Predators Season Ends After Falling 4-3 to the Blackhawks

Game 6 was a do or die game for the Predators. Down 3 games to 2, the Predators were going to have to win in Chicago to force a game 7 in Nashville.

The Predators opened the game with a sense of desperation as James Neal tallied twice and Matt Cullen scored a beauty to chase Scott Darling midway of the first period and send Corey Crawford into the net. Darling gave up 3 goals on 12 shots.

This Blackhawks team is talented and has no quit. A goal by Patrick Sharp and a power play goal by Jonathan Toews cut the Predators lead to 3-2. Sharp had an empty net as Rinne was out of position and Rinne had no chance on a redirect off Toews skate.

The Hawks tied the game up with 6 seconds remaining in the first period as Patrick Kane beat Rinne top shelf through traffic.

So after the great start by the Predators, the game was even after one period.

The second period was scoreless, but the Hawks often carried the play to the Predators.

As in the second period, the Blackhawks had the better of the play in the Predators offensive zone. After a furious scramble, Duncan Keith beat Rinne through traffic to give the Hawks a 4-3 lead with 3:40 remaining in the game.

The Predators pulled Rinne for the extra attacker with 2:05  remaining in the game. It was to no avail as the Predators could not find the net and saw their season end with a 4-3 loss.


Some observations:

• Great start by the Predators as they continued their attacking style of play and chased Darling from the net in the first period. When the Predators are attacking the net and using their speed, they are hard to play against. they used this style to get the Hawks back on their heels early in the game.
• Once again, the Predators squandered a great start. One of the things this coaching staff is going to have to do is to change the DNA of this team. You just cannot keep giving up multi-goal leads and expect to win games. This has plagued this team over the last half of the season and in the playoffs.
• James Neal has to come up big for the Predators and his two goals in the first period are the lift he needs to provide. Neal has tremendous offensive talent and needs to utilize like he has in his last two games if the Predators are going to win this series.
• As good as Neal was in the offensive zone, his cross check behind the play that resulted in  Hawks power play goal was just stupid. You CANNOT take a dumb penalty like that in a game of this magnitude.The Hawks power play is a potent weapon, and giving them the man advantage like that is just unacceptable.
• The Predators got killed in the face off circle in the first period and two of the three Hawks goals were a direct result of the Predators being unable to win faceoffs. The Predators had been pretty good in the circle until this game, and it cost them on the scoreboard. The Predators were 12 of 30 in the dot in the first period.
• That said, the Predators won 13 of 21 faceoffs in the second period.
• Both teams tightened up their defense in the second period and there was was not nearly as much room as in the first period. In the third period, it was going to come down to a matter of will to get to the prime scoring areas for the Predators.
• After an explosive first period, the Predators offense did not generate many quality chances on Crawford. The offense could not find a rhythm and get the puck on net with any consistency and failed to challenge what had to be a shaky goalie.

Once again, the Predators just could not hold a lead and saw their season slip away because of that inability.

Not much else to say. I will have a post season wrap up later.

My three stars:

1. Duncan Keith

2. James Neal

3. Patrick Sharp

Hawks Power Play the Difference in 3-1 Win Over the Predators

When you are facing one of the most potent power play units in the NHL, it is not wise to put them on the ice very often.

The Nashville Predators did just that and were burned for two power play goals by the Chicago Blackhawks in a 3-1 Chicago victory at Bridgestone Arena.

The Predators and goaltender Carter Hutton had their 3  game win streak snapped.

The Hawks scored on their first shot of the game as Duncan Keith fired a shot from the point that got through Hutton on the stick side and trickled over the goal line at 1:29 of the first period.

The Predators answered back at 3:03 of the first on the power play as Shea Weber blasted a puck from the top of the face off circle past Antti Raanta to tie the game at 1.

Patrick Kane made it 2-1 with a beautiful goal, lifting a backhand over the shoulder of Hutton into a tight space in the top corner. The goal came at 16:14 of the first period and with the Hawks on the power play with Colin Wilson in the box for holding.

The Predators had a great first period. They swarmed the net and fired 17 shots on Raanta, who made some good saves to keep the Predators off the board.

Unfortunately, the first period was where the solid effort by the Predators ended.

The Hawks out shot the Predators 8-4 in the second period and got a Nick Leddy power play goal at 11:33 as he banged home a big rebound kicked out to the weak side by Hutton.

That was all the scoring that the Hawks would need as they shut down the Predators for the remainder of the game. The Predators could muster only 7 shots in the third period to 9 for Chicago.

Some observations:

• The Predators were 1 for 5 on the power play, including 3:23 of power play time because of a double minor for high sticking. The power play was... not good. The Predators had difficulty entering the zone and once in the zone, controlling the puck. The lack of movement by the power play unit makes it easy to defend. Until this unit can improve and become more effective and dangerous, the Predators will continue to struggle.

• The Predators gave the Hawks 5 power plays, and they capitalized on 2 of them and this was the difference in the game. The Predators were called for too many men on the ice twice, which is hard to understand.

• The lack of elite puck movers in the forward ranks plagued the Predators on the power play and at even strength as the game wore on. The Hawks were able to thwart the Predators entry into the zone and were able to disrupt the offensive effort in the zone. This continues to be a problem for the Predators against tight checking teams.

• I may be in the minority, but my view is that David Legwand has become an offensive liability. He lacks creativity with the puck and has become prone to numerous turnovers. He is not hard on the puck and kills the flow of his line.

• I don't fault Hutton on the two power play goals that he gave up, but he cannot give up that first goal, a puck that went through him for the score. Hutton made some good saves tonight and kept his team in the game, but the soft goal on the first shot seemed to take some steam out of the Predators.

Obviously, the Hawks are a great team. The effort tonight was good, but to be a great team, the effort has to be exceptional.

That was not the case.

The Predators have an opportunity to get back in the win column Thursday night on the road in Tampa Bay.

My three stars:

1. Duncan Keith

2. Patrick Kane

3. Shea Weber

Blackhawks Blitz the Predators 3-0

The Nashville Predators tried to derail the Chicago Blackhawks and hand them their first regulation loss at the Bridgestone Arena.

It looked like a race between thoroughbreds and plow horses.

And the thoroughbreds ran away with it.

The Blackhawks won 3-0 and were never seriously challenged by the Predators. In fact, through two periods, the Predators could muster just 7 shots on net.

Pekka Rinne got no help from the offense, and was under siege most of the night. After a scoreless first period, the Hawks first goal came on a brutal clearing attempt by Roman Josi, who instead of clearing the puck with his stick, tried to kick the puck out of the zone. Instead, he kicked the puck directly to Marcus Kruger, who beat a screened Rinne with a shot from the blue line.

The Hawks second goal came from a shot by Duncan Keith that hit Jonathan Toews in front of the net and re-directed past Rinne to make it 2-0 in the second period.

Patrick Kane got the Hawks third goal in the third period off a severe angle shot that hit Rinne on the inside of the leg and caromed into the goal. That is one that Rinne wanted back, but it really didn't matter because the Predators were not going to seriously threaten the Hawks.

Corey Crawford didn't have to work hard and make many quality saves. The Hawks out shot the Predators 27-17 for the game, and the quality of shots was for the most not good. Nick Spaling had a glorious chance in the first period as he got the puck behind Crawford and slid it off the post, but the Predators rarely had another good scoring opportunity.

Here are some observations:

• It is time to re-think the line combinations. The top line of Mike Fisher, Martin Erat, and Sergei Kostitsyn combined for 2 shots, all by Fisher. The second line of David Legwand, Colin Wilson, and Gabriel Bourque had 4 shots, 3 by Legwand and 1 by Wilson. The production of these two lines has to be significantly better, and right now they are not clicking. Kostitsyn has been dropped down to the third line earlier this season, and it is time to consider making this move again.

• How would I re-structure the lines? Fisher, Wilson and Bourque on the first line. Spaling, Erat, and Yip on the second line. Drop Legwand to the third line and put Kostitsyn and whichever winger is playing best on that line. It is time to reconsider changing the line combinations to jump start this offense.

• The fact is that the forwards on this team are grinders and solid blue collar players. There is nothing wrong with that, and they have endeared themselves to their fans with their work ethic. Tonight was stark proof that lacking offensive dynamism, this team is going to struggle mightily against the elite and talented teams in the League. David Legwand is not going to elevate his game and is realistically a third or fourth line center. Marty Erat is a 15 -20 goal scorer. Colin Wilson and Gabriel Bourque have potential, but it is unrealized. This is the way this team has been built, and the fact is that to win the Cup, a team has to have elite talent. This team does not.

• That being said, I continue to be impressed with what Barry Trotz and the staff have done and continue to do to squeeze everything they can out of the talent they have been given. But if the Predators are going to win the ultimate prize, there must be a serious upgrade in offensive talent. Are you listening, David Poile?

The road doesn't get any easier for the Predators as they face some very talented teams coming in to the Bridgestone Arena.

The Predators have to bring their maximum effort and play their system flawlessly.

They don't have the talent to do otherwise.

My three stars:

1. Marcus Kruger

2. Jonathan Toews

3. Patrick Kane