Predators Suffer Second Embarrassing Loss

The Nashville Predators visited the New Jersey Devils looking to get the sour taste out of their mouth from their flop in Winnipeg in their previous game.

The Predators were going to have to wait a bit longer for that to occur.

The Devils opened the scoring just 90 seconds into the game as Jaromir Jagr circled through the Predators defense and fired a wrist shot that Predators netminder Carter Hutton got a piece of but it glanced off his glove and into the net  for a 1-0 Devils lead.

The Devils stifling defense made it difficult for the Predators to get through the neutral zone and establish quality offensive zone time. The Predators managed 6 shots on Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur, but he did not have to make any difficult saves.

The Devils had 7 shots in the period.

The Devils made it 2-0 at 2:54 as the Devils swarmed the Predators net. Cam Janssen beat Craig Smith to the front of the net to bang home a rebound of a Ryan Carter shot. The Predators defense broke down and allowed Janssen a free run to the front of the net.

The Devils made it 3-0 on the power play with Seth Jones in the box. Just 5 seconds into the power play, former Predator Marek Zidlicky hammered a shot from the blue line that eluded Hutton.

The Devils were having their way with the Predators, and from all appearances, the Predators could do nothing to stop the push from the home team. Much like the previous game in Winnipeg, the Predators were getting out worked in all areas of the ice and losing most of the puck battles.

The Predators weak effort was reflected in the shots on goal in the second period. The Predators managed just 4 shots, while the Devils recorded 12.

The Devils made it 4-0 at 12:57 of the third period off a 3 on 2 rush. Jaromir Jagr fed a beautiful pass to Travis Zajac and he blasted a one timer past Hutton.

The way the Predators were playing, this game was long ago out of reach.

Mattias Tedenby made it 5-0 picked up a loose puck in the Predators offensive zone and walked in alone and roofed a puck over the shoulder of Hutton, who was left alone with the on rushing Devils forward.

Insult to injury.

Surprisingly, the Predators didn't allow any further scores.

Some observations:

• As good as the Predators had looked at in the early going of this road trip, they have looked absolutely awful over the past two games. They have been outworked in all phases and showed zero compete level. The offense has disappeared and that is a function of will. The Predators have to score from the hard areas, and the past two games- outside of Patric Hornqvist- they have not shown a willingness to go to those areas.

• The Predators power play was putrid. They went 0-6 tonight and there was no movement or creativity. There were poor entries (I'm looking at you, David Legwand) that made it too easy for the Devils to control and clear the puck. The Predators had ample opportunities to get back into the game with the man advantage and squandered those chances.

• Hutton gave up a soft goal on the first goal of the game, but was hung out to dry on most of the Devils goals. He made some point blank stops to keep the score from being worse than it was.

• The defensive breakdowns are troubling, mostly because they are happening consistently. The defense is going to have to get focused and tougher to help Hutton. The consistency of these defensive lapses is costing the team and has to be corrected quickly.

• The most disappointing aspect of these past two games is the lack of compete by this team. When they got down, they rolled over. There was no push back, no snarl, no fight. That has to change quickly.

What started well for this team is quickly coming unraveled. These last two games have exposed the weaknesses and the softness of this team. It has to turn around quickly.

My three stars:

1. Jaromir Jagr

2. Marek Zidlicky

3. Cam Janssen

Weak Effort Against the Wild Dooms the Predators

The Nashville Predators put up an effort that can only be charitably characterized as weak against the Minnesota Wild in dropping a 5-2 decision in an afternoon matinee in the XCel Energy Center.

Pekka Rinne got the start in net for the Predators and was left defenseless for the most part, allowing 3 goals on 9 shots in the first period. Rinne was pulled to start the second period and Anders Lindback took over in net to finish out the game.

Marek Zidlicky, a former Predator defenseman, opened the scoring for the Wild at 12:22 of the first period. He was allowed to walk out the corner and skate in on the net. His first shot went off the side of the net, but he was unchallenged by the Nashville defense and gathered in his rebound and flipped a shot over the pads of Rinne for the first score.

The Wild continued to challenge the Nashville defense and they continued to fail to respond. Andrew Brunette made them pay for their breakdowns in coverage as he was able to corral a rebound at the top of the crease and flip the puck over a sprawling Rinne. Throughout the game, the Predators consistently failed to help their netminder and clear the front of the net. Frankly, their play in front of Rinne and Lindback was inexplicable.

Martin Havlat was a force all game, controlling the puck and generating numerous scoring chances. Havlat made the Predators pay for his effort with his fourth goal of the season at 18:12 of the first.

The Predators had some chances offensively. Shea Weber rang a blast off the post. The Predators buzzed the net and generated some chances, but as has been their wont, they could not finish those chances. Jose Theodore was able to shut down the offensive challenges the Predators mounted. 

Three goals on nine shots. The Predators had looked as bad on defense as they did in the Toronto game. A weak, inexcusable effort.

Anders Lindback came in for the Predators to start the second period and was immediately greeted with a goal from defenseman Nick Schultz just 48 second into the period as Schultz was the beneficiary of an odd man rush. He buried a rebound of a shot from Martin Havlat into a wide open net as Lindback was out of position from the initial save.

The Nashville defense was guilty of turning over the puck at the blue line, poor coverage, and inability to clear the front of the net all night. What is usually a solid component of this team was absolutely miserable in this game.

Nashville cut the lead to 4-1 at 3:55 of the third period as Steve Sullivan took a beautiful pass from Colin Wilson and tallied on the power play.  The Predators anemic power play (3 for their last 61 attempts) had clicked. Finally, the Predators had a spark.

That spark would be snuffed out as Martin Havlat tallied his second goal of the contest at 14:02 of the third. Havlat's goal would happen because Francis Buillon lost the off side coverage of the net and allowed Havlat to put the uncontested rebound back on goal.

Martin Erat would score his second goal of the season on the power play at 19:51.

Too little. Too late.

It is beyond me as to how this team can come out unfocused on the defensive end of the ice. The Wild are a team that struggles and are not what one would call an offensive force. Today, we made them look like the Oilers in their prime.

The Predators are a team that can win when they play a TEAM game. This means all the parts have to clicking: defense; offense; goaltending; and special teams. When one component breaks down, this team is in trouble. The offense has been a problem lately. Today, it was the defense.

Unbelievable.

The Predators are going to have to get their focus and start executing on both ends of the ice. They are going to have to get an edge to their play. Too often, they appear docile on both ends of the ice.

Continue to put up weak efforts like today, and this will be a long, painful season.

My three stars:

1. Martin Havlat

2. Marek Zidlicky

3. Jose Theodore