Predators Fall Flat Against the Penguins

The Nashville Predators traveled to the Consol Energy Center to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins and were looking for the win that would clinch a playoff spot.

They are still waiting.

Pekka Rinne was under siege by the Penguins and gave up 4 goals- two to Phil Kessel and one each to Kris Letang and Patric Hornqvist, the last 2 power play goals, before being pulled in the third period in favor of Carter Hutton.

Ryan Johansen and James Neal tallied for the Predators. Joey's goal tied the game at 1 and Neal's goal brought the Predators to within one at 3-2. Hornqvist's power play goal stretched the lead back to 4-2.

Nick Bonino made it 5-2 late in the third period.

That was the final score of a game that got away from the Predators, a game where they failed to respond to the attack and pressure of the Penguins.

Some observations:

• Stefan Elliott made his NHL debut on the Predators blue line. Ryan Ellis was injured in the previous game against Dallas and Elliott was the call up from Milwaukee. Elliott was paired with Barret Jackman.
• Colin Wilson was a healthy scratch. No surprise there as Wilson has had zero productivity.
• The Predators are reverting to mid-season form, and that is bad. Every mistake that the Predators are making is winding up in the back of the net. One can look at Rinne and say he played a bad game (it wasn't his greatest, but it was altogether bad), but there was a lot of scrambling in front of Rinne and some defensive breakdowns, especially on Kessel's first goal. The Predators are also regressing in their breakouts and offensive attack, and this is not a good sign as they try to go into the playoffs with some kind of momentum.
•  In their 3 game losing skid, the Predators have looked stunned by the intensity and pressure of their opponent. This is a very bad sign, because the playoffs are nothing but intensity and pressure. This team has got to begin to again elevate their game or the consequences will not be pretty.
• The Predators PK was woeful, giving up 2 goals on 4 man advantage attempts by the Penguins.
• Let's face it, the blue line has gotten unsettled. Elliott looked lost; Jackman was often slow and out of position, and Matty Ek has been getting a bit loose in his coverage. yes, the Preds missed Ellis, but the fact remains that the play on the blue line in front of Rinne has been lax. This group has to get their game back together quickly.
• I like the response from Johansen and Neal. Both of these players have been consistent in their game and are still contributing.
• In this skid, the Predators have been getting whipped in the face off dot. Tonight was no different as they won 23 of 53 draws.
• One difference in the Predators right now is that there is no secondary scoring from the third and 4th lines. The bottom six forwards have to contribute. Goals from the 4th line are gravy, but the third line, that had been clicking, has gone cold. That line has to heat up again for the Predators to have the kind of scoring that they need to have to win games.

Ugly.

This three game losing streak has been ugly. Ugly from the standpoint that in 2 of the 3 games the Predators haven't matched the intensity and desperation of their opponents.

That is not a good sign at all.

And it has to change quickly.

My three stars:

1. Phil Kessel

2. James Neal

3. Kris Letang

Predators Fall to the Penguins In OT 2-1

The Nashville Predators faced the Pittsburgh Penguins at Bridgestone Arena before heading out on a two week road trip. The Predators had not lost at home this season.

That changed as the Penguins claimed a 2-1 OT win. Phil Kessel notched the game winner just 41 seconds into the extra period as he got the rebound of his own shot and knocked it past Pekka Riine for the game winner.

The winning goal was not without controversy as Evgeni Malkin hooked down Filip Forsberg  at center ice to set up the 2 on 1 that lead to Kessel's game winning shot.

The teams got to overtime on a Chris Kunitz second period goal to give the Pens a 1-0 lead.

James Neal knotted the score at 1 with his 6th goal of the season to tie the game at 11:27 of the third period.

Both Pekka Rinne and Marc-Andre Fluery were solid in net for their teams. Fluery was the busier of the two goalies, turning aside 38 of 39 shots for the win. Rinne made 23 saves on 25 shots.

Some observations:

• Trailing 1-0 going into the third period, the Predators turned up the intensity to force overtime. The Predators out shot the Penguins 17-5 in the final frame.
• James Neal continues his torrid pace of play, tallying his 6th goal of the season and recording points in six straight games (6G-3A). How sweet it must have been to record that game tying goal against his former team. Neal is playing with serious jump and playing at the level that most expected and wanted when he was acquired two years ago.
• The Predators still have not allowed a first period goal this season.
• Mike Ribeiro picked up an assist and now has a 4 game point streak (1G-4A).
• The third line of Cody Hodgson, Gabriel Bourque, and Viktor Arvidsson did not record a point. Arvidsson was recalled from Milwaukee and Calle Jarnkrok was scratched tonight due to illness. That line has one point on the season (a goal by Arvidsson in the first game of the season) and the Predators need that line to get going. The third line has generated a few chances but has not consistently pressured the net and in a long season, this line is going to have to get going and make some offensive contributions.
• Barret Jackman had  a strong game. He picked up an assist, was a +1, and was a force in the defensive zone. Jackman has been a good add for the Predators and has logged some quality minutes. He had 18:51 in ice time and was strong in the defensive zone.
• This was the first time this season that the Predators have surrendered the first goal of the game.
• Roman Josi led the Predators in TOI with 22:46.
• The Predators have now lost 4 straight games against the Penguins on home ice. Last season, the teams split their two games, with the Penguins winning in Nashville and the Predators winning in Pittsburgh.
• The Predators PK was perfect tonight, including killing off a 5 minute boarding major against Austin Watson in the first period. On the major, the Predators allowed the Penguins just 2 shots on goal.

The Predators played an even game against the talented Penguins, but could not finish their chances and suffered the first loss on home ice. They did pick up a point and remain atop the Central Division.

They now go on a two week road trip while Bridgestone Arena is committed to the CMA festivities. It's time to regain the mojo that they have gained in the first two weeks of the season and continue to build on their solid play.

My three stars:

1. Marc-Andre Fluery

2. Phil Kessel

3. James Neal