Predators Cap An Improbable Comeback With a 3-2 OT Win Over the Coyotes

In a game that was meaningless for the Predators and one in which they played for stretches like it was meaningless, the Predators shocked the Coyotes and the Predator fans with a 3-2 OT win.

The Predators were down 2 goals going into the third period when they supplied the wow factor.

Shea Weber drew the Predators within 1 goal with his 14th power play goal of the season to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Looking for all the world like Predator fans were going home disappointed, the Predators scored with 19 seconds to go. With Pekka Rinne pulled for an extra attacker, Roman Josi launched a shot toward the net that Filip Forsberg redirected past Mike Smith to tie the game at 2.

Overtime has not been kind to the Predators, but they figured it out in their second to last game of the year.

Josi took the puck through the neutral zone with speed, drove the net, and slid the puck past Smith for the improbable game winner just 20 seconds into the extra period.

Some observations:

• Antoine Vermette gave the Coyotes a 1-0 lead, deflecting a shot off his skate that was going well past the net. Shane Doan scored from the face off circle when the Predators failed to clear the puck. The play by Rinne was solid tonight, and I don't fault him for the 2 goals he gave up. It does point out that the defensive coverage has got to tighten up during the playoffs. There is no doubt Rinne will play his tail off but he is going to have to have some help out front.
• The Predators struggled for most of the night on the power play. The lone exception was Weber's goal. At times, the Predators wasted a lot of time just trying to get into the zone. That is an area of play that is going to have to improve in the playoffs.
• Speaking of Weber, he hit 20 goals for the third time in his career. His power play goal was his 14th of the year, tying Andy Delmore and Paul Kariya for a franchise high in power play goals.
• How about Filip Forsberg? His goal was his 33rd of the season and tied Jason Arnott for the franchise record. The thing about this goal that was exceptional to me is that it came with Forsberg right at the top of the crease battling for position. We have all seen and been amazed by some of his goals, but he has also shown that he is not afraid to go to the hard areas to score. 
• Big props to the fans. The team finished the season playing 41 home games at 99.2% capacity at the Bridge. 695,828 fans attended games this year, 4800 more than last season. The Predators sold out 35 of their 41 home games this season, eclipsing the previous high of 30 sellouts, set last season.
• The Predators are now 5-21-5 when they trail after 2 periods.
• The Predators are now 2-12 in OT.
• Anthony Bitetto returned to the line up after missing 9 games due to an injury.

As it was in the last game, this win was certainly not a thing of beauty. Yet it was beautiful from the standpoint that the Predators never quit and kept pressing.

And they were rewarded for that effort.

It is that kind of effort that the Predators will need in the playoffs.

My three stars:

1. Roman Josi

2. Filip Forsberg

3. Mike Smith

Predators Explode Out of Their Slump, Defeat the Coyotes 5-2

The Nashville Predators have been in a slump and have struggled to score goals and get a bit of puck luck.

Through two periods against the Arizona Coyotes at Bridgestone Arena, the struggles looked as if they would continue. The Predators had out shot the Coyotes 27-10 and had hit 5 posts. When they looked at the scoreboard, they trailed 2-1 and looked as if they would not be able to solve Coyotes goalie Mike Smith.

The hockey gods- along with a lot of hard work by the Predators- changed their fortunes in the third period as the Predators exploded for 4 goals en route to a 5-2 victory.

The Coyotes opened the scoring in the first period on the power play as Oliver Ekman-Larsson sent a seeing eye shot through traffic from the high slot that completely eluded Pekka Rinne.

The Predators returned the favor on a power play in the second period as Calle Jarnkrok redirected a slap pass from Shea Weber between the pads of Mike Smith to tie the game at 1.

Late in the second period, Kyle Chipchura outworked the Predators defense to the front of the net and was able to chip the puck past Rinne to send the Coyotes into the second intermission with a 2-1 lead.

That would be all the Coyotes could get past Rinne and it set the stage for the Predators offense to get on track.

Mike Ribeiro stole the puck in the offensive zone and beat Smith from the slot to tie the game.

Filip Forsberg wove his way through the Coyotes defense and worked to some open space in the slot and beat Smith low stick side to give the Predators their first lead of the game at 4:49 of the third period.

Forsberg would take a nice pass from Ribeiro and laser a wrist shot past Smith to make it 4-2.

James Neal iced the game with an empty net goal to give the Predators their final margin of 5-2.

Some observations:

• Big ups to the Predators defense. The Coyotes have shown they can be explosive and have some talented players, including dynamic rookie Max Domi and second year man Anthony Duclair. The Predators defense limited the Coyotes to only 15 shots for the entire game. The Coyotes did not register their first shot on goal until 8:34 of the first period. They had 4 shots in the first; 6 in the second; and 5 in the third. The Predators also blocked 18 shots from the Coyotes.
• I can't fault Rinne for the goals he gave up. The power play was a seeing eye shot that made its way through a maze of bodies, a shot he never saw until it was in the net. The Chipchura goals was just hard work by the Coyotes forward, who worked his way into prime scoring territory and was able to bang the puck past Rinne. Rinne did not have a lot of work, obviously, but he made a spectacular save on Domi in the first period. Domi had an empty net but Rinne was able to reach back with his paddle and sweep the puck off the goal line to keep the Coyotes off the board. Truly a candidate for the save of the year.
• The injury bug hit the Predators hard again as Mike Fisher crashed into the boards early in the second period and looked to have injured a knee. He was barely able to get off the ice and went straight to the locker room. He did not return to the game.
• This game had the makings of another frustrating outing for the Predators. The difference this time, and what swung the game in their favor, was that they kept attacking with traffic to the net. Mike Smith was outstanding through two period, turning away some prime scoring opportunities by the Predators. The Predators were relentless in their attack and kept putting pucks on the net with bodies in front. This is something they have not done consistently when they were in their funk, and hopefully they see how this formula can yield success.
• I really like the play of Calle Jarnkrok. He has stepped up his game and has been flying on the ice and is willing to go to the hard areas. The Predators first goal was a result of Jarnkrok establishing position in the low slot and being able to redirect the Weber pass. Jarnkrok ate up some big minutes after the Fisher injury, playing 25 shifts and logging 20:20 of ice time. He was also 9 of 19 in the face off circle.
• This is only the second time this season that the Predators have won a game when trailing after two periods.
• The Predators are now 6-0-1 in their last 7 games against the Coyotes.
• Shea Weber picked up 3 assists and was a +3 on the night. He led the Predators in TOI with 24:12.
• Filip Forsberg had a team high 8 shots on goal and had 2 goals and an assist.
• Roman Josi blocked a team high 5 shots.
• Colin Wilson was scratched tonight. No word on an injury, but Wilson has been ice cold this season. Cody Bass was called up from Milwaukee and took his place in the line up.
• Another player that stood out to me tonight was Viktor Arvidsson. He was flying all over the ice and his battle level was better than at any time he has been up with the Predators. He won puck battles and kept plays alive. He logged 21 shifts and 18:57 of ice time.

This was a win the Predators really needed. Hopefully it gets their confidence back where it needs to be and they start finding the net consistently.

Busting out of the slump is sweet.

Now we have to overcome injuries and keep it rolling.

My three stars:

1. Filip Forsberg

2. Shea Weber

3. Mike Ribeiro

Predators Use Fast Start, Strong Finish to Crush the Coyotes

The Nashville Predators traveled to Phoenix to take on a struggling Arizona Coyotes team. While the Coyotes have struggled so far this season, this was a team that the Predators could not take lightly. The Coyotes desperately needed a win and they would like nothing more than to secure one against the Predators who had beaten them in a shootout earlier this year in Nashville.

Pekka Rinne was in net for the Predators while Mike Smith was between the pipes for the Coyotes.

Antoine Vermette opened the scoring for the Coyotes on the power play at 4:11 of the first period. Vermette was alone in the high slot and beat Rinne, who was screened on the play.

Once again, the Predators found themselves in a hole to open the game. They would need to respond and get momentum back on their side.

They did just that in a big way.

Mike Fisher answered on a Predators power play as he redirected a pass from Shea Weber past Smith at 6:57.

What on earth is going on here!? We CAN score on the power play.

The Predators scored just as their second power play expired as James Neal was crashing the net and was able to redirect the rebound of a Mike Fisher shot past Smith at 11:06 of the first period.

The Predators made it 3-1 at 18:30 of the first period as James Neal drove into the zone and through the Coyotes defense. His drive to the net made Smith come out to respect the shot. Instead, Neal found Ryan Ellis alone at the side of the net. Neal slid a pass to Ellis, who tapped it into a wide open net.

Response delivered.

The second period was scoreless, but the Predators used their speed to create some scoring chances. On the defensive end, the Predators did a good job of disrupting the Coyotes offense.

Calle Jarnkrok made it 4-1 at 2:33 of the third period by battling in front of the net for a loose puck. Jarnkrok managed to get his stick on the puck and poke it past Smith in a maze of bodies around the crease.

Olli Jokinen made it 5-1 when a pass from Colin Wilson deflected off Jokinen's skate and between the pads of Smith at 7:20 of the third. This was Jokinen's second goal of the season.

That was it for the scoring and the Predators pocketed their second win on this three game road trip by the 5-1 margin.

Some observations:

• Derek Roy returned to the line up after missing 4 games due to injury.
• A power play goal!! Mike Fisher finally notched one for the Predators off assists from Shea Weber and Filip Forsberg. this was Fisher's first goal since returning to action.
• I really like the hustle and effort of Colin Wilson. He was physical and flying all over the ice tonight. If there is an example of a player responding to a new voice in the room, it is Wilson.
• Roman Josi is quietly emerging as an elite defenseman. He can be physical if necessary, but his real strengths are his puck handling and playmaking ability. He is a perfect compliment to his defense partner Shea Weber.
• Calle Jarnkrok has also elevated his game recently. He has shown strength on the puck and a willingness to battle as was evidenced by his goal tonight. I think Jarnkrok has a lot of upside in his game and it is good to see him playing a strong game in all zones.
• The Coyotes came into this game having lost their last 7 games on home ice. Facing a fragile team, the Predators did just what they needed to do- get pucks on net and make Smith scramble. The response after the Coyotes opened the scoring was perfect: pressure Smith and make him move and they were rewarded for their efforts.
• The Coyotes travails on home ice point out the necessity of defending home ice. How good is it that the Predators have done just that this season? Defending home ice is critical to securing playoff position, and so far this season, the Predators have done just that.
• The Predators out shot the Coyotes 38-32. They also blocked 15 shots by the Coyotes.

This was a good road win by the Predators against a team they should have beaten. That they did so in such a convincing fashion is encouraging.

The Predators will have to continue to play a complete game. They will get a big test against the Sharks on Saturday night.

My three stars:

1. Mike Fisher

2. James Neal

3. Calle Jarnkrok

Predators Fast Start Leads to Win Over the Coyotes

Just like in their first meeting with the Phoenix Coyotes, the Nashville Predators jumped out to a big early lead.

Unlike that contest, which resulted in a shootout loss, the Predators made that lead hold up on the way to a 4-2 victory.

The Predators have now won 4 of their last 5 games. The Coyotes have dropped 3 in a row.

The Predators did their damage in the first period, jumping on the Coyotes for 3 goals. Nick Spaling opened the scoring, driving the slot and banging home a rebound of a Matt Cullen shot over the shoulder of Coyotes netminder Mike Smith at 1:02 of the period.

Mike Fisher took a pass from Colin Wilson and fired a shot from below the face off circle to give the Predators a 2-0 lead at 8:22 of the first period. Wilson controlled the puck in the corner and made a nice pass to Fisher, who did a good job of getting the shot off in traffic.

The Predators extended the lead to 3-0 as Viktor Stalberg used his exceptional speed to drive wide and force the Coyotes defense to turn and chase him. Stalberg put a nice pass through the legs of the defenseman onto the tape of Gabriel Bourque. Bourque made a nice fake to put Smith out of position and buried a backhand into the open net.

It was a good thing the Predators had a strong first period.

The Coyotes answered with a strong second period to make it a game.

Mikkel Boedker beat Predators goaltender Marek Mazanec five hole with a shot through traffic to get the Coyotes on the board at 9:34 of the second period.

That goal energized the Coyotes, and they began to control the puck and put pressure on the Predators. That pressure paid off as Tim Kennedy was able to gather in a rebound at the top of the crease and slide a backhand past Mazanec to make it 3-2 at 13:00 of the second period.

In the third period, the Coyotes spent a majority of the time in the Predators zone. They out shot the Predators 12-5 in the period, and Mazanec had to make some good saves to keep the Coyotes off the board. The Predators seemed content to play defense and just clear the puck, as they rarely established any offensive presence and zone time.

With Smith on the bench for an extra attacker, Shea Weber got the puck in the defensive zone behind the face off circle and banged the puck off the glass. The puck caromed off the glass and landed in the neutral zone and rolled into the open net to seal the win for the Predators at 19:25 of the third period.

I don't know if Shea called "bank" on the shot.

Some observations:

• The Predators were without Patric Hornqvist, who is called day to day with an upper body injury.

• The Coyotes lost the services of Shane Doan, who was injured and did not play in the third period.

• Gabriel Bourque's goal was a thing of beauty. The goal was set up by the speed of Stalberg, who made a sweet pass through the legs of a Coyote defender onto the tape of Bourque. Bourque showed great hands in controlling the puck, faking to the forehand, and pulling the puck to his backhand and lifting it into the net.

• David Legwand has reverted to form. He has been a non- factor the past several games, and was again tonight. Among the forwards, only Rich Clune had less ice time than Legwand. This team needs Legwand to step up his game and begin to contribute offensively.

• The Predators flirted with disaster in the third period. Content to sit back and play defense, the Coyotes dominated in offensive zone time and in shots. The Predators didn't seriously threaten Smith and establish offensive zone presence. More often than not, this is not a winning formula.

• Mazanec made some very good saves tonight and tracked the puck well through traffic. The Coyotes first goal came through traffic, and Mazanec didn't see the puck until the last instance, getting beat five hole. Mazanec has looked calm and has been positionally sound and has seemed to grow in confidence with each start.

The Predators are now 12-10-2 for 26 points, and sit 10th in the West. They are 6 points out of the 8th playoff spot, held by the Coyotes.

The Predators are going to have to continue to string together wins to climb back into playoff contention.

This means they are going to have to develop some consistency in their game and their effort every night.

And play a solid 60 minutes of hockey.

My three stars:

1. Gabriel Bourque

2. Mike Fisher

3. Marek Mazanec

Predators Play Predator Hockey, Defeat the Coyotes 3-0

A funny thing happened in the Nashville Predators tilt against the Phoenix Coyotes at the Bridgestone Arena.

The Predators out shot their opponent for only the second time this season.

The Predators out shot the Coyotes 29-19 en route to a 3-0 victory in front of a sell out crowd, turning the tables on the Coyotes and dominating the visitors. In their first meeting, the Coyotes had dominated the Predators in a 4-0 victory.

The Predators did not get on the scoreboard until the third period offensive explosion, surpassing over 200 minutes without a goal in regulation time.

Fortunately, the Predators had Pekka Rinne in net, and the big netminder recorded his second consecutive shutout. Rinne has not allowed a goal in over 137 minutes of regulation time.

Mike Smith was in net for the Coyotes and did a good job of frustrating the Predators through two periods.

Smith made a great save on Mike Fisher, who was alone in front of the net. Smith got his glove on Fisher's shot to prevent the score.

The Predators had another glorious scoring chance in the waning seconds of the second period as Gabriel Bourque was alone at the side of the net and found the puck on his stick. Unfortunately, the puck bounced as Bourque took the shot and he didn't get much on it, allowing Smith to make the save.

Frustrating for Fisher and Bourque, but the story is not over. They would get their goals.

Bourque got his goal in the third period on the power play as Marty Erat took a shot with Bourque screening Smith. Bourque did a good job of taking away any look that Smith had at the shot. Erat's shot hit Bourques's skate and re-directed past Smith to put the Predators up 1-0 at 2:40 of the third period.

The Predators had done a good job of swarming the net, taking shots, and getting traffic in front of Smith. Predator hockey was back, and it was keeping the Coyotes on their heels and bottled up in their zone.

The Predators made it 2-0 at 9:38 of the third as Matt Halischuk dug the puck out of the corner and got a pass to Nick Spaling inside the face off circle. Spaling ripped a shot over the shoulder of Smith to give the Predators some breathing room.

Mike Fisher made it 3-0 at 18:16 of the third as he beat Smith to the far post from almost the same spot as Spaling. This was Fisher's second goal of the season, and it was good to see him on the score sheet.

The Predators played Predator hockey. Even though they were held off the board through two periods, it felt as if it was just a matter of time before they scored. They were firing shots at the net and had traffic in front of Smith. They had control of the puck in the offensive zone for lengthy stretches. When the Coyotes did threaten, Rinne was a wall.

With the win, the Predators are 7-3-4, good for 18 points and tied for third in the Western Conference.

Some observations:

• Bourque moved up to the line with Mike Fisher and Marty Erat. Sergei Kostitsyn moved to a line with Colin Wilson and David Legwand. I like Bourque's game, and he provided some jump to Fisher's line. I am glad to see Barry Trotz mix the lines to try to generate some offense, and tonight it worked well.

• Pekka Rinne was in the zone tonight. I think he has the best glove hand of any goalie in the NHL, and tonight, his glove gobbled up a number of the Coyotes shots. He tracked the puck well and appears to be playing relaxed and with confidence. Rinne has 3 shut outs in his last 4 games.

• The defensive pairs also changed, as Shea Weber was paired with Roman Josi and Kevin Klein and Scott Hannan were on the second D pairing. Josi continues to be a solid blueliner and his game is consistent in all phases. The pairing of Jonathan Blum and Ryan Ellis has been good, and they are playing some quality minutes.

•  The Predators appear to be rounding into shape as far as playing Predator hockey. Solid defense, excellent goaltending, and now some opportunistic scoring. The Predators have to continue to build on this effort.

This was a quality win against a team that has vexed the Predators. The game was a defensive struggle, but unlike some recent contests, the Predators committed to shooting the puck and going to the net. And it paid off with a big victory.

Now it is time to continue to string together some more games like tonight.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Gabriel Bourque

3. Nick Spaling

Coyotes Eliminate the Predators With a 2-1 Win

Backs against the wall.

Desperate.

No tomorrow.

Pick whatever cliche that you want, this is where the Predators find themselves against the Phoenix Coyotes. The task before them is monumental as they had to win a game at Jobing.com Arena in front of an amped up crowd of Coyote faithful.

The Predators task was simple. Play every shift all out. Play each period for a full 20 minutes. Play Predator hockey.

Once again, Pekka Rinne would duel with Mike Smith, but more importantly for the Predators, the team in front of Rinne had to outplay their Coyote counterparts.

The first period saw both teams play with good jump and both goalies made some good saves. The Predators got the only power play of the period, but could not convert. Both teams were excellent on the forecheck, disrupting the offensive flow. The Predators did a good job of fighting through the forecheck and creating chances, but could not solve Smith. For the period, the Predators out shot the Coyotes 10-5.

This was the kind of period that the Predators had to play in this contest, but for them to be successful, they were going to have to finish some of their chances.

Phoenix nearly scored early in the second off a Shane Doan breakaway that Rinne turned aside with his pads. The Coyotes were pressing the Predators and they capitalized off a shot from the blue line by Derek Morris at 3:54. Rinne was screened in front and the shot appeared to re-directed by Rinne.

Roman Josi was called for interference 4:19 of the second, and the Predators PK was going to have to come up big to keep the game in hand. The Coyotes power play was short circuited by Martin Hanzal as he was called for hooking and the teams skated 4 on 4 for the next 1:27.

In the abbreviated power play, the Predators had some great chances around the Coyotes net, but could not cash in as the puck bounced over the stick of an open Alexander Radulov at the side of the net.

The Predators kept the pressure on the Coyotes , and on the power play, a Shea Weber bomb beat Smith but clanged off the post. The Predators had done everything but score so far in this game.

The Coyotes extended the lead to 2-0 as Martin Hanzal scored on a shot through traffic that Rinne never saw. The score came at 15:09 of the second period, and now the hill was getting incredibly steep for the Predators.

Although the offensive push by the Predators was good, they could not get a puck past Smith. The scoring chances for the Predators saw them unable to finish. Part was just bad puck luck, but much credit had to go to the Coyotes, who were clogging up the prime scoring areas in front of Smith and preventing the Predators from getting to loose pucks.

The Predators out shot the Coyotes 12-7 in the second, but staring at a 2-0 deficit, the season was coming down to to the final 20 minutes. The Predators had to figure out a way to get a puck past Smith or the season was going to come to a quick end.

You could not fault the effort by the Predators in the third period. They were throwing everything they could at Smith and the Coyotes, but just could not get a puck in the net. They were controlling play in the offensive zone, but the old bugaboo of not being able to finish scoring chances was once again biting this team in the ass.

The Predators finally solved Smith at 14:01 of the third as David Legwand sent a perfect pass from the half boards to Colin Wilson as he was driving the net. Wilson got his stick on the puck and tipped it over the shoulder of Smith to cut the deficit to 2-1. The Predators had life, but the clock was quickly becoming the enemy of the Predators.

Despite a final furious flurry by the Predators, they could not score the game tying goal and fell to the Coyotes 2-1 to end their season.

The Predators effort was solid, but the lack of a scorer that could finish their chances doomed them in this contest and in this series. Credit has to go to the Coyotes for the solid team game they played in this game and in this series. In a contest between two teams that were fairly evenly matched, they took advantage of the mistakes the Predators made and punished us for them. From start to finish, the Coyotes were the more solid team, and deserved the series.

For the Predators, this is a disappointment. To win this series and compete for the Cup, they had to have their best players be the best. Unfortunately, they were not.

This leaves an off season of questions about the roster and how to get this team over the hump so they can win a tough series.

There will be plenty of time now to ponder those questions.

Predators Backs Against the Wall With a 1-0 Loss

The Nashville Predators dropped a 1-0 game to the Phoenix Coyotes at the Bridgestone Arena to fall behind in their series 3-1.

To say their backs are against the wall is an understatement.

The Predators offense was ineffective and rarely threatened Phoenix netminder Mike Smith. When they did threaten, Smith was equal to the task

The Coyotes Shane Doan scored at 14:25 of the first period as he went into the slot and fired a shot at Rinne that he got with his blocker, but it flipped over his shoulder, off Roman Josi, and into the net. for the only goal of the game.

The Phoenix defense made that goal stand up as they forechecked the life out of the Predators, rarely letting them come through the neutral zone with any speed, and one the Predators got into the offensive zone, choked the life out of them.

The Predators struggled to get any offensive rhythm because of the pressure the Coyotes put on the puck and throughout the game had more energy and jump than the Predators.

The offensive effort was disappointing to say the least, but give credit to the Coyotes for their play, because they ere better than the Predators tonight.

And therein lies the problem for the Predators. Their best offensive players were average and failed to create quality chances. It's telling that Colin Wilson, Marty Erat, Gabriel Bourque, and nick spaling all mustered just one shot on goal each. Jordin Tootoo, Sergei Kostitsyn, Matt Halischuk, and Paul Gaustad had none.

The Predators were 0-3 on the power play, as the Coyotes did a good job pressuring the puck and not letting the Predators get quality chances on Smith. The Predators did score on a power play late in the third period, but the goal was waved off as the officials struck with the dreaded "intent to blow" call.

The fact is that the Predators were outplayed throughout the contest. Rinne was exceptional, especially in the first period , stoning Mikkel Boedker alone in front of the net on one sequence. Frankly, without the strong play of Rinne, who seemed to be the only Predator ready to play, the score could have been much worse.

The Predators sat Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn for the second straight game after their curfew violations before game 3. While many may second guess that decision, I concur with the call made by Head Coach Barry Trotz. The Predators squad on the ice tonight was the same one that played a dominant game 4 an captured a 2-0 victory. That squad that was so effective in game 4 did not come to play tonight.

The Predators have dug an immense hole. The task before them is monumental.

It is not insurmountable.

It will require each player that puts on the sweater Monday night to commit to win puck battles, to play balls to the wall on every shift.

Do that, and the series will come back to Nashville.

Fail to do so, and your backs will no longer be against the wall.

They will be out of the playoffs.

My three stars:

1: Mike Smith

2. Shane Doan

3. Pekka Rinne

Predators Play Predator Hockey, Defeat Coyotes 2-0

The Nashville Predators returned to Nashville and the Honkeytonk, also known as Bridgestone Arena, and found their rhythm by beating the Phoenix Coyotes 2-0 for their first win in their semi final series. The Coyotes lead the series 2-1 with the next game Friday night in Nashville.

The Predators scored 2 first period goals, and the strong goaltending of Pekka Rinne made those two markers stand up as Rinne recorded his first playoff shutout.

The Predators opened the scoring at 8:10 of the first period on a gift from Coyotes netminder Mike Smith. Smith went to play the puck behind the net and slid the puck toward a Coyotes defenseman.Gabriel Bourque was in hard on the forecheck and wrestled the puck away and passed to David Legwand in the slot. Legwand buried the puck past Smith, who was scrambling to get back in his crease to give the Predators a 1-0 lead and send the partisan crowd into a frenzy.

Just 66 seconds later, Marty Erat fought for the puck along the boards in the Coyote zone and won the puck battle. He got the puck to Sergei Kostitsyn who appeared to have a shot from the inside the face off circle to Smith's left. He instead passed to Mike Fisher, who was alone at the side of the net, and Fisher chipped the puck over Smith to give the Predators a 2-0 lead at 9:16 of the first period.

Although the Coyotes out shot the Predators 10-8 in the first period, they never really threatened Rinne. The Coyotes did hit a post with one shot, but the Predators did a good job of keeping the front of the net clear and forcing the Coyotes to the outside.

The second period was a scoreless 20 minutes, but it was notable for the Predators aggressive forecheck and their ability to keep the Coyotes back on their heels. The Coyotes possess a group of forwards that can be explosive, but the Predators did a good job of limiting their offensive efforts, keeping the Coyotes on the wall for much of the period. Most of their shots were from the outside and not from the dangerous scoring areas. Although the Coyotes out shot the Predators 12-8 in the second period, the Predators continued to play god defense, blocking shots and forcing the Coyotes to the outside.

In the third period, the Predators continued to forecheck aggressively and put pressure on the Coyotes. Their effort continued to thwart the Coyotes offense and minimize their scoring chances. The Coyotes had a good opportunity to get back into the game as Sergei Kostitsyn was called for hooking at 12:59 and Marty Erat was called for tripping at 14:19. With 41 seconds of a 5 on 3, the Coyotes had a prime opportunity to get back into the game.

Instead, the Predators PK did a good job of getting into the shooting lanes and continued to keep the Coyotes to the outside. When the puck got in on Rinne, he was able to snuff out the scoring chances, and the Predators seized the momentum with an outstanding penalty kill.

The third period ended with Smith out of the net for an extra attacker in the final 2 minutes, but the Coyotes could not generate any serious threats, and as the clock wound down, the Predators had captured a 2-0 win and had energized the team and the fans.

The Predators played this game without Andrei Kostitsyn and Alexander Radulov, who were suspended for this game for a violation of team rules. They are eligible to return for game 4 Friday night.

I do not expect them to play.

The Predators won tonight with grit, determination, and a balls to the wall effort. As Marty Erat said after the game, "We played for 60 minutes and we played with some balls."

It is going to take that same kind of effort Friday night against a very god Coyotes team. They will not lay down, and they will come back with determination.

To come with any less of an effort will be disappointing for the Predators.

The effort tonight was a total team effort. All lines contributed, and more importantly, everyone wearing a gold sweater played Predator hockey.

One game doesn't make a series. The Predators trail 2 games to 1.

But the Predators showed tonight that when they play Predator hockey, they are hard to beat.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Mike Fisher

3. David Legwand

Coyotes Outwork and Outplay the Predators, Take 2-0 Series Lead

The Nashville Predators looked to even their second round series with the Phoenix Coyotes in the second game of this semi final match up.

The Predators needed to have sense of desperation and intensity in this contest. Going back to Nashville down 2-0 would not bode well for the Predators.

The Predators were once again going to rely on Pekka Rinne in net, while the Coyotes had their stalwart Mike Smith manning the pipes.

Both teams started the game skating well and throwing shots on net, but both goaltenders were able to handle the offensive thrust.

The Coyotes struck first at 8:32 of the first period as Keith Yandle took the puck just outside the right face off circle and found Antoine Vermette streaking to the net. Yandle's pass across the slot was right on the tape of Vermette's stick and he had a wide open net in which to deposit the puck. Vermette beat Marty Erat, who was late getting back in coverage and left his man wide open.

Phoenix seized momentum and were peppering Rinne with shots and being much more physical than the Predators. The Predators looked as if they were just holding on and trying to survive the Coyotes pressure and get out of the period.

That changed Kevin Klein took the puck through the neutral zone and went into the Phoenix zone. As Klein was being checked to the ice, he slid a pass to Andrei Kostitsyn. AK46 broke in alone on Smith and buried a forehand to tie the game at 1 at 17:13.

This was a huge goal by the Predators to take back momentum and give them some confidence. Responding as they did shows the fight in this group, and they will need it against the tough Coyotes.

The first period ended tied at 1. The Coyotes out shot the Predators 12-9.

The Coyotes took a 2-1 lead at 3:47 of the second period as Radim Vrbata drove to the net and was forced wide by the Roman Josi. Vrbata centered the puck from behind the net through the legs of Rinne and onto the stick of Martin Hanzal, who beat Kevin Klein driving to the net. Hanzal had an open net to shoot the puck into as Rinne could not recover after sliding to the post on Vrbata's drive.

Both Coyotes goals had occurred because the Coyotes beat Predator defenders to the net. This was not the type of hockey that the Predators had typically played, and if they did not correct these mistakes, then this series would end quickly.

The Coyotes stymied the Predators, who had a great flurry in the offensive zone but could not get the puck past Smith. The Coyotes  got control of the puck and came in the zone 2 on 2. A shot fluttered over the and the puck came to David Legwand, who inexplicably threw the puck over  his own net. Rinne certainly did not expect that, and he was bumped off balance as the puck landed on the tape of Radim Vrbata. Rinne was sprawled on the ice and Vrbata flipped the puck into the top of the net to give the Coyotes a 3-1 lead at 7:05.

There are no words to describe the stupidity of the play by Legwand.

Ray Whitney was called for slashing, and the Predators power play was dominant, controlling the puck for the entire power play in the Phoenix zone. As the power play was winding down, Ryan Suter took a shot from the point  and Patric Hornqvist deflected the puck past Smith to make it 3-2 at 11:20.

The Coyotes answered the Predators goal almost immediately as Shane Doan drove down the wing past Roman Josi and put a shot on Rinne that he deflected out into the slot. Taylor Pyatt was able to drive the slot unmolested and he batted the rebound out of mid-air past Rinne to give the Coyotes a 4-2 lead at 11:50.

The inability of the Predators to keep Phoenix from scoring after their tallies was frustrating to say the least. In this game, the Predators defense had been uncharacteristically loose and sloppy, and it had cost them.

Down 4-2 at the end of the period, the Predators were facing a desperate 20 minutes of hockey. They had been out shot 31-24 and had ceded the physical play to the Coyotes. Their defense was woeful to this point, and the hole they had dug was deep.

It would be a blinding flash of the obvious to say that the Predators had to play their best 20 minutes of the season to have a chance to win this game.

The Predators started the third period 4 on 4, but quickly got a power play. With the Predators moving the puck, Ryan Suter got open and blasted a shot off the shoulder of Smith and into the net just 53 seconds into the period.

THAT was certainly the start the Predators needed.

Now they had to play solid defense and play their style of hockey.

That didn't happen. The Coyotes once again answered the Predators goal as Derek Morris took a shot that was re-directed by Shane Doan to make it 5-3 Coyotes at 3:36. The play was set up by a clean face off win in the Predators zone by Antoine Vermette.

The Predators inability to keep the Coyotes from scoring when they get close is a matter of desire, in my opinion, and effort. To this point in the series, the Coyotes have outworked the Predators and their effort has been rewarded with goals.

As much as the Predators needed offensive push to get back into this game, they were thwarted by the forecheck and the work of the Coyotes. The pressure the Coyotes put on the Predators suffocated any offense the Predators tried to generate. After the initial goal to open the period, the Predators rarely pressured Smith, and appeared to be completely knocked out of kilter by the Coyotes forecheck.

Pekka Rinne was pulled with 2:13 to go in the game, and even with the extra attacker, the Predators were still being outworked by the Coyotes and could not set up their offense. The Coyotes beat Predators to the puck and out manned the Predators on the puck. There was absolutely no offensive flow at all from the Predators.

David Legwand took a penalty with 46 seconds remaining and Boyd Gordon took a coincidental high sticking penalty. Nashville now had a 5 on 4 with Rinne pulled, and still the Predators could not get their offense going.

The Predators could not threaten Smith, much less score, and the game ended with Coyotes dominating the Predators and the scoreboard 5-3.

This game was particularly disappointing for the Predators, as their defense was horrific. The guys in front of Pekka Rinne owe him a big apology for their sloppy play.

Also disappointing is the fact that throughout the game, the Predators were outworked. The Coyotes forecheck dominated the Predators and they had no answer. The Predators have long prided themselves on their work ethic, and tonight, the Coyotes showed the Predators what a real work ethic looks like.

Having dug a 2-0 hole, the Predators now face a gut check. They can come back to Nashville and play Predator hockey and make a commitment to outwork the Coyotes. If they do, they can capture the games on home ice in front of their raucous crowd.

If they do not, then the Predators are looking at embarrassingly getting swept with this kind of play.

The choice is yours, boys.

My three stars:

1. Radim Vrbata

2. Antoine Vermette

3. Ryan Suter

Coyotes Go to OT (Again), Outlast the Predators 4-3

The Phoenix Coyotes outlasted the Nashville Predators in a game that has become a regular occurrence for the Desert Dogs, going to overtime and defeating the visiting Predators 4-3.

Phoenix was dominated in the third period and in the OT session, but managed to get a puck past Nashville goaltender for the game winner at 14:04 as Ray Whitney slipped a puck in on the backhand for the winner.

How did we get here?

As expected, special teams would play a critical role in the outcome of the game.

Phoenix tallied first in the first period as Radim Vrbata would launch a puck at Rinne that hit his shoulder and caromed under the crossbar to give the Coyotes a 1-0 lead at 7:23. Kevin Klein had put the Predators down a man when he turned the puck over at the Predators blue line and was guilty of tripping to prevent a breakaway. The potent Coyote power play went to work and made the Predators pay for their transgression.

The Predators tied the game up at 1 on a goal that was a fluke. Francis Bouillon dumped the puck into the Phoenix zone, and it appeared that it was going around the glass and behind the net. Phoenix netminder Mike Smith went behind his goal to play the puck, but the puck ricocheted off the glass and back to the slot, where Brandon Yip gathered in the puck and slapped it into the open net at 14:09 of the first period.

In the second period, the Coyotes took a 2-1 lead as Rusty Klesla was able to bury a shot off a puck that was blocked by Roman Josi. Klesla tried to slip the puck across the slot, but it was blocked by a sliding Josi. The puck came right back to Klesla and he had an open net to fire the puck as Rinne had slid across his crease to play the pass. The Coyotes score came at 3:05 of the second period.

Once again, the Predators tied the game as Andrei Kostitsyn corralled a rebound of a Patric Hornqvist shot and slipped the puck past Smith at 11:19 of the second period.

The Coyotes regained the lead at 16:27 of the second period as Mikkel Boedker continued his strong play. Boedker was able to get a puck past Rinne for his third goal of the post season and give the Coyotes a 3-2 lead. Boedker broke in on a 2 on 1 as Andrei Kostitsyn, who had rotated to the blue line for a pinching Francis Bouillon, fell and the Coyotes blue line. Kevin Klein was back on defense, and took away the pass, but Boedker dangled the puck and beat Rinne to the far post.

The third period was all Predators as they out shot the Coyotes 16-1. That offensive pressure finally paid off with Marty Erat tallying on the power play at 15:18. For Erat, this was his first goal of the post season, and it was a result of the pressure that the Predators exerted on Smith and the Coyotes defense. Boyd Gordon was in the box for holding the stick, and the Predators did a good job of moving the puck and were rewarded as Erat was able to tally.

Once again, the Coyotes were heading to overtime, familiar territory for this team. The Predators had a decided territorial advantage, and out shot the Coyotes 9-6, but it was the Coyotes that capitalized as Ray Whitney slid a backhand shot past Rinne for the game winner at 14:04 of the the OT.

For the Predators, this is a disappointing loss. They played well enough to win, but this is a series that will be decided by which team makes the fewest mistakes. Tonight, this was the Coyotes. More importantly, the Coyotes capitalized on the mistakes that the Predators made.

The Coyotes are an opportunistic team, and the Predators gave them the opportunities they needed to win this game. For the Predators, the key to winning game 2 will be eliminating some of the mistakes that victimized them in game 1 and capitalizing on the opportunities they have.

There is no doubt that Mike Smith is a good goalie, but when the Predators put pucks on net and crash, they can create scoring opportunities. They have to do that in game 2, and do it more consistently, to have success.

This will not be an easy series for either team. The first blood was drawn by the Coyotes, as they made the most of their chances.

The Predators put 42 shots on net in this game to 24 for the Coyotes. The difference was that the Coyotes made the most of their chances. The Predators did not.

That has to change for the Predators in game 2.

My three stars:

1. Mike Smith

2. Mikkel Boedker

3. Marty Erat

Predators Escape Phoenix With a 5-4 SO Win

With the season winding down, desperation time sets in for some teams. The Nashville Predators faced just such a team at Jobing.com Arena in the form of the Phoenix Coyotes. Phoenix is currently in 7th spot in the West with a tenuous 2 point lead over 4 teams that are chasing and battling for playoff positioning.

The Predators entered the contest firmly in 5th place in the West, but this was a very important game for the Predators as they trailed 4th place Detroit by 4 points and were looking to close the gap. This was the first game of an important western swing, and the Predators were looking to get the road trip kicked off with a good start.

Pekka Rinne started in net for the Predators, while the Coyotes had Mike Smith in goal.

The Predators were missing two defensemen for the contest, as Kevin Klein was missing his 4th straight game and Roman Josi was scratched due to an upper body injury.

The first period was a fast paced first period with both teams flying up and down the ice and creating some good scoring chances. Perhaps the best save of the first period was by Mike Fisher as he got a skate on a shot to bail out an out of position Pekka Rinne.

The Predators also caught a break as Raffi Torres hit a post with Rinne scrambling to cover a puck.

With the period winding down, the Predators entered the Coyote zone on a 3 on2 break. Sergei Kostitsyn dropped the puck to Marty Erat, who fired a quick wrist shot at Smith. Smith got most of the puck, but it trickled out from under his arm, off his skate, and into the net to give the Predators a 1-0 lead at 19:32 of the first period. For Erat, this was his 17th goal and 50th point of the season.

The period ended with the Predators in the lead and both teams registering 8 shots on goal.

In the second period, it was going to be important for the Predators to tighten up their defensive zone coverage, as the Coyotes got some quality chances due to soft defense. You knew that the Coyotes would come out just as hard in the second period as they had in the first.

Come out hard the Coyotes did, as they tied the game just 49 seconds into the second period off a shot from the blue line that was re-directed by Daymond Langkow to tie the game at 1. Poor puck management cost the Predators this goal as they turned it over in their zone and as a result it wound up in the back of their net.

The game started to look like a game of shinny as the second period wore on as both teams were flying up and down the ice. Rinne made a huge stop on Keith Yandle on a breakaway. The puck reversed the other way as the Predators had a 2 on 1. Sergei Kostitsyn took a shot that was stopped by Smith, but Kostitsyn got the rebound and fed it to Mike Fisher, who chipped it in at 11:04 to make it 2-1 Predators.

The Coyotes tied the game at 2 at 14:23 of the second as Keith Yandle was trailing a 3 on 3 rush. Yandle faked and fired a shot through traffic that beat Rinne to the far post.


In 4 on 4 play with each team with a man in the box, the Predators took a 3-2 lead as Ryan Ellis fed  Marty Erat who slipped the puck to a pinching Francis Buillon, who gathered in the rebound of his shot and knocked the puck past Smith at 18:46 of the second. A timely first goal of the season from Frankie. On the play, Mike Fisher drew the defense to him at the right side of the net, leaving Buillon alone to knock home the rebound of his shot.


The second period of wide open hockey ended with the Predators up 3-2. The Predators out shot the Coyotes 13-10 in the period.


In the final 20 minutes, it was going to be critical for the Predators to lock down their defensive zone and continue to keep pressure on the Coyotes in the offensive zone.


The Predators extended their lead to 4-2 at 2:36 of the third period as Paul Gaustad found Craig Smith streaking through the neutral zone and sent him in on a breakaway with a perfect pass. Smith faked the forehand and deked Smith to the ice and roofed a beautiful backhand into the net. Great to see Smith make his way back into the line up, and this has to be a great confidence booster for the Honey Badger.


The Coyotes cut the lead to 1 at 7:11 of the third as Oliver Ekman-Larsson fired a puck through traffic from the blue line that got the post and caromed into the net to make it 4-3.



The Predators faced intense pressure from the Coyotes, and it paid off for them as Raffi Torres got the goal in a scramble in the blue paint at 15:01 of the third. The Predators had been spending too much time in their zone and were exhibiting poor puck management, and it came back to bite them as the Coyotes were swarming the Predators in their defensive zone.


The inability to properly manage the puck and the unrelenting pressure from the Coyotes caused the Predators to frustratingly blow a 2 goal third period lead. So off to overtime we went.


The overtime saw both teams create some good scoring chances but neither was able to capitalize on their opportunities. Once again, the overtime was like most of the game, with both teams playing wide open hockey.


So it was off to the shootout.


Phoenix shot first, with Ray Whitney the first shooter, and Rinne stopped his chance with his stick.


Andrei Kostitsyn was the Predators first shooter and he beat Smith five hole.


Radim Vrbata stopped Vrbata's backhand attempt.


Marty Erat was stopped by the glove of Smith.


Mikkel Boedker was stoned by Rinne and the Predators had escaped with a a 5-4 shootout win.


And escape they did.


The Predators showed jump and good play making throughout the course of the game, but their inability to manage the puck at times nearly cost them this contest. This is an area in which the Predators are going to have to improve.


With the win, the Predators now have 89 points and sit 2 points out of 4th place in the Western Conference. Each point is precious, and kudos to the team for getting the second point tonight.

A good start to the west coast swing. Time to build on this and pile up the points.

My three stars:

1. Daymond Langkow

2. Marty Erat

3.Sergei Kostitsyn