Predators Season Ends After Falling 4-3 to the Blackhawks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


Some observations:

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

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

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

My three stars:

1. Duncan Keith

2. James Neal

3. Patrick Sharp

Predators Wilt in the Second Period (Again), Fall to the Blackhawks 4-2

A depleted Nashville Predators squad traveled to the United Center for the third game of their first round playoff series. The series is tied at 1 and both teams were looking to establish momentum.

The first first period ended with the game tied at 1. Andrew Desjardins scored for the Hawks, beating Pekka Rinne five hole. Mike Ribeiro immediately answered for the Predators with a shot from the slot that beat Scott Darling glove side.

Jonathan Toews opened the second period by beating Rinne through traffic. 22 seconds later, mattias Ekholm answered with a shot that beat Darling cleanly over the shoulder. Filip forsberg did a great job screening on that shot and Darling never saw it until it was in the net.

Brandon Saad gave the hawks a 3-2 lead, beating Rinne over the blocker. The play was set up when Seth Jones pinched down low and Saad beat Colin Wilson, who was covering the point, back into the the offensive zone.

This time, there was no immediate answer from the Predators, as Brent Seabrook tallied from the blue line to make it 4-2.

Once again, a disastrous second period sunk the Predators.

The Predators couldn't find the net in the third period, and a Mike Ribeiro penalty killed any chance with the extra attacker. The Predators dropped the game 4-2 and trail in the series 2-1.

Some observations:

• With Shea Weber out of the line up, Victor Bartley drew in and saw his first post season action. Bartley was paired with Cody Franson. Seth Jones took Weber's spot on the number one D pairing with Roman Josi.
• Great to see Ribeiro shoot the puck. He has too often passed up shots and it was good to see him pull the trigger from the slot and beat Darling from the glove side.
• I like the response of this team after the Blackhawks scored. Ribeiro's goal came just 31 seconds after the Hawks had taken a 1-0 lead. Ekholm's goal came 22 seconds after Toews had given the Hawks a 2-1 lead. In the playoffs, every team will face adversity. How you respond to that goes a long way toward determining how far you go in the playoffs. The Predators showed they were intimidated by the Hawks or their crowd.
• The Predators showed some good response, as mentioned, but the pressure from the Hawks started to wear on this young team. The Blackhawks stepped it up after Saad's goal and Rinne was under siege. Rinne was not at his best, but the Predators team in front of him often found themselves hemmed in their own zone after the Hawks started buzzing. This game in particular showed the difference between a veteran team and a very young team with little playoff experience. And once again, an awful second period had bitten the Predators in the ass. As to why this team cannot play solid hockey in the second period, I have no answer. If the Predators cannot figure out how to better compete in the second period, then this will be a short series.
• The Predators did a good job of getting shots in on Darling, but the better quality chances belonged to the Blackhawks. Rinne had to make some good saves, and yet he struggled with some shots that resulted in goals. Without Mike Fisher and Shea Weber, Rinne is going to have to be exceptional, and he was not in this game.
• Wins in the playoffs often result from the secondary scoring. The Predators third and fourth lines never really threatened the Hawks net today. They are going to have to pick up their play if the Predators are going to have a chance in this series.
• Regardless of the score, I certainly like the compete level of Craig Smith. he is not afraid to shoot the puck and goes to the hard areas. He picked up 2 assists today and is the leading scorer in this series.
• The Predators definitely need more out of James Neal. Neal has been a non-factor so far in this series.

 The Predators now find themselves in a hole and the Blackhawks have the home ice advantage. How the Predators respond in the critical game 4 will tell fans of the Fang how long this series will go.

My three stars:

1. Jonathan Toews

2. Craig Smith

3. Brandon Saad

Predators Give Away a Point, Fall in SO to the Blackhawks

The Nashville Predators traveled to Chicago to face the Blackhawks in their last regular season meeting. The game would also determine first place in the Central Division where the Blackhawks currently lead the Predators by two points. The Predators are 1-1-1 against the Hawks in their previous matchups.

Pekka Rinne was in net for the Predators while the Hawks had Corey Crawford between the pipes.

The Predators jumped on the Hawks in the first period, outshooting them 18-12 and carrying the play for much of the period.

Roman Josi staked the Predators to a 1-0 lead at 11:50 with a blast from the face off circle just after the Predators had killed of a Blackhawks penalty.

Colin Wilson battled in front of the net and got a shot from close in that Crawford could not control. Craig Smith followed Wilson's shot a put a wrister inside the post to make it 2-0 at 17:12.

James Neal made it 3-0 off a pass from Wilson that bounced off his leg and past Crawford at 7:28 of the second period. Neal drove to the net and created traffic in front of Crawford and put himself in perfect position to deflect the shot from Wilson.

The Hawks cut the lead to 3-1 as Brad Richards scored just after the Predators had killed off a penalty at 10:33.

The Blackhawks pulled to within 1 at 15:38 as the puck was slid in under Rinne by Andrew Shaw in a scramble around the goal crease.

The Predators saw their lead evaporate as Marian Hossa tied the game on the power play at 17:43. Hossa wired a shot over the shoulder of Rinne into the top corner.

Just as the Predators had jumped on the Hawks in the first period, the Hawks responded with the significant push back of their own. The Predators were dominated after their third goal, registering just one shot on goal in 11 minutes of the second period.

James Neal scored on the power play with just under a minute to play in the second period as Filip Forsberg took a shot that was kicked out by Crawford and on to the stick of Neal, who buried the puck into the open net at 19:04 of the second.

A good response by the Predators, but one that should not have been necessary.

Chicago tied the game with 1:13 left in the game as a shot through traffic could not be controlled by Rinne and Brian Bickell slammed home the rebound.

In the overtime, both teams had some chances and Rinne in particular had to come up with some big saves. Neither team could find the back of the net and the game would be decided in a shootout.

In the shootout, Jonathan Toews tallied the only goal and the Blackhawks won the game 5-4.

Some observations:

• Colin Wilson continues his strong play. I have spoken about his speed and puck handling, but the Predators second goal was a result of Wilson going to the hard area in front of the net and battling to get the shot off. Wilson has shown that he is not afraid to battle in front of the net, and that is a dimension that the Predators need.
•  Roman Josi is just smooth. He is a solid defender that has great speed, deft puck handling skills, and a deceptively good shot. When he carries the puck and joins the rush, it's like having another highly skilled forward on the ice.
• James Neal elevates his game against elite competition. He has 5 goals in 4 games against the Blackhawks this season. I really like the chemistry that is developing between Neal and Wilson.
• Up 3-0 and seemingly in control of this game, the Predators got back on their heels and let the Blackhawks take the play to them for the bulk of the second period. This type of play- going into a shell and letting the opponent dictate the play- is not the way you can play against an elite team like the Hawks. When the Predators are attacking and playing their game, they are the equal of any team in the League. When they sit back as they did for a majority of the second, they can get blown out of the barn.
• The Hawks have a very potent power play. The Predators did a good job on the penalty kill tonight, killing 4 of 5 Hawks power plays in regulation.
• Rinne gave up some goals with a lot of traffic in front of him. I can't fault him for those goals as the Hawks had a lot of traffic and a lot of whacks at the puck from in close. The defense has to do a better job of clearing the front of the net and helping him out. That said, Hossa did beat Rinne cleanly with a blast on the power play.

The Predators gave away a point tonight. this was a game that they should have locked down and put away but didn't.

Learn from it.

My three stars:

1. James Neal

2. Colin Wilson

3. Jonathan Toews

Predators Fall In OT to the Blackhawks 2-1

The Nashville Predators played their second road game of the year, the second of a back to back, against the Chicago Blackhawks. The Predators went with Carter Hutton in net while the Hawks had Corey Crawford between the pipes.

The Blackhawks opened the scoring on the first shot of the game as Johnny Oduya blasted a slapshot between the pads of Hutton at 1:49 of the first period.

Certainly not the way you want to start a game against a high powered team like the Blackhawks.

The Predators would answer at 11:17 of the first period as Shea Weber unleashed a bomb from inside the blue line that beat Crawford over the shoulder.

Both teams would make those scores stand up for the remainder of regulation. it was not for lack of effort by the Blackhawks, however, as they attacked all night and kept the Predators on their heels. The Hawks peppered Hutton with shots and had numerous quality scoring chances. Hutton had to make some excellent saves to keep the Hawks off the board.

In the overtime, the Predators had a power play, but Craig Smith tried a blind back pass to Roman Josi that was picked off by Jonathan Toews. Toews broke in alone on Hutton, who made the initial stop but Toews was able to gather the rebound and slide it into the net for the game winner.

After not giving up a shorthanded goal all last season, the Predators were victimized by this turnover and goal and it cost them a point.

Some observations:

• Carter Hutton got his first start of the season and was scored on with the first shot he faced. Johnny Oduya blew an unscreened shot through the legs of Hutton. Game speed must be different than practice speed. That said, Hutton was under siege all night and made some great saves to keep the Predators in the game.

• The first period saw the Predators revert to last season's form as the Blackhawks totally dominated possession and shots on goal. The Blackhawks out shot the Predators 11-3, and the Predators were extremely fortunate to escape with the game tied. For the game, the Hawks out shot the Predators 34-17 in regulation and 3-1 in the overtime period.

• Anton Volchenkov continues to deliver big and timely hits and is a strong physical presence for the Predators. he absolutely blew up Brandon Saad at the blue line in the first period.

• The Blackhawks speed created problems all night for the Predators, resulting in them taking too many penalties, five in all. Playing a talented team like the Hawks a man down is not a formula for winning a critical divisional contest.

• The Predators finally got their legs going in the third period and created some good scoring chances, most notably a shot by Craig Smith at a wide open top half of the net, but he was not able to lift the puck over the pad of Crawford. That is a shot that Smith has to bury.

• Frankly, the Predators were lucky to steal appoint in this contest. Whether it was fatigue from playing the night before (I hope this was it) or that the Hawks clearly have a superior talent advantage (in reality), the Predators could not find an offensive rhythm and were backed into their zone most of the night. The Hawks did a good job of disrupting the Predators breakouts and shutting them down in the offensive zone. Admittedly, this team does not have the talent of the Hawks, but this team has to have a better effort from the forwards to create scoring chances if they want to compete in the division.

• Shea Weber led the team in TOI with 28:21.

As badly outplayed as the Predators were tonight, they still managed to pick up a point and have not lost in regulation this season. This team is going to have to scrap and fight for every point.

So far, they have shown they will do that.

My three stars:

1. Jonathan Toews

2. Carter Hutton

3. Shea Weber

Predators Perfect on the Road Trip; Defeat Balckhawks 3-2

There is no doubt the Chicago Blackhawks are one of the elite teams in the NHL.

The Nashville Predators have struggled to score and play consistently this season.

Yet these two teams still had to play the game, and the heart and the grit of the Predators prevailed over the talent and skill of the Hawks to capture a 3-2 win at the United Center.

The Predators looked as if they thought the game started later than the actual puck drop as the Hawks dominated the first half of the opening period. The Predators did not get their first shot on net until 9:18 had run off the clock.

But once they got their legs going, the Predators showed they could play with the Blackhawks.

The Predators jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a goal by Mike fisher off a rebound of a Roman Josi shot, which Hawks netminder Corey Crawford kicked out with his pad. Fisher was driving the net and banged the puck past an out of position Crawford at 15:33 of the first period.

The second Predators goal came off a Shea Weber blast that Crawford blocked but the rebound was lifted into the net by Patric Hornqvist at 18:51.

With just 14 seconds left in the first period, the Hawks got on the board as a puck jumped over the stick of Josi at the blue line and the Hawks were off on a 3 on 1 break. Jonathan Toews cashed in off a nice pass from Kris Versteeg to beat Pekka Rinne and make it a 2-1 game.

The second period ended scoreless but with the Blackhawks on the power play and Ryan Ellis in the box.

Just as the power play ended, Josi spotted Ellis coming out of the box and hit him with a perfect pass to send him in alone on Crawford. Ellis made a sweet move to beat Crawford to make it 3-1 at 19:15 of the third period.

The Hawks were certainly not done, as Peter Regin deflected a puck through traffic past Rinne at 8:32 of the period. The Predators were victimized by their inability to get the puck out of their zone, and the talented Hawks made them pay.

That goal energized the Hawks, but Rinne was stellar, stopping shots with lots of traffic in front of him.

The Predators were able to withstand the last gasp push by the Hawks and came away with a 3-2 victory.

No happy humans leaving the United Center tonight.

Some observations:

• The defense corps has stepped up their game offensively. Roman Josi had 3 assists; Shea Weber had 2 assists; and Ryan Ellis had the game winning goal. Getting the defense involved, and more importantly contributing to the offensive effort is essential for the Predators to have an opportunity to win games.

• The goals by Fisher and Hornqvist were quintessential Predator goals. They were going hard to the net and collected rebounds for the score. The forwards for the Predators have to consistently do this to score, and when they do, they can be productive.

• The Predators had a bit of luck as Jonathan Toews had an open net into which to shoot the puck, but his backhand from the top of the crease hit the post and bounced out of harm's way.

• The goal by Ellis was sweet, with a nice move to get Crawford completely out of position. Ellis struggles against larger forwards in the defensive zone, but their is no denying his offensive skill.

• Colin Wilson and Gabriel Bourque continue to struggle offensively. They hustle and they compete, but their offensive game has completely disappeared. Each recorded just one shot on goal in 14:57 and 10:54 TOI, respectively. The Predators desperately need to get these guys going offensively.

• With the win, the Predators are now 1 game over .500 with a record of 29-28-10.

The Predators completed the three game road trip with a perfect 3-0 record, and will return home to face the St. Louis Blues tomorrow night.

It's time to get some wins on home ice, boys.

My three stars:

1. Roman Josi

2. Shea Weber

3. Pekka Rinne

Predators Battle Back But Fall in a Shoot Out Against the Hawks

The Nashville Predators were in the Windy City to face the red-hot Chicago Blackhawks in a game that the Predators desperately needed to keep their flickering playoff hopes alive.

Pekka Rinne was in the net for the Predators, while the Blackhawks had Corey Crawford between the pipes.

The Predators played an up and down first period with the Hawks, with each team getting good scoring chances but unable to capitalize.

That is until 11.3 seconds left in the period when Brandon Saad took a shot from the half boards that hit the skate of Jonathan Blum and deflected past Rinne to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead.

The play was set up when the Predators took a late icing and then lost the face off in their zone.

Little things. Big consequences.

The second period began with the Predators having lost the services of their leading scorer, Gabriel Bourque, due to an injury suffered in the first period. 

Pekka Rinne was busy to begin the second period as the Predators had to kill off a penalty and the Hawks fired 6 shots on net during the ensuing power play.

Rinne also came up huge with a magnificent save on Andrew Shaw on a 2 on 1 break by the Hawks.

The Predators short circuited their first power play of the game as Patric Hornqvist was called for a 4 minute high sticking penalty just 30 seconds into the power play.

In the ensuing 4 on 4, Jonathan Blum got caught too deep in the offensive zone and it created a 2 on 1 with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews breaking into the zone. Kane buried a puck glove side to make it 2-0 Hawks at 12:10 of the second period.

The second period ended 2-0, but it could have been much worse if Rinne had not been strong in net. The Hawks fired 18 shots at Rinne in the second, while the Predators anemic offense returned and they could only muster 4 shots on goal.

The Predators got on the board at 3:56 of the third period as Crawford went to cover the puck on a dump in but did not control it. David Legwand drove the net and poked the puck from between the goalies hands and under him for his 9th goal of the season.

Call it a fluke. Call it what you want, but it was a much needed goal for the Predators. The hope was that it would give the Preds some momentum in a game that up to this point had been owned by the Hawks.

That goal energized the Predators, as they had out shot the Hawks 8-0 through the first 7 minutes of the third period and were putting pressure on the Hawks in the offensive zone.

That pressure paid off as Taylor Beck scored at 7:56 to tie the game at 2. Beck took a pass from Patric Hornqvist and lost control of the puck but was able to flip it toward the net. Crawford bobbled the puck and fought to find it, but the puck managed to trickle across the line for the game tying goal. That was Beck's second goal of the season.

The Predators continued to press and created some good chances, but could not score in the remainder of the period. Rinne was solid and shut out the Hawks in the period, and as improbable as it appeared at the start of the third period, the Predators had battled back to force overtime.

Indicative of the effort by the Predators, they out shot the Hawks 15-9 in the third period.

The overtime was fast paced and scoreless, and for the eighth time this season, each team was headed to a shootout.

In the shootout,  Toews roofed a shot over Rinne, while Hornqvist missed the net in the first round.

Patrick Kane was stopped by Rinne and Craig Smith scored on a beautiful fake in the second round.

Rinne stopped Andrew Shaw and Crawford stopped Legwand in the third round.

Brandon Saad lost control of the puck and Crawford stopped Kostitsyn in the fourth round.

Michael Rozsival scored in the fifth round and Taylor Beck was stopped by Crawford for the win for the Hawks.

Some observations:

Gabby Gone

The Predators lost their most dynamic forward in the first period as Gabriel Bourque left the game with an undisclosed injury. The hope is that the injury is not serious and will not keep the Swedish Chef out of the line up for any extended period.  

Battling Back

At the end of the second period, the feeling was that the Predators were lucky to be down only 2-0. The Hawks owned the second period. Yet the Predators came out with focus, purpose, and energy in the third and battled back to tie the game. It would have been easy for the Predators to wilt in a hostile environment against a more talented opponent. They did not. They showed character and fought back. This is the kind of effort that the team can build upon, and they have to do that to win some critical games upcoming.

Final Thoughts

Kudos to the team for fighting back in a tough contest. It would have been easy to quit, but they didn't. The effort in the third period was solid, making up for a dismal second period. The Predators have to bring that effort they had in the final 20 and bring it for a full 60 minutes.

The road to the playoffs doesn't get any easier as the Predators will meet the Hawks two more times within the next week.

It is time to lay it all on the line, boys.

My three stars:

1. Brandon Saad

2. David Legwand

3. Pekka Rinne

Blackhawks Blitz the Predators 3-0

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

It looked like a race between thoroughbreds and plow horses.

And the thoroughbreds ran away with it.

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

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

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

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

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

Here are some observations:

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

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

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

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

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

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

They don't have the talent to do otherwise.

My three stars:

1. Marcus Kruger

2. Jonathan Toews

3. Patrick Kane

Predators Keep Rolling, Defeat the Blackhawks 3-1

The Nashville Predators looked to continue their hot play as they trekked to the United Center to do battle with the Chicago Blackhawks in an important Central Division tilt. The Predators came into the contest with 62 points, trailing the Blackhawks, who have 64 points.

The Predators were playing their second game in two nights, having defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1 on Monday. The Blackhawks last game was Saturday in Nashville, where the Predators claimed a 5-2 victory.

The Blackhawks were without their Captain, Jonathan Toews, who was placed on IR with a wrist injury. The Predators were without Jerred Smithson and Francis Buillon, both out with upper body injuries.

The Predators had Pekka Rinne in net, while the Blackhawks went with Corey Crawford.

Both teams opened the game moving up and down the ice and had some chances that both goaltenders turned aside. The Predators were cycling the puck well and were creating some scoring opportunities, and it was a solid start in enemy territory.

The Predators efforts were rewarded at 11:39 of the first period as Matt Halischuk jumped on a loose puck in the slot. He got the puck to Craig Smith, and he whipped a shot from the face off circle that eluded Crawford with Brandon Yip screening in front to give the Predators a 1-0 lead. This was the rookie Smith's 11th goal of the season.

The Predators were immediately besieged by the Blackhawks, as they trapped the Predators forwards deep in their zone. The Predators did not yield to the pressure from the Hawks, and were finally able to get the puck out of the zone.

Energized by that defensive stand, the Predators got the puck deep in the Chicago end. Patric Hornqvist dug the puck out of the corner and kicked it to Mike Fisher, who was cruising alone in the slot. His quick wrist shot beat Crawford far post to give the Predators a 2-0 lead at 17:34 of the first period.

The first period ended with the Predators holding a 2-0 lead and both teams recording 10 shots on goal.

Now the Predators faced their persistent demon, a second period that often saw them disappear and allow opponent s to claw their way back into a game. For the Predators, it was going to be critical to have a strong second period and not let Chicago seize back the momentum.

The Predators came out strong in the second period. They used their aggressive forecheck to control the Blackhawks in the neutral zone and prevent their speedy and dangerous breakouts. Their cycle game controlled the puck in the offensive zone and created some good chances. The defense did a good job of clearing the net in front of Rinne, giving him a good look at any shots the Hawks mustered on the net.

The Blackhawks got a good scoring chance as Patrick Kane had a breakaway. Roman Josi hustled back and forced him to alter his shot wide of the net.

Newcomer Brandon Yip showed that he wanted to stick in the line up as he had a good scrap with Steve Montador.

The second period ended scoreless, but it was a strong period for the Predators. Their defense was solid and they controlled the puck for much of the period. The Predators limited the Hawks to 7 shots on goal while logging 10 on the the Chicago net.

The third period was more of the same, as both teams traded chances. The Predators made a mistake that cost them, however, as Mike Fisher went to the box for delay of game. On the ensuing power play, Dave Bolland scored at 7:20 of the third period to make it 2-1 Predators.

For Predator fans, the pucker factor was off the chart.

The Predators took another penalty at 8:31 of the period as Marty Erat was called for a 2 minute penalty for high sticking. The Predators had survived the second period, but the Blackhawks were pushing now, and it was up to the Predators to survive the pressure.

The Predators were able to kill the penalty, but the Hawks were still pressing. It was up to the Predators to respond.

The Predators kept tempting fate as Shea Weber went to the box for elbowing  at 15:02. Late in the game, this was not a penalty that just made the task more difficult for the Predators. Once again, the Predators penalty killers were going to have to come up big.

Once again, the PK unit responded to the challenge and did their job, holding the Hawks without a shot. This was huge effort by the Predators.

The Predators had an opportunity to ice the game as Sergei Kostitsyn and Marty Erat broke in 2 on 1, but Erat's shot hit the crossbar and bounced out.

With 1:51 to go in the game, the Predators caught a break as Chicago was called for too many men on the ice, and the Predators went to the man advantage.

The Predators iced the game with 12 seconds as Colin Wilson buried an empty netter on the power play to make it 3-1. The Predators record against the Blackhawks is now 2-0-1, and against Central Division opponents, the Predators are 11-2-2.

Nashville had 26 shots on goal to 25 for Chicago, but for the Predators, the third period was a matter of tenacity and survival. They showed no quit and refused to fold in the face of the unrelenting pressure from a talented Blackhawks squad. This win was character personified.

For Pekka Rinne, this was his 9th consecutive win, a franchise record.

The Predators are now tied with the Blackhawks with 64 points. The win was the Predators 9th in their last 11 games and allowed them to close the gap on their competitors in the Central Division. The Predators now sit one point out of 4th place behind St. Louis.

This was a solid win, and January has been an exceptional month for the Predators. This win allows the Predators to go into the All Star break feeling good and with momentum. It will be important for the team to pick this momentum right back up after the All Star break.

This team has been growing before our eyes, and the compete level has been getting better in the second half of the season. Young players are quickly growing into prominent roles, and are performing exceptionally well. This is a team that can surprise not only in the regular season but in the playoffs

Keep it rolling after the All Star break, boys.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Mike Fisher

3. Patric Hornqvist

Predators Pound the Blackhawks 5-2

The Chicago fans in attendance in Nashville clapped and cheered during the national anthem.

Predator fans cheered when it was most important: as the clock wound down on a dominating 5-2 win over their Central Division rivals.

The Predators controlled the Hawks throughout the game, winning puck battles and stifling a very potent offense with an aggressive forecheck and solid defense to go with the solid goaltending of netminder Pekka Rinne.

The game opened as an up and down affair with both teams attempting to establish their offense, but unable to get any consistency. Both defenses were working hard in their zone and did not let either team establish a flow to their offensive effort.

That changed at 15:05 of the first period as Marian Hossa broke in on Shea Weber. Hossa made a great move to turn Weber around and slid a backhand from the slot under the pads of Rinne to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead.

That lead lasted 2:14 as the Predators tied the game with a power play goal. Ryan Ellis took a shot that Chicago netminder Corey Crawford kicked out with his pad directly to Craig Smith at the side of the net. Smith buried the shot over a sprawling Crawford to tie the game at 17:19. For the rookie, this was his 10th goal of the season, 6 of which have come on the power play.

The period ended tied at one, but the Predators had out shot the Hawks 7-2, although the Hawks hit a post in the period.. Throughout that period, then Predators won puck battles, were strong on the boards, and were thwarting the Hawks in the neutral zone.

This is the Hawks, and they possess an explosive offense. This effort in the first period was going to have to continue in the second if the Predators were going to secure a critical win against a team they were chasing in the standings.

Not only did that effort continue for the Predators, it got better.

The Predators continued their strong play, and it felt as if it would just be a matter of time before they broke through with another score.

Sergei Kostitsyn scored off a rebound, but that goal was waved off as it was ruled that Kostitsyn hit the puck with a high stick. No score and no break through against the Hawks.

Yet.

That break through score came at 5:15 of the second, but not how anyone expected it to occur. Kevin Klein took the puck in over the center red line and flipped a puck toward the net. It landed on edge and took a high bounce over the shoulder of Crawford to give the Predators a 2-0 lead.

Good things happen when you put the puck on net.

Taking a cue from Klein, the Predators swarmed the Chicago net and pressured the Hawks defense and Crawford. Their effort was rewarded at 11:14 of the second as David Legwand drove the net and forced Crawford to slide to his left. Legwand deftly slipped the puck to Colin Wilson, who was alone at the right side of the crease, and Wilson knocked the puck into the open net to give the Predators a 3-1 lead.

Roman Josi bodied Hossa off the puck and had a breakaway that Crawford stopped. Josi made a strong play to take Hossa off the puck and then showed his speed as he charged down the ice. More and More, I am impressed with his play.

Sergei Kostitsyn finally got his goal as he broke in on Crawford and deked Crawford to the ice. Kostitsyn lifted the puck over the prone goaltender for a 4-1 Predators lead at 16:03 of the second period. That goal sent Crawford to and early exit and Ray Emery came in to take over in net.

The Predators had controlled the second period, much as they had the first. The shots were 11-9 for the Predators, but they had a decided territorial advantage. When they Hawks did get shots on net, Rinne cleaned up the scoring chances. Chicago hit a crossbar in the second, but their quality scoring chances were limited by the Predators defense.

It was expected that the Hawks would have a push in the final 20 minutes, and they did just that. Hossa struck again as Roman Josi was caught pinching in the offensive zone and could not get back into the play. Hossa took an outlet pass from Niklas Hjarmalsson and beat the defense back into the offensive zone, His backhand shot beat Rinne five hole to make it 4-2 just 48 seconds into the third period.

Whatever momentum the Hawks had from that goal was snuffed out as Kevin Klein fired a slap shot from the blue line that was re-directed by Patric Hornqvist to make it 5-2 Predators at 3:08 of the third period.

Chicago out shot the Predators 11-5 in the third period, but most of those shots were from the perimeter as the Predators did a good job of clogging the shooting lanes and forcing the Hawks to the outside.

As the clock wound down, the Predator faithful stood and cheered when it counted most- a victory over a Central Division foe that they were chasing in the standings.

With this win, the Predators have won 8 of the 10 games they have played in January. This is critical, because their opponents in the Central have been winning as well. As for how the Predators their Central Division opponents? They are 9-2-2 so far this season.

The Predators lost Francis Buillon near the end of the first period and played the rest of the game with 5 defensemen. There were some mix and match combinations on the blue line throughout the rest of the game, but this unit played very well in limiting the chances of the potent Hawks forwards.

The Hawks lost Jonathan Toews for the third period as he went out with an injury, believed to be an aggravation of his wrist injury suffered in the game against the Panthers the previous night.

The Predators are a team that is growing before our eyes. They are gelling into a solid team that is getting balanced scoring and solid defense to go with their exceptional goaltending.

This is a formula for pounding the teams they face.

My three stars:

1. Kevin Klein

2. Sergei Kostitsyn

3. Marian Hossa

Third Period Meltdown Dooms the Predators in a 6-3 Loss to the Blackhawks

As good as the Nashville Predator's win over  the Blackhawks was on Saturday, their re-match in Chicago was horrid. A third period meltdown cost the Predators a chance to sweep the back to back contests with their division rivals, as the Blackhawks turned a close game into a blowout, defeating the Predators 6-3.

The Predators were victimized by a third period that was a horror show. Tied at 2 at the end of two periods, the Predators took a 3-2 lead on the second goal of the night from J.P. Dumont. From that point on, the wheels absolutely came off for the Predators.

Before we get to the debacle that was the third period for the Predators, let's see how we got there.

The Predators opened the game with good jump and were out-skating the Hawks in the first period. Their effort paid off with four power play opportunities in the first period, and they were able to cash in on two of them.

The first tally of the game came from Marty Erat with Jonathan Toews in the box for holding.Erat buried a rebound past Hawks goalie Marty Turco to give the Predators a 1-0 lead at 2:04 of the period.

Chicago would tie the game on a Dave Bolland score at 6:38, as he beat Nashville netminder Anders Lindback.

The Predators would respond with their second power play marker of the period as J.P. Dumont corralled a rebound of a Shea Weber shot that was initially blocked by Brian Campbell. He beat Turco with a quick wrist shot to give the Predators a 2-1 advantage.

Chicago would tie the game with the only goal of the second period as David Legwand made a lazy croos ice pass at the Predators blueline that Bolland intercepted. Bolland put a spectacular move on Ryan Suter, the only Predator player that was back to stop the rush, and beat Lindback five hole.

To this point, the contest had been fairly even, Nashville had outshot the hawks at the end of two period by an 18-16 margin and had skated evenly with the Hawks through forty minutes.

As I said last night, it is a 60 minute game, but tonight the Predators unfortunately checked out after 40 minutes.

Oh, the third started well. J.P. Dumont potted his second goal of the night off a clean face off win by rookie Chris Mueller. Dumont gathered in the puck and beat Turco cleanly with a quick wrister that went high glove side.

3-2 Predators and we have a game that the good guys can win.

Not so fast.

A game that the Predators had played evenly with the Blackhawks suddenly spiraled out of control. Quickly.

With Ryan Suter in the box for holding, the Blackhawks struck on a power play opportunity of their own.Troy Brouwer was left all alone in front of the net and gathered in a rebound of a pad save by Lindback and knocked the puck into an open net as Lindback was out of position. Brouwer's goal came at 9:19 of the third

Tied at 3, the Hawks turned up the pressure and the Predators did not respond. Brouwer circled out the corner, split Marcel Goc and Shea Weber, and found himself alone in the low slot. His wrist shot beat Lindback to the glove side at 9:59 of the third.

Two goals in 40 seconds and the Hawks were flying and the Predators were back on their heels. And the assault was just beginning.

Brian Bickell scored at 14:08 and Jonathan Toews added the finisher at 16:58.

From up 3-2 with 11 minutes to go in the contest to down 6-3 at the end. Indicative of how bad the third period was for the Predators, they were outshot 18-5.

Absolutely putrid.

Compounding the sting of this loss was the fact that the Predators lost Francis Buillon in the first period as he was boarded by Brouwer. The Predators spent the rest of the contest with just five defensemen.No excuses, but you have to believe that fatigue was a factor late in the game for the D corp. Ryan Suter logged 32:43 of ice time; Shea Weber had 29:40; and Kevin Klein had 21:43.

With this loss, the Predators are now tied with the Blackhawks with 54 points, but have 2 games in hand.  The Predators lead the season series with the Blackhawks 3-2.

This is another example of how this team has to play a full 60 minutes to win a game. This was a game the Predators could have won, but their 11 minute lapse in the third period bite them hard.

There will be no rest for the weary, as the Predators are now headed to Phoenix to play the red hot Coyotes.

The importance of that upcoming game? The Coyotes sit in fourth place in the West, one point ahead of the Predators.

All the games in this tightly bunched Western Conference race are important. They are yours for the taking, boys. However, ya gotta play a full 60 minutes.

And avoid those pesky meltdowns.

My three stars:

1. Dave Bolland

2. Troy Brouwer

3. J.P. Dumont






























































































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Predators Win Second in a Row with a 4-3 SO Win over Chicago

When a team endures a losing streak, one of two things can happen. They can hang their heads and limp along; or the losses can be extremely clarifying, causing a team to focus on what it takes to win games and get back to those fundamentals.

For the Nashville Predators, the latter has occurred, as they won their second straight game, beating the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 in a shootout at the Bridgestone Arena.

For Nashville, this was their second consecutive shootout victory.

It is obvious that the Blackhawks are an explosive team, and for the Predators to have an opportunity to win this game, they had to be sound defensively and limit the chances of the Hawks dangerous offensive players. For most of the night, the Predators did an excellent job of controlling the big guns of the Hawks, holding Kane, Toews, Hossa, and Sharp off the board.

The Predators did a great job of controlling play in the neutral zone and not allowing Chicago many opportunities to enter the offensive zone with speed. When the Hawks gain the zone, the Predators blocked numerous shots and clogged the lanes, limiting secondary chances.

That is not to say that the Hawks didn't challenge Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne. Rinne made some big saves to keep Chicago off the board. Rinne was solid in net during the regulation and overtime period, and was brilliant in the shootout.

Chicago is not without offensive prowess, and shutting down the big guns doesn't mean that they cannot score. Jack Skille proved that tonight with two goals, the first coming at 19:07 of the first period. Skille took a nice pass from Brian Campbell and beat Rinne stick side with a shot that went just inside the post to stake the Blackhawks to a 1-0 lead.

Nashville would answer at 2:37 of the first period on a nice tic tac toe passing play.Shane O'Brien took a nice pass from Marcel Goc and beat Chicago netminder Marty Turco with a quick wrister that went top shelf. Turco could not get across his net fast enough to stop the shot from O'Brien, and his goal sent the Nashville crowd into a frenzy.

That energy would amp up as Shea Weber unleashed a shot on the power play that went through Turco to give the Predators a lead at 5:37 of the second. Turco was in good position, but couldn't handle the velocity of the cannon shot that Weber sent to the net.

Chicago would tie the game at 2 at 6:51 of the period as Viktor Stalberg would beat Rinne high stick side.

The Hawks would once again regain the lead as Skille scored his second of the night at 9:10 as he fired a wrist shot from just inside the faceoff circle that would beat Rinne high glove side.

The Predators looked to have tied the game as Patric Hornqvist scored early in the third, but the goal was waved off as it was ruled that Hornqvist had kicked the puck into the net in a goal mouth scramble.

The tie would come for the Predators at 10:23 of the third period as Cody Franson sent a wrist shot from the point low along the ice. The puck went in cleanly, and Turco had his eyes taken away by Hornqvist who was screening in front of the net. The puck found the far post and the Predators had evened the score.

Neither team could solve the others netminder for the remainder of the period, and once again the Predators were heading to overtime.

With Patrick Kane in the box for tripping, the Predators had several good scoring chances, but Turco bailed out the Hawks.The power play showed good movement and generated scoring opportunities, a positive sign for this unit that has struggled at times this season.

In the shootout, Pekka Rinne stopped Jonathan Toews. Cal O'Reilly buried the first attempt for the Predators as he roofed a shot to the top corner over Turco's glove. Rinne stopped Patrick Kane. Turco stopped a weak attempt by Steve Sullivan. Rinne then stoned Patrick Sharp, and the Predators skated off with their second win in a row and their second in two meetings with the Blackhawks.

The Predators welcomed Marty Erat and Ryan Suter back to the lineup tonight after both had missed games due to injury. Their presence was positive for the team and they logged quality minutes. Erat picked up an assist tonight. The team needs them back in the lineup consistently.

Did you notice the regulation scoring for the Predators? All three goals were from defensemen. Opportunistic scoring, a hallmark of Predator hockey, was evident tonight.

The Predators did a good job of pressuring Turco tonight. They were aggressive and effective on the forecheck. They limited second chances. They got solid goaltending.

They played Predator hockey. Winning hockey.

Losing several games in a row leaves a bad taste in your mouth. It also teaches painful lessons. Lessons that if taken to heart can turn around a team and their fortunes.

My three stars of the night:

1. Cal O'Reilly

2. Jack Skille

3. Cody Franson