Predators Slow Start Costs Them In OT Loss to the Habs

The Nashville Predators stumbled out of the gate at the Bridgestone Arena, falling behind 3-0 in the first period to the Montreal Canadiens and looking as if they were going to be embarrassed in front of the home crowd.

After waiting 20 minutes to begin playing hockey, the Predators clawed their way back into the contest, tying the game at 3 and forcing overtime.

How did we get there?

It was all Habs in the first period. P.K. Subban got loose in the high slot and blistered a shot past Marek Mazanec to make it 1-0 at 11:30 of the first period.

Max Pacioretty drove around Kevin Klein like he was anchored to the ice and beat Mazanec with a backhand at 13:20.

Tomas Plekanec re-directed a Brain Gionta shot at 14:37 to make it 3-0 Habs.

The Predators had given up only 5 shots to this point in the game. The problem was that the Canadiens had scored on 3 of those shots. That meant that Mazanec was done and Carter Hutton entered the game.

Hutton was solid in regulation, stopping all 17 shots he faced.

The Predators began to work and skate in the second period, and their efforts were rewarded as Gabriel Bourque to a pass from Matt Cullen and roofed a shot over Canadiens netminder Carey Price to make it 3-1 at 11:51 of the second.

Nick Spaling tallied on the power play at 18:09 of the second. Spaling was alone at the side of the net when he re-directed a slap pass from Shea Weber.

In the third period, the Predators tied the game at 3 on the power play as Shea Weber snuck into the low slot. Mike Fisher found him with a nice pass through the box and Weber buried a quick wrist shot at 13:40 of the third period.

The effort by the Predators over the final two periods of regulation was solid. They out shot the Canadiens 26-14, including a 20-6 shot advantage in the second period.

That effort was for naught, however, as in overtime Mattias Ekholm had the puck stripped away from him by David Desharnais in the defensive zone. Desharnais blew a shot from the face off circle past Hutton for the game winning goal on the Habs only shot in over time for the 4-3 victory.

Some observations:

• Brutal. That is the only way to describe the outing by Mazanec. While the re-directed shot by Plekanec was unstoppable, Mazanec has to make the save on the first two goals he allowed. The stoppable goals that are allowed makes the hill that much steeper for this team, and the play of both Mazanec and Hutton has to be more consistent.

• Brutal, part II. Ekholm cannot turn the puck over in the defensive zone. Desharnais is quick, but Ekholm just needed to use the boards and clear the puck out of the zone. He was guilty of over handling the puck, and it cost the team.

• Seth Jones took a puck to the side of his face in the second period. A hard shot from the point hit a stick and ramped up and caught Jones. This didn't look good at all and he did not return to the game.

• The power play has started to become more productive. There is more movement and players are getting into better shooting position. The power play needs to continue to score goals for the Predators to have success.

• Five on five is another story. The Predators had some good scoring chances and could not finish. In the first period, Viktor Stalberg hit the post twice. Often, Predator forwards had good scoring chances and shot the puck into the logo on Price's sweater.

• I liked the play of Viktor Stalberg. As mentioned, he created some scoring opportunities and hit the post twice. He showed good jump and puck possession all night. Say it with me... he has to finish.

• The Predators are not good enough to take a period off. Coming out and playing poorly in the opening period created a huge hole from which the team had to overcome. This team has to play a full 60 minutes or more often than not, they will wind up on the short end of the score.

The Predators continue to struggle to find consistency. After winning three straight, they have now dropped three straight.

Realistically, this is a team that will not make the playoffs. Their goal now should be to improve their play in all phases of the game.

And try to be consistently better.

My three stars:

1. David Desharnais

2. Shea Weber

3. Carey Price

Predators Party Spoiled by the Habs

The Nashville Predators celebrated their 1,000th game by hosting the Montreal Canadiens at the Bridgestone Arena. Quite an achievement by a franchise that many thought would be relocated just four years ago. There were many festivities leading up to the game, as employees, coaches, and management were honored in pre-game ceremonies. The events leading up to the game created a party like atmosphere.

About that game.

Montreal captured a 2-1 overtime victory.

Party foul.

Pekka Rinne got the start for the Predators while the Habs went with Peter Budaj.

In the first period, both teams generated some chances, but for the Predators, their offensive effort was spotty at best. Often they would enter the zone and fail to cycle the puck and get a shot on net. The Canadiens defense did a good job of shutting down the Predators offensive thrusts, and there was a stretch of nearly 10 minutes where the Predators did not muster a shot on net.

David Desharnais got the Habs on the board at 13:49 as he got behind the defense and took a pass from Eric Cole that he backhanded past Rinne for a 1-0 lead.

In the first period, the Habs out shot the Predators 8-4, and while the Predators generally did a good job of limiting the offensive effort of the Habs, too much time was spent in their zone and the offensive effort was lacking.

That changed in the second period as the Predators got their legs moving and started generating some offensive chances. The Predators would use a short handed goal, however, to tie the game.

With Matt Halischuk in the box for tripping, the Predators got control of the puck and entered the offensive zone. Shea Weber took a pass from Ryan Suter and unleashed a blast form the top of the face off circle that absolutely blew past Budaj to knot the game at one.

Neither team would score again in the period as both goalies made some solid saves. Rinne in particular made some very good saves to keep the Habs off the board.

The Predators out shot the Canadiens 13-7 in the second.

After a scoreless third period that saw both goalies continue their stellar play, we were heading to overtime.

Max Paccioretty would end the contest at 2:31 of the OT period as P.K. Subban dug a puck off the boards and slipped it to Paccioretty. His wrist shot from the face off circle would beat Rinne over his shoulder on the stick side for the win.

In this game, the Predators top line of Colin Wilson, Patric Hornqvist, and Craig Smith were shut down. I'm not faulting their effort, and there will be games where a line is shut down. That's hockey. What is troubling about this loss is that the Predators other lines were ineffective. If the Predators are going to win these types of games, it is imperative that the team get production from Mike Fisher, Martin Erat, Sergei Kostisyn- the Predators second line tonight. Fisher has been held without a goal since missing a game after a hit in a game against the Ducks, a total of five games. Kostitsyn's game has yet to get on track. These are players that have to produce for the Predators.

Perhaps the party like atmosphere was a distraction for this team. Whatever the reason, there has to be more consistent offensive effort throughout the lineup for this team to be successful. Hopefully, this team will see some of the aforementioned players get their game going.

Do that, and it will be party.

My three stars:

1. Peter Budaj

2. Pekka Rinne

3. Max Paccioretty