The Skid Continues: Predators Fall to the Islanders 4-3

The Nashville Predators dropped their 5th game in a row, falling to the New York Islanders 4-3 at Bridgestone Arena.

Once again, the Predators dug a hole that they had to climb out by allowing the Islanders to jump to a 2-0 lead.

John Tavares scored at even strength and Anders Lee scored on the power play to stake the Isles to that 2-0 lead.

Colin Wilson scored off a rebound and scramble around the crease with just 1.2 seconds remaining on the clock in the first period to cut the deficit to 2-1.

The Islanders extended their lead to 3-1 in the third period as Nick Leddy beat Pekka Rinne under his arm. This was definitely a stoppable goal that Rinne just didn't play well.

The Predators came storming back to tie the game as a shot from Ryan Ellis that was going over the crossbar hit Mike Ribeiro in the arm and deflected down and past Jaroslav Halak.

31 seconds after that goal, Craig Smith took a sweet pass through the slot from Filip Forsberg and roofed it from in close to tie the game.

Brock nelson got the game winner when a puck bounced over the stick of Seth Jones in the slot and he buried a shot past Rinne.

Some observations:

• As good as Pekka Rinne has been this season, he was not sharp tonight. The goal by Leddy was very stoppable. The first goal from Tavares should have never happened. Tavares threw the puck at the crease from a sharp angle and it hit Rinne in the leg and slid through the five hole. Look, Rinne has carried this team this year and has been stellar, but right now he is not cleaning up every mistake. In this skid, there have been some bad defensive breakdowns in front of him. Tonight, he just didn't have his best game. I still believe in him and think he will be fine, but he- and this team- are going to have to fight through this funk.
• For the 10th straight game, the Predators have given up the first goal. Look guys, this is getting old. No, it is old. In the past five games that we have lost, we have held a lead just once (3-2 going into the third period against Detroit). The task at hand gets a lot easier if you are playing with a lead instead of trying to claw your way back into a game.
• Colin Wilson's goal was his 20th of the year. This is the first time in his career that Wilson has recorded 20 goals.
• Filip Forsberg picked up an assist and is tied for the team lead in points with 53 (tied with Ribeiro).
• During this skid, their has been some miserable periods of hockey played by this team. I cannot fault the effort tonight. The out shot the Islanders 31-26 and played with some good jump for most of the game. That said, the Islanders third goal was a direct result of the Isles outworking the Predators in their zone and keeping them hemmed in for a long stretch.
• Jaroslav Halak played a good game and made some great stops. The Predators consistently put pressure and shots on the net, and if they continue to do that, they will reverse this skid.
• Mike Fisher has been playing some inspired hockey and picked up an assist tonight. Fisher has 7 points (3G-4A) in his last nine games.

This is not a fun time for the team or its fans. Let's just let go that "best team in the NHL" line and realize that every team goes through these stretches. The critical aspect is how this team is going to respond to this adversity. The objective now should be to play sound, fundamental hockey and to play with heart and effort.

If they play like they did tonight with that kind of effort, they will get back to their winning ways.

My three stars:

1. Jaroslav Halak

2. Nick Leddy

3. Craig Smith

Predators Run Aground Against the Islanders

The New York Islanders rode a three goal outburst in the first period and added two more goals in the third period in a 5-2 drubbing of the Nashville Predators at Nassau Coliseum.

The resurgent and talented Islanders are the best team in the East, and they showed it in this game, using their speed and tenacity and a bit of puck luck to dominate the Predators.

Brian Strait, Johnny Boychuk, and John Tavares scored in the first period before Filip Forsberg was able to score late in the period to make it 3-1.

James Neal notched his 21st goal of the season in the second period to make it 3-2 going into the third.

The wheels came off for the Predators as Nick Leddy scored off a rush and Roman Josi tried to clear a rebound and banged it off Pekka Rinne's pads and into the goal to make it 5-2 Islanders. Josh Bailey had taken the shot and was credited with the goal.

Jaroslav Halak had a fairly easy night, stopping 30 of the 32 shots he faced.

By contrast, Pekka Rinne was under siege for most of the night as the Isles got an abundance of quality scoring chances as the Predators defense was spotty at best.

Thankfully for the Predators, the Islanders didn't score again and make it worse.

Some observations:

• Nice gesture by the team to let Anthony Bitetto lead the team on the ice for the pre-skate. Bitetto is a native of Island Park, NY and had family in attendance.
• The Islanders had significantly more jump than the Predators in the first period and that set the tone for the game. Rinne was under assault with some quality scoring chances by the Islanders and if he had not made some good saves, the score could have been much worse.
• Filip Forsberg gave the Predators some life in the first period, recording his 20th goal of the season with an Isles defender hanging all over him. We have all marveled at his skill set, but an underrated aspect of his game is his strength. He is surprisingly strong and very hard to knock off the puck.
• Eric Nystrom leveled Mikhail Grabovski with a booming hit in the first period. Nystrom caught Grabovski with his head down and planted his shoulder in the chest of the Isles forward. Grabovski was rattled by the hit and hit his head on the ice when he fell. Scary moment off a clean hit as Grabovsky didn't move for quite a while. The stretcher was called, but eventually Grabovsky got to his feet and skated to the locker room. Hopefully he did not sustain a serious injury. No penalty was called on Nystrom on the play.
• James Neal just has a wickedly good release on his shot. He displayed that release on a rocket for his 21st goal of the year.
• Lines were juggled as Forsberg was reunited with Craig Smith and joined by Mike Fisher on the top line. Forsberg needs dynamic and creative line mates and frankly, I don't think he had them with Beck and Jarnkrok. Mike Ribeiro dropped down to the second kline to center James Neal and Colin Wilson.
• Uncharacteristic turnovers and defensive breakdowns hung Pekka Rinne out to dry. The Isles got numerous uncontested shots from the slot and quality chances off the rush. Rinne would have had to been perfect to stop the onslaught from the Isles. He wasn't and he got very little help from the team in front of him.
•  The Islanders did a great job of winning most of the puck battles and throttling the Predators rush through the neutral zone. The offense never seemed to find its rhythm and get in gear. This has been a problem for this team at times this season and is one that will have to be corrected.
• The Predators had 17 shots on net in the first period. After that, they had 8 in the second and 7 in the third. They were outworked and outhustled by the Islanders in the final 40 minutes, and that is reflected in the score. by contrast, the Islanders consistently brought offensive pressure, netting 40 shots on Rinne. 
• Cody Franson and Mike Santorelli have cleared their paperwork and should be in the line up for Saturday's game.

After winning 6 straight games, the Predators couldn't bring the effort and intensity to capture a 7th consecutive win against a very talented Islanders squad.

If this is a measuring stick game, the Predators came up woefully short.

If this is a learning experience, then it will be good for the Predators.

Time to get back on the horse on Saturday against the Flyers.

My three stars:

1. John Tavares

2. Nick Leddy

3. James Neal

Predators Shoot Down the Capitals In a Shoot Out

Our elected leaders in Washington are a pretty dysfunctional bunch.

The hockey team in Washington is pretty dang good.

The Capitals brought their high octane offense to Smashville to face the Predators, who were struggling to get above .500, and the Predators managed to find enough offense to outlast the Capital in a shootout to win 4-3.

Patric Hornqvist scored two goals for the Predators, His effort was matched by Troy Brouwer of the Capitals, as he scored twice as well.

Hornqvist tallied his first goal by driving the net and chipping a rebound over the pad of Jaroslav Halak to tie the game at 1.

Hornqvist gave the Predators a 2-1 lead as he carried the puck into the offensive zone, drove the net, and roofed a backhand under the crossbar.

After Brouwer tied the game with a power play goal in the second period, Shea Weber beat Halak with a rocket from just outside the face off circle to make it 3-2 at 8:23 of the third period.

With Washington again on the power play, Nicklas Backstrom snapped a shot past Carter Hutton to tie the game at 3 at 12:20 of the third.

The remainder of the period was scoreless, as was the overtime.

In the shootout, Craig Smith was the lone goal scorer. Hutton stopped Evgeny Kuznetsov, Mikhail Grabovski, and Backstrom to secure the win for the Predators.

Some observations:

• The Predators shootout win was only their second win of the season in the skills competition. They are now 2-8 in shootouts.

• Hutton stopped 23 of 26 shots and all three shooters in the shootout. Hutton is now 10-5-2 in 2014.

• Mark Van Guilder made his NHL debut for the Predators. The 30 year old rookie was called into action with injuries to Nick Spaling and Paul Gaustad.

• Patric Hornqvist played an excellent game tonight. His energy helped propel the Predators to the win, and his first goal of the night was a typical Hornqvist play, driving the net and capitalizing (pardon the pun) on a rebound. His second goal was a thing of beauty, carrying the puck on the breakaway and lifting the shot under the crossbar. His two goal tonight give him 101 goals for his career. He now has 10 points (5G-5A) in his last 9 games.

• Rich Clune destroyed the Capitals Patrick Wey in a first period fight, and that seemed to energize the Predators. Wey did not return to the game after the scrap.

• Weber's goal gives him 21 for the season, tops among NHL defensemen. He also lead the Predators in TOI, with 27:47.

• The Capitals have the best power play in the NHL, and they showed it tonight, going 2-4. The Predators did not have a power play in the game.

This was a scrappy win by the Predators against a more talented team, a win that showed this team refused to quit under the pressure the Caps brought.

This is the kind of effort that this team needs to end the season on a positive note.

My three stars:

1. Patric Hornqvist

2. Shea Weber

3. Troy Brouwer

Blues Embarrass the Predators 6-1

Embarrassing.

That is the only way to describe the Predators effort against the St. Louis Blues in a 6-1 loss at Bridgestone Arena.

The Blues controlled play throughout the game and brought Predators netminder Carter Hutton back to reality, chasing him in the third period after tallying 5 goals. Hutton got no help from his defense and was mercifully pulled for Magnus Hellberg midway of the third.

The Predators got no offensive push at all from their forwards, rarely challenging Blues goaltender Jaroslav Halak. The few times they did pressure the net, Halak was up to the challenge. The Predators only goal came on a shorthanded shot from Nick Spaling 52 seconds into the third period.

The Blues are a measuring stick for the Predators, a division rival that has built their team through the draft, much like Nashville. The game tonight shows that the Blues have done a much better job of building a team of talented players that border on elite.

By contrast, the Predators have a team of grinders- guys that work hard and hustle but are not remotely elite.

That falls on GM David Poile.

The Predators have failed to develop offensive talent that can compete against one of the better teams in the league. Yes, there is some potential in a few players, but the reality is that against a team that is tight checking and physical, the Predators lack players that can create offensively and have the potential to change the course of a game.

And the Predators do not have the players on this roster that can do that.

Some observations:

• Carter Hutton was under siege for most of the game. The 5th goal he allowed was probably the only one that he should have legitimately should have stopped. Too often, the defensive breakdowns allowed the Blues some prime scoring chances, and they capitalized.

• The defensive pairing of Ryan Ellis and Victor Bartley was absolutely brutal. Both were -3 and were dominated by the Blues forwards when they were on the ice. Ellis does not have the physical ability to handle big, talented power forwards and the Blues took advantage of him when he was on the ice. An indication of how bad this pairing played? The Predators went nearly 6 minutes into the third period before they saw the ice.

• Craig Smith, Patric Hornqvist, and Matt Cullen showed good hustle and attempted to get the offense going when they were on the ice. Smith had a team high 6 shots for the game.

• David Legwand, Gabriel Bourque, and Colin Wilson were invisible tonight. The Predators need these guys to get their game going consistently. Bourque in particular needs to find the net and get his scoring touch back.

The Predators embark on a 17 game road trip. After this debacle, this team needs to find their offensive touch and confidence.

Maybe the road is the place to do that.

My three stars:

1. Alex Steen

2. T.J. Oshie

3. Jaden Schwartz

Predators Rough Start Costs Them in 4-2 Loss to the Blues

Everyone that follows the Predators knew this team would be a work in progress as new players were added to the line up and chemistry had to develop with the changes in the roster. The Predators effort in the opening game of the season showed that there is a lot of work that has to be done.

First period defensive breakdowns gave the Blues three goals as the defense hung starting netminder Pekka Rinne out to dry. The Blues had an easy time in front of the Predators net, scoring off of defensive miscues and fortuitous bounces. The result was that Rinne was pulled in the first period and hopefully received some apologies from the blueliners when he got to the bench. By the time he reached the safety of the bench with 10 minutes left in the first period, the Blues held a 3-0 lead.

Mike Fisher cut into the Blues lead with his first goal of the season, and although the Predators out shot the Blues in the period, were staring at a 2 goal deficit.

The Predators cut the Blues lead to one off a goal by David Legwand from a nice feed from Patric Hornqvist early in the second period. Once again, the team showed good effort and jump. The Predators effort in the offensive zone was solid, with good hustle that created some scoring chances.

However, the Blues power play capitalized again to stretch the lead to 4-2. Carter Hutton got a piece of a shot from the point, but could not stop it from leaking over the line. The Predators PK, which was a problem last season, continued to bite the Predators in this contest.

The Predators offensive effort was stymied by the Blues in the third period as they mustered 7 shots on goal but could not get a puck past Blues goalie Jaroslav Halak and fell by a final score of 4-2.

Some observations:

• The Predators special teams looked bad. The Blues were 2 for 2 with the man advantage before playing with the puck late in the game on a double minor high sticking penalty. The Blues took just 3 seconds to score on their first power play. The Predators had 3 power plays and on two of them did not get a shot on net. This has to improve quickly for the Predators to have success this season.

• Seth Jones looked good in his debut. He handled the puck well and was in good position throughout the game. He plays with confidence, and his game will continue to improve.

• Mattias Ekholm was paired with Jones, and played a good game. He was positionally sound and made no glaring mistakes, which is a plus considering his previous stints with the big club. If he and Jones can gel, they could be a very good defensive pairing.

• Rinne did not have much help, but it appeared that he went down to the ice very quickly on the Blues second goal. The hope is that this outing was an aberration.

• The effort and jump by the Predators was good, but once again, the inability to finish their chances cost them an opportunity to win this game. They out shot the Blues over the first two periods, and the Preds are going to have to figure out a way to finish more of their chances. If they cannot, this is going to be another long season.

 
The Predators are a team that has to have maximum effort and they have to finish their chances to have success. They had a good effort tonight, but failed on the second half of that equation.

They get a chance to work on that tomorrow night against Colorado.

My three stars:

1. Jaroslav Halak

2. T.J. Oshie

3. Mike Fisher

Predators Fail to Show Up in 3-0 Loss to the Blues

The Nashville Predators traveled to ScottTrade Center to face off with the St. Louis Blues for the second time in 5 days. The first meeting between these two teams resulted in a 4-3 Blues shoot out win in Nashville, and the Predators were looking to keep pace with their Central Division rival.

Pekka Rinne was in net for the Predators and Jaroslav Halak, who was pulled in the first game between these teams, was in net for the Blues.

The game opened like a mirror image of the game in Nashville with the Blues holding a dominant territorial advantage, out shooting the Predators 4-1 early in the contest. The Blues would tally first on their second power play of the period as Mike Fisher was in the box. A shot to the net was not handled cleanly by Rinne, who let the puck hit the blue ice in front of him. T.J. Oshie crashed the net and was able to shovel the puck past Rinne for a 1-0 lead at 12:59.

The Predators had a difficult time getting through the neutral zone and establishing offensive zone presence in the first period. Rinne made a great save on T.J. Oshie  late in the period to keep the Blues lead at 1. If the Predators were going to make a game of it, they were going to have to be stronger on the puck and establish their offense, which was virtually non-existent in the first period.

At the end of the first period, the Blues held a 9-3 shot advantage.

The second period opened with the Blues continuing to dominate in puck possession and the Predators unable to establish offensive presence. If the Predators were going to make a game of it, their offense was going to have to control the puck and generate some chances.

That was not happening for the Predators. The Blues controlled the puck, choked off the Predators entry into the zone, and did not let the offense get established. The Predators did not record their first shot on the Blues goal until 12:21 had elapsed in the period.

The Predators defense was caught asleep as Patrick Bergland broke in alone on Rinne and was hooked by Mike Fisher. Bergland was awarded a penalty shot and he beat Rinne stick side to give the Blues a 2-0 lead. As bad as the Predators offense was tonight, that lead looked to be insurmountable for the Predators.

The remainder of the period was scoreless, but the Predators never seriously challenged the Blues net and the offense was throttled by the Blues defense. In the second period, the Predators were out shot 11-4. If the Predators were going to get back in this game, they were going to have to commit to getting the puck in the zone and getting shots on net, something they had not done during the first 40 minutes.

The final 20 minutes were going to be a test of the heart and will of the Predators.

The Predators opened the third period with 1:30 of power play time, but had difficulty even entering the zone. The power play expired with no serious scoring threats. Another power play shortly thereafter yielded a few shots but again no serious scoring threats.

Vladamir Tarasenko made it 3-0 at 9:04 as he was left all alone on the left side of the ice after jumping off the bench on a change. Alex Steen found Tarasenko gliding toward the net and slipped a pass to the wide open winger and he roofed a shot over Rinne to give the Blues a lead that the Predators were not going to threaten the way they were playing.

The only question remaining in this game was how badly the Predators would be embarrassed by their lack of effort tonight.

The Predators effort tonight was embarrassing. They were out shot 24-13 and rarely threatened Halak in the offensive zone. The forwards were dominated by the Blues defense. The power play was impotent.

An all around stinker of a game by the Predators.

This team is a team that has to bring the effort every night to compensate for their lack of talent. Tonight, the effort was woefully lacking.

The Predators get a chance to wash this bad taste out of their mouth Saturday night in Anaheim.

It can't come quickly enough.

My three stars:

1. T.J. Oshie

2. Vladamir Tarasenko

3. Jaroslav Halak

Predators Pick Up a Point in 4-3 SO Loss to the Blues

For the second straight game, the Nashville Predators went to a shootout, and both times the results were the same as the Predators dropped a 4-3 decision to the St. Louis Blues.

Unlike the previous game with Columbus, the Predators played with more purpose. Like the previous game, there were stretches where the visiting Blues dominated puck possession and kept the Predators pinned in their own zone. Make no mistake, part of this is the fact that the Blues are a very talented team, but the fact that the Predators can be dominated as they were in their own zone is troubling.

In regulation, the Blues out shot the Predators 33-24. In the overtime period, the Predators could not muster a shot and were out shot 6-0.

The Predators opened the scoring at 9:10 of the first period as Colin Wilson took a pass from Patric Hornqvist and fired a shot from just inside the face off circle that beat Blues netminder Jaroslav Halak. Wilson was strong on the puck all night and played a very good game. In the two games of this young season, he has been the best skater for the Predators.

The Blues tied the game at 10:28 of the first period as rookie Vladamir Tarasenko fired a shot over the shoulder of Pekka Rinne for his third goal in two games. Tarasenko is a dynamic young player and a force for the Blues. He later added two assists on Blues goals to give him 5 points in two games.

The Blues took a 2-1 lead at 15:04 of the first as Andy McDonald tallied on the power play with David Legwand in the box for hooking. McDonald was able to roof the puck over an out of position Rinne for the Blues lead.

The Predators returned the favor on the power play at 17:13 of the first period as Mike Fisher took a nice cross ice feed from Marty Erat and beat Halak high stick side.

Although the Blues out shot the Predators 14-6 and had a decided territorial advantage in the first period, the opening frame ended tied at 2. Rinne made some good save to keep the Predators in the period as the Blues had a tremendous offensive zone time advantage.

The Predators were stronger on the puck in the second period, and although they were out shot 9-8, they tallied the only goal of the period on the power play. Patric Hornqvist got free down low and lifted a sharp angle backhand over the shoulder of Halak at 12:53 the give the Predators a 3-2 lead on only their 11th shot of the game. That was enough for Blues Coach Ken Hitchcock as he pulled Halak and inserted Brian Elliott in net.

That proved to be a wide coaching move by Hitch as Elliott would shut out the Predators the rest of the way.

Once again, the third period saw the Predators unable to hold a lead as the Blues tied the game at 12:10 of the third as Alex Pietrangelo was able to get the puck past Rinne.

Shots were 10-10 in the third period, but Rinne made some exceptional saves and the Predators hit the post on three occasions and couldn't finish their chances.

The Blues owned the overtime session as once again Rinne made some good saves to keep the Blues off the board. The Predators could not generate any offense and did not have a shot on goal in the extra session.

In the shootout, Craig Smith and Marty Erat were stopped by Elliott and T.J. Oshie and Alex Steen were able to beat Rinne to give the Blues the second point.

On the positive side, it was good to see Hornqvist and Fisher get on the score sheet. Hornqvist had a strong game and has been quietly effective. Colin Wilson had a solid game, skating well and was strong on the puck. Wilson has been the Predators best skater in the first two games and his game has matured nicely.

Troubling for the Predators is the way that the Blues were able to dominate in puck possession. There were stretches of the game where the Predators were fortunate to just get it out of their zone. Part of this is that the Blues are a very talented team. Part of this is that the Predators were sloppy with the puck. This has to improve for the Predators to get in the win column.

The other aspect of the Predators game that has to improve is the secondary scoring. Last year, the Predators were the beneficiaries of the third and fourth line contributing with timely scoring. So far, these lines have not had any offensive pop, and the Predators have to have these lines chipping in with some goals.

The Predators are in Minnesota tomorrow night, and this is another opportunity to continue to get their game back to Predator hockey. Some good strides were made tonight.

The progress has to continue.

My three stars:

1. Vladamir Tarasenko

2. Patric Hornqvist

3. Colin Wilson

Blues Finally Beat the Predators in a Shootout

The St. Louis Blues finally defeated the Nashville Predators in a shootout by the score of 3-2 at the Bridgestone Arena. The Predators picked up a point, and remain 4 points behind the fourth place Blues.

After the first period, it appeared as if the Predators were going to be run out of the building. Their play was awful, and if not for the outstanding play of Pekka Rinne in net, the Blues could have scored several more goals.

The Predators inexplicably and frustratingly came out flat, and the Blues took the game to them in the first 20 minutes. Chris Stewart scored at 4:13 of the first as he found the puck in a scrum in front of the net and kicked the puck past Rinne. The play went to review, but the review went for the Blues and they had a 1-0 lead.

The Blues out shot the Predators 13-6, but totally dominated the Predators. Jaroslav Halak had an easy time of it in net as the Predators never threatened him in the first. The Predators never got a second scoring opportunity off a shot and their puck support was atrocious in the first as it was all night.

The second and third period saw the Predators awake and begin to play hockey. They out shot the Blues over the final 40 minutes by a 21-8 margin and their effort was rewarded with 2 goals in the second period.

Roman Josi ripped a shot from the slot over the shoulder of Halak to tie the game at 1 at 2:53 of the second period. Josi broke in 2 on 1 with Brandon Yip, and took a nice feed from Yip right on his tape. He wired the shot for his third goal of the season.

The Predators took a 2-1 lead at 12:52 of the second as Colin Wilson out worked two Blues defenders from the corner. Wilson worked his way out front and his quick backhand shot beat Halak between his pad and the post. This was Wilson's 13th goal of the year, and his play has been very solid of late. Good to see him getting his game going.

The Blues tied the game at 2 at 13:26 of the second as Vladimir Sobotka got loose in the low slot and roofed a backhand over Rinne.

The third period was scoreless, but the Predators had some very good scoring chances. Halak was solid, making some good saves to hold the Predators off the board. Rinne did the same on his end of the ice, and we were heading to overtime.

The OT was scoreless, and the Blues had the only three shots in the extra frame.

In the shootout, T.J. Oshie and Andy McDonald scored for the Blues, While Colin Wilson and Marty Erat were blanked by Halak.

The Predators record against the Blues is now 4-0-1 for the season. One game remains on the schedule between the two teams at Scott Trade Center.

The Predators got a taste of playoff hockey against a very good team. It is disappointing that the Predators came out flat and found themselves in a hole after the first period. It is heartening to see that they battled back like they did over the final 40 minutes.

The Predators had better prepare for this type of hockey in the remainder of the regular season. Teams are desperate; teams are fighting for playoff positioning; and teams will kick their ass if they come out flat and lackadaisical like they did tonight.

This is a painful lesson this team needed to learn. You just can't show up, boys, and expect to win hockey games. These remaining games will be a war. The playoffs will be a war.

The Blues are a good team and they gave you a taste of it tonight.

My three stars:

1. Colin Wilson

2. Jaroslav Halak

3. Pekka Rinne

Predators Leave St. Louis Blue

4-0.

That is the Predators season record against the St. Louis Blues.

Looking at that record, one would think that the Predators have had an easy go of it against the Blues.

But as tonight's game at the Bridgestone Arena showed games against the Blues are anything but a cakewalk. War is the appropriate term.

The Predators prevailed over the Blues by a 3-1 margin in a contest that was end to end and complete with big hits, great goaltending from both netminders, and opportunistic scoring by both teams.

Pekka Rinne had the start in net for the Predators, while St. Louis went with Jaroslav Halak for the second contest in a row after his start the previous night against Los Angeles.

The contest opened with St. Louis controlling the puck and establishing territorial advantage. The Blues peppered Rinne with shots in the first 10 minutes of the contest, holding an 11-3 advantage. It was the Predators though that would capitalize first on one of their three shots.

David Perron was called for hooking at 6:28 of the first period. The Predators worked the puck down low, then rotated the puck out to the point to Marty Erat, who had rotated out for the pinching defenseman. Erat let a blast go from the blue line that beat Halak cleanly over his shoulder at 6:59. On the play, Patric Hornqvist flashed across the face of Halak as Erat fired the shot, and his screen was enough to take away the vision of Halak, who appeared not to see the shot.

As the period wore on, the Predators reversed the trend of the Blues territorial dominance and began to pour shots on the Blues goal. Their efforts were rewarded at 12:30 of first period as Sergei Kostitsyn worked hard behind the Blues net to control the puck. He found Mike Fisher at the side of the net, and Fisher popped a shot over the shoulder of Halak to give the Predators a 2-0 lead. For Fisher, this was his 6th goal in the past 5 games.

In the first period, the Blues out shot the Predators 16-14, but it was a tale of two halves in that period. The Blues controlled play early, and Rinne made some big saves to keep them off the board. The Predators controlled play in the final 10 minutes of the period, and were able to opportunistically capitalize on their chances.

The second period was scoreless, but not for lack of effort by the Predators. They dominated in this period, cranking 17 shots on net, while the Blues managed just 7. If not for great saves by Halak, the Predators could have easily blown this game wide open.

Everyone in the building knew the Blues would have a push in the third period, and they certainly did. They finally solved Rinne at 4:01 of the third when Chris Stewart picked the pocket of Roman Josi in the slot and fired a wrist shot that beat Rinne glove side to make it 2-1 Predators.

That goal energized the Blues, and they took control of the period. They had 20 shots on goal to just 6 for the Predators, and Rinne made some amazing saves to keep the Blues off the board. He stopped Kris Russell on two consecutive shots with some acrobatic saves. Rinne had to fend off numerous shots through traffic, and did a great job of tracking the puck with lots of bodies in front of him. For the night, Rinne had 41 saves.

As the clock wound down, the Blues pulled Halak for the extra attacker. The Predators were able to find the empty net as David Legwand and Sergei Kostitsyn came down on a 2 on 1 rush. Legwand slipped the puck to Kostitsyn, and he buried the shot to send the Blues and their fans in attendance home...well, blue.

This was a huge win for the Predators, as it allowed them to move one point in front of the Blues and back into second in the Central Division and 4th in the Western Conference. With this win, the Predators are 12-2-2 against Central Division opponents.

As this game vividly demonstrated, the remainder of the games on the schedule are going to be a war. St. Louis is a very good hockey team, and to beat a good hockey team, you have to bring your best effort. Tonight, The Predators won this game as a team, with a good team effort. Yes, there are some aspects of the game for the Predators that could improve, but the fact is that this team battled and competed hard, and that is what it takes to win these wars.

The wars will continue. Prepare to bring it, boys.

And leave your opponents blue.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Jaroslav Halak

3. Marty Erat

Predators Stop St. Louis for the Third Time

The Nashville Predators brought a depleted line up to Scott Trade Center to take on the St. Louis Blues in the final contest of 2011. The Predators were without Shea Weber, Kevin Klein, and a late scratch, Colin Wilson, who was ruled out with and upper body injury.

Pekka Rinne was in net for the Predators, while the Blues had the resurgent Jaroslav Halak in net.

For the Predators, it was going to be critical that they come out skating hard and playing Predator hockey with this depleted line up. If the Blues got the lead, it was their style to trap the life out of their opponent, something that has given the Predators fits this season.

The Predators did just that, as Roman Josi pinched off the boards and drove the net. Halak kicked a rebound of Josi's shot into the slot, and Matt Halischuk drove the net and chipped the puck over Halak's pads to give the Predators a 1-0 lead at 2:16 of the first period.

At 11:06, David Legwand took a saucer pass from Marty Erat, which hit his foot and ricocheted past Halak. The goal was disallowed as it was deemed that the goal occurred because the puck was kicked into the net.

Immediatley after the face off, he Blues rang a shot off the cross bar as Rinne acrobatically dove across the crease.

T. J. Oshie tied the game at 1 at 13:40 as he gathered in a loose puck in a goal mouth scramble and lifted the puck over Rinne.

The remainder of the period was scoreless, as the Predators killed off a questionable boarding call against Brian McGrattan. They ended the period on a power play as Chris Stewart was called for hooking Craig Smith on a great breakaway attempt. Smith's shot went over the crossbar and into the net as he was being harassed by Stewart. The Predators would open the second period with 40 seconds of power play time.

For the Predators, it was a solid first period as they skated hard and out shot the Blues 14-11.

In the second period, the Blues used their size to muscle the Predators defense and control play in the Predators zone. The defense battled and worked to force the Blues to the perimeter, but the Blues were starting to use their size to wear down the defense.

Pekka Rinne made some big saves to keep the Blues off the board. For the Predators, their best scoring chance came on the penalty kill as Marty Erat stole the puck and went in on a breakaway. He tried to go five hole on Halak, but Halak was able to close the five hole and stop Erat.

The Predators killed off two Blues power plays during the second period, and once again, would have carryover power play time- 50 seconds- to start the third period as David Backes was in the box for hooking.

The Blues out shot the Predators 14-10 in the second period, and this was a period that resembled a heavyweight fight. Both teams traded scoring opportunities and mounted offensive challenges. Both teams responded, and going into the third period, this was a contest that was typical of the Predators and Blues previous contests this season: tight checking and looking for any opportunity to capitalize on a mistake by the other team.

Once again, the third period was a back and forth tilt, as both teams had offensive chances and both netminders were up to the task. The Predators defense had one of their better showings, especially against a bigger and very talented group of forwards for the Blues. Each team kept up the pressure on the other, but neither was able to find the back of the net to end the third period tied at 1.

St. Louis out shot Nashville 8-7 in the third period, and for regulation, the Blues held a two shot advantage 33-31.

The conservative defensive style of the first 60 minutes went out the window in overtime as both teams had rushes up the ice and quality scoring chances. Neither team was able to tally the game winning goal as each had three shots on goal.

For the second game in a row, the Predators were going to a shootout. If you remember, this was the way the last game with the Blues was decided, a game that was won by the Predators 2-1.

St. Louis elected for Nashville to shoot first, and Mike Fisher was the first shooter for the Predators, and he beat Halak but rang his shot off the pipe.

T. J. Oshie was the first shooter for the Blues and he was stoned by Rinne as he closed the pads as Oshie tried to go five hole.

Craig Smith was stopped by Halak on a backhand attempt.

David Perron was the next shooter, and his shot hit Rinne's shoulder and then the crossbar for no goal.

David Legwand was stopped off the forehand by Halak's arm.

Patrick Bergland was stopped by Rinne, although the puck went in the net but it was double tapped by Bergland for no goal.

Matt Halischuk missed the net high for the Predators.

David Backes was stopped by Rinne's blocker.

Marty Erat finally solved Halak as he beat him top corner over his glove to give the Predators a 1-0 lead in the shootout.

With the game on the line, Pekka Rinne stopped Kevin Shattenkirk to seal the win for the Predators, again another 2-1 shootout win over the Blues.

For the Blues, this was their third loss in three attempts against the Predators this season.

The Predators showed immense heart and grit in this win. Make no mistake, St. Louis is a quality club and they are sitting in front of the Predators in the standings. That made this game even more important for the Predators, and they played like it. Going into the contest with several key players out of the line up, it would have been easy to roll over against the Blues. Instead, this team fought for 65 minutes and their compete level was as good as it has been all season. They were gritty and skated hard and refused to wilt in the face of the pressure of the Blues. This was truly a character win.

With this win, the Predators have closed that gap to three points, 47 to 44.

You can see this young team growing game by game in confidence and maturity. They are starting to believe in themselves and in the game they are playing.

And that is what it takes to win these kind of games.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Jaroslav Halak

3. Marty Erat

Predators Stop St. Louis in a Shoot Out 2-1

The Nashville Predators defeated the St. Louis Blues in a shootout by the score of 2-1.

That's the good news.

The rest of the story?

The Predators were out hit, out worked, out shot, and generally out hustled all night. They were fortunate to escape with the win.

Pekka Rinne got the start in net for the Predators, and his effort was outstanding and he single handedly kept the Predators in the contest.

His counterpart, Jaroslav Halak, got the start for the Blues, and he was rarely tested by the Predators.

The Blues out shot the Predators in every period. Embarrassingly so. Here is the bad news in that regard: 14-2; 15-11; and 11-4. The only period where the Predators showed much offensive push was in the overtime session, where the Predators out shot the Blues 3-0.

The first period was scoreless, mainly due to the efforts of Rinne. The Blues controlled the puck throughout the period and fired 11 shots on Rinne. He was solid in net, rarely giving up rebounds, shutting down the Blues second chances.

The first period was a portent of things to come for the Predators. The Predators consistently lost puck battles and were easily taken off the puck. They had a difficult time entering the offensive zone, and when they did, the Blues defense thwarted their offensive effort.

The Predators did not help themselves by taking six penalties in the course of the contest. The Predators PK unit did a good job, but the Predators were flirting with disaster by giving the Blues the man advantage.

The Predators offensive effort was better in the second period, but they could not solve Halak. The Blues were similarly stymied by Rinne at the other end, and the second period was another scoreless 20 minutes. The Blues best scoring chance occurred late in the period when Jamie Langenbrunner gathered in the puck that had squirted out from under Rinne and lifted a shot toward the open net. Defenseman Jack Hillen, backing up Rinne, corralled the puck under his arm and froze it in the blue ice to negate the Blues scoring chance.

The game was taking a decidedly negative feel for the Predators, as their offense was impotent and it appeared to be just a matter of time before the Blues found the back of the net.

Those negative feelings among the Predator faithful would lift at 12:32 of the third period. Mike Fisher stole the puck from Kevin Shattenkirk, who stumbled at the Blues blue line and passed the puck to Shea Weber, breaking in on the left side. Weber drew the defense to him and forced Halak to respect his potential shot. Weber was able to slide the puck to Marty Erat and he buried the puck in the open net to give the Predators a 1-0 lead.

That lead disappeared as the Predators were called for too many men on the ice and T.J. Oshie got loose in the slot and beat Rinne five hole to tie the game at 16:08 of the third.

The Predators were whistled for yet again another penalty, this time David Legwand for slashing at 18:31. Once again, the Predators PK killed off the penalty in regulation and the first 29 seconds of the overtime. The remainder of the overtime period was scoreless, although the Predators generated all the offensive chances.

Heading into the shootout, the Predators elected, as they always do, to have the visitors shoot first. Rinne stoned the three Blues shooters, T.J. Oshie, David Perron, and Patrick Bergland. Halak stopped Mike Fisher and Craig Smith, but the Predators third shooter, David Legwand, beat Halak with a great forehand backhand move over his glove for the Predators improbable win.

For the Predators to come out on top in this contest is amazing, considering the way they played. All night, they looked a step slower than the Blues. Frustratingly, they were beaten on the puck or to the puck all night. Yet Pekka Rinne held the Predators in the game with his solid play, and the Predators did just enough to hang around and finally win the game.

It was pretty incredible that the Blues were not whistled for a penalty until the very end of overtime. There will be games like that, and for the Predators, it was imperative that they fight through that type of officiating. Tonight, the PK unit held the Blues to 1 of 6 on the power play, and without that level of play, the Predators could have easily been blown out of the arena.

While it is good to get the win, this contest pointed out that the Predators cannot just skate out on the ice and expect to win many contests. Tonight, they were fortunate. That will not be the case very often.

This game shows the team that they cannot revert back to their former ways when they ere in their losing skid. They have to win puck battles, keep from turning they puck over- which they did a lot tonight- and limit the other team's scoring chances.

This is one of those games where the team can let out its collective breath and say they escaped with a win.

Hopefully, we will take this game and learn from what happened and return to playing a complete game again.

And we will not feel like we escaped with a win.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Marty Erat

3. David Legwand

Predators Bounce the Blues 4-2

The Nashville Predators ran their record to 2-0 with their second consecutive road win over a division rival, topping the St. Louis Blues by a score of 4-2 at the ScottTrade Center.

The Predators relied on their usual formula- outstanding goaltending by Pekka Rinne; a tenacious defense; and opportunistic scoring.

Quickly emerging as an offensive force for the Predators is Craig Smith, who had a goal and an assist in this contest. Smith is playing relaxed and with confidence, and his game reflects those traits. Combined with David Legwand and Colin Wilson, Smith has contributed to a potent offensive line for the Predators.

Patrick Bergland opened the scoring for the Blues at 7:44 of the first with an even strength goal. The crowd for the Blues home opener was in full throat and once again, the Predators would need to swing momentum back to their side.

Enter Craig Smith.

With the Predators on a power play, Shea Weber blasted a shot that Jaroslav Halak could not handle. Smith, lurking around the net, used his quick hands to backhand the puck past Halak to tie the game at 1.

There was no scoring in the second period, but not for lack of effort, especially by the Blues. Rinne made numerous saves as the Blues outshot the Predators 10-4 in the period.

In the third period, David Legwand gave the Predators a 2-1 lead on what can best be described as a fluke goal. Legwand got the puck at the side of the net with the Predators on the power play. He attempted to slip the puck to Colin Wilson, who was driving the net. Instead, the puck caromed off the skate of Blues defenseman Nikita Nikitin and slid past Halak to make it 2-1.

Wait...the Predators tallied on a power play? For the second game in a row?

Taking a cue from the Predators, the Blues scored on the power play as Jason Arnott gathered in a rebound of a David Backes shot and wristed the puck past Rinne.

Tied at 2 and the crowd back in it, Kevin Klein answered for the Predators just 57 seconds later as he made a nice move at the blue line to avoid a defender and walked the puck in toward the face off circle. Klein let go a wrist shot that beat Halak to give the Predators a 3-2 lead, an advantage they would not relinquish.

Rinne continued to make great saves as the Blues peppered the predators net with shots. The downside of the Predators effort tonight was the number of shots they gave up to the Blues. For the game, the Predators were outshot 33-16. The tendency to go into an offensive shell and rely on Rinne to bail out this team will cause them problems as the season goes on.

David Legwand iced the game with 1:02 left in the contest as he potted an empty netter to give the Predators a 4-2 lead.

Take nothing away from the effort by the Predators. They hustled and were much better in the neutral zone.

They were also lucky, as the Blues did not cash in on some glorious chances. The Predators once again took too many penalties, but were blessed with a stellar PK. Sooner or later, those man advantages will bite them. Too many puck battles were lost.

This was a solid win, and it is good to get the first two wins of the season on the road against divisional opponents.

The Predators remain a work in progress. There are areas that must be improved. There are flashes of brilliance.

This is what you get with a very young team that is learning on the fly.

Predator fans should hang on for the ride.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. David Legwand

3. Craig Smith

Predators Fall to Blues 2-0, Await Final Standings

The Nashville Predators dropped the last regular season game of the season to the St. Louis Blues by a score of 2-0. The Predators finish the regular season with 99 points on a the basis of a 44-27-11 record.

The Blues scored on a beautiful goal by T.J. Oshie off his knees and a wicked wrister from Alexander Steen after an egregious turnover by the Predators.

The Predators clearly looked like a team that played a tough game the night before as the Blues forecheck kept the Predators from generating a consistent offensive flow all night. When the Predators did get good scoring chances, Jaroslav Halak cleaned up any threats.

Pekka Rinne made some amazing saves for the Predators and kept the score from being much worse than it was.

Now the Predators wait for the weekend games to wrap up to see where they will wind up in the standings. Several games could affect their final standing. If they had won this game, they would have locked up fourth place in the West and home ice. As it is, they will now wait to see where they will be seeded.

Not much else to say about this game. The Predators are obviously going to be disappointed in the fact that they do not control their destiny as to their final standing.

That is a negative that they have to quickly put behind them. They should dwell on the positive of the brilliant run they made to the playoffs.

They should also learn from this loss about the drive and the intensity that they are going to have to bring to every game in the playoffs. They have battled to get to this point. The playoffs will be a war.

The focus is on the positives. This team survived injuries to key players that would have crippled other teams. They are not offensively gifted, yet they score enough to win. They amassed 44 wins against what some would say are improbable odds. They have a cohesive dressing room. This team is built to win, now they have to get over the mental hurdle of winning a round.

A new season starts next week. A season of dreams. A season of war.

A season to make a name for this team and silence the critics.

Predators Goal Drought Continues in 2-0 Loss to Blues

Dear Santa,

I know that Christmas is over, but I really want to ask for one more present. Can we please get the Predators some offense? They have been really good guys, but this inability to score goals is getting on everyone's nerves, and frankly, I don't think they can keep up their sunny disposition.

The last four games, the Predators have only scored 3 goals. That's awfully weak, Santa. So if you could find your way back to the Bridgestone Arena, I would appreciate it if you could leave Coach Trotz some scorers.

Thanks.

Your friend,

Mark

P.S. I will send you another letter to talk to you about that tie you left for me. Really, pink and purple are just not my colors.

A plea to Santa notwithstanding, the Nashville Predators fell to the St. Louis Blues 2-0 behind a shutout from Jaroslav Halak. Not that the Predators didn't have chances. They did. They fired 32 shots at the St. Louis net, and generated some quality chances. The problem for the Predators is that no one could finish a scoring chance. Halak made some good saves, but the Predators did not have anyone that could capitalize on the scoring opportunities they had.

Yes, the Predators were missing Steve Sullivan and Marty Erat, and that meant that lines were jumbled. This obviously affected the chemistry in the offensive end. The fact is that when the Predators generated chances, no one could bury a critical shot.

Pekka Rinne got the start for the Predators, and generally was very solid in net. He had to be sharp early as the Blues swarmed the Predators net, and he was equal to the task.

Rinne did give up a goal to David Backes that he would like to have back. Cody Franson turned the puck over in the neutral zone, and Backes skated in and fired a wrister from the face off circle that beat Rinne over the shoulder on the glove side at 1:45 of the second period.

Frankly, after the Blues got on the board first, one would have to wonder and worry if that would be all the scoring they would need given the Predators anemic offensive production. Unfortunately, that proved to be the case.

Backes would add an empty netter at 19:43 for the final margin of victory for the Blues.

The Predators are going to have to get their offense going. The streaky nature of this offense does not bode well for the team, and our losing streaks have been directly related to our lack of goals. The offense has to get back to the basics: create turnovers with the forecheck; take good shots; and crash the net. There has to be a consistent effort in these areas every game for this team to be successful.

It is unknown how long Erat and Sullivan will be out of the lineup. Losing key players is a fact of life every team has to deal with during the course of a long season. Players have to step up and fill the vacated roles. They have to play like professionals.

Linus Klasen was called up from Milwaukee and was playing a top 6 forward role tonight. This is your opportunity, young man. Time for you to bring it.

Vets, you are in the lineup for a reason. It is time for you to elevate your game. The four straight losses mean that you have to show your leadership and do the hard things to win a game.

And it's time to end this drought

My three stars:

1. Jaroslav Halak

2. David Backes

3. Pekka Rinne

Predators End Losing Streak With a 3-2 SO Win Over the Blues

The Nashville Predators showed much better spunk and fight in a 3-2 shootout win over the St. Louis Blues to end a horrid five game losing streak. With the win, the Predators run their record to 2-1 against the Blues in their season series.

This game was more like the style of hockey that wins games for the Predators. They went strong to the net all night, had an aggressive forecheck, and got great goaltending from Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne.

The Predators played much more fundamentally sound defensive hockey than they did in their five game skid. After being outshot 9-4 in the first period, the Predators limited the Blues to just 11 shots over the final two periods. St. Louis outshot the Predators 3-0 in the overtime period as the Predators spent the last 1:19 killing off a tripping penalty by Alexander Sulzer.

The Blues opened the scoring at 18:22 of the first period as the Predators failed to clear a puck in their zone as the Blues were swarming the Nashville net.David Backes ran over Steve Sullivan as he was trying to control the puck and the puck squirted through the slot. The puck came back to Backes and he buried the shot to give the Blues the advantage.

The Predators would even the game at 1 when Cal O'Reilly tapped home a shot from Francis Buillon. O'Reilly was camped at the top of the crease, and when Blues goaltender Jaroslav Halak could not control the rebound, O'Reilly cashed in for the tying score at 13:44 of the second period.

The Blues took the lead once again at 5:44 of the third as Kevin Klein took a bad angle on a stretch pass to Matt D'Agostini. This allowed D'Agostini to get in alone on a breakaway against Rinne, and he buried the shot low glove side.

The Predators answered at 13:08 of the third period when David Legwand fired a puck into the Blues zone and off the end board. The rebound came out to the side of the net and J.P. Dumont was driving hard to the net. He got his stick on the puck and lifted a quick backhand over a surprised Halak for the equalizer.

Pekka Rinne made some quality saves in the remainder of the period to preserve the tie. He stopped Vladomir Sobotka from in close and made a nice save on Patrick Bergland with traffic in front. As the game went on, Rinne looked more solid and comfortable in net, and that is a great sign for the Predators. They need the old Rinne back, one who is tracking and playing the puck well.

In the overtime period, David Legwand and Jerred Smithson won some key face offs in the predators zone that allowed the Preds to clear the puck on the penalty kill. These are the little aspects of the game that the Predators had not done very well during their five game losing streak. It's great to see them doing the little things well again as the little details often lead to big results.

In the shootout, the Blues opted to go first, and Matt D'Agostini beat Rinne blocker side to give the Blues a 1-0 lead. Cal O'Reilly smoothly beat Halak high stick side to tie it at 1.

Brad Boyes and Steve Sullivan were both stoned by the goaltenders, as were Andy McDonald and David Legwand.

Going to round 4, Rinne stopped Patrick Bergland. Marcel Goc was the fourth shooter for the Predators, and he mad a nice move to open Halak up and beat him with a shot that went between his skate and the post.

Game over. Losing streak done.

It feels good for the Predators to get the 800 pound gorilla of a five game losing streak off their backs. In this victory, they went back to basics and they did them well. The forecheck ramped up in the second period and kept the Blues out of their offensive flow for most of the rest of the game. The defense was much more sound than it had been in the five losses. When the Blues got scoring chances, Rinne was solid.

A special stick tap to Marcel Goc. He played a tremendous game, generating chances and was strong on the puck all game. He even made a save in the first period when the puck slid through Rinne and was laying on the goal line. Goc swept the puck to the corner to save the goal and keep the scoreless.

Now that the losing streak is over, the predators have to build on this win. They have to stay focused on what brought them victory tonight- sound defense, solid goaltending, aggressive forecheck, and opportunistic offense. This is Predator hockey. This is what the team has to do to win games.

The losing streak is over. It's time to start a new streak. One that puts wins on the board by playing Predator hockey.

My three stars of the game:

1. Marcel Goc

2. Pekka Rinne

3. Cal O'Reilly

Blues Hand the Predators First Regulation Loss 3-0

Eventually, the Predators were going to lose a game in regulation. The way the Predators lost to was particularly galling to the team and Predators fans as they dropped a 3-0 to the St. Louis Blues.

The troublesome aspect of this loss was the fact that as a group, the forwards for the Predators played their worst game of the young season, failing to generate consistent offensive flow and getting outworked most of the night.

The Predators were outshot in every period and mustered only 24 shot on goal for the contest.

Most of the night, they failed to support the puck in the offensive zone. Give credit to the Blues for their defensive effort, which took the Predators out of their offensive flow throughout the night. Nevertheless, the effort of the forwards was not up to the standards that the team has expected and has to have to win games.

The Predators had some chances, but failed to capitalize on their opportunities. Patric Hornqvist was stoned on a breakaway with a great glove save by Blues netminder Jaroslav Halak. When the Predators had scoring opportunities, they typically shot the puck right into the crest of Halak's jersey. Unlike the Predators first victory against the Blues, they failed to generate much traffic in front of the net and didn't make Halak work very hard to make his saves.

Pekka Rinne got the start for the Predators and made some good saves to keep the game scoreless at the end of the first period.

That would change at 12:56 of the second period. The Predators had just gone into a 30 second power play when Frankie Buillon and Shea Weber both lost track of Alexander Steen in the low slot. He took a nice pass from David Perron from behind the net and roofed a shot over the defenseless Rinne.

With the lack of offense by the Predators, one had a sinking feeling that Steen's goal would be enough for the Blues to skate away with the win. As it was, that goal was enough, even though the Blues would add two more tallies.

Patrick Bergland buried a rebound of a Rinne pad save as he was left alone to Rinne's right side at 12:48 of the second period.

Jordin Tootoo received a five minute major and a game misconduct at 13:11 of the third as he was called for charging into Carlo Colaiacovo. Frankly, it did not look as if it was a charge, but Tootoo will never get the benefit of the doubt on those types of calls.

Matt D'Agostini scored at 15:11 of the third period during the power play. Pekka Rinne was obviously frustrated on the play as D'Agostini was left all alone at the front of the net for an easy goal.

Give props to the Blues for taking the Predators out of their offensive flow, but at the same time, the Predators forwards looked out of sync and frankly didn't work as hard as they have in previous games. For the game, Steve Sullivan, J.P. Dumont, David Legwand, Cal O'Reilly and Martin Erat all had just one shot on goal. Colin Wilson had no shots.

Frankly, that is unacceptable.

The Predators have failed to protect home ice, losing three games in overtime and this game in regulation out of six they have played in the Bridgestone Arena. The Predators have to hold serve at home and play with a greater sense of urgency on their home ice. Perhaps the extended road trip on which they are about to embark will be good for this team.

Production has to come from those players that are expected to produce. Tonight, Dumont, Erat, Legwand, Wilson, O'Reilly, and Sullivan were passengers.For the Predators to have success, they have to be producers.

It should be obvious to the team that an effort like the one put forth tonight is unacceptable. This team knows what it takes to win. Tonight, they did none of those things.

The road and some tough opponents await.

It's time to start bringing the effort that wins games.

My three stars of the game:

1. Jaroslav Halak

2. David Perron

3. Patrick Bergland