Predatoes Have Their Chances But Can't Finish, Fall to the Sharks 3-2

The Nashville Predators looked to steal home ice  at the Shark Tank the second game of their series with the San Jose Sharks. The Predators are going to need a full 60 minutes of play and contributions from the top lines to accomplish that task, something that didn't happen in game one.

The Predators played a full 60 minutes with jump and energy this game. Unfortunately, they still came out on the short end of the score by a 3-2 margin.

The Sharks lethal power play capitalized in the second period as Logan Couture tallied to make it 1-0. Pekka Rinne made the initial save, but Couture was left all alone to pick up the rebound and pot a goal into a near empty net.

In the third period, Mattias Ekholm launched a shot through traffic that beat Martin Jones top shelf to tie the game at 1.

Joe Pavelski broke the tie as he was alone to gather in a rebound to make it 2-1.

Joe Thornton hit an empty net goal to make it 3-1.

Roman Josi scored with 3 seconds left to make it 3-2, but there was not enough time for the Predators to tie the game and they will return home down 2-0 in the series.


Some observations:

• After missing the first game of the series, Craig Smith returned to the line up. The Predators are 4-0 when the Honey Badger is in the line up. They are 0-4 without him. You can't underestimate what Smith brings to the line up. When healthy, his speed and attacking style of play opens up the ice for his line mates, and it is a positive to have him back in the line up.
• Lots more intensity and jump by the Predators and the Sharks in the first period. The hitting was better by the Predators and they were moving their feet better than in the first game. Now they have to do it for the next 40 minutes.
• The Predator forwards are going to have to work harder to get to the prime scoring areas. The Sharks do a good job of clearing the front of the net, and this is going to be a matter of want to for the forwards to put pressure on Jones.
• Some great saves by Rinne early in the second period. The Sharks do a great job in transition and on the rush, and Rinne came up with some huge saves to keep the Sharks off the board.
• The Sharks scored on the power play after Rinne made the initial save but gave up a rebound. Problematic with that goal is that Logan Couture was allowed a free ride in front of the net with no defenders challenging him. Rinne has to have some help and the Predators defenders have to make life miserable for the Sharks around the net. They did not on that power play.
• Matty Ek's goal was a perfectly placed shot. But did you see who was taking all sorts of punishment to screen Jones? The smallest guy on the ice- the Aardvark, Viktor Arvidsson. Small guy but perhaps the biggest heart of anyone on the team.
• This was a full 6o minute game by the Predators, but they are going to have to finish some of their chances. They had some great chances but couldn't finish some of their scoring chances. The guys that are counted on to finish are going to have to do just that if this team is going to have a chance to come back in this series.
• There was some uncharacteristically leaky D in front of Rinne on the first two goals that the Sharks scored. Having the opponents forwards left alone to have unmolested tap ins is not a formula for success for the Predators.
• Rinne made some outstanding saves to keep the Sharks off the board and the level of play by the big metminder has given this team an opportunity to win. 

The onus is on the Predators to capture the next two games at Bridgestone Arena. They are going to have to come out with the jump and energy that they displayed tonight.

And they are going to have to finish some of their chances.

My three stars;

1. Joe Pavelski

2. Pekka Rinne

3. Logan Couture

Predators Play Smart Hockey in 3-2 Victory Over the Ducks

The Nashville Predators looked to take a 2-0 lead in their first round playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks. The Predators held a 1-0 lead after a 3-2 win in their first game at the Duck Pond...uh...Honda Center.

The Predators knew that the Ducks were going to come out with great intensity and fire as they tried to even the series. They also knew the Ducks would goon it up to take the Predators off their game.

The Predators refused to engage the Ducks in their style of play, instead playing smart hockey in capturing a stellar road win by a 3-2 margin.

Andrew Coglianio staked the Ducks to a 1-0 lead when he blocked a shot a came in on a breakaway and beat Rinne 5 hole to give the Ducks a 1-0 advantage.

That goal was answered by Mattias Ekholm in the last minute of the first period as he beat John Gibson with a beautiful backhand from the slot. 

Craig Smith and Shea Weber added second period goals to give the Predators a 3-1 lead.

Nate Thompson scored with 2:27 to make it 3-2 and increase the heart rate and pucker factor Predators fans everywhere.

With Gibson pulled for the extra attacker, the Predators defenders did their job, thwarting any quality scoring attempts by the Ducks and secured the 3-2 victory.

Some observations:

• You can see why the Ducks have the number one penalty kill. They attack the puck and do a very good hob of clearing lanes in front of their goalie. The Predators are going to have to do a much better job of getting motion and moving the puck if they are going to be successful in this series.
• HUGE save in the first period by Rinne. Mattias Ekholm had the puck stripped from him behind the net by Jakob Silfverberg and he fed Ryan Kessler coming down the slot alone. That save was vintage Rinne and is the kind of save that can get into the heads of the Ducks.
• Matty Ek! Ekholm pinched down low, cruised into the slot, and lifted a beauty of a backhand past Gibson to tie the game with less than a minute to go in the first period. Ekholm has quietly emerged as a solid defender that has some surprising offensive pop. His goal was Forsberg-esque and something you don't expect to see from a blue liner. 
• The Ducks are a very talented team, but it is in their DNA to be a goon squad. The Predators showed great discipline in not being drawn into the thuggery that the Ducks were trying to foment.
• How great is it to have an asset like Roman Josi on your blue line. His speed and vision on the ice make him such a dangerous playmaker. He used those assets to help set up the goal by Craig Smith to give the Predators a lead in the second period.
• Speaking of Smith, his work to find a soft spot in the defense was excellent and his shot was a perfectly placed rocket inside the post for his first goal of the playoffs. The Predators need the Honey Badger to contribute and he is off to a good start.
• What a rocket by Shea Weber. He just kept pounding away on the point on the power play. Gibson had a clean look, but the Captain just blew a bullet past him for the team's third goal.
• Full marks to the defense for collapsing in front of Rinne and clearing the front of the net. The Ducks made an intentional effort to run Rinne and crowd him, especially in the third period. The D did a good job of cleaning up rebounds and getting the puck out of danger.
• For the first time in franchise history, the Predators have won the first two games of a playoff series.
• The Predators showed superb discipline in not engaging the Ducks in their goonish style of play. Yet the Predators were the more cleanly physical team, pounding the Ducks with hard and clean hits all night. This is a side of the Predators that is fun to watch and I believe has surprised the Ducks.
• Absolutely stellar defense by the Predators in the third period. Everyone knew the Ducks would be pressing to get back into the game, and the Predators limited the Quack Attack to just 5 shots in the third period.
• Shea Weber had 27:36 TOI, followed by Roman Josi with 25:47.

This was a quality win by the Predators. They refused to engage in the thuggish play of Anaheim's goons and instead were physical and solid in all zones. Playing disciplined hockey, while the Ducks are running around after the whistle, will continue to frustrate the Ducks and set the Predators up for more success.

This series isn't won, but the Predators have seen the formula to capture it.

Now to bring it home and close it out.

My three stars:

1. Craig Smith

2. Pekka Rinne

3. Shea Weber

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 Blow 2 Goal Third Period Lead, Fall In SO to the Sharks

The Nashville Predators went into the second intermission of their game with the San Jose Sharks at Bridgestone Arena with a 2-0 lead. They built that lead by attacking the Sharks and keeping them off balance, forechecking aggressively and not letting the Sharks get into any offensive flow.

All they needed to do to end a 3 game losing streak was to continue to do those same things over the last 20 minutes.

Easy, right?

Well, nothing is easy with the Predators.

They decided to sit back and go into a shell over the last 20 minutes, and it allowed Tomas Hertl to score twice forcing the game to OT.

Predator fans know all too well that OT is a disaster for this team.

The good news...the Predators didn't lose in OT.

The bad news...the Predators lost in a shootout 1-0 to drop a 3-2 decision that they never, NEVER, should have lost.

Shea Weber opened the scoring for the Predators with a rocket from the blue line over the shoulder of James Reimer to give the Predators a 1-0 lead.

The Predators looked to have made it 2-0 on the power play as the period was winding down, but the goal was deemed to have occurred just a split second after the period expired.

The Predators would make it 2-0 in the second period as Calle Jarnkrok redirected a James Neal shot past Reimer to send the Predators into the second intermission with a lead that should have stood.

Instead, the Predators sat back and let the Sharks dictate play. Hertl made it 2-1 when he banged in a rebound past Carter Hutton.

Hertl struck again when he was able to beat Hutton off a rebound of a Brent Burns shot.

The teams went to OT, and the Predators managed to kill off a penalty and hold the Sharks off the board.

In the shootout, Logan Couture was the only scorer to seal the win for the Sharks.

Some observations:

• The Predators are certainly not inspiring a sense of confidence heading into the playoffs. Yes, they are in the playoffs, but this team should be sharpening their game. Instead, they are just muddling along, and I am afraid they are not going to be able to flip a switch and turn their game back on when the post season gets here. Sloppy play, defensive breakdowns, and a lack of mental focus are troubling. Hopefully, this team gets its act together in the last 3 games.
• Stefan Elliott saw action in his second game due to the absence of Ryan Ellis. Elliott looked much better in this game- more confident and positionally sound. Good experience for Elliott.
• Roman Josi picked up an assist on Weber's goal, his 45th of the year.
• The Predators continued their awful play in the face off dot, winning only 29% of their draws. This is an area of the Predators game that has to improve quickly.

This team has shown flashes of being outstanding, yet they have also shown glimpses of mediocrity. Until they decide to get consistent and elevate their game, I will not be confident in their prospects in the playoffs.

There are 3 regular season games left, boys.

Time to get your act together.

My three stars:

1. Tomas Hertl

2. Logan Couture

3. Carter Hutton

Predators Stumble Out of the Gate in Loss to the Avalanche

With a chance to clinch a playoff spot on home ice against a struggling Colorado avalanche team, the Nashville Predators came out and crapped the bed.

Spotting the Avs a 3 goal lead off sloppy plays, egregious turnovers, and a lackadaisical effort for much of the game, the Predators tried to rally late but fell 4-3.

The Avs jumped out to a quick 3 goal lead in the first period. Mattias Ekholm set up the Avs first goal with a brutally bad turnover, throwing a blind backhand pass right into the slot and onto the tape of Blake Comeau, who had an easy shot past a surprised Pekka Rinne.

Gabriel landeskog made it 2-0 when he out muscled Shea Weber at the front of the net and poked the puck through Rinne's pads.

Jack Skille  made it 3-0 when he skated alone into the slot and banged home a rebound of a Cody MacLeod shot. The poor effort of the team resulted in Rinne being pulled for Carter Hutton.

The Predators showed some life when Craig Smith placed a perfect shot over the shoulder of Semyon Varlamov to make it 3-1 at the end of the first period.

After a scoreless second period, the Avs made it 4-1 off another Predator turnover. Shawn Matthias was the beneficiary and he floated a puck over the shoulder of Hutton with no Predator defender to challenge the effort.

The Predators tried to make it a game late in the third period when Colton Sissons deflected in a Miikka Salomaki shot to make it 4-2.

Roman Josi made it 4-3 with a laser over the shoulder of Varlamov, but that would be it for the Predators as they wasted a chance to capture a critical win.

Some observations:

• The Avalanche are a desperate team, and everyone knew they would come out with energy and urgency. The Predators were not ready for that effort and they were swamped early in the game. it didn't help that they played some stupid hockey. The Preds better get ready, because this was a taste of playoff hockey, and this game found them lacking in effort.
• Roman Josi recorded his 13th goal of the season, which gives him 57 points on the year. That is a new franchise record for points by a defenseman.
• The Predators are now 4-19-5 when they trail after 2 periods.
• Craig Smith hit the 20 goal mark with his first period goal. That is the third consecutive season that he has tallied at least 20 goals.
• It sure would be nice to see some production from Colin Wilson, wouldn't it? His offside play negated a goal by Salomaki and he just looks like he couldn't find the back of the net if his life depended on it.

This game was about as bad of a start that this team has had in a long while. They cannot dig the kind of hole that they did in the first period and expect a good outcome. Even worse, their level of play was awful. Stupid passes and poor puck management wound up costing them dearly.

Hopefully they get it out of their system.

If not, they will get trucked tomorrow night in Dallas.

My three stars:

1. Gabriel Landeskog

2. Craig Smith

3. Blake Comeau

Predators Pummel Columbus 5-1

The Nashville Predators are playing for playoff positioning.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are playing out the string.

That was never more evident at the Bridgestone Arena as the Predators demolished the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-1.

James Neal, Mattias Ekholm. Craig Smith, Shea Weber, and Calle Jarnkrok tallied for the Predators. Boone Jenner notched the lone goal for the BJ's.

Joonas Korpisalo faced a barrage of shots from the Predators, including a franchise record 27 in the first period. He got little help from his teammates, who mustered only 19 shots for the game.

Pekka Rinne had time to listen to his iPod, read a book, and write a couple of notes as the BJ's threatened only once in the game, and that was a goal from Boone Jenner as he poked a rebound past Rinne before the defense could get back into position.

Some observations:

• This was as complete game by the Predators. Defensively, the Predators took away any quality scoring chances by the BJ's. Offensively, the Predators attacked all night, pouring shots on net. They played disciplined hockey, taking only 2 penalties on the night and killing them both. Perhaps the most heartening aspect of the Predators game was that they attacked all night, never letting their foot off the gas. Too often, we have seen the Predators get a lead and go into a shell. Not tonight. The attack mode was going for a full 60 minutes.
• I know it is easy to say this was the BJ's and that they have nothing to play for, but I would strongly disagree. These players are playing for contracts and ice time, not to mention pride. Think this type of game doesn't hurt? Think pride and egos weren't bruised? The BJ's have a talented core that has yet to gel (for whatever reason), but they are NHL'ers and they have pride and the self interest to impress their coach or some other NHL team. So yes, there was something to play for on the BJ side of the ice.
• Since February 12, the Predators have logged more points (33) than any other team in the NHL. The team has gone 14-2-5 during that stretch.
• All time, Nashville is 54-19-7 against the BJ's, including a 32-5-4 mark at the Bridge.
• Roman Josi picked up 3 assists to set a franchise mark for assists by a defenseman.
• Shea Weber's power play goal moved him to second all time in goals for the franchise. Weber's 18th goal of the season gives him 164 for his career, moving him past Marty Erat (163) into second place. behind David Legwand (210).
• James Neal scored the first goal of the game with a perfectly placed shot to give him 30 goals for the season. The last time the Predators had two 30 goal scorers was 2005-06 when Steve Sullivan and Paul Kariya accomplished the feat.
• The Predators were only 35% in the face off dot tonight. They can get away with that against a team in the BJ's position. They cannot against a playoff team.
• The game against the Canucks on Thursday was a slog. Tonight, the Predators came out with jump and out skated the BJ's all night. When the Predators are skating and playing with jump, they are a deadly team that can create all sorts of problems for the opposition.
• I continue to like the play of Viktor Arvidsson. The Aardvark creates with his speed and puts all kinds of pressure on the opposing D with his pressure and speed. He HAS to get stronger, but the Aardvark is quietly becoming a player that is creating problems for the defenders he faces.

Solid win by the Preds, a win that showed they can be not only explosive but can surgically take apart an opponent. It will get tougher against some desperate opponents, but this team is gelling and playing some great hockey at the right time.

Now to keep it up.

My three stars:

1. Roman Josi

2. James Neal

3. Shea Weber

Playoff Preview? Predators De-throne the Kings 5-2

In a potential playoff match up, The Nashville Predators blitzed the Los Angeles Kings 5-2 at Bridgestone Arena behind a 3 goal second period outburst.

Ryan Johansen had a goal and 2 assists; James Neal had a goal and an assist; Mike Fisher added a power play goal; Filip Forsberg scored his 30th; and Roman Josi finished the scoring with an empty netter.

Drew Doughty and Alec Martinez tallied for the Kings.

After a scoreless first period, James Neal took a pass from Ryan Johansen and sniped a shot past Jonathan Quick to open the scoring.

Mike Fisher, on a night where the team honored him for his 1,000th NHL game, took a shot from the face off circle that Quick kicked out to the slot. Fisher followed his shot and poked it past Quick while falling down to make it 2-0.

Filip Forsberg finished the second period scoring, tapping a rebound past Quick for his 30th goal of the season and making it 3-0 Predators.

That scoring outburst would chase Quick from the game and Jonas Enroth would enter the net for the third period.

The Kings started to claw back into the game when Drew Doughty took a shot from the point that hit the stick of Roman Josi and caromed past Rinne to make it 3-1 just 28 seconds into the third period.

Alec Martinez increased the pucker factor among Pred fans with a shot from the point that went through traffic and eluded Rinne to make it 3-2.

Ryan Johansen gave the Predators some breathing room when he redirected a Shea Weber shot over the pads of Enroth to make it 4-2.

Roman Josi added a 200 foot emty net goal to seal the win for the Predators.

Some observations:

• Filip Forsberg became just the 5th Predator to tally 30 or more goals and the first to do it since Patric Hornqvist in 2009-10. Forsberg just has great hockey sense to go along with his superb skills. He knows how to find the quiet areas of the ice and reads plays well. This allows him to get into prime scoring position and he has the skills set to take advantage. A solid night tonight for Forsberg as he was physical and strong on the puck.
• Big ups to Mike Fisher. On a night where he was honored for the milestone of 1,000 games, Fisher scored a gritty power play goal and was a force in all zones tonight. Fisher is that solid leader that every team must have, and he does and excellent job in that role. Fisher's goal was all heart, fighting through traffic to get his rebound in the slot, and he had the presence to put the puck in the net while being knocked to the ice. All heart.
• He didn't get on the score sheet tonight, but Viktor Arvidsson played an excellent game. he used his speed to create in the offensive zone and to harass the Kings on the forecheck. He gives up a lot in stature, but nothing in character. If the Aardvark can get stronger, he will be a dangerous player. 
• With 2 points tonight, James Neal has 400 career points.
• In their last 9 games, the Predators are 6-0-3 against the Kings. think this would be an amazing playoff match up?
• The Predators killed off all 4 of the Kings power plays and have killed off the last 27 man advantage attempts by their opponents.
• The Predators are starting to assert themselves again on home ice. The now have points in 8 straight games at Bridgestone Arena.
• Pekka Rinne was outstanding, thwarting some good scoring chances by the Kings. Rinne tracked the puck well, and although he was beaten twice, the shots that beat him were impossible to stop. The confidence that Rinne is playing with has spread to the team in front of him and it is reflected in their level of play. This team will go as far as Rinne will carry them.
• Roman Josi set a career high for assists with his 41st helper tonight.
• Before tonight, each of the last 8 games the Predators have played against the Kings have been one goal games. The Predators are 5-0-3 in those games.

This was a solid effort tonight against a very good L.A. team, who is the first Western Conference team to clinch a playoff spot. The Kings are a talented and heavy team, and the Predators showed they can play with the best and beat the best.

This is a great confidence booster for the Predators.

Now that confidence needs to translate into more wins and points.

My three stars:

1. Mike Fisher

2. Ryan Johansen

3. James Neal

Slow Start and Sloppy Defense Cost the Predators In 4-2 Loss to the Canucks

The Nashville Predators have picked up points in 14 straight games. They were looking to make it 15 with a stop at Rogers Arena to take on the Vancouver Canucks.

The Predators started the game acting like just showing up would be good for a win. The Canucks out worked and out skated the Predators all over the ice and for a full 20 minutes. That effort resulted in 2 goals in spite of Pekka Rinne standing on his head to make some great saves. Sven Baertschi and Derek Dorsett both scored off defensive breakdowns to give the Canucks a 2-0 lead.

The Predators showed some life in the second period, getting shots on net and scoring twice. Both goals were set up by great assists by Roman Josi as he set up Mike fisher for the first Predators goal. Fisher drove the slot and redirected Josi's pass past Ryan Miller. His second assist set up Colton Sissons for a sweet goal.

Unfortunately, the Predators defense broke down once again as those 2 Predator goals were sandwiched around a goal by Bo Harvat, who beat the Predators defenders to the front of the net for an easy goal.

The Predators pulled Rinne late in the third period for the extra attacker and Daniel Sedin scored the empty netter to seal the Predators fate and the game by a 4-2 margin.

Some observations:

•  How about Prince Filip dropping the gloves? Forsberg took exception to a hit on Mike Ribeiro and dropped them with Jake Virtanen. Forsberg picked up his first fighting major of his career. Good to see his response, but you hate to see him run the risk of an injury on that type of play.
• Rinne has to be superb in the first period. The Predators offense didn't bother to show up and he was under siege. The big netminder was equal to the task, including making a couple of spectacular saves to keep the game from getting out of hand. Unfortunately, the Canucks pressure and defensive breakdowns finally succeeded in getting shots past Rinne.
• The Predators sluggish starts are disconcerting to say the least. Trying to dig out of a hole is not a formula for success. Tonight, the Predators were sleepwalking in the first period and it bit them in the ass. Standing around and watching a team that will not sniff the playoffs out skate you all over the ice is incredibly disappointing.
• The Canucks first 2 goals came as a result of Predators defenders getting beat down low (Baertschi) and losing a player in the low slot (Dorsett). The defensive breakdowns left Rinne out to dry and have to be cleaned up. 
• Good to see the Predators finally wake up in the second period as their relentless pressure finally resulted in a Mike Fisher goal. Fisher's line has been playing some very good hockey of late and they have been getting some positive results.
• And yet once again,  the Predators D gets beat by a Canuck driving the net. This is ridiculous to see this happen so consistently. Horvat had a clear path to the front of the net by out hustling Ryan Ellis down the ice and to the net.
• Goodness gracious is Roman Josi good or what? What a fantastic assist on Fisher's goal and then an even better one on the goal by Sissons. Josi is a solid defenseman and an exceptional offensive talent that is so dangerous carrying the puck.
• The Predators PK has done an excellent job, killing the last 14 man advantage attempts. Some of those have been extended power plays and the Preds have shown great hustle and perseverance in killing the penalties.
• On the other side, the Predators power play has sputtered, failing on the their last 13 attempts.

The Predators were totally inept in the first period and it cost them.

Oh, and some really sloppy defense that gave the Canucks plenty of prime opportunities.

More disturbing is the fact that the Predators have look disengaged and lethargic for good stretches of their last 2 games, games against teams that are out of the playoff race.

This is an aspect of the Predators game that has to change. It's late in the season and crunch time, and the Predators have got to bring a much better effort if they want to win these games.

Bring this same kind of effort against Edmonton on Monday night and they will get embarrassed.

My three stars:

1. Bo Horvat

2. Roman Josi

3. Ryan Miller

Rinne Pitches A Shutout, Predators Defeat the Bruins 2-0

The Nashville Predators made first period goals by Craig Smith and Filip Forsberg all the scoring they would need as they defeated the Boston Bruins 2-0 at Bridgestone Arena.

Pekka Rinne was outstanding, making 29 saves to record the shutout.

Smith was able to bang home a rebound of a Forsberg shot to give the Predators a 1-0 lead. Smith was parked at the side of the crease and roofed the shot under the crossbar past Tuukka Rask.

Forsberg gathered in a rebound of a Mattias Ekholm shot from the slot and slid the puck under the pads of Rask for his 20th goal of the season and a 2-0 lead.

That would be all the offense the Predators would need as Rinne locked down the net for the Predators and made some excellent saves, including stopping Brad Marchand on a Bruins 2 on 1 break in the second period.

Mike Ribeiro also picked up 2 assists for the Predators.

Some observations:

• The Bruins are a very physical team, but the Predators matched the physicality of the visitors. The Predators did a good job of winning puck battles, clearing the slot, and winning control of the puck on the boards. In particular, the Predators defense did a very good job of not allowing many scoring chances from dangerous areas on the ice. This is the way the Predators have to play in front of Rinne or Hutton, and tonight they did a good job of taking the body and clearing the front.
• Rinne was very good tonight. He moved well and was in control of the crease all night. he did an exceptional job of tracking the puck through traffic and looked like the Pekka of old in making some key saves. His play seemed to infuse the team in front of him with confidence, and this is the kind of game Rinne can build upon. 
• Tonight was Rinne's 39th career shutout.
• I continue to like the play of Craig Smith. His energy and hustle are starting to pay off in scoring chances and goals. Smith has been driving the net and he has been rewarded for that play. Smith has now recorded back to back games with a goal. The last time he did this was December 10 and 12th.
• Filip Forsberg has elevated his level of play recently. He now has goals in 6 consecutive games and his offensive dynamism is creating scoring opportunities. More importantly, he is now finishing those chances.
• Roman Josi and Shea Weber chewed up some minutes tonight. Josi recorded 29:43 TOI and Weber had 28:42. And these are tough minutes against the top line of the opposition and on the penalty kill. these two guys really stood out for their play on the blue line.
• By contrast, Mattias Ekholm logged 20:55; Ryan Ellis had 21:05: Barret Jackman had 10:32; and Anthony Bitetto had 9:29.
• Matty Ek picked up an assist but also recorded 2 penalties.
• The Predators PK was superb, killing off all 4 Bruins power play opportunities
• The Predators power play was awful, going 0-2 and never threatening Rask. This unit has to improve and get back on track for this team to have success.
• The Predators are 18-1-2 when leading after 2 periods. They are 22-3-3 when holding an opponent to 2 goals or less.

 This was a complete and solid game by the Predators from the net out. Outstanding goal tending; solid D, and an opportunistic offense combined to put two points on the score sheet.

Now they need to continue this level of play and build positive momentum.

Play like they did tonight, and they will.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Craig Smith

3. Filip Forsberg

Predators Mistakes Cost them In 5-3 Loss to the Capitals

When you play the best team in hockey, you can't make mistakes.

The Nashville Predators made mistakes against the Washington Capitals and those mistakes wound up in the back of their net in a 5-3 loss at Bridgestone Arena.

Shea Weber turned over a puck on what should have been an easy clear from the defensive zone, then compounded that mistake by letting Jason Chimera beat him to the front of the net for the Caps first goal in the contest.

The Predators second mistake was another turnover that resulted in a 2 on 1 break and Tom Wilson buried the shot to give the Capitals a 2-0 lead in the second period.

The Predators drew within 1 as Filip Forsberg recorded his 16th goal on the power play with a sweet shot to the top corner to beat Braden Holtby.

The third period  saw the Caps storm the front of the Predators net and tally twice as Pekka Rinne and the defense in front of him was overwhelmed. Justin Williams and Marcus Johansson were both at the crease and banged pucks past Rinne to make it 4-1.

Looking for all intents and purposes to be over, the Predators cut the Caps lead to 4-3 on a goal by Roman Josi and a  re-direct by Forsberg for his second goal of the night and his 17th of the season.

Alexander Ovechkin sealed the win for the Caps with an empty netter to make the final margin 5-3.

Some observations:

• The Predators could have rolled over when it was 4-1, but they showed some grit and character to cut the lead to 1 late in the game. That is a positive. The negative for the Predators is that they are now 2-16-3 when they trail after 2 periods. This team is going to have to find a way to win these kinds of games when they are trailing going into the final 20 minutes. This record is telling- they ability to fight back is just not where it should be for this team and this can- and probably will cost them them when it comes to securing a playoff spot.
• Forsberg continues to play a strong game. The Caps forecheck was aggressive all night, and Forsberg was able to carry the puck  and break the pressure. I really like the way he works in the offensive zone and he has shown that he is not afraid to go into high traffic areas. His second goal was a result of his work in the low slot, and the Predators are going to have to have that kind of play from him and others to be successful. He has 5 points in his last 2 games (3G-2A).
• The Predators went 1-3 on this 4 game home stand after the All Star break. This team is going to have to get dominant play on home ice to get into the playoffs. Right now, they are not.
• The Predators are 6-15-4 when they allow the first goal.
• A nice celebration before the game to honor Mike Ribeiro for his 1000th NHL game.
• Mattias Ekholm picked up 2 assists tonight and had a solid overall game. His pairing with Ryan Ellis has played some good hockey and are getting some second D pairing minutes on the power play.
• Calle Jarnkrok has points in his last 3 games (2G-1A) with his assist tonight.
• The Predators power play was 1-5. The unit has been fairly ineffective in recent games, and it is imperative that they start to produce at a higher level. Too often, there is not a lot of movement when they get in the offensive zone. They did a good job of possessing the puck on the power play but didn't generate many quality chances.
• Braden Holtby was outstanding. He made some quality saves and showed why he is going to win the Vezina this year.

This was a  game where the Predators needed to play flawless hockey. They did not and it cost them. The Predators are a team that has to battle every night for points, and they battles tonight. But when you play the best team in the League, battling is not enough. Solid hockey, sound hockey is what it takes to win these kinds of games.

This was a measuring stick game. The Predators have shown they can compete but not win against the best.

There is a short time left in the regular season to elevate their game.

My three stars:

1. Marcus Johansson

2. Filip Forsberg

3. Braden Holtby

Predators Get Back In the Win Column, Defeat the Wild 3-0

to say the Nashville Predators needed a win is a gross understatement. Playing against the Minnesota Wild, who commit to the horribly boring trap game, meant that the Predators were going to have to play with energy and get to the net.

They did just that as they shut out the Wild 3-0 at Bridgestone Arena.

The Predators scored on their first shot of the game as Eric Nystrom re-directed a point shot from Shea Weber past Devan Dubnyk to give the good guys a 1-0 lead.

Carter Hutton got the start in net and he had to be sharp as the Wild at one point in the first period out shot the Predators 9-1. The Predators rallied back, getting out shot 12-11 at the end of the first period and leading 1-0 going into the intermission.

After a scoreless second period, the Predators did a good job of getting traffic to the net and it paid off on the power play as Roman Josi cashed in on a rebound of a Ryan Johansen shot to give the Predators a 2-0 lead.

Filip Forsberg iced the game with an empty net goal to give the Predators their final margin of 3-0.

Some observations:

• Carter Hutton was outstanding tonight. He made some very good saves and was positionally sound all night. Hutton is often scrambling around in the crease, and although he had a few frenetic moments, was solid in his positioning and appeared to be calm and in control of the play around his crease. Big ups to Hutton for his play tonight. Hutton recorded his third career shut out.
• The much maligned penalty kill of the Predators was very good tonight. They killed off all 3 man advantage chances by the Wild and gave them very few good looks. This is the kind of effort the Predators needed and they definitely need to build on their play tonight.
• I questioned Eric Nystrom moving to the third line, but two goals in two nights shows that he can contribute and be effective. Nystrom is not shy about going to the net and his efforts have been rewarded. His re-direct of Shea Weber's shot was perfectly placed to the far post where Dubnyk had no chance.
• This was the last game of the regular season with the Wild. The Predators captured the season series by a 3-1 margin.
• Anthony Bitetto got the start again on the third pairing with Barrett Jackman and played a solid game. Bitetto is looking more comfortable and brings a solid physical presence on the ice.
• The Predators power play got back on track, going 1 for 2 tonight. The addition of Ryan Johansen has been a big plus to this unit. He is dangerous with his passes and his shot, and Roman Josi was the beneficiary of Johansen's ability to find the shooting lanes. Having an elite center has been a plus for this unit and for the team. Johansen has 7 points in 4 games with the team. Johansen also recorded his 200th career point.
• Calle Jarnkrok was very good in the face off circle. He led the the team, winning 6 of 9 faceoffs, good for 67%.
• I like the hustle and effort of Craig Smith. Now if he could just bury some shots.
• Paul Gaustad played in his 700th NHL game tonight.

No doubt this was a much needed win for the Predators, and it was a solid team effort. After a slow start, the Predators got their feet moving and played a complete game.

Now the Preds need to build on this win and start stringing together some victories.

My three stars:

1. Carter Hutton

2. Roman Josi

3. Eric Nystrom

Predators Light Up Lundqvist in 5-3 Win Over the Rangers

The up and down Nashville Predators were definitely up in their contest against the New York Rangers at Bridgestone Arena. They tagged Rangers starter Henrik Lundqvist for 5 goals before chasing him from the game en route to a 5-3 win.

The Predators got 2 goals from James Neal, his first a wicked snipe from the slot that beat Lundqvist to give the Predators a 2-1 lead. His second was the Predators 5th goal, a tap in from the side of the net.

Filip Forsberg opened the scoring for the Predators on the power play with his 10th goal of the season, a blast from the face off circle that beat Lundqvist cleanly over his glove. Forsberg should have had a second goal in the third period but it was waved off after a lengthy review for a weak goaltender interference call on Craig Smith.

Jesper Fast scored to tie the game at 1 in the first period.

Leading 2-1 going into the third, the Predators exploded for 3 goals. Craig Smith scored on a deflection of a Roman Josi shot. Ryan Ellis scored on a shot from the face off circle with the Predators on the power play to make it 4-1 before Neal closed out the Predators scoring.

It got interesting late in the third period. Pekka Rinne was way out of his net to play the puck when he got hit with a massive brain fart. Rinne's clearing attempt went directly to Rick Nash, who promptly fired the puck into the vacated net to make it 5-2.

J. T. Miller scored to make it 5-3 before the Predators closed out the game for a big win.

Some observations:

• The Predators welcomed back Mike Fisher, who had missed 11 games due to a leg injury. With Fisher's return, Colton Sissons was reassigned to Milwaukee. Fisher logged 16:47 of ice time, recorded one shot, and won 59% of his faceoffs.
• The Predators opened the game with good jump and out shot the Rangers 15-6 in the first period. The game was a tight checking contest, but it swung in the third period when the Predators made a determined effort to drive the net. Doing this presented problems for Lundqvist and he was under siege with the traffic in front. The determination to get to the net resulted in the Predators breaking the game wide open. This is the way the Predators have to play and it was good to see them make that effort to do so tonight.
• I like the play of Viktor Arvidsson, especially how he uses his speed to create and carry the puck. But if the Aardvark is going to have a long and successful career in the NHL, he is going to have to get stronger. He gets taken off the puck consistently because he is not strong enough.
• Dadgum, if Roman Josi isn't one of the smoothest skaters with such good vision on the ice. Josi can break the pressure of any team and is excellent at dishing the puck to the open man. He picked up 2 assists tonight and caused problems for the Rangers defense all night.
• I have heard so much about the Rangers speed, but the Predators were definitely a faster team tonight. Their speed put pressure on the Rangers D and had them chasing the puck all night. The Predators used that speed to create offensive chances and get quality shots on goal. The Predators out shot the Rangers 35-29 for the game. The Predators also used their speed and  defensive positioning to frustrate the Rangers offensive flow throughout the game.
• The Predators are 11-1-2 when leading after 2 periods this season. The Rangers are 0-9-1 when trailing after 2 periods.
• Lundqvist was pulled midway of the third period for Antti Raanta. This is the 4th time in his last 7 starts that Lundqvist has been chased from the game.
• The Predators power play was 2 for 2 tonight. 
• The Predators took only one penalty, which they killed.
• Mike Ribeiro picked up 3 assists tonight and did a great job of distributing the puck. Ribeiro also won 67% of his faceoffs.
• Craig Smith had a solid game. He scored from the top of the c rease off a deflection of a shot by Roman Josi. Smith did a great job of driving the net and creating havoc in front of Lundqvist.
• James Neal showed what his quick release can do. He used it to beat Lundqvist cleanly from the slot to give the Predators a 2-1 lead. His second goal came with him parked right at the side of the net. This was Neal's 4th 2 goal game of the season and he now has 15 goals.
• Former Predator Kevin Klein returned to the blue line for the Rangers after missing 11 games due to an injury.

This was a win that was pure Predators hockey. Using their speed to create and going to the front of the net yielded the kind of results that this team needs to have night in and night out.

Now they have to bring this kind of effort consistently.

My three stars:

1. James Neal

2. Mike Ribeiro

3. Roman Josi

Predators Fall to the Wings 3-2

Coulda, woulda, shoulda...

This is the story of the Predators season lately.

Apparently the Predators margin to win games is so razor thin that any little mistake will cost them.

This is the case as once again the Predators made just enough mistakes to cost them in a 3-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings at Bridgestone Arena.

Filip Forsberg and Craig Smith tallied for the Predators. Each goal tied the game for the Predators. Forsberg's goal followed a goal by Brendan Smith 45 seconds earlier in the first period.

Riley Sheahan scored on the power play early in the second period. It took Forsberg about 15 minutes to get the equalizer to send the teams into the second intermission tied at 2.

Luke Glendening scored at 6:45 of the the third period and the Predators had no answer this time as the Wings captured the season series.

Some observations:

• The lack of an elite center for the Predators is glaring. The wingers do a good job of creating, but the Predators lack a center that can dominate the center of the ice and distribute the puck. Until this weakness is corrected, the Predators will continue to be an average team.
• The Predators rarely pressured Petr Mrazek. When they did, they scored. The truth of the matter is that the Predators have forwards that rarely contribute. I know that it is easy to single out Colin Wilson (and he has had a miserable season), but the third line rarely threatens the net and the 4th line is just not going to get on the score sheet. Until these guys start producing, the Predators will continue to struggle.
• Forsberg brought his A game tonight. His line always draws the top defenders from the opponent, but Forsberg has shown creativity and drive, something that many of the other Predators forwards lack. They could take a lesson from the way Forsberg plays the game. This was Forsberg's second 2 goal game of the season.
• Roman Josi continues to impress. He is fearless in carrying the puck and can break the pressure from any opponent. On many nights, he is the Predators best forward (yes, I know he plays defense, but he carries the puck better than anyone wearing a gold sweater) and can create in the offensive zone.
• Mike Ribeiro picked up 2 assists tonight.
• Pekka Rinne had to make some good saves, and when he was beaten, the puck was coming through traffic. Rinne battles every night and gives the Predators a chance to win. The opponents know that to beat Rinne they have to get traffic to the net and that is exactly what they have been doing to have success against the big Finn.
• The Predators power play tonight was fancy but ineffective tonight. Lots of passing, no traffic to the net, and few shots. The power play was 0-3 tonight.
• The Predators PK killed 2 of 3 Wings man advantage opportunities. The lone Wings score occurred when the Predators allowed Sheahan to get to the front of the net with no challenge from the defense.

This is a Predators team that is going to continue to take one step forward, one step back until production starts to come from more than a handful of players. Early in the season, the scoring was much more balanced. Now it is not.

And the Predators are going to continue to struggle until this changes.

My three stars:

1. Filip Forsberg

2. Mike Ribeiro

3. Brendan Smith

Predators Hang 5 on the Habs In 5-1 Victory

There have been games in the last few weeks where the Nashville Predators outplayed their opponent but came up on the losing end of the scoreboard.

That role was reversed tonight at Bridgestone Arena, where the visiting Montreal Canadiens outshot and outplayed the Predators but came up on the short end of a 5-1 score.

This was the first time the Predators have won back to back games in 4 weeks.

The Canadiens outshot the Predators 36-19 for the game.

The Predators did not record their second shot of the game until 8:40 of the first period, but it was a rocket from Shea Weber that found its way perfectly through a maze of bodies to beat Dustin Tokarski for a 1-0 Predators lead.

The Predators first shot of the second period came 8:22 in with the man advantage, and it was a blast from Roman Josi that hit both posts and fell into the net for a 2-0 Predators lead.

Ryan Ellis gave the Predators a 3-0 lead at 3:08 of the third period as his point shot deflected off a Habs defender and past Tokarski. That goal, the third on just 14 shots, ended Tokarski's night and saw Mike Condon take over the net for the Habs.

Calle Jarnkrok welcomed Condon to the game with a shot from the slot to make it 4-0 for the Predators.

The Habs appeared to have scored midway of the third period, but that goal would be overturned on a challenge from Peter Laviolette as it was deemed that Pekka Rinne had been interfered with trying to make the save.

Montreal would end Rinne's shutout bid with a power play goal by Alex Galchenyuk.

Colin Wilson would score the final goal on an empty netter.

Some observations:

• The Habs dominated play all night, winning puck battles, controlling the boards, and knocking Predators off the puck. It is a testament to the Predators resolve and resilience in hanging in and getting timely scoring to secure the win.
• There is no doubt that the Predators D pair of Shea Weber and Roman Josi are the best in the NHL. These two defenders have combined for 19 goals and 32 assists. Even when teams are trying to take away their space and limit their scoring chances, these guys find a way to score. Weber has 15 points in the month of December, the most by any player in the NHL. 
• Good on Colin Wilson for finally getting his game going. Wilson picked up 2 assists to go along with his empty net goal, his second of the year. Wilson played a solid game, and hopefully this gets him going. Wilson moved up to the second line in an attempt to get his game going, and it was a great call by the coaching staff. 
• I really liked the play of Colton Sissons and Miikka Salomaki. They played some hard minutes and their effort on the forecheck created some disruption for the Habs as well as being solid in the defensive zone. Sissons was also 50% in the face off circle.
• Calle Jarnkrok continues to impress and play some very good hockey. Jarnkrok picked up his 6th goal of the season and has been solid in all zones. Jarnkrok has stepped into the role of first line center and has acquitted himself well in that role.
• You have to realize how much the Canadiens miss the injured Carey Price after watching this game. The inability to make timely saves by Tokarski and Condon cost them this game, because they clearly outplayed the Predators. The Habs have now lost 8 of their last 9 games.
• The Predators have not lost in regulation to the Canadiens at Bridgestone Arena since March 10, 2003. The Predators are 5-0-3 in their last 8 games against the Canadiens.
• The Predators were 1 for 3 on the power play and killed off 2 of 3 Habs power plays.
• The Predators won 31 of 56 faceoffs, good for 55%
• Pekka Rinne was outstanding tonight. He was under pressure all game and kept the Predators in it in the first period while the Habs were bombing shots at the net. If Rinne had not been as sharp as he was, the outcome of this game would have definitely been different. Rinne tracked the puck well and frustrated the Habs with his glove and his athleticism in net. Rinne has looked like the Rinne of old in the last couple of games and that is a huge positive for this team.

Kinda nice to see the tables turned, eh?

Getting outplayed but coming up with a huge win.

Predators fans have too often recently been on the wrong side of that story, but tonight, the roles were reversed and the Predators picked up a much needed win.

Time to enjoy the holidays and come back Saturday and keep the momentum going.

My three stars.

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Roman Josi

3. Shea Weber

Predators Can't Hold the Lead, Give up 2 Third Period Goals in 2-1 Loss to the Blues

The Nashville Predators were looking to establish some positive momentum and turn their season back around.

Playing the St. Louis Blues made that task most difficult.

The Predators started well and took a 1-0 lead on a Roman Josi power play goal in the first period.

That lead stood up until the third period when David Backes redirected a puck past Pekka Rinne to tie the game at 1.

Vladamir Tarasenko beat Rinne on a Blues power play to make the score 2-1.

And once again, the Predators couldn't solve Blues netminder Jake Allen as the Blues held on for a 2-1 win.

Some observations:

• Colin Wilson returned to the line up after missing 4 games due to injury. He was slotted on the third line with Colton Sissons and Cody Hodgson. 
• With Wilson back in the line up, Austin Watson was the healthy scratch tonight.
• The Blues have the number one penalty kill in the NHL. It had to be a real confidence booster for the Predators man advantage unit to get the tally from Roman Josi on their first power play attempt. This unit, which had been hot, hit a cold streak in their last few games. This goal was the result of good puck movement and the smarts to exploit a Blues defender that had broken his stick. Hopefully this gets the power play jump started again.
• Shea Weber picked up an assist on the Josi goal, giving him 20 points on the season. Josi's goal gives him 23 points. The Predators are the only team in the NHL with two blue liners that have 20 points or more. 
• The Blues have a +15 goal differential in the third period. This is a testament to the ability of the Blues to turn it on in crunch time.The Predators are a +3 in third period goal differential. They have scored 29 times but have given up 26 goals against, indicative of the Predators struggle to lock down teams in the last 20 minutes. 
• There are a lot of cracks in the Predators facade. One of them is the inability to hold a lead in the third period. Once again, this fault came back to bite the Predators as they surrendered the lead to the Blues. Whether it is a lack of offensive aggressiveness, fear of making a mistake, or just sitting back on their heels and hoping Rinne stops everything thrown at the the net, this strategy isn't working for the Predators. Until they change their play in the third period, they will continue to give up leads and lose games.
• Allen has faced 71 shots in 2 games against the Predators and has given up one goal. No Predators forward has scored against the Blues this season.
• The Predators were dominated in the face off circle, winning just 24 of 59 draws for a 40% success rate.
• The play of Roman Josi continues to stand out. He has emerged as a complete and elite NHL defenseman. He is one of the few bright spots for the Predators.

Let's face it, we are seeing the real Predators. They are a middling team that will struggle to make the playoffs as the roster is built right now.

Unless there are some significant changes, this will be a team that will be lucky to get into the playoffs.

My three stars:

1. Jake Allen

2. Roman Josi

3. Vladamir Tarasenko

Predators Return the Favor, Dominate the Blackhawks 5-1

The Nashville Predators were dominated by the Chicago Blackhawks in their previous game on Tuesday in Chicago.

They returned the favor tonight, blowing out the Blackhawks at Bridgestone Arena by a 5-1 margin.

The Predators rode 3 first period goals by James Neal, Craig Smith, and Filip Forsberg to a lead that was insurmountable by the Hawks.

After a scoreless second period, Patrick Kane scored on a goal that never should have been allowed as Pekka Rinne was shoved into the net and Kane was able to tap home the puck that was knocked loose.

Leading 3-1 and with the potent Hawks offense attacking, Predators fans had to be nervous.

Those fears were calmed when James Neal beat Scott Darling 5 hole for his second goal of the game and a 4-1 lead.

With the Predators on the penalty kill and Darling pulled for an extra attacker, Eric Nystrom was able to gather in the puck and fire it down ice for the empty net goal.

Pekka Rinne was outstanding, returning to form and making some high quality saves to keep the Hawks from grabbing momentum.

Some observations:

• Paul Gaustad said in his post game comments that the Predators were "pissed" with the way they played in Chicago and wanted to send a message to the Blackhawks. Message delivered. The Blackhawks are a team that the Predators need to surpass in the regular season and if they play like they did tonight, they will accomplish that goal. The Central is so tough, and the Predators need to take care of business in the Division. Games like tonight show that they can do just that.
• The key to the Predators win tonight was their ferocious forecheck. They did a superb job of disrupting the Hawks breakouts and forced 5 giveaways coupled with 8 takeaways. For most of the night, the Predators did not allow the Hawks to get clean breakouts and move through the neutral zone with speed. This forced the Hawks to try to set up in the offensive zone, where the Predators defense did a good job of limiting scoring chances. This is the way that the Predators have to play to win games, and tonight they were on their game.
• That isn't to say that the Hawks didn't have some glorious scoring chances. Pekka Rinne was called upon to make so high quality stops and he rose to the occasion. The Hawks had a slow first period but came on strong in the second and third. The Predators out shot the Hawks 18-7 in the first period. The Hawks out shot the Predators 13-8 in the second and 16-8 in the third.
• The goal that the Hawks scored was off an abominable call (or lack thereof) by the officials. Rinne had secured the puck until he was shoved into the net and the puck squirted loose and Kane was able to score. The lack of consistency by NHL officials is incredible and is a detriment to the game.
• How about that first goal of the game by James Neal? He absolutely undressed Niklas Hjalmarsson to get to the low slot and beat Darling 5 hole. This game was starting like so many others with the Predators attacking the net but having nothing to show for it. Once Neal scored, it was like a great weight was off the shoulders of the Predators and it opened up the offense. Neal has 7 goals in his last 5 games against the Blackhawks.
• Roman Josi picked up an assist tonight to extend his point streak to a careeer high 6 straight games.
• I continue to like the play of Viktor Arvidsson and Calle Jarnkrok. Both Players are playing with great energy and are contributing on both ends of the ice. Both players picked up an assist tonight and are showing they can handle quality mninutes.
• The Hawks have the 5th best power play in the NHL. Tonight, the Predators PK, which has been bad recently, was perfect, killing all 3 Hawks man advantage opportunities.
• The Predators had 1 power play opportunity and they cashed in, with Forsberg chipping a puck between Darling and the post.
• Man it was good to see Craig Smith and Forsberg find the back of the net again. Those guys have to get going consistently and hopefully their play tonight gets them going.
• Smith's goal was odd to say the least. His shot hit several bodies and then Darling. Darling was out of position and couldn't control the rebound, which seemed to move in slow motion before it finally crossed the line.
• The Predators are undefeated (9-0-2) when leading after two periods.

This was a solid game and win for the Predators. It came about because the Predators played their brand of hockey and dictated the play for most of the game.

Now they have to consistently bring that level of play in the next game and start building on this positive momentum.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. James Neal

3. Craig Smith

Josi's Two Power Play Goals Leads the Predators Over the Bruins

The Nashville Predators needed to play a solid game and get a win to boost their confidence and break out of the funk they have been in recently.

The Boston Bruins were just what the Predators needed to accomplish those goals.

Roman Josi had a monster game, scoring two power play goals. Viktor Arvidsson added the game winner in the third period and Carter Hutton made 15 saves as the Predators defeated the Bruins 3-2 at TD Garden.

Down 1-0 off a goal by Kevin Miller, Josi beat Jonas Gustavsson short side top shelf to tie the game.

After Loui Eriksson gave the Bruins a 2-1 lead, Josi struck again on the power play. He stole a clearing attempt by Zdeno Chara and drove the net, turning Gustavsson inside out before burying the puck into a wide open net.

Viktor Arvidsson notched the game winner as he drove in the low slot, got Gustavsson to commit, and then patiently pulled the puck back and slapped it into the open net.

The Predators were able to hold off the Bruins, who had the extra attacker for the final 1:43 of the game to secure the win.

Some observations:

• Man, if the Predators didn't have bad luck, they would have no luck at all. Kevin Miller's shot hits Roman Josi and deflects into the net. Eventually, the Predators puck luck has to change. Doesn't it?
• Roman Josi has as good of a shot as anyone on the team. His power play goal was perfectly placed to the top corner. Josi has to be a serious candidate for the Norris Trophy this season if he continues to play at the level he has in this first quarter of the season. Josi now has a 4 game point streak. His second goal of the game was an absolute beauty, taking the puck into the slot and deking Gustavsson out of his jock.
• The Predators penalty kill continues to struggle. The goal by Eriksson was just too easy as he was alone at the side of the net. Granted, the Bruins have the number one power play in the NHL, but this goal was a cake walk. I don't know why this unit, that has traditionally been in the top 25% of the of the PK units in the NHL, has lost their focus or their mojo or whatever, but it has to be addressed and improved quickly.
• You really wonder how players like Zac Rinaldo are even in the League. He brings nothing to the game except dangerous hits and questionable play.
• Colin Wilson had several good chances in close but could not bury a shot. Look up the definition of "snake bitten" in the dictionary and you will see a picture of Wilson. I do appreciate the fact that the coaches are sticking with Wilson and giving him a chance to get his game on track, but Wilson has to get it going soon. The team needs his production and the only way to get his game going is to play his way out of this brutal slump.
• I continue to like the play of Viktor Arvidsson. You can just see his game continuing to mature and he is willing to go to the tough areas to battle for the puck and get shots on net. The Aardvark was rewarded for his efforts with the go ahead goal in the third period by going to the slot and exhibiting great patience to draw Gustavsson out of the net before potting the goal into the empty net once the Bruins tender was out of position. He has goals in two consecutive games.
• Calle Jarnkrok centered the first line and he played a very solid game. Jarnkrok has quietly grown in his game. He is the Predators leading goal scorer among the forwards since the 1st of November and is very solid in the defensive zone. The Predators definitely won the deal with the Red Wings when they acquired Jarnkrok for David Legwand.
• The Predators were 2-5-2 coming into this game. Needless to say, this was a much needed win.
• The Predators defense did an exceptional job of limiting the Bruins scoring chances, holding them to 17 shots for the entire game. The Predators had 33 shots.
• The Predators were 2 of 7 on the power play. They were able to kill 2 of 3 power play chances by the Bruins.
• 5 of the last 7 goals that the Predators have scored have been by defensemen (Weber with 3; Josi with 2). The other 2 goals? The Aardvark, Viktor Arvidsson.
• Carter Hutton played his best game in a while. He was positionally sound, controlled rebounds, and looked poised in net. Hutton can get scrambly at times, but not tonight. Perhaps most importantly, he didn't give up the goal off the long unscreened shot from the blue line. You certainly can't fault him on the Bruins first goal, a deflection off a Predator that changed direction.

This was a solid 60 minute game by the Predators, one they had to have to try to reverse their fortunes.

Now they have to bring it again in their next game tomorrow night.

My three stars:

1. Roman Josi

2. Viktor Arvidsson

3. Shea Weber

Predators Fall to the Panthers 2-1 In Another Frustrating Loss

The Nashville Predators fell to the Florida Panthers at Bridgestone Arena by a 2-1 margin. Another game where the Predators dominated on the shot counter (33-16) but came up short on the scoreboard.

Quintin Howden opened the scoring for the Panthers as the puck took a funny bounce off a stanchion and caromed to Howden in the middle of the ice. That sent Howden in on a breakaway and he beat Pekka Rinne stick side for a 1-0 Panthers lead.

The Panthers took a 2-0 advantage on the power play as Jonathan Huberdeau got free in the slot and beat Rinne over the shoulder.

The Predators would cut the lead to 2-1 as Roman Josi, driving the net, deflected a shot from Craig Smith past Roberto Luongo.

That was a s close as the Predators could get, although they had a shot that beat Luongo and hit both posts with 30 seconds remaining, but the puck did not cross the goal line.

Some observations:

• The Predators offense was disrupted all night by the forecheck and trap of the Panthers and they could not seem to figure out how to solve it. In game management and adjustments at intermissions have to be made, but it appeared that the Predators made none and  allowed the Panthers to choke down their speed all night.
• The Predators, by contrast, did not forecheck well. Often they dumped the puck in the zone but there were no Predators able to retrieve the puck. Worse yet, the Predators lost puck battles on the boards all night. 
• This was the first game that the Predators played without Mike Fisher. He has been placed on IR and will miss at least 4 games with a lower body injury.
• Calle Jarnkrok moved up to center the second line and played well. He is playing with speed and confidence and you can see his game growing each time he is on the ice. Jarnkrok won 64% of his faceoffs tonight.
• The Predators got away from what brought them a win against the Coyotes in the previous game. Although they had a lot of shots, there was not a lot of traffic in front of Luongo. This is a league where you have to score goals from the hard areas, and tonight, the Predators didn't make much of an effort to get to those hard areas.
• The Panthers blocked 21 shots. The Predators blocked 6.
• This is the first time the Panthers have won a game in Nashville since 1999.
• The Predators PK is a woeful 77% for the season. In the last 10 games, it is 57%. Awful.
• The officiating  did not cost the Predators the game, but the late game embellishment call against James Neal was just embarrassingly bad. When a player is tripped with a stick in his skate blade and falls, that is not embellishment, and the NHL should be ashamed of the lack of integrity in the officials on the ice.
• The Predators are 2-6-2 when they allow the first goal, and they have won only 2 games this season when trailing after two periods.

The Predators are dealing with injuries, and that obviously has an impact on this team. But the fact is that this team is just average right now and outside of Filip Forsberg, lacks a real game changer.

So that means this team is going to have to play gritty hockey that is not fancy but tough.

Time to change, boys.

My three stars:

1. Jonathan Huberdeau

2. Roberto Luongo

3. Roman Josi

Predators Capture the Season Series Over the Ducks With 3-2 Win

Some games, a team steals a win. That is just what the Nashville Predators did to the Anaheim Ducks at Bridgestone Arena.

The Predators rode goals from Shea Weber, James Neal, and Mikka Salomaki to a 3-2 victory over the Ducks.

Rikard Rakell and Mike Santorelli tallied for the Ducks.

Weber staked the Predators to a 1-0 lead with the Predators on the man advantage. His blast from the point blew past Frederik Anderssen to give the Predators a 1-0 lead in the first period.

The Ducks tied it on Rakell's goal to tie the game at 10:47 of the first period as he beat Pekka Rinne on a wrap around to the far post..

James Neal broke the tie with his 9th goal of the season at 13:13 of the first period. Neal's goal came off a harmless flip from center ice that skipped in front of Anderssen and squirted between his pads.

Mikka Salomaki extended the lead to 3-1 as he tipped a shot from Mattias Ekholm between the pads of Anderssen.

That was it offensively for the Predators as the Ducks took over the game. Pekka Rinne made some outstanding saves, including stopping Carl Hagelin on a break away as well as the follow up shot from Hagelin.

The Ducks dominated possession in the third period and Mike Santorelli finally broke through, poking a puck into the net off a goal mouth scramble at 5:33 of the third period to make it 3-2.

The Predators managed to hang on behind the stellar play of Rinne to capture a hard fought- and very ugly- win by that one goal margin.

Some observations:

• Rinne was outstanding tonight. he did a great job of tracking the puck through traffic, and there was a LOT of traffic in front of Rinne tonight. His save on the Hagelin break away was a thing of beauty and he thwarted the follow up by Hagelin as well. He also stopped Andrew Cogliano on a break away just a few moments later. The team rode the broad shoulders of Rinne to this win because the skaters in front of him were back on their heels for most of the night. This game was vintage Rinne. He had the aura of invincibility and it frustrated the Ducks all night. He made a season high 38 saves tonight.
• This is the first game of the season where the Predators were totally dominated. The Ducks time of possession very lopsided in their favor and they kept the Predators back in their defensive zone from midway through the second period to the end of the game. The Ducks out shot the Predators 40-21 for the game. Their dominance started in the second period when they out shot the Predators 19-9 and in the third by an 11-4 margin. The Predators did not record their first shot on net in the third period until there was just 6:33 remaining.
• The Predators did chase Anderssen, who gave up 3 goals on 10 shots, including the Steve Bernier-esque soft goal from center ice (Bernier is the Toronto goalie that gave up a similar goal last night). Anton Khudobin, who played last night in Carolina, finished the game.
• The Ducks have the number one penalty kill in the NHL. Weber's goal on the Predators first power play was a missile that Anderssen never saw but must have heard as it whistled past him into the net.
• However, the Ducks penalty kill took over after that power play goal. They stymied the Predators power play, often stealing the puck at the Predators blue line and creating some good scoring chances. The Predators were 1 for 7 on the power play and looked very ineffective against the Ducks penalty killers.
• On the other side, though, the Predators penalty killers were stellar. The Ducks wer 0-8 on the man advantage.
• The Predators took a lot of sloppy penalties, giving the Ducks too many chances in this games. Two tripping penalties, two roughing penalties, and unsportsmanlike conduct, and an interference penalty left the Predators a man down too often in this game.
• Last season, James Neal had a total of 20 penalties. With 2 penalties tonight, Neal now has been called for 12 penalties so far this season. 
• I really like the younger players- Salomaki and Watson in particular- being trusted in the penalty kill situation. They are logging some hard minutes and have earned the trust of the coaching staff with their play. This is critical for the this team in a long season to have these young players eating up some hard minutes.
• Roman Josi picked up an assist on Weber's goal and that is his 100th assist in his career. he is the 6th Predators defenseman in history to record 100 assists.
• The Predators went 3-1-1 on this 5 game home stand. It is so important to defend home ice, and the Predators have been making it tough for opponents to come into Bridgestone Arena.
• The Ducks, as they are prone to do, decidied early on they wanted it to be a physical contest. Indeed, they thought they could goon it up and intimidate the Predators. In the first period, Kevin Bieksa decided to drop the gloves with Mike Fisher. Once the officials broke up the fight, Bieksa was minus a tooth and we saw no more running around from Bieksa for the rest of the game.You can see the fight, including a nice slow motion of Bieksa losing a chicklet here

This was not a pretty win, but it was a win, and they don't grade them on style points (thankfully).

Now the Predators embark on a tough roadie, with 6 games in 9 nights, including two sets of back to backs

They will have to play with the heart and mettle they have shwon recently.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Mikka Salomaki

3. Shea Weber

Predators Win A Wild One Over the Senators 7-5

Relentless.

That is the only way to describe the Predators effort against the Ottawa Senators at Bridgestone Arena.

After an atrocious first period that saw the Predators surrender goals to Milan Michalek and two to Zach Smith, the last a short handed goal, The Predators battled back to take a wild 7-5 win.

Colton Sissons, called up to replace an injured Paul Gaustad tallied a first period goal to send the Predators into the intermission trailing 3-1.

The Predators came out flying in the second period and notched three straight goals to take a 4-3 lead.

Shea Weber scored on the power play to make it 3-2.

Just 1:34 later, Roman Josi undressed Eric Karlsson with a sweet move a t the blue line, walked in and roofed shot over the shoulder of Craig Anderson to tie the game at 3.

Austin Watson deflected a puck that Seth Jones shot from the blue line to give the Predators a 4-3 lead 54 seconds after the goal by Josi.

Eric Karlsson beat Pekka Rinne for his first goal of the season just 41 seconds after the Watson goal to tie the game at 4.

Curtis Lazar scored with just 52 seconds left in the second period to send the Sens to the locker room with a 5-4 lead.

That lead would not stand up as Mattias Ekholm, Barret Jackman, and Gabriel Bourque all scored in the third period while the Predators held the Senators off the board to secure a win in a game that was more pond hockey than a structured NHL game.

Some observations:

• Big ups to Shea Weber. The Captain recorded his 150th goal and 400th point in his 699th game of his career. Weber has been a steady, physical presence on the blue line and has been a consistent scoring threat throughout his career. And in my humble opinion, there is no way Karlsson should have won his Norris Trophy over Weber two years ago. Karlsson is a one dimensional player that can amass points, but Weber is a complete player that plays well in all situations and can put up points. I'm just saying...
• Big ups to Colton Sisson. He was called up to replace an injured Paul Gaustad and recorded a goal and logged some quality minutes. He was thrown out on the penalty kill as well and was solid.
• How about the Swedish Chef, Gabriel Bourque getting his first goal tonight? Bourque plays hard and it was good to see him get rewarded for his efforts. he went hard to the front of the net and was able to bat in a rebound off the pads of Anderson for the 7th goal of the night.
• Did you notice the scoring tonight? 5 of the 7 Predators goals came from defensemen. This is a talented group of blue liners that play solid defense (on  most nights) but can activate and contribute offensively. I would suggest that this is the best blue line corp in the NHL.
• One could look at the 5 goals allowed and say that Rinne did not have a good night. He wasn't getting much help out front from the skaters in front of him and gave up some goals through traffic. Yet Rinne shut down three break away attempts by the Sens and did make some very good stops during the course of the game.
• I said the effort by the Predators was relentless. Here are the shot totals by period: 12 in the first; 12 in the second; and 14  in the third. 38 total shots. More importantly, the Predators held the Sens to 10, 3, and 14 shots over the three periods. The Sens went 12 minutes in the second period without a shot.
• It was good to see the response by the Predators after a bad first period. The Sens have suffered only one road loss before tonight, and one could see the Sens just choking the life out of the Predators in the final 40 minutes. Instead, the Predators stepped up the intensity and took the attack to their opponent. That is the kind of response that the Predators had to have to secure the win.
• The best line on the ice for the Predators tonight was the 4th line. Bourque (1G-1A), Sissons (1G) and Watson (1G-2A) were major contributors to the win.
• The Predators were better in the face off dot tonight, winning 56% of the draws.
• Shea Weber lead the team in shots (6) and blocks (4). Roman Josi led the team in TOI with 24:38.

This was a wild game that took fans for a ride. It certainly is not the way the coaching staff would draw up a game, but the main take away from this contest is that the Predators battled and turned up the intensity to secure the win. That is heartening and a good sign for this team.

My three stars:

1. Austin Watson

2. Gabriel Bourque

3. Colton Sissons