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
Showing posts with label Radim Vrbata. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Radim Vrbata. Show all posts
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Saturday, April 28, 2012
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
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
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Predators Fail to Finish (Again), Fall to Phoenix 3-2
The Nashville Predators fell to the Phoenix Coyotes 3-2 at the Bridgestone Arena, dropping another home game and going 3-6-1 in their last 10 games. Once again, this was a contest that hung in the balance and the unfortunately for the Predators, they were once again unable to finish a game that they had a chance to win.
You can read the box score of the game here.
The Coyotes got on the board just nine seconds into the game on what can be charitably called a soft goal. Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne fielded a shot that hit him in the crest of his jersey. Rinne did not control the puck and it dribbled out under his arm. Rinne thought he had the puck frozen, but it was sitting in the blue paint, and Taylor Pyatt swooped in and swatted the puck into the back of the net just 9 seconds into the game.
Jason Labarbera got the start for the Coyotes, who played last night in Chicago with Mike Smith in net, and he was stellar for the Desert Dogs until the last 10 seconds of the period. Labarbera had shut down any scoring opportunities that the Predators had created until this point, when Jack Hillen fired a puck at the net with Mike Fisher creating havoc in front of Labarbera. The puck eluded the Phoenix netminder and the Predators tied the game with 10.8 seconds remaining in the period.
The second period was scoreless, but not for lack of effort by the Coyotes. They dominated in time of possession and fired 11 shots on Rinne to just 5 for the Predators in the period. Rinne made some good saves to keep the Predators in the contest.
The Coyotes would take a 2-1 lead at 1:40 of the third period as 2 Predators were tied up with Radim Vrbata below the goal line. Vrbata got control of the puck and found Ray Whitney alone in the low slot. Whitney's one timer beat Rinne glove side to give the Coyotes the lead.
The Predators would tie the contest at 2 at at 12:53 of the third period on a 5 on 3 power play. Shea Weber would get loose just inside the blue line, and his rocket shot would beat Labarbera to knot the contest.
Labarbera made several huge saves to keep the Predators off the board, and it looked as if the two teams would be heading to overtime.
The notion of overtime would be squelched at 18:15 of the third period as Keith Yandle was able to evade the Predators defensive coverage, and take a cross ice pass from Shane Doan. His one timer beat Rinne for the Coyotes margin of victory.
The Predators did not muster much of an offensive challenge in the remaining time, having trouble even getting the puck in the offensive zone. Once again, the Predators failed to finish in a contest they desperately needed to win.
The Predators are a fragile team right now. This come with being a young team that is learning on the fly, and it is painful. When the Predators make a mistake, more often than not it is winding up in the back of their net. This has victimized the Predators too often in this skid.
It victimized them again tonight.
A defensive lapse, a soft goal, and the Predators are finding themselves in a hole. And once in a hole, the offense cannot generate sufficient firepower to overcome the deficit.
The Predators are hustling and beginning to shoot the puck more. These are positives. I cannot fault their effort in the last few losses.
The fact is that this team, as it is constructed now, cannot overcome many mistakes in their game. They have to play nearly flawless hockey to secure a win, and right now, that is not happening.
This is what you get when you have a young team. The mistakes are more problematic and they tend to wind up in your net. This is part of the painful learning process that a young team has to endure.
Keep your head up boys. Keep working hard. The lessons that are being painfully learned now will pay off for you in the future.
There is only one way out of this funk in which you find yourselves.
Keep working hard.
And finish.
My three stars:
1. Jason Labarbera
2. Keith Yandle
3. Jack Hillen
You can read the box score of the game here.
The Coyotes got on the board just nine seconds into the game on what can be charitably called a soft goal. Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne fielded a shot that hit him in the crest of his jersey. Rinne did not control the puck and it dribbled out under his arm. Rinne thought he had the puck frozen, but it was sitting in the blue paint, and Taylor Pyatt swooped in and swatted the puck into the back of the net just 9 seconds into the game.
Jason Labarbera got the start for the Coyotes, who played last night in Chicago with Mike Smith in net, and he was stellar for the Desert Dogs until the last 10 seconds of the period. Labarbera had shut down any scoring opportunities that the Predators had created until this point, when Jack Hillen fired a puck at the net with Mike Fisher creating havoc in front of Labarbera. The puck eluded the Phoenix netminder and the Predators tied the game with 10.8 seconds remaining in the period.
The second period was scoreless, but not for lack of effort by the Coyotes. They dominated in time of possession and fired 11 shots on Rinne to just 5 for the Predators in the period. Rinne made some good saves to keep the Predators in the contest.
The Coyotes would take a 2-1 lead at 1:40 of the third period as 2 Predators were tied up with Radim Vrbata below the goal line. Vrbata got control of the puck and found Ray Whitney alone in the low slot. Whitney's one timer beat Rinne glove side to give the Coyotes the lead.
The Predators would tie the contest at 2 at at 12:53 of the third period on a 5 on 3 power play. Shea Weber would get loose just inside the blue line, and his rocket shot would beat Labarbera to knot the contest.
Labarbera made several huge saves to keep the Predators off the board, and it looked as if the two teams would be heading to overtime.
The notion of overtime would be squelched at 18:15 of the third period as Keith Yandle was able to evade the Predators defensive coverage, and take a cross ice pass from Shane Doan. His one timer beat Rinne for the Coyotes margin of victory.
The Predators did not muster much of an offensive challenge in the remaining time, having trouble even getting the puck in the offensive zone. Once again, the Predators failed to finish in a contest they desperately needed to win.
The Predators are a fragile team right now. This come with being a young team that is learning on the fly, and it is painful. When the Predators make a mistake, more often than not it is winding up in the back of their net. This has victimized the Predators too often in this skid.
It victimized them again tonight.
A defensive lapse, a soft goal, and the Predators are finding themselves in a hole. And once in a hole, the offense cannot generate sufficient firepower to overcome the deficit.
The Predators are hustling and beginning to shoot the puck more. These are positives. I cannot fault their effort in the last few losses.
The fact is that this team, as it is constructed now, cannot overcome many mistakes in their game. They have to play nearly flawless hockey to secure a win, and right now, that is not happening.
This is what you get when you have a young team. The mistakes are more problematic and they tend to wind up in your net. This is part of the painful learning process that a young team has to endure.
Keep your head up boys. Keep working hard. The lessons that are being painfully learned now will pay off for you in the future.
There is only one way out of this funk in which you find yourselves.
Keep working hard.
And finish.
My three stars:
1. Jason Labarbera
2. Keith Yandle
3. Jack Hillen
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Predators Defeat the Desert Dogs 5-2
The Nashville Predators had dropped three games in a row in Jobing.com Arena and had been vexed by the Phoenix Coyotes and their stellar netminder Ilya Bryzgalov. Tonight, they reversed their fortunes with a 5-2 win, allowing them to leapfrog over the Coyotes in the Western Conference standings by a point.
The game opened with the Coyotes flying and pushing the Predators back on their heels and deep into their defensive zone. The tenor of this game at the outset did not look good for the Predators, as early on the Coyotes looked dominant.
A funny thing happened on the way to the apparent dominance of the Coyotes. The Predators scored two goals in just 12 seconds to rock the Coyotes.
J.P. Dumont opened the scoring for the Predators at 8:16 of the first period as he banged home a shot off a pass from Chris Mueller, who worked hard in the corner to dig the puck out. The line of Mueller, Dumont, and Matt Halischuk has shown amazing chemistry and energy in the short time that they have been on the ice together.
On the ensuing face off the puck went deep into the Coyotes zone. Patric Hornqvist pursued the puck deep and centered a pass to the front of the net. The puck caromed off a Coyote defenders skate and back to Hornqvist, who was driving to the front of the net. With Bryzgalov out of position, Hornqvist gathered in the puck and flipped a backhand shot into an open net.
Two goals in 12 seconds and all the momentum was with the Predators.
Momentum, fickle as she often is, quickly switched back to the Coyotes.
The first Coyote goal can only be charitably characterized as a fluke. With the puck deep in the Predators zone and the puck loose at the side of the net, defenseman Shane O'Brien tried to slide the puck back to Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne. Unfortunately, he slid the puck between Rinne and the post. Radim Vrbata got credit for the goal as he was the last Coyote player to touch the puck. Rinne was visibly upset after the goal, which was strange indeed.
Phoenix would tie the game at 14:01 of the first on a goal by Lee Stempniak. Stempniak was cruising in front of the net and deflected a pass from Adrian Aucoin past Rinne.
Phoenix outshot the Predators 16-7 in the wild first period. Great saves by Rinne on several plays kept the Coyotes from taking the lead. As strange as this game had been in the first period, one could only imagine what the remaining 40 minutes would hold for these teams.
What it would hold for the Predators in the second period was an offensive outburst from J.P. Dumont. The Dumont, Halischuk, Mueller line would wreak havoc on the Coyotes in the second period. Dumont would add his second goal of the contest at 11:25 of the second as he banged home a rebound from close in off a shot by Joel Ward.
Dumont's line was strong throughout the second period, and he would strike for his third goal of the contest at 17:35 as he was on the off side and knocked home a rebound of a Matt Halishcuk shot. Halischuk drove hard to the net on the right wing and put a shot on Bryzgalov, who kicked out a rebound to the right side. Dumont beat the defender to the net and had had an easy put back for his hat trick.
Dumont now has five goals in two games, and it is a very good sign for the Predators that he is finding his offensive touch.
The period ended with the Predators and the Coyotes each putting 11 shot on goal, but Dumont was able to tally twice to give the Predators the two goal advantage.
In the third period, the Predators controlled play in the neutral zone and slowed the speedy Coyotes attack. Although the Coyotes outshot the Predators 7-2, most of the shots were from the outside and were fairly routine saves for Rinne.
The Predators did not record their first shot on goal until 14:29 of the period, but they made it count. Patric Hornqvist broke in on net, and with Colin Wilson screening in front, roofed a wrister over the shoulder of Bryzgalov. Hornqvist's second goal of the night was the knife in the heart of the Coyotes.
Phoenix never seriously challenged after that goal and the Predators choked off their offensive attack for the remainder of the period. 5-2 final, and a huge road win for the Predators.
With this win, the Predators record stands at 25-15-6, good for 56 points and 4th place in the Western Conference.
Every game counts, and every game is a character game right now in the Western Conference. There are teams trying to separate from the pack, and the Predators can ill afford a losing streak. After the loss in Chicago, this is a very good bounce back win against a team that was ahead of them in the standings.
My three stars:
1. J.P. Dumont
2. Patric Hornqvist
3. Matt Halischuk
The game opened with the Coyotes flying and pushing the Predators back on their heels and deep into their defensive zone. The tenor of this game at the outset did not look good for the Predators, as early on the Coyotes looked dominant.
A funny thing happened on the way to the apparent dominance of the Coyotes. The Predators scored two goals in just 12 seconds to rock the Coyotes.
J.P. Dumont opened the scoring for the Predators at 8:16 of the first period as he banged home a shot off a pass from Chris Mueller, who worked hard in the corner to dig the puck out. The line of Mueller, Dumont, and Matt Halischuk has shown amazing chemistry and energy in the short time that they have been on the ice together.
On the ensuing face off the puck went deep into the Coyotes zone. Patric Hornqvist pursued the puck deep and centered a pass to the front of the net. The puck caromed off a Coyote defenders skate and back to Hornqvist, who was driving to the front of the net. With Bryzgalov out of position, Hornqvist gathered in the puck and flipped a backhand shot into an open net.
Two goals in 12 seconds and all the momentum was with the Predators.
Momentum, fickle as she often is, quickly switched back to the Coyotes.
The first Coyote goal can only be charitably characterized as a fluke. With the puck deep in the Predators zone and the puck loose at the side of the net, defenseman Shane O'Brien tried to slide the puck back to Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne. Unfortunately, he slid the puck between Rinne and the post. Radim Vrbata got credit for the goal as he was the last Coyote player to touch the puck. Rinne was visibly upset after the goal, which was strange indeed.
Phoenix would tie the game at 14:01 of the first on a goal by Lee Stempniak. Stempniak was cruising in front of the net and deflected a pass from Adrian Aucoin past Rinne.
Phoenix outshot the Predators 16-7 in the wild first period. Great saves by Rinne on several plays kept the Coyotes from taking the lead. As strange as this game had been in the first period, one could only imagine what the remaining 40 minutes would hold for these teams.
What it would hold for the Predators in the second period was an offensive outburst from J.P. Dumont. The Dumont, Halischuk, Mueller line would wreak havoc on the Coyotes in the second period. Dumont would add his second goal of the contest at 11:25 of the second as he banged home a rebound from close in off a shot by Joel Ward.
Dumont's line was strong throughout the second period, and he would strike for his third goal of the contest at 17:35 as he was on the off side and knocked home a rebound of a Matt Halishcuk shot. Halischuk drove hard to the net on the right wing and put a shot on Bryzgalov, who kicked out a rebound to the right side. Dumont beat the defender to the net and had had an easy put back for his hat trick.
Dumont now has five goals in two games, and it is a very good sign for the Predators that he is finding his offensive touch.
The period ended with the Predators and the Coyotes each putting 11 shot on goal, but Dumont was able to tally twice to give the Predators the two goal advantage.
In the third period, the Predators controlled play in the neutral zone and slowed the speedy Coyotes attack. Although the Coyotes outshot the Predators 7-2, most of the shots were from the outside and were fairly routine saves for Rinne.
The Predators did not record their first shot on goal until 14:29 of the period, but they made it count. Patric Hornqvist broke in on net, and with Colin Wilson screening in front, roofed a wrister over the shoulder of Bryzgalov. Hornqvist's second goal of the night was the knife in the heart of the Coyotes.
Phoenix never seriously challenged after that goal and the Predators choked off their offensive attack for the remainder of the period. 5-2 final, and a huge road win for the Predators.
With this win, the Predators record stands at 25-15-6, good for 56 points and 4th place in the Western Conference.
Every game counts, and every game is a character game right now in the Western Conference. There are teams trying to separate from the pack, and the Predators can ill afford a losing streak. After the loss in Chicago, this is a very good bounce back win against a team that was ahead of them in the standings.
My three stars:
1. J.P. Dumont
2. Patric Hornqvist
3. Matt Halischuk
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