Predators Overcome Phantom Goal, Defeat Wild In OT 6-5

After three days off, the Nashville Predators were back in action, traveling to Minnesota for their first meeting of the season with the Wild. The Predators are currently third in the Central Division with 42 points, while Minnesota is 5th with 34 points.

The Predators would be missing James Neal off the top line as he did not make the trip due to illness. Craig Smith moved to the top line line to replace Neal.

The Predators have won 4 of their last 5 contests. The Wild have dropped 4 of their past 6 games.

Pekka Rinne manned the crease for the Predators, while the Wild had Darcy Kuemper between the pipes.

The Wild got off to the start they wanted as Jason Zucker cruised unmolested down the slotand lifted a shot over the shoulder of Rinne to make it 1-0 just 1:10 into the contest. Zucker took a nice pass from Jason Pominville and beat Ryan Ellis right down the middle of the slot for the easy score.

Calle Jarnkrok answered for the Predators with his third goal of the year as he forced a turnover and drove the net. He faked kuemper to ice ice danced around him to deposit the puck into the empty net at 4:37 of the first period.

The Wild took a 2-1 lead at 6:37 as Rinne made a save off a Charlie Coyle shot but the puck went off the skate of Zach Parise and past Rinne.

The Predators tied the game at 13:58 as Victor Bartley threw the puck from behind the goal line and Matt Cullen deflected it short side over the shoulder of Kuemper. Bartley had joined the rush and although he lost the puck had the presence of mind to spot Cullen and flip it back toward the net.

The Predators took their first lead of the game as Craig Smith controlled a face off won by Mike Ribeiro and lifted a backhand shot that hit Kuemper in the shoulder and fluttered into the net at 18:14.

What a Wild (pardon the pun) first period. The Predators out shot the Wild 14-6.

The second period opened with the Wild making a change in net as they brought in Niklas Backstrom.

The Wild tied the game on a power goal, but review showed the puck never crossed the goal line. A further replay seemed to show Derek Roy fishing the puck out from under Rinne when it was across the goal line. The goal was awarded to Marco Scandella.

That would be the only scoring in a bizarre second period. The Predators needed to get their mojo back and take the game in the third period.

That mojo came in the form of Filip Forsberg as he drove into the zone, fired a shot wide and gathered his own rebound and banged the puck into the net for a 4-3 Predator lead at 1:48 of the third period.


The Predators made it a 2 goal lead on the power play (A POWER PLAY GOAL!!) as Roman Josi blasted a shot from the blue line over the shoulder of Backstrom at 9:05 of the third period.

That two goal lead was short lived as Zach Parise redirected a shot on the power play to make it 5-4 at 10:46 of the third period.

The Wild tied the game with the extra attacker on the ice and just 48 seconds remaining. thomas Vanek knocked home a rebound of a Rinne save to tie it a 5.

In the overtime, Mattias Ekholm worked from behind the net to a soft spot in front of the net and fired a wrist shot over the shoulder of Backstrom for the game winner.

Some observations:

• Taylor Beck returned to the line up after missing 4 games with a concussion.
• Paul Gaustad was placed on injured reserve with a lower body injury. Viktor Stalberg has been added to the roster but was not active tonight.
• Victor Bartley was in the line up due to Anton Volchenkov being scratched. Although not as physical as Volchenkov, he plays a solid game and was responsible for the primary assist on the Predators second goal.
• The Predators were guilty of allowing the Wild to drive the slot too many times in the first period. Leaky defense cost them the two goals that they gave up. That leaky defense cost them a regulation win as well as the Predators left too many Wild forwards alone in front of the net throughout the game.
• The bounce back ability of this team continues to impress. Giving up the first goal or falling behind doesn't seem to faze this team as they just keep pushing back in the face of adversity. This is a remarkable turnaround from last season, and while it points to a different mindset, I also believe it points to the confidence these players have in their talent and in one another.
• Mike Fisher was called for a double minor for hooking, a call I have never seen before. The explanation was that he committed two different penalties so both were called. Again, a call I have never seen before.
• The Wild's third goal was specious at best. Called no goal on the ice, there was no video evidence that the puck crossed the goal line, just an inference that it had. This may sound like sour grapes, but if the League wants to keep any credibility that it has, it must do a better job on these kind of calls. This one was a total cluster.
• Filip Forsberg continues his strong play. His 13th goal of the season was a heady play, essentially passing the puck to himself before banging it into the open net. He shows no signs of slowing down and continues his torrid play.
• Olli Jokinen played in his 1200th game tonight.
• Scary moment in the second period as Mike Ribeiro was plowed into the boards by Eric haula. No call on the play, and Ribeiro retreated to the locker room for a brief period but returned to the game.
• Mattias Ekholm showed great patience in scoring the game winner, finding a soft spot a placing the shot in high for the game winner. One of the noticeable differences in the Predators game this season is how active the defense is in the offensive zone, and Ekholm's game winner was the result of his play down low in the offensive zone.
• One could look at the score and say Rinne didn't have a great game. Undoubtedly, it was not his best game, but he didn't get a lot of help in front of the net as the Wild had, for the most, a free reign in front of the net.

The Predators showed some character in winning this game. They kept coming back, overcame adversity and horrible officiating, and just would not quit.

That is the mark of a team that can do great things.

My three stars:

1. Mattias Ekholm

2. Zach Parise

3.Craig Smith

Predators Fall to the Wild in Overtime

The Nashville Predators traveled to the Xcel Energy Center to take on the Minnesota Wild in a game that could go a long way in getting the Predators back into the playoff hunt. The Predators currently sit four points out of the last wild card slot, and a win tonight would get them dangerously close to getting back into the hunt.

The Predators were going to need a good start and a solid 60 minutes of hockey to capture a win.

Instead, the Wild got on the board first as Jonas Brodin took a feed from Nino Niedeirriter and ripped a shot past Carter Hutton from the slot at 4;05 of the first period.

The Predators answered at 5:50 of the first as Craig Smith shot a wrist shot at Darcy Kuemper from the blue line. The shot hit Kuemper in the shoulder and plopped into the blue ice. Smith was driving the net and banged home the loose puck to tie the game.

The Wild went up 2-1 at 13:27 as Zach Parise scored on the power play.

Smith tallied his second goal of the game and his 18th of the season as he flipped a backhand from the slot over the shoulder of Kuemper at 7:40 of the second period.

The third period saw both teams create some good scoring chances with the Wild having the advantage in that area, but both netminders were able to keep the period scoreless.

The Predators were heading to another overtime, their 13th of the season. The Predators were 3-9 heading into the extra period. The wild were playing their 15th extra period game and they were 7-7 heading into the bonus period.

The Predators are now 3-10 in overtime as Nino Niedeirriter ripped a shot past Hutton at 2:16 of the extra period.


Some observations:

• Huttonmade some solid saves as the wild pressured the Predators net all night. The Wild out shot the Predators 36-18 and spent an inordinate amount of time in the Predators zone. Hutton was beaten by Brodin on a blistering shot that seemed to fool him with the velocity, and that is one that he would like to have back. Considering the pressure that the wild put on the Predators all night, it was a good effort by Hutton, however.

• Craig Smith was outstanding. his first goal was all effort as he used his speed to create separation and followed his shot to the net, fighting past a defender. The positive about Smith this season is that he has played consistently throughout the year and  that is something he needed to prove that he could do.

• The Predators were once again challenged all night by the speed and forecheck of the Wild. Teams that forecheck aggressively and have good speed have been problematic for the Predators, and tonight was no different. The lack of quality puck carriers makes this team vulnerable against this type of opponent.

• Matt Cullen was back in the line up, but played only 7:36 before leaving the contest with an injury. Viktor Stalberg is still out, and the Predators were also without the services of Nick Spaling, who will be out until after the Olympic break.

• Paging Colin Wilson... Mr. Colin Wilson. Please report to the Predators and show up for a game.

• All the best to Pete Weber, who suffered a heart attack and is resting comfortably and out of danger. He will be in the hospital in Minneapolis for a few days and will be returning home this weekend.

• And best wishes to David Poile, who was struck in the face by a puck that went over the boards at the Predators morning skate. Poile was taken by ambulance to a local hospital in Minneapolis as well, and suffered damage to his face as he was struck over the eye. The puck was a pass from Shea Weber that hit a stick and went over the glass, so you know it had some velocity on it. Hopefully David is not seriously injured.

The Predators didn't have their best effort, but managed to salvage a point in this contest against a good Wild squad.

The Predators now sit 3 points out of the wild card spot with one game remaining before the Olympic break.

It will be no easy task as the Predators face the Anaheim Ducks at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday.

My three stars:

1. Craig Smith

2. Nino Niedeirriter

3. Carter Hutton

Predators Fail to Show, Whipped By the Wild

The Nashville Predators desperately needed to win their game against the Minnesota Wild at Bridgestone Arena. The Wild occupy the 8th spot in the West and sat 8 points in front of the Predators. Win this game, and the Predators close the gap to 6 points; lose and it balloons to 10 points.

The Predators needed to bring it and play a complete game.

Instead, they embarrassed themselves, losing 4-0 and rarely showing any fight and compete.

The Wild dominated the first period, scoring two goals and outshooting the Predators 11-5. Dany Heatley and Jason Zucker tallied to give the Wild a 2-0 lead, and for all intents and purposes, this game was over.

The Predators showed some life in the second period, but their old nemesis of being unable to finish scoring chances once again bit them. They out shot the Wild 9-3 but could not get a puck past Wild netminder Darcy Kuemper.

The Predators gave up two more goals in the third period to the Wild as Matt Cooke was left alone in the slot and beat a defenseless Marek Mazanec to give the Wild a 3-0 lead. Marco Scandella sent the crowd home early with a goal past a screened Mazanec.

Some observations:

• The Predators lost most every puck battle tonight. The Wild wanted it more, and the Predators had no response. This shut down most of the offensive effort and was disappointing to say the least.

• The Wild dominated the neutral zone. The Predators struggled all night just trying to get the puck through the neutral zone and into the offensive zone. The Wild had better jump and hustle than the Predators, and their intensity and effort shut down the Predators all night.

• The Predators puck support was awful. The Predators had 17 giveaways, mostly attributable to the Wild surrounding the puck carrier and limiting options to move the puck. The ability to cycle the puck and create chances in the offensive zone is dependent on the Predators controlling the puck and giving options to the puck carrier. The Predators failed miserably at this tonight.

• The Predators had two power plays and did not get a shot on net on the first one. The Wild PK had more energy and jump than the Predators PP units, and the ability to move the puck was limited by the hustle of the Wild.

• David Legwand looked totally disinterested tonight. He recorded no shots on goal, had 3 giveaways, and was a -3 in 15:34 TOI. The Predators need more out of Legwand, and his level of play has been dropping off recently.

• The Predators welcomed Patric Hornqvist back to the line up after missing two games with an injury. He recorded a team high 4 shots on net.

• I can't really fault Mazanec on the goals he gave up tonight. Defensive breakdowns in front of him created magnificent scoring chances for the Wild and they capitalized.

• Darcy Kuemper recorded his first career shutout. This was just his 10th NHL game.

The lack of compete by the Predators tonight is beyond disappointing. In a pivotal game, they failed to show up. There are no positives to draw from this loss.

The Predators are dangerously close to becoming an afterthought to this season, especially if their effort is as weak as tonight's.

A chance to make up some ground during a five game homestand has been wasted. There is one more game left at home to try to erase the bad taste of this effort.

It would be good to go out strong.

My three stars:

1. Dany Heatley

2. Darcy Kuemper

3. Charlie Coyle