to play, especially as they get into their contests in the division.
• Shea Weber led the Predators in TOI with 22:58. This is about 6 minutes less than his usual amount of ice time, and is a tribute to Barret Jackman and Seth Jones, who are eating up some ice time.
• Austin Watson's assist on Nystrom's goal was his first assist of his career.
• Mike Fisher is one point from tying Marek Zidlicky for 15th on the Predators all time point s list. Fisher has 174 points.
• Pekka Rinne made 27 saves on the night, and shut the door on the Ducks any time they tried to mount a concerted attack. The lone goal by the Ducks was a defensive breakdown on the penalty kill as the Predators left Sekac alone in the slot, leaving Rinne with no chance to stop the shot.
• The power play goal by Sekac was the Ducks first power play goal of the season.

The Predators showed that when they play a complete game, they are awfully hard to beat. It was good to see contributions from several players that needed to get going, ad if they can do that consistently, the Predators are going to challenge in the West.

My three stars:

1. Ryan Ellis

2. Mike Ribeiro

3. Pekka Rinne

Rinne, Predators Shut Out the Oilers

The Nashville Predators faced the Edmonton McDavids Oilers at the Bridgestone Arena and came away with a 2-0 victory in front of a sellout crowd. The Predators used goals by Craig Smith and Filip Forsberg and a stellar game by goaltender Pekka Rinne to secure the win.

Craig Smith opened the scoring on a 2 on 1 rush with Colin Wilson. Wilson was able to steal the puck and fed a nice saucer pass to Smith who roofed the puck over a sprawling Cam Talbot at 18:32 of the second period.

Forsberg was the beneficiary of a steal by Mike Ribeiro at the side of the Oilers net. Ribeiro found Forsberg streaking down the slot and he fired the puck under the crossbar for his first goal of the season and breathing room for the Predators.

The Oilers had what appeared to be the tying goal waved off. Ryan Nugent Hopkins got the puck past Rinne but after a lengthy review it was judged to have been kicked into the goal.

Some observations:

• Rinne was outstanding tonight, making 31 saves and cleaning up some turnovers by the Predators defense and stopping some very good scoring chances by the Oilers. Rinne recorded his 37th career shutout (a Predators record) and tied Tomas Vokoun for most games played by a Predators netminder (383 games). 
• Once again, the Predators faced an opponent that controlled the puck for lengthy stretches in the the defensive zone. Rinne made some good saves, but it is troubling to see the Predators get hemmed in their own zone so often. Give the Oilkers credit- they have some talented forwards and they put lots of pressure on the the defense and forced some turnovers that led to lots of possession time. The Predators had 9 giveaways, mostly in the defensive zone.
• Colin Wilson had a very strong game. he drove possession, had some good scoring chances, and was instrumental in Smith getting the first goal of the game. Wilson drew the defense to him on the breakaway and got a nice pass to Smith in a shooting position. Wilson has been skating well and is creative with the puck on his stick and was the best skater on the ice for the Predators.
• Craig Smith scored a beauty of a goal, putting the shot off the pass from Wilson just under the crossbar. Smith has two goals in the first two games of the season and has been a force on the ice. Good to see the Honey Badger get off to a strong start.
• Great vision by Ribeiro on the pass to Forsberg and a superb finish by Filip. That is a goal scorer's goal and Forsberg made no mistake with his scoring chance.
• Cam Talbot played an excellent game in net for the Oilers. If Talbot had some quality blue liners in front of him, his job would be a lot easier. Talbot kept the Oilers in the game and gave them a chance to win.
• 17 years ago tonight was the first game in Predators history against the Florida Panthers.
• Cody Hodgson was 78% in the faceoff circle. Mike Ribeiro was a miserable 21%.
• The Predators out hit the Oilers 27-13.
• Shea Weber led the team in TOI with 22:57.
• The Oilers have scored 1 goal in their first two games of the season.

It's good to start the season 2-0. It's also apparent that this team is still a work in progress and has much to improve upon. Nevertheless, I would rather be 2-0 while working on those deficiencies than 0-2.

The Predators now go on the road for a three game swing in the Eastern Conference.

Time to keep working and build on the momentum of these first two games.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Craig Smith

3. Filip Forsberg

Honorable mention: Colin Wilson

Predators Hold Off Elimination, Blast the Blackhawks 5-2

With their backs against the wall, the Nashville Predators were attempting to do something that had never been done in their playoff history.

Stave off elimination on their home ice.

The Predators met the Chicago Blackhawks in a do or die game 5 at Bridgestone Arena with the Hawks leading the series 3-1.

Goals by Brad Richards and Filip Forsberg left the teams knotted at 1 at the end of the first period.

After a scoreless second period, the Predators attacked the Hawks and got them back on their heels in the third period. James Neal beat Scott Darling on a wraparound. Colin Wilson scored a beauty on the power play over the shoulder of Darling. Just 22 seconds later, Filip Forsberg beat Darling to make it 4-1.

Kris Versteeg cut the Predators lead to 4-2 with a goal at 14:42, and Predators fans couldn't rest easy just yet.

The game was settled when Filip Forsberg tallied an empty netter for the hat trick to seal a 5-2 win for the good guys.


Some observations:

• Good to see Mike Fisher back in the line up. The Preds desperatley need his leadership and play on the ice.
• I love Pekka Rinne and his compete level and the way he plays the game. He made some great saves in the first period, but he has to stop that goal he gave up. The Predators need him to shut everything down and that was one he couldn't give up.
• The fact that Filip Forsberg isn't even a finalist for the Calder Trophy is criminal. Forsberg showed with his sweet goal why he should not only have been a finalist but should have won the award. Oh yeah, he went on to score two more goals for the hat trick.
• NBC reported that Shea Weber has a torn ACL. No confirmation about the injury from the team.
• If the Predators had played this attacking style of hockey over the last 20 games... Wow, they just keep coming at the net. I like it, and I hope they carry this style of play over to a full 82 games next season.
• James Neal has played the last two games like the team hoped he would. He has been strong on the puck, active, and dynamic in the offensive zone. His wrap around goal was pure hustle and desire to get to the net. This is what the Predators have to have from Neal if they are going to win games.
• Colin Wilson! Wilson has come alive in the playoffs and tallied his 5th goal of the series with a beautiful power play goal over the shoulder of Scott Darling. 4 of Wilson's 5 goals in this series have come on the power play.
• Welcome back, Mike Fisher. A nice goal just 22 seconds after Colin Wilson had scored, Fisher gives the crowd a treat with his Frosty goal. You cannot underestimate the impact of Fisher on this team. He is a leader on and off the ice, and his tough, gritty style of play inspires his teammates.
• Viktor Stalberg continues to play a strong game. Neal's goal was a direst result of Stalberg's work on the forecheck, forcing a turnover that Neal was able to bury. This is the kind of play that that Stalberg has to bring every night, and the Predators have benefited from his effort.
• For the first time in the history of the team, the Predators held off elimination on their home ice.

Predators fans had to wonder about the emotional state of this team after a couple of tough losses in this series.

Wonder no more.

This team showed heart and fight all night long. They didn't quit. They battled from start to finish to stay alive in the series.

This is just one game, but you can only play one game at a time.

Now they have to play one more game.

Just like this one.

And bring it back to the Bridge for a game 7.

My three stars:

1. Filip Forsberg

2. James Neal

3. Pekka Rinne

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Guess what?

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

Off to triple overtime.

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


Some observations:

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

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

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

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

My three stars:

1. Brent Seabrook

2. Colin Wilson

3. Scott Darling

Predators Even the Series, Shell the Blackhawks 6-2

The Nashville Predators evened their first round series with the Chicago Blackhawks by pummeling them 6-2 in front of a raucous packed house at Bridgestone Arena.

Colin Wilson continued his torrid play, tallying a power play goal. Craig Smith notched two goals; Filip Forsberg scored his first playoff goal; Roman Josi and Mike Santorelli added goals as the Predators showed that the gut wrenching double overtime loss didn't set them back.

Some observations:

• Colin Wilson must feel like he has gotten the 8,000 pound gorilla off his back with his play in the first two games. He is dynamic with the puck and finding the back of the net, scoring two goals in game one and adding another goal in this game. Wilson had been invisible over the last 22 games of the season, but it is certainly good to see Wilson picking his game up in the post season.
• Craig Smith has always been a streaky scorer, and tonight he got his first goal in his past 10 games going back to the regular season. His second goal was pure speed combined with determination as he split two defenders to score. If Smith can get on another hot streak, it bodes well for the Predators. I like Smith's hustle and willingness to shoot the puck, and he had a stellar game tonight with 4 points (2G-2A). Now if he can just consistently find the net.
• The Predators lost Shea Weber midway of the second period as he was hit and went down awkwardly in the corner. Weber limped to the bench and went straight down the tunnel. This would be a huge loss for the Predators if he cannot return in this series.
• The loss of Weber meant the Predators played half the game with just 5 defensemen. Big props to the blueliners as they stepped their game up and played some solid defense. Roman Josi led the D corps with 24:31 of ice time.
• Speaking of Josi, his goal late in the first period was a beauty. He skated through the entire Blackhawks team before firing a shot from the faceoff circle that found the back of the net with 3.6 seconds left on the clock. One of Josi's strengths is his calmness with the puck. His puck handling skills are superb and his ability to keep calm and maneuver to open ice were on display on this goal.
• The Blackhawks second goal was scored by Patrick Kane when the Blackhawks clearly had 6 men on the ice. Head Coach Peter Laviolette was furious by got no relief from the officials. If the NHL wants to be taken seriously and not viewed as a minor sport, there is going to have to be integrity and significant improvement with the officiating.
• The Hawks have taken a page out of the Anaheim Ducks playbook. Down late in the game, they decided to goon it up. The Predators showed remarkable poise and didn't retaliate but didn't back down either. Look for this series to get nastier the longer it goes.
• Finally- the Predators played a second period with emotion and intensity. The middle frame has been the bane of the Predators for a while. Good to see them come out with a good response in the second.
• Big ups to the Predators 7th man. The barn was rocking all night long and it is obvious that it rattles the Blackhawks and energizes the Predators.
• Goodness, it would be nice if the Predators could lock down the low slot. Patrick Sharp was left all alone right in front of the crease for an easy goal. Nothing Pekka Rinne could have done about that goal and the defense has to be more aware.
• Rinne was sharp tonight and made some good saves. Rinne is battling and his effort seems to inspire the team. The more saves that Rinne makes, the more frustrated the Blackhawks become. Rinne became the franchise leader with his 14th post season win.
• Gotta wonder who Coach Q will have in net on Sunday. Corey Crawford got lit for three goals in 2:19 in the third period and has allowed 9 goals on 47 shots in the first two games. In reality, Crawford has allowed 9 goals in 4 periods of hockey after getting pulled in the first period of game one. 
• You can't say enough about the Predators penalty kill. After Paul Gaustad took a double minor for high sticking, the Predators PK totally frustrated the Hawks, allowing only one shot on goal over that 4 minute span. That was huge momentum swing for the Predators in this game.
• The Predators blocked 23 shots tonight and have blocked 55 in the first two games.
• The goals by Forsberg, Josi, Santorelli, and Smith were their first career post season goals.

This was a huge win for the Predators. Lose tonight and it was going to be a short series. Now the series shifts to Chicago for the next two games and the Predators are going to have to bring a maximum effort to capture a win.

This team has shown they can do that. They have shown they can beat Chicago in a grinding, tough series.

Now they have to do it.

And I believe they can.

My three stars:

1. Craig Smith

2. Filip Forsberg

3. Colin Wilson

Predators Phail In Philly, Phall in Shootout 3-2

The Nashville Predators continued their three game Eastern Conference road trip with a stop in Philadelphia to take on the Flyers.

Someone should have told the Predators it was a 12:00 start.

The Predators were guilty of sleep walking through most of the game before a third period goal from Craig Smith tied the game to send it to overtime.

Wayne Simmonds scored on deflection to give the Flyers a 1-0 lead in the first period. Colin Wilson answered to tie the game at one after 20 minutes.

It was improbable that the Predators would be tied as they could only generate 3 shots on net.

Ryan White was left alone in the slot and beat Rinne stick side for the only goal in the second period.

The Predators got on the board 23 seconds into the third period as Mike Fisher set up Craig Smith for his 18th goal.

After a scoreless overtime, Jakub Voracek and Wayne Simmons scored in the shootout, while Matt Cullen and Craig Smith were stopped by Rob Zepp.

Some observations:

• Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli had a day of practice on Friday and were in the line up for the Predators. Santorelli was on the third line with Calle Jarnkrok and Matt Cullen, while Franson was paired with Mattias Ekholm on the second D pair.
• The Predators offense was totally inept in the first period. Mustered only 3 shots on goal against a 33 year old rookie back up goaltender who has played all of 6 games. This is where the Predators need to turn up the intensity and get pucks to the net and challenge the goalie. Instead, they were sleep walking in the first period.
• By contrast, the Flyers were pumping pucks at the net. Rinne faced 13 shots and was beaten on a terrific redirected shot by Wayne Simmons.
• The ineptitude of the Predators offense continued in the second period as they could only get 4 shots on net. The Predators looked totally out of sync and had absolutely no intensity and compete level. This is both puzzling and disturbing as the Predators offense looked totally disjointed. No one was stepping up to make plays or to try to generate any fire on the team. This is an aspect of the Predators game that we have only rarely seen this season, and now for the second game in a row, it becomes worrisome.
• Pekka Rinne made a huge stop on Ryan White early in the third period, who had the puck alone at the top of the crease. Goodness, the compete level and athleticism of Rinne are off the charts. He would later make a couple of spectacular saves on Mark Streit and Claude Giroux. Frankly, the only reason the Predators were even in this game was the play of Rinne.
• The Predators continue to get good production from Colin Wilson and Craig Smith. Both tallied goals to get the Predators back into the game. For Wilson, it was his 19th of the season and it was the 18th for Smith. One of the strengths of this team this year has been balanced and consistent scoring.
• By forcing overtime, the Predators still have not lost back to back regulation games this season.
• The Predators power play was awful. They had 2 chances with the man advantage and generated one shot.

This was a game where the Predators salvaged a point, and that is the only positive that you can take away from it. A lack of intensity and focus bit the Predators in the butt.

Hopefully, this is not the start of a trend.

For the Predators, they need to get back to simple, hard nosed hockey and quit trying to make the cute plays. That has been their formula for success, and we have seen in the last two games what happens when they get away from that formula.

They get their chance to try to play that way tomorrow in Buffalo.

My three stars:

1.  Wayne Simonds

2. Pekka Rinne

3. Rob Zepp

Predators Defeat the Devils 3-1

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Some observations:

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

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

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

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

My three stars:

1. Colin Wilson

2. Matt Cullen

3. Cory Schneider

Predators Ground the Jets 3-1

Shea Weber wasn't at the morning skate because he wasn't feeling well, and he was called a game time decision for the Predators in their game against the Winnipeg Jets at Bridgestone Arena.

Weber was in the line up, and the Predators were glad to have him as he tallied a goal and 2 assists in leading the Predators to a 3-1 win over the Jets.

Weber opened the scoring on the power play as he launched a bomb from the face off that beat Ondrej Pavelec cleanly 4:47 into the first period.

The Jets answered with a power play goal of their own as a Dustin Byfuglien shot from the point was redirected past Pekka Rinne by Michael Frolik to tie the game at 1 in the first period.

The Predators used another power play goal in the second period to take a 2-1 lead. Filip Forsberg skated the puck into the face off circle and snapped a wrist shot top corner past Pavelec. James Neal was screening in front of Pavelec, and he didn't know the puck was past him until he heard the goal horn.

The Predators had played fairly evenly with the Jets through two periods, but in the third, the Jets applied pressure and dominated the Predators in time of possession and zone time.

The Predators didn't help themselves by taking consecutive penalties by Victor Bartley and Shea Weber, which gave the Jets 91 seconds of 5 on 3 advantage.

The Predators penalty killers stepped up and blocked shots and Rinne made a couple of spectacular saves to keep the Jets off the board.

James Neal iced the game with a wrap around goal that went between the pads of Pavelec for the final margin of 3-1.

Some observations:

• Colin Wilson was back in the line up and played a strong game. he was robbed in the first period by a great save from Pavelec, but Wilson was active in all zones and did a great job with puck possession. He played 13 minutes of solid hockey, including delivering a booming hit on T.J. Galiardi behind the Jets net.
• With Wilson back in the line up, Viktor Stalberg was reassigned to Milwaukee.
• Filip Forsberg's power play goal was a perfectly placed shot to the top corner. Forsberg has such good hockey sense and patience with the puck and on this goal saw that he was not being pressured by the Jets defense and skated in until Neal got the screen and placed the shot into the small space that he had to shoot. This was Forsberg's 19th goal of the season and gives outright ownership of the Predators rookie scoring record. Forsberg has 11 points (4G-7A) in his last 11 games.
• Tyler Myers and Drew Stafford made their debuts for the Jets after being traded from the Sabres. Late in the third period, Myers was welcomed to the Central Division when he took a Weber slap shot off his knee. The shot dropped Myers and he was barely able to get back to his feet. James Neal exploited this to get around Myers and the net for the final goal. Myers barely made it to bench and went directly to the locker room and did not return to the game.
• With the win, the Predators are the first team in the NHL to reach 80 points.
• Roman Josi continues his strong play and picked up two assists tonight. This gives Josi 40 points (10G-30A), a career high.
• James Neal tallied his 19th goal of the season. He is tied with Forsberg for the lead in goals.
• The power play has had its struggles this season, but tonight it was clicking. They were 2-6 and Neal's goal came just after a power play expired. The Predators did a good job of getting pucks to the net and both Neal and Mike Fisher did a good job of screening in front of Pavelec. Simplifying the power play like the Preds did tonight has yielded some positive results.
• The Jets are a talented team and they are fighting to maintain their playoff position. In truth, they are a desperate team and they played like it tonight. There were stretches of the second period and most of the third period where the Jets dominated puck possession and exhausted the Predators defenders. 
• Because of that, Rinne had to make some fantastic saves. He was especially sharp in the third period, making a diving save of a Bryan Little shot. He was very good in the 5 on 3 and was a calming presence for the Predators defense when the Jets were pressing to get the tying goal.Rinne stopped 32 of 33 shots he faced and picked up his League leading 32nd win.
• Rinne is also 7-0-0 against the Jets.
• This was the Predators first home win by more than one goal since January 16th (5-1 against Vancouver).
• This was the Predators 4th straight win. The Predators are now 23-3-1 on home ice.

This was a solid win against a hungry team that is fighting to stay in the playoff race. The Jets are talented and desperate, and the Predators responded to the challenge they presented.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Shea Weber

3. Filip Forsberg

Blue Line Powers Predators Past Blue Shirts

The Blue Shirts from Broadway traveled to an different Broadway, one filled with honkey tonks and musicians singing sad songs. It was the New York Rangers that left Nashville singing their own sad song as the Nashville Predators got back to their winning ways with a 3-2 victory.

After Rick Nash scored on the power play to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead early in the second period, the Predators used goals by Roman Josi and Shea Weber to take a 2-1 lead going into the second intermission.

Ryan McDonagh tied the game in the third period with a shot through traffic before Mike Ribeiro scored the game winning goal at 7:14 of the final frame. Ribeiro blasted a shot from the face off circle past Cam Talbot for his 700th career point.

Pekka Rinne picked up his league leading 30th win and his first since coming back from a knee injury. He made 30 saves on 32 shots for the win.

Talbot, playing in place of an injured Henrik Lunqvist, stopped 20 of 23 shots, including a first period flurry from the Predators and a point blank shot from Filip Forsberg in the low slot in the third period.

Some observations:

• With the three points from the blue line ( Josi 1G-1A and Weber 1G) today, the Predators defensemen have 36 goals and 134 points, the most in the NHL. Josi picked up his 10th goal of the season, while Weber tallied his 12th goal.
• Josi had a stellar game and is shooting more. While his shot doesn't rival Weber's, it is a very good shot and his slap shot from the circle beat Talbot cleanly.
• Good night, Weber's bomb from the back of the face off circle was a blast. If that puck had hit Talbot, it might have gone through him.
• Rangers Coach Alain Vigneault did a good job of trying to keep Rick Nash and his line away from Shea Weber. That meant that Seth Jones was often on the ice when the Nash line was on the ice. Jones and Matty Ekholm did a good job of keeping that line in check, not allowing an even strength point.
• The Rangers are a talented team that brought an aggressive forecheck and once again, it created problems for the Predators. They often had a difficult time getting out of the defensive zone and struggled through the neutral zone. This almost cost the Predators as they turned the puck over several times at their blue line, allowing the Rangers to keep possession in the offensive zone.
• Colin Wilson got blown up by Dan Girardi with a huge open ice hit in the first period and did not return. He was listed as being out with an upper body injury. 
• The Rangers lost Jesper Fast in the second period with a sprained knee.
• The Predators had not beaten the Rangers on home ice since February 28th, 2004.
• The Rangers had won 3 straight coming into this game and were 7-1-0 on the road against Western Conference teams.
• The Predators were dominant in the face off circle, winning 41 of 64. 
• The Predators did a much better job of playing disciplined hockey, taking two penalties in this game. A nice change after the parade to the penalty box over the past few games.
• The Predators had a nice tribute video to Kevin Klein in his first game back to the Bridge since being traded to the Rangers.
• The Predators are 11-0-1 after losing the previous game, and are a league best 21-3-1 on home ice.

This was a big bounce back win by the Predators and it puts them back into first place in the Central Division with 74 points. The Blues are in second with 72 points, and the Predators are one point behind the Ducks, who have 75.

The grind of February continues with the Predators on the road tomorrow against Florida with another 2:00 start.

My three stars:

1. Roman Josi

2. Mike Ribeiro
 
3. Ryan McDonagh

Predators Embarrassed By the Ducks 5-2

In a prime time battle between the top two teams in the NHL, the Nashville Predators proved one thing.

They are not ready for prime time.*

The Anaheim Ducks came into the Bridgestone Arena and owned the Predators, winning most every puck battle and dominating the Predators on the way to a 5-2 win.

The Ducks led 4-0 on two goals by Jakob Silfverberg, the first of which came off a horrible gaffe between Pekka Rinne and Shea Weber while the Predators were on the power play. Rinne and Weber botched a simple dump in by the Ducks and left the puck laying in the crease, which Silfverberg happily deposited into the net.

Sami Vatanen, Matt Belesky, and Silfverberg again scored for the Ducks, who had a 4-0 lead going into the third period.

The Predators finally showed a little bit of life in the third period as Colin Wilson scored at even strength and James Neal added a power play goal.

Whatever dreams of a miraculous comeback by the Predators were snuffed when CoreyPerry added a late period empty netter to make the final margin 5-2.

Some observtions:

• The Predators acted like they had never seen an aggressive forecheck like the Ducks employed and they were flummoxed and discombobulated throughout the game by the pressure the Ducks brought. this is disconcerting, because the good teams are going to forecheck the daylights out of their opponents, especially in the playoffs, and the Predators had better quickly learn how to handle the pressure.
• The Predators had very little compete level until the third period, and by then it was too little too late. The Ducks won puck battles all night and the Predators had no answer. The disturbing aspect of this is that the Ducks played hard and the Predators had little push back.
• Colin Wilson was the best player on the ice all night for the Predators. He hustled and competed, something most of his teammates did not. Kudos to Wilson for notching his 17th goal and his 36th point, both career highs.
• Pekka Rinne returned to the net and got no support in front of him. The first goal occurred because of a brutal mishandle of the puck between he and Weber. The second goal was a redirect that completely eluded him. He had little chance on the other two goals that occurred on a power play and a defensive breakdown. all in all, Rinne looked like he moved well, but there was the inevitable rust after the layoff.
• When you are down 2-0 at the start of the second period, it is probably not good to give the opponents about 5 minutes of power play time. Yet that is what the Predators did. Undisciplined and sloppy play and the Predators couldn't climb out that hole, giving up a power play. Frankly, it could have been worse.
• The Predators out shot the Ducks 24-2 in the third period, but could only get two pucks past Frederik Andersen. If they had brought that effort in the first two periods, the outcome might have been different.

This was an incredibly disappointing game for the Predators. They were completely outclassed in the first two periods and had too many sloppy plays and little fight.

It's a learning experience.

And I hope we learned our lesson.

My three stars:

1. Jakob Silfverberg

2. Anyone in a Ducks sweater

3. Colin Wilson


*stick tap to my friend Scott Roland for the suggestion

Predators Win 9th Straight at Home, Defeat the Leafs 4-3

The Nashville Predators have won 8 straight games and have been practically unbeatable on home ice.

The Toronto Maple Leafs have lost 9 straight games and have struggled mightily, winning just 3 games in their last 21 contests.

Yet the Leafs gave the Predators all they could handle at Bridgestone Arena before dropping a 4-3 decision to the Predators.

The Predators jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead off a beautiful shorthanded goal by Seth Jones, who stole a pass at the Predators blue line and roofed a shot under the crossbar, and a power play blast by Shea Weber that blew past Jonathan Bernier.

After a stellar first period, the Predators intensity level dropped in the second period, and the Leafs cut the lead to 2-1 as Daniel Winnik beat Carter Hutton with an unscreened shot from the high slot.

Bernier was cut by a skate late in the second period and James Reimer entered the game with the Predators going on the power play. The Predators couldn't take advantage of Reimer with the power play to finish the period and the carry over time in the third.

That seemed to energize the Leafs as they scored two quick goals. Nazem Kadri scored on a wrist shot and 37 seconds later Mike Santorelli cleanly beat Hutton from the face off circle to give the Leafs a 3-2 lead.

Bernier reentered the game and was victimized by Mike Fisher, who took a pass from Colin Wilson and lifted a puck over the shoulder of Bernier from in close.

Colin Wilson got the game winner off a rebound of a James Neal shot. Fisher was in front screening Bernier, who couldn't control the puck and it squirted out to side of Bernier's left pad. Wilson drove the net and slammed the puck home before Bernier could get his glove on the puck.

Some observations:

• Carter Hutton... man, you made some great saves, and your save in the third period off a puck that was deflected several times was absolutely ridiculous. Hutton was off balance, reached around behind him and swatted away a puck the was about to cross the goal line. That said, you are frustratingly inconsistent. Too often, Hutton gets beat on unscreened shots that just get blown past him. If he could get this aspect of his game together, I would certainly have more confidence in his game. As it is, that inconsistency has plagued him in nearly every game he has played this season, and that has to improve.
• You cannot overstate the value of Mike Fisher to this team. Fisher had a goal and 2 assists and battled in front of the net and in the corners all night. The game winning goal was a direct result of Fisher screening Bernier and battling for the puck. His goal was the result of some sweet hands as he was able to elevate the puck from in close. Frankly, I never expected to see Fisher contributing at this level after missing a month at the start of the season while recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon. I am glad I have been proven wrong.
• Colin Wilson had a goal and an assist tonight. His goal was his 16th of the year and tied a career high. His 35 points also ties a career high. Wilson has consistently elevated his game this season and is a big part of the Predators success.
• Seth Jones not only showed some great hands to score a shorthanded goal for the Predators but also showed some very good speed as he went from a dead stop at the Predators blue line to full speed for the break away.
• Jones shorthanded goal was the Predators third shorty this season. It was Jones first career SHG.
• This is the first time in the history of the Predators that a defenseman has scored a shorthanded goal (Jones) and a power play goal (Weber) in the same game.
• The Predators set a franchise record with 9 consecutive home wins.
• While the Predators got a first period power play goal, the Predators last power play in the third period was an absolute clustertruck. Poor puck decisions and puck handling led to several shots by the Leafs that were good scoring chances and resulted in Hutton having to make an incredible save to keep the Leafs off the board. Sometimes it appears that the Preds power play tries to get too cute rather than keep it simple and gain the zone.
• I really like the play of Mike Ribeiro, but please, Ribs, shoot the puck when you have an open lane. Ribeiro passed up a shot on several occasions while looking for a pass and it resulted in turnovers. 
• Former Predators assistant head Coach Peter Horachek has the unenviable job of being the interim head Coach of the Leafs. While the Leafs have struggled, Horachek has instilled greater defensive responsibility among his charges and they made it a difficult night for the Predators.
• Paul Gaustad won 73% of his faceoffs; Mike Ribero won 71%, his best night as a Predator.
• Bernier missed the last minute of the second period and the first five minutes of the third as he cut his left leg with his skate while making a sprawling save on a Matt Cullen breakaway. Bernier required 12 stitches to sew up the cut. He gave up all 4 goals to the Predators.
• The Leafs loss was a franchise record 10th consecutive loss.
• The Predators are 11-5-1 against the Eastern Conference.

This was a win, but the Predators made it way more difficult than it should have been with some stretches of uninspired play.

But here is the bottom line- it was a win.

And it was an important win to keep them on top of the Central Division. They currently sit in first with 72 points, 2 ahead of St. Louis and 8 ahead of Chicago.

They will be tested on home ice on Thursday against Anaheim.

My three stars:

1. Colin Wilson

2. Mike Fisher

3. Mike Santorelli