Predators Burned By the Flames 5-2

The Nashville Predators were playing their third game in 4 days.

It showed, as the Calgary Flames dominated the Predators at Bridgestone Arena, taking a 5-2 victory and sweeping their season series.

It started well for the Predators as Roman Josi opened the scoring with a well placed shot that beat Jonas Hiller to give the Predators a 1-0 first period lead.

That lead evaporated when Lance Bouma was able to gather a rebound in the slot and slip the puck between the pads of Carter Hutton.

Kris Russell gave the Flames a 2-1 lead when his shot hit the skate of Paul Gaustad and deflected past Hutton.

The Flames tacked on two more second period goals. The Predators defense let Michael Ferland alone at the top of the crease and he beat Hutton to make it 3-1.

Jiri Hudler let a shot go that Hutton appeared to stop between his pads, but the puck squirted out and trickled over the goal line to make it 4-1.

Seth Jones gave the Predators some life in the third period when his bullet from the blue line beat Hiller over his shoulder to make it 4-2.

The Predators pulled Hutton for an extra attacker, and predictably gave up an empty net goal by Bouma for the final 5-2 margin.

Some observations:

• When  you looked at the schedule and saw 4 games in 6 days against some top flight competition (Montreal, Tampa Bay, Washington, and Calgary) and told me that the Predators would take 6 of 8 points, I would have gladly taken that. The Predators played some good hockey during this stretch, and frankly, looked like a tired team at times against the Flames.
• I don't fault Hutton on the first 3 Calgary goals, but goodness, he has got to stop that 4th goal. That was incredibly soft and dug a hole too deep for the Predators.
• When the Norris trophy discussions are held, Roman Josi's name has to be mentioned. Josi continues to play at a very high level against the opposition's best forwards and is doing a stellar job. He just brings it every game. His goal gives him 55 points for the season, one shy of the all time record for a Predators defenseman.
• Seth Jones tied a career record for points (25) with his first period goal. Seth has been up and down this season, but I like the way he has stepped in on the first D pairing with Shea Weber out due to an injury. I have to keep reminding myself that Seth is still a young player and in just his second season in the NHL. He shows lots of upside potential, and patience will be required as he continues to develop.
• Weber missed his second game with a lower body injury.
• Mike Ribeiro picked up an assist on the goal by Jones, giving him 499 for his career. He also set a single season mark for assists by a Predators center with 45, passing Jason Arnott.
• The Predators defense was leaky at times, allowing the flames to have free access to the slot. That may be a fatigue factor, but the Flames are a desperate team and once again, the Predators had difficulty in matching the intensity of a hungry opponent.
• This was the last set of back to back games in this season for the Predators.
• The Predators had one power play in the game, and did not score. Once again, the unit continues to struggle to gain the zone and generate quality scoring chances. Same song, same verse.
• As of tonight, the Predators have 5 games remaining. They have 102 points and lead St. Louis by 3 and third place Minnesota by 7 in the Central Division. Anaheim leads the Western Conference and the League with 103 points.

The Predators play Vancouver at home on Tuesday and are then off until Saturday when they play Dallas at home.

This will give the team an opportunity for some practice and rest and recovery.

They can use it as they sprint toward the playoffs.

My three stars:

1. Lance Bouma

2. Jiri Hudler

3. Roman Josi

Predators Fizzle In Loss to the Flames

A Halloween matchup between the Nashville Predators and the Calgary Flames saw the Saddledome turn into a house of horrors for the Predators as they blew a one goal lead going into the third period and dropped a 4-3 decision.


The game featured two hot goaltenders as Pekka Rinne dueled with Jonas Hiller. Rinne entered the game with a 1.71 GAA and a .936 save percentage; Hiller boasts a 1.63 GAA and a .943 save percentage.


After a scoreless first period that saw both teams get some quality scoring chances, the Flames would tally first on the power play as Sean Monohan got loose in front of the net and banged home a rbound that Rinne could not control. Monohan beat Shea Weber to the front of the net and had an easy tap in to give the Flames a 1-0 lead at 4:23 of the second.


The Predators answered at 5:30 of the second period as Craig Smith worked himself open at the side of the net and fired a wrist shot past Hiller to tie the game at 1.


Mike Ribeiro won a face off in the offensive zone back to James Neal, who whipped a wrist shot through traffic that beat Hiller at 11:09 of the second period. Neal got the shot off quickly and Hiller had no time to react as he couldn't pick up the puck through the tangle of bodies in front of him.


The Flames tied the game at 2:36  of the third period as Rinne was under assault and made two saves but gave up a rebound that Jiri Hudler tapped into the open net. Hudler got lost in all the scramble around the net and was all alone for the easy score.


With Mattias Ekholm in the box for tripping, T.J. Brodie tried to pass the puck across the slot, but the puck caromed off the glove of Shea Weber and past Rinne to give the Flames a 3-2 lead at 4:23 of the third.


The wheels were wobbly, but they came off when Johnny Gaudreau scored high glove on the short side to make it 4-2 at 6:37.


Three goals in 4 minutes.


Yikes!


The Predators cut the lead to 4-3 on a James Neal power play goal at 10:47.


That would be all the scoring for the Predators and a game they should have won slipped into the loss column.


Some observations:

• A very weak goaltender interference call against Colin Wilson led to the Flames first power play, which they capitalized upon. So far in this young season, the officiating in the NHL has been inconsistent at best.

• The Predators generated some quality scoring chances, and it looked like Hiller was going to put on one of those performances that would thwart the Predators all night. Fortunately, Craig Smith broke Hiller's spell with his third goal in the last two games. good answer just 60 seconds after the Flames had scored and looked to be seizing momentum. it is good to see the Honey Badger starting to heat up.

• I really like the way Seth Jones has been playing. he has been quietly solid on the blue line and has shown very good offensive instincts. Jones looks stronger physically and is playing with confidence, all of which bode well for his game and for the team.

• Johnny Gaudreau- "Johnny Hockey" - is a special player. Speed, hockey sense, and a wicked shot. He absolutely undressed Anton Volchenkov with a sick one on one move and forced Rinne to make a great save.

• James Neal gas a nose for the net and a scorer's mentality. Oh yes, it helps that he can snipe the puck. Refreshing to see, and I think Neal's presence in the line up has helped the other forwards as everyone is firing the puck. I years past, the Predators would frustratingly pass up shots. Not now. And yes, I know part of that is the change in coaching philosophy, but also part of it is the example of a scorer like Neal.

• The Predators got back on their heels and the Flames took it to them in the third period. Yes, the Predators got some bad breaks, but the Flames jumped on them and took control of the game. That is disheartening, but what I do like is that the Predators fought back and didn't fold.

• That said, these are the games this team has to win. The Flames have been beset by injuries and have been inconsistent in their play. The Predators need to jump on a team in this situation and get the two points.

• Giving up three third period goals is just... awful. Gotta have the mentality of locking down an opponent, and more importantly, going out there and doing it. Neither happened tonight.

• Calgary blocked 36 shots. Wow.

• The Predators did not kill a penalty tonight, giving up two power play goals in two attempts. The Preds were 1-1 on the power play. Special teams are definitely going to have to improve, and quickly, for this team to have continued success.

This was a game that the Predators gave away. And frankly, they do not have the luxury of doing that in the ultra competitive Central Division.


My three stars:


1. James Neal


2. Jonas Hiller


3. Johnny Gaudreau

Predators Step On the Ducks 5-2

The Nashville Predators have struggled on offense this season. The Anaheim Ducks have scored goals in bunches.

In their contest in Anaheim, the team reversed roles, as the Predators exploded for four first period goals on their way to a 5-2 victory over the Ducks.

The first period was one where the Predators attacked the net with a vengeance. The Predators got 9 shots on Ducks netminder Jonas Hiller and capitalized on 4 of those shots by driving the net and making life miserable for Hiller. They banged in 4 goals including two by Colin Wilson.

Mike Fisher and Patric Hornqvist also tallied for the Predators.

That effort chased Hiller from the game and Frederik Andersen entered the game for the Ducks.

Kyle Palmieri got the only goal of the period for the Ducks on a defensive breakdown that resulted in Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne having no chance on the shot.

The second period opened with the Ducks applying pressure and getting a goal from Daniel Winnik to make it 4-2.

The Predators answered that goal with Mike Fisher's second goal of the night to make it 5-2. Shea Weber hammered a shot that appeared to hit Andersen in the mask and stun hi,. The puck dropped to the ice in the blue paint and Fisher slapped home the rebound.

Andersen did not return to the game and was not on the bench in the third period as Hiller returned to the game.

Rinne made some excellent saves, some from point blank range to keep the Ducks off the board.

With no scoring in the third period, the Predators skated away with a solid win over a potent Ducks squad.

Some observations:

• The Predators opened the game with good jump and were relentless in going to the net. hiller was giving up rebounds and the Predators capitalized on those opportunities, beating Ducks defensemen to the pucks in prime scoring position.

• The Predators power play was 0-3, but the penalty kill was excellent, killing all 4 power plays for the Ducks.

• Fisher's two goals give him 20 for the season.

• The Ducks have shown they can score goals. Witness their comeback from a 4 goal deficit against Winnipeg. The Predators defense did a good job of containing the Ducks scorers, holding Corey Perry to 2 shots on goal, while Ryan Getzlaf and Teemu Selaane each had 1 for the game. The Predators held the Ducks to just 5 shots in the third period.

• The Ducks had a goal disallowed after review in the second period. The puck was rattling around in a goal mouth scramble, and the review showed no proof the puck crossed the goal line. Another apparent goal was waved off by the on ice officials and was not reviewed.

• Rinne had a very good game. The Ducks got some excellent chances from close in in the first two periods, and Rinne made some solid saves.

• This was the kind of game that Predator fans had been hoping to see all season from Colin Wilson. He skated well and went to the prime scoring areas. Hopefully this is the kind of game that we will see consistently from Wilson.

• Weber's shot that hit Andersen in the mask was a rocket that stunned him. He couldn't find the rebound that Fisher put home for the 5th goal. Andersen was obviously hurt by that shot as he was not on the bench for the third period.

The Predators need to continue to play like they did tonight. This kind of effort can be something positive on which to build for the coming season.

They get their chance to build on this tomorrow night at San Jose.

My three stars:

1. Mike Fisher

2. Colin Wilson

3. Pekka Rinne

Predators Battle But Can't Defeat the Ducks

The Anaheim Ducks defeated the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena 5-2.

If one just looked at the score, you might conclude that the Ducks dominated the Predators. And while the Ducks prevailed on the scoreboard, the game was anything but a dominating contest.

It was a game of crazy bounces, as the first three goals of the game were...weird. Or lucky, depending on your perspective.

The Predators opened the scoring as Viktor Stalberg, returning to the line up after being out five games with an upper body injury, got his stick on a rebound of a Victor Bartley shot and slapped the puck toward the net, A sprawling Jonas Hiller stopped the puck with his body but the puck crawled over his chest and landed on the ice behind him. Hiller reached back and tried to control the puck but knocked it into the net to get the Predators on the board at 11:35 of the first period.

The Ducks tied it at 18:49 of the first period as Ryan Getzlaf threw the puck at the net and it glanced off the backside of Mike Fisher and re-directed past Carter Hutton.

The Ducks took a 2-1 lead as Corey Perry tried to backhand a pass from below the goal line that deflected off Bartley and over the shoulder of Hutton at 11:45 of the second period.

The third period opened with the Predators on the power play and Mike Fisher tallied with a slap shot from the slot over the shoulder of Hiller at 1:05 to tie the game at 2.

The Ducks regained the lead as Hampas Lindholm took a shot from the blue line that was re-directed by Emerson Etam in traffic at 4:51 of the third period.

The Ducks made it 4-2 as Mathieu Perreault was left alone at the front of the net while both teams battled for control of the puck on the boards. Daniel Winnick got control of the puck and quickly got the pass to Perreault who beat Hutton with a quick snap shot at 8:04 of the third.

Getzlaf sealed it with an empty net goal at 19:24 of the the third.

Some observations:

• I thought Hutton played a solid game. The first two goals by the Ducks were flukes and the next two were quality goals that would be difficult for most any goalie to stop. Hutton is 6-2-2 in his last 10 games.

• I liked the line of Stalberg, Simon Moser, and Colin Wilson. They has good chemistry and used their speed to create chances. Moving Stalberg off the fourth line has been a move that should have been made a long time ago, and tonight, this line was one of the best for the Predators. Moser picked up his first NHL point with an assist on Stalberg's goal.

• Fisher's power play goal was the first power play tally for the Predators in three games.

• The effort by the Predators tonight was outstanding. They were physical, moved the puck well, and out shot the Ducks 38-24. This game points out the dilemma that the Predators face; a hard working, gritty team faced a hard working, gritty team with exceptional offensive talent. And that offensive talent was the deciding factor in this game. Obviously, grit and effort are important, but it helps to have offensive talent to go along with those traits.

• The Ducks have now defeated the Predators in five straight games.

The Predators now have 19 days off to rest and regroup.

They will need the time to recharge for the final push after the Olympic break.

My three stars:

1. Ryan Getzlaf

2. Jonas Hiller

3. Viktor Stalberg

Hee Haw! Predators Pound the Ducks 4-2

The Nashville Predators faced a familiar nemesis in the Dirty Ducks of Anaheim at the Pond in Anaheim in the final game of a five game road trip out west. The fact that there is no love lost between the Predators and the Ducks is well known. This contest promised to be a continuation of the enmity between the two teams.

For the Predators, it was priority number one that they play a 60 minute game against the Ducks.

Pekka Rinne was back in net for the Predators after getting a rare night off, while the Ducks countered with Jonas Hiller.

The Predators struck first just 1:20 into the game as Craig Smith dug a puck out from behind the net and fired a bad angle shot that went off the back of Hiller and into the net.

Simple hockey, but effective hockey against a team that is explosively whiny  good.

The Predators scored again at 4:56 of the period as they forced the puck into the Ducks zone and Colin Wilson centered a pass across the crease toward Patric Hornqvist. The puck caromed off a Ducks defenseman puck past Hiller to give the Predators a 2-0 lead.

Two shots, two goals.

It's amazing how simple this game can be sometimes.

The Predators dominated the play in the first period, firing shot after shot at Hiller and generating several good scoring chances, but could not bury a shot past the Ducks netminder.

Anaheim would grab some momentum back as the Predators had generated a strong puck possession in the Anaheim zone. Unfortunately, the five skaters for the Predators were on the ice for a looong time and got caught in a very bad line change. This allowed the Ducks to gain the zone and Cam Fowler fired a shot toward the net with traffic in front. The shot eluded Rinne and the Ducks were on the board at 19:21.

This period of hockey was as good for the Predators as the second period against the Kings was bad. Now it was going to be important for the Predators to come out and play another strong period in the second. Remember boys, it's a 60 minute game.

In the first period, the Predators out shot the Ducks 12-11, but often controlled play for stretches at a time in the Ducks zone with their aggressive forecheck.

REMEMBER BOYS, IT'S A 60 MINUTE GAME!

Apparently, the Predators didn't remember that the game was a 60 minute affair, as the Ducks had out shot the Predators 6-2 through the first 9 minutes of the period and had a dominant territorial advantage. The Predators kept tempting fate by taking some untimely penalties.

With Craig Smith in the box, Marty Erat stole the puck a got a breakaway, that was stopped by Hiller. He was awarded a penalty shot however, and Erat converted at 12:41 to give the Predators a 3-1 lead. Erat absolutely blew the puck past Hiller on the glove side for a huge goal for the Predators.

Erat stole the puck again and had a breakaway that Hiller stopped, but Erat's effort on the penalty kill was outstanding. This after Erat was hit in the face in the first period by an errant puck that required a trip to the locker room and stitches.

The Ducks got back to within 1 goal at 14:41 as Ryan Getzlaf walked out from behind the goal and shot a puck that Rinne appeared to have covered. The Ducks kept whacking at the puck and Francois Beauchemin jammed it past Rinne to make it 3-2 Predators.

The remainder of the period saw the Predators awake and get their game in gear. They generated some quality chances but could not bury their chances, but it was good to see this team respond and begin to play like they did in the first period.

Indicative of how they played in the second half of the period was the shot total. For the period, the Predators out shot the Ducks once again by a 12-11 margin. Recall they had been out shot 6-2 after nine minutes of play.

To capture this game, it was going to be incumbent upon the Predators to get back to their basics: forecheck aggressively; get the puck deep; and play solid defense. Just like they did in the first period. Everyone on the Predators bench knew that the Ducks would come out with a strong push in the third, and the Predators were going to have to match that intensity.

Remember boys, it is a 60 minute game.

The Predators opened the third period with the line that had played a stellar game- Colin Wilson, Patric Hornqvist, and Craig Smith- doing damage to the Dirty Ducks once again. Wilson took the puck on the low cycle and found Craig Smith driving the net. He put a pass from the corner right on the tape of Smith's stick and he lifted the puck over the pads of Hiller to give the Predators a 4-2 lead at 1:36 of the third period. This was Smith's 7th goal of the season as the young rookie has made a significant impact on this Predators team.

The remainder of the third period saw the Predators keep pressure on the Ducks and spend time in their zone. When the Ducks mounted an attack, the Predators defense limited secondary scoring chances and kept the Ducks big threats from getting solid chances.

Pekka Rinne was excellent in net, making some huge saves to keep the Ducks off the board. Inevitably, the Ducks have enough talent to generate some chances. When they did, they were met by the Finnish Wall who stoned their scoring opportunities.

This was a solid road trip for the Predators as they captured 7 out of a possible 10 points against some quality competition.

Watching this game, it was apparent that when this team works and plays Predator hockey- for 60 minutes- they are tough to play against and they can play with anyone in this league.

60 minutes.

It really is a simple game.

My three stars:

1. Colin Wilson, Patric Hornqvist, Craig Smith

2. Marty Erat

3. Pekka Rinne

Dirty Ducks Downed by the Predators 3-0

The Nashville Predators defeated the Anaheim Ducks 3-0 at Bridgestone Arena in a contest that can only be characterized charitably as "chippy".

Heck, let's just call it the way it was. The Ducks were their typically classless and dirty selves.

The Predators set the tone for the contest by scoring just 14 seconds into the contest as Patric Hornqvist banged home a rebound of his own shot past Ducks netminder Jonas Hiller to make it 1-0 Predators.

The Ducks dirty play began at 7:14 of the first period as Francois Beauchemin hit Mike Fisher in the head from the blind side in open ice, knocking Fisher out of the game. Kevin Klein cam over to seek retribution against Beauchemin, but the Ducks defenseman turtled and wouldn't fight. Both players were assessed four minute double minors.

The Predators made it 2-0 at 18:59 of the first period as Marty Erat, playing in his first game since the opening game of the season, gained the zone and left a drop pass for Jordin Tootoo. Tootoo made a sweet pass to Erat, who one timed the puck from just inside the face off circle past Hiller. It was good to see Marty back on the ice and playing a strong game tonight.

Pekka Rinne started his 10th straight game for the Predators, and was strong in net in the first period. Although he didn't see a lot of work in the first- the Ducks only had 7 shots- he made some quality saves to keep the Ducks off the board.

The Predators tallied 16 shots on net in the first period. Yes, you read that correctly. The Predators outshot their opponent by a wide margin. The two first period goals were a direct result of making Hiller move and scramble throughout the period.

The second period was scoreless, with the Ducks outshooting the Predators 10-7. The Predators generated some scoring chances, but could not get one past Hiller. Once again, Rinne locked down the net for the Predators.

Throughout the contest, the Predators did a good job of limiting the Ducks on secondary scoring chances. Often, the Ducks would get one shot on goal and the Predators were in good defensive position to prevent shots off rebounds.

The Ducks reverted to form in the third period, taking four penalties, the cheapest of which was a Corey Perry spear of Jordin Tootoo. Tootoo had a strong game all night, and was clearly under the skin of the Ducks. Perry's frustration boiled over with his egregious cheap shot. If there is any justice, he will hear from the Shanahammer and be suspended for this cheap shot.

The Predators made it 3-0 at 2:14 of the third, as Shea Weber notched his first goal of the season on the power play with a blast from the blue line that Hiller never saw with a screen in front. It is good to see the big cannon unleashed from Weber and finding the back of the net.

Any thoughts of the Ducks getting back into the game were erased when Sheldon Brookbank to a double minor high sticking penalty at 14:05. The Predators stifled the Ducks for the remainder of the period to capture their second win in a row on home ice by a 3-0 margin.

Congratulations to Pekka Rinne, who recorded his 100th win for the Predators and his 22nd shutout, a franchise record. Rinne was solid, and his level of play has been consistently strong even when the team in front of him has struggled.

Now that it appears the team has found their identity and has begun to play Predator hockey, this team could start to make some noise.

With the win, the Predators go to 5-4-1 and 11 points. The positive aspect of this is that the team is starting to play Predator hockey. They are skating hard, aggressively forechecking, and the defense has begun to settle down and play sound hockey. This is Predator hockey, and it is a winning formula for this team.

We all knew that there would be growing pains for this young squad, and it was going to be important that they grow quickly. They last two games show me that they are starting to "get it" and hearing what the coaches are telling them. They are playing Predator hockey.

And that is winning hockey.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Patric Hornqvist

3. Jordin Tootoo

Predators Down the Ducks 5-4

The Nashville Predators scored three first period goals and needed every one of them as they held off the Anaheim Ducks 5-4 for their fifth straight win. With the win, the Predators now have 90 points and currently sit in fifth place in the Western Conference. The victory snapped Anaheim's four game win streak, and more importantly stretched their lead over the Ducks to three points and two points over Chicago and Los Angeles, who is playing at this time.

The Predators opened the game with a very strong effort against Anaheim netminder Jonas Hiller, who was making his first appearance after missing 16 games due to suffering from vertigo. The lack of playing time would show for Hiller, as he allowed three goals on just seven shots.

Sergei Kostitsyn open the scoring for the Predators at 2:04 of the first period as Patric Hornqvist took a shot from the right side of the net that leaked between the post and Hiller and was laying in the blue paint. Kostitsyn drove the net and tapped the puck home into a wide open net for a 1-0 Predators lead.

The Predators would extend the lead to 2-0 at 11:18 of the first when Jonathan Blum fired a shot wide of the net and Nick Spaling jumped on the rebound off the end boards and shoved the puck under th pad of Hiller for his 8th goal of the season. This was a smart play by Blum to put the puck in a scoring position and a great hustle play by Spaling to get to the puck and jam it under Hiller's pad.

Just 19 seconds later, the Predators would stretch the lead to 3-0 as Patric Hornqvist would launch a shot toward the net that Sergei Kostitsyn would re-direct past Hiller. 7 shots and three goals and the rusty Hiller would enjoy the rest of the night from the bench as former Predator Dan Ellis would come in to replace the shell shocked starter.

Anaheim would cut the deficit to 3-1 at 16:11 of the first as Corey Perry was left alone at the side of the net. Bobby Ryan found him with a quick pass and he jammed it into the open net past a defenseless Pekka Rinne. The defensive coverage broke down and Rinne had no chance with Perry stationed alone at the side of the net.

The Predators dominated the second period, limiting the Ducks to just five shots on goal and controlling the play in the neutral zone and in the defensive zone. The Predators generated some great offensive chances and were frustrated by Ellis, who made some great saves to keep the Predators off the board.

Rinne was not often challenged, but made a key glove save on a breakaway by Andreas Lilja to keep the Ducks scoreless. Rinne has owned the Ducks this season, and it appeared that the Ducks knew they could not solve the Finnish wall.

The Predators ran their advantage to 4-1 as Jordin Tootoo tallied his fifth goal of the season. Shane O'Brien fed the puck to Tootoo in traffic in the low slot, and he managed to get the shot off and it hit Ellis on the inside of his left leg and found the back of the net. Tootoo played a strong game and was rewarded for his efforts with the marker at 18:20 of the second.

In the third period, the Predators would make the score 5-1 with a short handed goal by David Legwand. With Shane O'Brien in the box for delay of game, Legwand broke into the offensive zone with Joel Ward. Ward drove to the net and was screened Dan Ellis. Legwand ripped a shot that hit the far side post and then into the net as Ward was checked into Ellis by Saku Koivu but Ward was called for goaltender interference after the score. A bizarre call to say the least.

The Ducks would score just 10 seconds later on the 5 on 3 power play as Teemu Selanne tallied his 24th goal of the season.

Selanne would notch his second 5 on 3 goal at 15:14 of the third to cut the lead to 5-3 Predators. The puck was tipped off the stick of Ryan Suter past Rinne, who had no chance on the re-directed puck. Frankly, Anaheim was not going to score unless it was the Predators allowing them to score with their mistakes.

And the Predators would make a lot of mistakes in the third period.

Corey Perry would strike again at 19:34 of the third period to make it 5-4. On this weird score, Ryan Suter would try to kick the fluttering shot of Perry out of harms way, but instead would kick the puck over the shoulder of Rinne and into the net.

The Predators would hold off Anaheim for the final 26 seconds to secure an all important win and gather the two precious points, but dang, that third period was stressful.

The truth is that the Predators dominated the Ducks, and if they had not made in essence two scores for the Ducks, the game would have been a rout. Perhaps more importantly, the Predators have to realize they cannot let teams climb back into games with them. The Predators were guilty of opening the door for the Ducks with penalties and with scores on their own goalie.

Fortunately for the Predators, their offensive explosion was enough to vanquish the Ducks. Play this haphazardly against the teams that remain on the schedule and the outcome will not be as favorable.

It goes without saying this was a big win for the Predators, not only from the standings but from a mental aspect as well. This was a challenge for this team, one that could very well determine a playoff spot. The Ducks were coming off an improbable win against Dallas the night before and had momentum. The Predators jumped on the Ducks early and kept the pressure up throughout the game. Erase the last 10 minutes of the contest and this was a textbook game.

You can't, however, erase those last 10 minutes. What the team can do is learn from the mistakes that were made and correct them. The remaining games on the schedule are going to be a war, and it will be imperative for this team to correct these types of mistakes and bring their best effort.

The bottom line: the Predators won the game and picked up the points. Build on this momentum and take care of business when Dallas comes to town.

My three stars:

1. Sergei Kostitsyn

2. Corey Perry

3. Teemu Selanne

Honorable mention:

Patric Hornqvist

Dishonorable mention:

Ryan Suter (scoring two goals for the Ducks)



















































































































 

Predators Quash Quack Attack 4-1

The Nashville Predators began a three game West coast road swing with a hard fought 4-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. The game was not as close as the score would indicate, as the Predators had their hands full with a swarming Ducks squad that peppered Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne with 41 shots.

The Ducks were flying all game and kept the Predators fighting for their proverbial lives through out the game. The Ducks speed seems to always present a challenge for the Predators, and once again, their forecheck pushed the Predators back in their zone all night.

The game opened with both teams pressing each other and challenging in the offensive zone. The Predators would break through at 5:10 of the first period as Jerred Smithson would walk the puck out of the corner and jam a shot in on Ducks netminder Jonas Hiller. Hiller made the initial pad save but did not control the puck. Smithson took another whack at the puck and was able to eke the puck over the goal line. Smithson immediately celebrated the goal, but the officials were out of position and did not make the initial call. After a video review, Smithson was awarded his fourth goal of the season and the Predators had a 1-0 lead.

After that positive note, the Predators spent the rest of the first period back on their heels, and except for some solid goaltending from Pekka Rinne, the Predators would have been blown out of the Honda Center. For the period, the Predators were outshot 15-5.

The Predators started to change the momentum in the second period. They started skating better and controlling the puck in the offensive zone. Their efforts paid off early in the period as Sergei Kostitsyn slipped a beautiful pass through traffic to Patric Hornqvist, who had worked himself open at the side of the net. Hornqvist fought off a defender to get position, and the pass ricocheted off his skate past an out of position Hiller at 3:56 of the second.

The Predators till gave up some quality chances to the Ducks, but in this period, created some good chances of their own. In the second, the Ducks outshot the Predators 13-11.

Saku Koivu would cut the lead to 2-1 at 11:46 of the third period as the Predators got hemmed in their own zone and could not clear the puck. The Predators lost a board battle and Koivu got the puck from Dan Sexton. He beat Rinne with a shot over his shoulder with a shot from just inside the face off circle.

You knew the Ducks were going to come out with pressure and challenge the Predators. The Koivu goal energized the Ducks and they were flying. If the Predators were going to win this game, they would have to hold off the Ducks.

The Predators were absolutely on their heels in the latter stages of the third period. The Preds lost most of the board battles and races to loose pucks. The Predators managed to hold off the Ducks, but did not aid their cause as Pekka Rinne was called for tripping at 16:13 of the third. Fortunately for the Predators, their PK continued their excellent play and held the Ducks off the board.

The Predators would ice the game as Sergei Kostitsyn potted an empty net goal at 19:08. Shea Weber would add an empty net goal as his clearing attempt from behind the goal line would bank off the side board and slide down the ice into the open goal at 19:58.

For the game, the Ducks outshot the Predators 41-26.

This game shows that if the Predators decide to play it safe, they will usually wind up on the wrong side of the score. Without a stellar effort from Pekka Rinne, that would have again been the case.

This game also showed that if the Predators play with heart and refuse to wilt, they can win the tough contests. This victory was only the Predators 6th win in 24 attempts at the Honda Center.

The remainder of this West coast swing will require heart and grit. The rest of this season will require the same. Play with heart and character, and you will skate away with more improbable wins.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Sergei Kostitsyn

3. Ryan Suter

Predators Heart Ripped Out by the Ducks 5-4

Let's just be honest.

The Nashville Predators are not a good hockey team.

Good hockey teams find ways to hold leads. Good hockey teams find ways to win games. Good hockey teams don't keep facing deficits throughout games from which they have to recover. Good hockey teams fight to the very end of the game for precious points.

That is not the Nashville Predators.

Mercifully, the Predators do not play again for another three days. Frankly, the way they are playing right now, this is the only thing that will prevent another loss.

The Predators continue the annoying, disturbing- pick your favorite adjective, trend of giving up an early goal. Not once, but twice, at 52 seconds of the first period and 49 seconds of the third, the puck found its way into the back of the net against the Preds. Poor starts to the period put the Predators into the hole right off the bat. The hill is steep enough for this team and its anemic offense. Spotting the opponent early and quick goals is not a formula for success.

Unlike the contest the night before against the Kings, the Predators forwards looked energized and ready to play. The play of the Sullivan, O'Reilly, Hornqvist line was stellar tonight as the netted three of the four goals that the Predators tallied. Unfortunately, no other line could muster much in the way of quality chances against the Ducks Jonas Hiller. This was evident by another lopsided shot tally as the Ducks outshot the Predators 37-24.

While the offense has struggled in this skid, the defense has been inexplicably weak. Coverage was lost on the Ducks forwards on numerous occasions and it resulted in scores by Saiku Koivu and Jason Blake. The defense of the Predators was considered one of the cornerstones of this team, but has not played to the level that this team has to have to win games.The only Predator D-men that were a plus on the night were Cody Franson and Alexander Sulzer, who were both a +2.

Cody Franson has a great night offensively, scoring a goal and setting up Cal O'Reilly with a beautiful assist.

Anders Lindback got the start for the Preds tonight in net, and I cannot fault Lindback for any of the Ducks goals. On most, he was hung out to dry by the defense in front of him.

The heart was ripped out the Predators on a broken play. Bobby Ryan corralled a bouncing puck and slid a pass underneath a diving Shea Weber. Paul Mara gathered in the puck and slapped it into a wide open net with 1.7 seconds left on the clock as Marcel Goc was late getting back in coverage and Lindback had played Ryan coming to his left.This play typified the futility of this road trip for the Predators.

So where do the Predators go from here?

This is a team that has the ability to win, but the margin is razor thin. If everyone- from the first line of forwards and the top D pairing- to the fourth line players are not laying it on the line every night, this team will not win. Against L.A., this team quit. Against the Ducks, they battled.

That is a good sign.

The problem is that they battled not only the Ducks, but their mistakes. Blown coverages and poor puck control. Lack of offensive pressure from secondary lines. When you play any team in the NHL, these kinds of mistakes make a win improbable.

You certainly don't win the Cup in October or November. But you can certainly lose it. Dig a deep enough hole early on and you will not climb out.

The Predators are digging a deep early season hole in the ultra competitive Central Division and Western Conference. You hate to say that games are becoming "must win" this early in the season, but they are becoming just that for the Predators. The gap between the top of the Central and the Predators is growing game by game.

Three days off. Three days to re-tool the effort and re-focus the players.Practice should be interesting this next few days. It will be time to get the defense back in the groove. It will be time to get the offense back on track.

It will be time to find some heart.

My three stars of the night:

1. Saku Koivu

2. Lubomir Visnovsky

3. Cody Franson