Predators Drop the Final (Meaningless) Game of the Year to the Stars 3-2

The Nashville Predators finished the regular season with a stop at Dallas to take on the Stars. For the Predators, the game meant nothing. In fact, Pekka Rinne, Mike Ribeiro, Mike Fisher, Shea Weber, and Roman Josi did not make the trip.

The game was certainly meaningful for the Stars, however. Win and they have a chance to clinch the top spot in the Central.

After going up 2-0 on goals by Ryan Ellis and Calle Jarnkrok, the Predators gave up a hat trick to Jason Spezza to fall 3-2.

This game was...blah.

It meant nothing, and the best thing about it was that the Predators got out healthy.

Other than that, just...meh.

Of note, Craig Smith, Filip Forsberg, and James Neal played all 82 games for the Predators.

There is not much else to mention about this game.

A full playoff preview will come next week.

Predators Can't Finish, Fall to the Stars 5-2

The Nashville Predators traveled to Dallas looking to rebound from a lackluster effort the night before in a tough contest with the Stars.

This game would be a good measuring stick for the Predators, not only to see how they would rebound from a bad game but also how they would stack up against the best team in the West.

The Predators would be found wanting.

Ryan Ellis opened the scoring with a short handed goal, a blast past Kari Lehtonen to give the Predators a 1-0 lead.

The Stars would tie the game as the Predators defense completely broke down and lost the Stars Jamie Benn coming over the boards. Benn was sent in on a breakaway and he beat Pekka Rinne 5 hole to tie the game at 1.

The second period saw the Predators crumble, giving up 2 goals in 46 seconds. Radek Faksa scored, beating Ryan Johansen back on defense for an easy tap in. Jason Spezza scored on a shot from the slot to give the Stars a 3-1 lead.

Once again, the Predators had dug a huge hole.

The Predators answered on the power play as Viktor Arvidsson, filling in for the injured Ryan Ellis and getting his first meaningful power play action of the year, blew a shot past Lehtonen to make it 3-2.

A furious rally by the Predators in the third period that saw them hit 3 posts went for naught, as the Stars Patrick Sharp and Jamie Benn hit empty net goals to secure a 5-2 win.


Some observations:

• Mini-me...uh, Ryan Ellis is a small defenseman, but wow, he can crank a slap shot. He absolutely stepped into one to blow the puck past Kari Lehtonen. Ellis is going to lose the physical match up against the bigger, heavy forwards, but he makes up for it with good hockey sense and that aforementioned wickedly hard shot.
• Paul Gaustad returned to the line up after missing 10 games. He skated on the left wing of a line centered by Colton Sissons. folks, enjoy Gaustad's last few games with the Predators. He has been a good soldier, but he will not be back next season.
• What a horrible defensive breakdown by Ellis and Barret Jackman. Completely unaware of the Stars players coming over the boards. Oh yeah, that Stars player coming over the board just happened to be their most dangerous forward, Jamie Benn. Of course, that mistake resulted in a Benn breakaway goal.
• The Predators lost Ellis in the first period as he went down after taking a shot to the head. He played one more shift after the injury and then did not return.
• I continue to like the play of Arvidsson. There is no doubt that the Aardvark has to get strong, but goodness, he has to have one of the biggest hearts on this team. He jumped in and played very well on the power play, not looking out of place at all.
• The push by the Predators in the third period was excellent. The finish was lacking. If the Predators had some puck luck with the post, the outcome might have been different. Coulda, woulda, shoulda.

The Predators brief lapse in the second period cost them another game. This team is good, but against a quality opponent they are not good enough to overcome those lapses.

Let's face it, the remainder of the season is not going to be a cakewalk. This team is going to have to buck up and start playing a full 60 minutes.

Don't back into the playoffs, boys.

My three stars:

1. Jamie Benn

2. Viktor Arvidsson

3. Alex Goligoski

Johansen and Neal Carry the Predators to 4-2 Victory Over the Islanders

The Nashville Predators returned home to the friendly confines of Bridgestone Arena and showed themselves to be less than gracious hosts to the New York Islanders. The Predators dispatched the Islanders 4-2 for their second win in a row and their 4th win in their last 6 games.

James Neal, Ryan Ellis, Ryan Johansen, and Austin Watson (empty netter) tallied for the Predators. Ryan Pulock notched his first NHL goal and Brock Nelson finished the scoring for the Islanders.

Neal and Johansen each had a goal and an assist.

Neal gave the Predators a 1-0 lead going into the first intermission, taking a nice feed from Calle Jarnkrok and burying a shot from the slot past Thomas Greiss.

Pulock tied the game with a shot from the blue line that Pekka Rinne never saw until it hit the back of the net to tie the game.

Ryan Ellis scored with a laser while the Predators were on the power play. Ellis deposited the shot under the crossbar with Mike Fisher in front screening Greiss.

Ryan Johansen took a lead pass from Anthony Bitetto and skated in alone on Greiss. RyJo fired a wicked wrist shot over the glove of Greiss into the top corner to make it 3-1.

Nelson was able to get a shot past Rinne, who got most of the puck but it leaked under his arm and over the goal line to make it 3-2 going into the second intermission.

The only scoring in the third was an empty net goal from Watson with just under a minute remaining.

Some observations:

• Great vision and on ice awareness from Calle Jarnkrok to set up the Predators first goal. He drew three isles defenders to him and was able to spot Neal and hit him with a perfect backhand pass. The Real Deal made no mistakes in whistling a wrist shot past Greiss.
• Neal has been on fire recently, tallying 21 (12G-9A) points in his last 28 games. He has 4 goals in his last 2 games and has recorded at least one point in 10 of his last 11 games against the Islanders (7G-9A). 
• With 2 points tonight, Neal now has 398 career points.
• The Predators took no penalties tonight.
• The Islanders took one penalty for the game, and the Predators power play converted (huge sigh of relief) on their opportunity with the man advantage.
• The Predators are 12-7-2 all time against the Islanders. They are 8-3-0 against the Isles at Bridgestone Arena.
• Both goalies made some very good saves tonight. Rinne had to scramble in the second period as the Islanders stepped up their game and brought some good pressure. I can't fault him on the Pulock goal that made its way through a maze of bodies, but the Nelson goal should have never happened. Greiss faced considerably more pressure than Rinne in the first period especially, and he made some very good saves, including a spectacular save on a Ryan Ellis backhand from the slot.
• The Predators offense never stopped coming, though. The Ellis goal was a blast just under the crossbar. Johansen's goal was a pure goal scorer's goal, over the glove and into the top corner. I like the fact that the Predators keep coming with the pressure. This is the formula for success for this team.
• The Predators did an exceptional job most of the night of disrupting the Isles breakouts. Their forecheck and pressure in the neutral zone negated the speed of the Islanders and made it difficult for their potent offense to find rhythm and space. How effective were they? They held the Islanders to 2 shots on goal in the third period, and for the game, they out shot the Islanders 32-22.
• The Predators have 1 regulation loss in their last 17 games (11-1-5).

This was a solid win against a very good team. It should give the Predators confidence that they can own the ice at home. They will need to do so if they are to have continued success.

The Predators improved to 36-22-13, good for 85 points. They are 4th in the Central and sit 3 points behind the Blackhawks for 3rd.

They will get an opportunity to close that gap tomorrow night in Washington.

My three stars:

1. Ryan Johansen

2. James Neal

3. Ryan Ellis 

Predators Continue Their Futility In OT, Fall to the Kings 2-1

The Nashville Predators and the Los Angeles Kings have played 7 consecutive 1 goal games.

Make it 8.

The Kings capitalized on the poor play of the Predators in overtime to take a 2-1 win at Bridgestone Arena.

Jake Muzzin staked the Kings to a 1-0 lead in the first period as his seeing eye shot from the blue line got cleanly through a maze of bodies to find the back of the net behind Pekka Rinne.

Ryan Ellis tied the game with time winding down in the first period and the Predators on the power play. Ellis gathered in a loose puck at the side of the net and chipped the puck past Jonathan Quick to knot the game at 1.

The next 40 minutes saw both teams attack and counter attack to no avail as both Rinne and Quick were solid in net. The Predators best chance to take the lead came early in the third period as Filip Forsberg hit the post from in close.

Even after 60 minutes, the Predators headed to overtime, where they have been abysmal this season.

They continued that trend, as 2 Predators defenders ran into each other, allowing Tanner Pearson a clean shot that beat Rinne just 1:18 into the extra frame for a 2-1 Kings victory.

Some observations:

• Rinne has elevated his game in his last two starts. He has allowed 1 goal in 120 minutes of regulation, and I can't really fault him for either goal. the first was through a lot of traffic and the OT winner was off a defensive breakdown. If Rinne can continue to play at this level, the Predators will have a good chance to win most nights.
• The Predators power play has struggled mightily. Yes, I know our goal came off the man advantage, but the power play was 1-6 tonight and rarely threatened Quick. The Predators power play has fallen back into the mode of not moving and creating space and is way too static. This makes it easier for the opponent to defend, and the Kings did a very good job of that tonight. The man advantage unit is going to have to get more urgency and energy if they are going to be successful.
• The ineptness of the Predators in OT is ludicrous. The team is now 1-10 in OT, and think of the separation this team could have over the trams chasing them in the standings if they were even .500 in OT. It is obvious that this team has not worked on the 3 on 3 format. They look lost and have no offensive threat. Defensively, they are a Keystone Cops unit. This has to improve, but it very well may be that their play in OT will cost them for the post season.
• This is the second OT loss to the Kings this season having lost 4-3 in L.A. October 31.

There is not much to say about this game. Well, yes there is.

It was a playoff caliber game, and the Predators matched the physicality of the Kings, out skated for the most, and created some chances.

They were also frustrating beyond measure with their poor play on the power play and in OT.

Good teams adjust their game and make positive things happen on the power play and in OT, something the Predators haven't done.

Until that changes, they will continue to be frustrating and will give away points.

My three stars:

1. Tanner Pearson

2. Pekka Rinne

3. Jonathan Quick

Predators Fail to Show Up Again, Drop Another Game to the Hawks 4-1

The Nashville Predators played a measuring stick game against the Chicago Blackhawks at Bridgestone Arena.

They failed miserably.

The Predators never really threatened Chicago netminder Corey Crawford as they were generally loath to go to the front of the net. Content to shoot from outside, Crawford had a fairly easy night, stopping 38 of 39 shots on the way to backstopping a Hawks 4-1 win.

Ryan Ellis got the only goal of the night for the Predators on a shot, imagine this, from the point.

Artem Anisimov, Richard Panik. and Patgrick Kane all scored at even strength. Andrew Desjardin added an empty net goal for the final margin.

Some observations:

• Winning hockey is (generally speaking) equal parts skill, will, and playing a sound system. The Predators have improved their skill, although the skill on this roster id frustratingly inconsistent. The system is breaking down as the Predators have had too many defensive breakdowns in this funk, and tonight defensive breakdowns cost the Predators (more on that in a moment). The area that is glaringly lacking in my opinion is the will. This team lacks snarl and an attitude that they will not be denied the prime scoring areas of the ice. Instead, the Preds are content to look pretty and shoot from the point. The results of that style of play has been the 2 month downturn that this team is experiencing. They have played themselves out of the playoff picture because they are not playing hard, determined hockey.
• It is up to the coaching staff and the leadership of this team to change the direction. Continuing to play the style of hockey that they are currently playing will continue to frustrate the team and their fans and they will not improve. This team is going to have to commit to play hard hockey, and if they don't, the remainder of the season will be on that is incredibly frustrating.
• Head Coach Peter Laviolette is prone to mixing up his lines. This throwing players in a blender approach has been, again in  my opinion, counterproductive. Chemistry is not where it should be, and that is manifesting itself in the lack of production from the forwards. Passes are not connecting and the inability to pressure the net is in part due to this constant changing of line combinations.
• The Hawks first goal came because the Predators were too loose and casual with the puck. Failing to clear the zone, they turned it over and hung Pekka Rinne out to dry. Kane's goal came on a defensive breakdown when he got behind the defense for a breakaway. These are the kinds of errors that good teams make rarely. The Predators are making these kinds of mistakes consitently and it is resulting in the puck winding up in the back of our net.
• I really like Pekka Rinne. For years, this team has relied on him to make amazing saves and clean up their mistakes. Rinne has been pedestrian at best this season and has not made the saves that he has in the past. I don't know the reason, but unless he can elevate his game, the Predators are in really big trouble.
• The inability of the forwards to generate any kind of consistent pressure on Crawford is troubling. Sometimes, it is necessary to simplify the game and drive the net, and this is something that the Predators forwards have not shown a willingness to do. Again, this aspect of their game has to change or this season will continue to spiral down the drain.

This was a troubling loss in my estimation. Troubling because the Predators failed to adjust their game to attack the net. Troubling because there was no elevation of their game.

Troubling because the Predators are fast seeing their season slip away.

My three stars:

1. Patrick Kane

2. Artemi Panarin

3. Ryan Ellis

Predators Sloppy Play Dooms Them in 5-3 Loss to the Avalanche

Ryan Johansen was on the ice for his much anticipated debut for the Nashville Predators as they traveled to the Pepsi Center to take on the Colorado Avalanche.

While there is much anticipation about the appearance of a legitimate number one for the Predators, the importance of this game for the Predators shouldn't be lost.

The Predators hold the last wild card slot in the West, with 45 points. Colorado sits right behind them with 43 points. Patrick Roy, Head Coach of the Avalanche, called this game a "playoff game" and that only served to emphasize the importance of this game.

In a game as important as this to the Predators, their play was horrendously sloppy. They took 6 penalties and gave up 2 power play goals.

The Predators wasted a strong debut by Johansen with an abundance of penalties and sloppy play on the way to dropping a critical game by a 5-3 score.

Johansen made his presence felt immediately with the Predators on the power play. He held the puck before roofing a shot over the shoulder of Semyon Varlamov into a very small space for a Predators 1-0 lead. That was the Predators first shot of the game, and it was beautiful to see the finish and placement on that attempt.

The Avs evened the game on a power play of their own as they outnumbered the Predators down low and Jerome Iginla was able to gather in a rebound and slam it past Pekka Rinne.

The Predators got trapped in their zone late in the period and couldn't clear the puck. The turnover committed by the Predators resulted in a goal by Cody McLeod to make it 2-1.

Ryan Ellis tied the game at 2:45 of the second period with a wrist shot from the face off circle.

The Avs broke that tie as the Predators gave up a 2 on 1 and Gabriel Landeskog buried the shot to make it 3-2.

Once again, the Predators bounced back to tie the game on a wrist shot by Filip Forsberg from the slot. Johansen would pick up an assist on the play.

Tyson Barrie would break the tie with the Avs once again on the power play as he blasted a shot from the high slot to make it 4-3. On the play, Paul Gaustad's stick had broken, and he tried to get a new one from the bench. That decision left Barrie open for the shot.

And that was certainly not a good decision.

Jack Skille iced the game with an empty net goal with 1.4 seconds remaining on the clock for a 5-3 Avs win.


Some observations:

• Johansen opened the game on a line with James Neal and Colin Wilson. 
• My goodness, that first goal by Johansen showed what an elite finisher can do. He fit that shot into an extremely small window. That goal was a goal scorers goal, something the Predators have been lacking.
• Anthony Bitetto was in the line up and paired with Barret Jackman on the third D pair. 
• With the arrival of Johansen, players moved down in lines. Calle Jarnkrok centered the second line with Filip Forsberg and Mike Ribeiro on the wings. Mike Fisher centered the third line with Craig Smith and Miikka Salomaki on the wings.
• The Avalanche opened the game with lots of jump, in fact more than the Predators, which forced the Predators into three penalties in the period. The Predators got lucky in that the Avs wiped out one of their power plays with a penalty on the opening face off of the second Preds penalty. 
• The Predators defense has broken down numerous times recently, and they continued that trend again tonight. Part of this was the pressure that the Avs forecheck put on the Preds defense; part of it was that the Avs outskated the Predators for much of the game. These uncharacteristic breakdowns have cost the Predators as more often than not, the puck is finding the back of the net.
• Midway of the game, Filip Forsberg moved up to the first line with James Neal and Johansen. That lined combined for the Predators third goal of the game. they had several shifts together before Wilson rejoined that line early early in the third period.
• The undisciplined play of the Predators cost them this game. The Avs outworked the Predators all over the ice and forced them into taking way too many penalties. And the Avs have an excellent power play and they burned the Predators when they went down a man. This is the kind of play that this team cannot overcome.
• Austin Watson had a tough game, recording only 5:50 in ice time and was a -2 for the night.
• Anthony Bitetto logged 12;20 in ice time and was even +/- for the night.

The Predators looked like a team that didn't have a sense of the importance of this game. As it is, by continuing to fail to take care of business, they now find themselves tied with the Avalanche for the last playoff spot.

And if the Predators continue to struggle and play inconsistently, they won't be tied for long.

They will be on the outside looking in.

My three stars:

1. Ryan Johansen

2. Tyson Barrie

3. Carl Soderberg

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 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

Avalanche Outwork and Outlast the Predators 3-2

The good start that the Predators wanted in their game against the Colorado Avalanche at Bridgestone Arena didn't happen.

A first period saw the Predators outworked all over the ice and trailing to the Avalanche leading 2-0 before Miikka Salomaki tipped home a Ryan Ellis shot  with 7.7 seconds remaining to send the Predators into the intermission trailing 2-1.

Francois Beauchemin scored on the power play on a perfectly placed shot just inside the post on a screened Pekka Rinne for a 1-0 Avalanche lead.

Just 5 seconds after the Predators had killed a second penalty, the Avs scored again as Nick Holden took a perfect pass from Alex Tanguay on a 2 on 1 break to give the visitors a 2-0 lead.

Salomaki was in the hard area at the side of the net when he tipped home a shot from Ellis to make it 2-1.

The second period was scoreless as the Predators out shot the Avs 10-1 but could not get a puck past Semyon Varlamov.

The Predators tied the game just 58 seconds into the third period as Craig Smith beat Varlamov cleanly with a shot from the point.

The Avs scored the game winner by sending a lot of bodies to the net and Andreas Martinsen was able to bat the puck past Rinne for the game winner.

Some observations:

• The Predators struggled with the Avs trap all night long. They were disrupted trying to get through the neutral zone and were often forced to just dump the puck in the zone. Unfortunately, the Predators rarely retrieved the puck in the zone and the Avs gained possession on most of those plays. The Avs also did a very good job of outworking the Predators along the boards and winning puck battles all night. This forced the Preds to chase the puck all night.
• On the Avs game winning goal, there were lots of bodies going to the net. This is something that the Predators do not do consistently, and it results in a lot of shots that the opposing netminder is able to play cleanly. Until this changes, the Predators can shoot all they want but they will rarely challenge the net.
• The Predators PK continues to misfire. They gave up a goal on their first kill as Rinne was screened and could not react to the shot. The Avs second goal came just after a PK as the Predators seemed discombobulated and allowed the Avs a break down the ice. This unit, which looked very good against Chicago, has got to get consistent.
• Speaking of consistent, the Predators have not won back to back games in over a month. This team plays lights out (Chicago) and then comes out flat and struggles like they did tonight. The lack of consistency is troubling.
• The Predators got traffic to the net and almost tied the game late in the third period. They hit two posts and a crossbar as Varlamov was scrambling. The difference in this late sequence was that the Predators did a good job of getting traffic in front of Varlamov, some they did not do consistently (there's that word again) for most of the game.
• Salomaki's goal was his second of his career.
• Nashville has won only 2 games this season when trailing after two periods. another facet of their performance that has to improve.

Face it, the Predators are a team that has lost their consistency. Win one, lose one (or more). Whether it is a matter of focus or missing injured players, the inconsistency is problematic for this team.

And the Predators cannot be dropping games to teams below them in the standings.

Keep doing that and it will be a very long season.

My three stars:

1. Semyon Varlamov

2. Andreas Martinsen

3. Miikka Salomaki

• 
  

Predators Dominate the Ducks 5-1

The Nashville Predators continued their torrid start to the season, running their record to 6-1 with a 5-1 pounding of the Anaheim Ducks at Bridgestone Arena.

After a scoreless first period that had the feel of two heavyweights getting a feel for each other, the Predators exploded for 3 second period goals to take a 3-0 lead going into the final frame.

Eric Nystrom was the beneficiary of strong play by Austin Watson to notch the first goal of the game. Nystrom took a pass from Watson and drove to the front of the net and beat Anton Khudobin to get the Predators on the board.

Ryan Ellis blasted a puck past Khudobin off a pass from Mike Ribeiro to make it 2-0. Ellis was able to fit the puck into a small opening as Khudobin was moving across his crease.

Mike Ribeiro made it 3-0 just after a Ducks power play had ended as Ribeiro's pass was blocked right back to him and he snuck the shot between the pad of Khudobin and the post.

The Predators didn't take their foot off the gas in the third period. ryan Ellis broke into the zone and slid a pass to Mattias Ekholm, who absolutely blew a shot past Khudobin to make it 4-0.

The Ducks scored on the power play as Jiri Sekac was left alone cruising down the slot and he beat Pekka Rinne to make it 4-1.

After the Ducks resorted to form and ran Rinne and go to the penalty kill, Colin Wilson roofed a laser under the crossbar to make it 5-1 and snuff out any possibility of the Ducks making a late ru n.

Some observations:

• Ryan Ellis, Mattias Ekholm, Mike Ribeiro, and Colin Wilson all tallied their first goal of the season. these guys, especially Wilson and Ribeiro, need to start finding the back of the net and hopefully this will be the start of a scoring run for them.
• James Neal picked up an assist tonight. With that point, neal tied his longest point streak as a Predator (4 games). Neal has 5 goals and 3 assists in his last 4 games.
• The three point night by Ellis (1G-2A) was the second three point game of his career. The last came October 21, 2014 against Arizona.
• Mike Ribeiro had a 3 point night with a goal and 2 assists. Ribeiro has dropped down to center the second line, while Mike Fisher has moved up to center the top line of Neal and Filip Forsberg. This move by the coaching staff has paid dividends for the Predators as both lines have really been going.
• The Predators have scored the first goal of the game in all 7 contests this year.
• The Predators have scored at least 3 goals in 5 straight games.
• The Predators have not allowed a first period goal this season.
• It was good to see the Predators play a full 60 minutes tonight. While the Ducks have struggled early this season, there is no doubt they are talented and can be explosive. The Predators kept the Ducks off balance throughout the game, and more importantly, kept up the pressure in the offensive zone and attacked the net. This is how this team has to play, especially as they get into their contests in the division.
• Shea Weber led the Predators in TOI with 22:58. This is about 6 minutes less than his usual amount of ice time, and is a tribute to Barret Jackman and Seth Jones, who are eating up some ice time.
• Austin Watson's assist on Nystrom's goal was his first assist of his career.
• Mike Fisher is one point from tying Marek Zidlicky for 15th on the Predators all time point s list. Fisher has 174 points.
• Pekka Rinne made 27 saves on the night, and shut the door on the Ducks any time they tried to mount a concerted attack. The lone goal by the Ducks was a defensive breakdown on the penalty kill as the Predators left Sekac alone in the slot, leaving Rinne with no chance to stop the shot.
• The power play goal by Sekac was the Ducks first power play goal of the season.

The Predators showed that when they play a complete game, they are awfully hard to beat. It was good to see contributions from several players that needed to get going, ad if they can do that consistently, the Predators are going to challenge in the West.

My three stars:

1. Ryan Ellis

2. Mike Ribeiro

3. Pekka Rinne

Predators Defeat the Senators 4-3 In A Shoot Out

The Nashville Predators wrapped up a three game road trip with a stop in Canada's capital to take on the Ottawa Senators.

Pekka Rinne got his first night off of the season and Carter Hutton was between the pipes for the Predators, while the Senators had Craig Anderson in net.

James Neal staked the Predators to a 1-0 first period lead on the power play as he took the puck from behind the net and beat Anderson to the far post.

That lead lasted all of 15 seconds of the second period as Mark Stone skated alone in the slot and beat Hutton with a backhand to tie the game at 1. A defensive breakdown left Stone by his lonesome in front of the net and he beat Hutton with a well placed shot.

Mike Hoffman made it 2-1 by beating Hutton with an unscreened shot from just inside the blue. This is a goal that Hutton cannot give up, one  that he has shown an annoying tendency to give up too frequently.

The Predators showed some life as Craig Smith tied the game at 2 with a snap shot from the slot that beat Anderson over the blocker.

James Neal broke the tie at 11:36 of the third period scoring again on the power play.

Mike Hoffman tied the game at 16:28 of the third period with a long shot from just inside of the blue line (again).

And so for the first time this season, the Predators would participate in 3 on 3 overtime.

After a scoreless overtime, the teams headed to a shootout.

In the shoot out, Bobby Ryan scored for the Senators, while Filip Forsberg and James Neal scored to seal the win for the Predators.

Some observations:

• James Neal scored his second goal in as many games. Neal is a streaky scorer, and it would be good to see Neal get a hot streak going. Neal would add another power play goal midway of the third period.
• Once again, the Predators had a second period nap. The Predators went almost 10 minutes with just one shot on net. This is something that plagued the Predators last season and appears to have carried over to this season as well. We have seen this type of play in every game this season except the Islanders game. It is inexplicable and more often than not, the good teams are going to make the Predators pay for their lapses.
• Carter Hutton is consistent. Consistent in getting beaten by a long shot that is unscreened. Ugh.
• Ryan Ellis took a shot off the inside of his knee halfway through the third period and did not return to the game.
•  I gotta tell you, Hutton is frustrating. He battles and makes some very good saves but he also allows goals that never should occur, notably long shots from the blue line that are unscreened. 
• Roman Josi is quietly proficient on the ice. He is so smooth with the puck but an underrated aspect of his game is his defensive presence. Josi logs big minutes with his partner, Shea Weber, against the best forwards of the opposition and is rarely caught out of position. Josi is deceptively strong and does a good job of winning puck and positional battles. Josi picked up 2 assists in the game.
• The second period lapse really showed up in the shot totals, as the Sens out shot the Predators 41-25.
• The Predators blocked 21 shots.
• Josi led all Predators with 29:05 TOI.
• It is good to see the Predators power play becoming more productive this season. The Predators were 2 for 6 with the man advantage, both goals coming from Neal.
• The Predators penalty kill has been strong this season, and they were again tonight, killing both of the Sens power plays.

This was a big win for the Predators. Not their best game, but they kept battling and fought back to secure the win in the shoot out.

Sometimes (most of the time for this team) you have to win ugly.

But win nevertheless.

My three stars:

1. James Neal

2. Mike Hoffman

3. Roman Josi

Predators Use High Energy First Period to Defeat the Hurricanes

The Nashville Predators opened their season with a dominant first period highlighted by goals from Craig Smith and Viktor Arvidsson to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 in front of a sellout crowd at Bridgestone Arena.

Eric Staal scored the Canes lone goal at 18:20 of the third period when his shot toward the net caromed off the skate of Shea Weber and into the net.

Pekka Rinne was solid and made some good saves, stopping 25 of 26 shots. Cam Ward took the loss for the Hurricanes as he stopped 23 of 25 shots.

The Predators out skated and out worked the Hurricanes in the first period, dominating offensive zone time and shots, out shooting the visitors 14-5.

With the Predators on the power play, Craig Smith took a slap pass from Ryan Ellis and redirected the puck between the pads of Ward for a 1-0 lead.

Viktor Arvidsson went to the front of the net and deflected a shot from Seth Jones for his first NHL goal and a 2-0 Predators lead.

The Predators got some push back from the Canes in the second and third period as Carolina started to control the puck and pinned the Predators in the defensive zone for long stretches at a time. Rinne made some good saves to keep Carolina off the board until the deflected Stall shot late in the third period.

Some observations:

• Viktor Arvidsson went to the hard area in front of the net to get the deflection and his first goal. I really liked the way Arvidsson played, and although a smaller player, did not shy away from contact, was strong on the wall, and showed a willingness to go to the front of the net. And how about that celebration after his goal? I loved the enthusiasm and exuberance.
• Craig Smith played with his usual hustle and energy. He just looks more mature and confident on the ice. He scored the first goal tonight, and for you trivia fans, also scored the first goal of the season last year.
• Seth Jones had a strong game, picking up 2 assists. Last season, Jones did not have a multi assist game all year. Jones made some good decisions with the puck and was positionally sound in the defensive zone.
• What Barret Jackman brings to this team can be summarized in one play. A shot went to the net and Rinne was trying to cover the puck. Eric Staal was poking around for the puck when Jackman cleaned him out of the front of the net and pinned him to the ice. He was paired with Seth Jones and Jones seemed very comfortable with Jackman as his D partner. Jackman is not flashy, but he is solid and tough and takes care of the defensive end very well. He was a good pick up by David Poile in the off season.
• Pekka Rinne is looking like his usual solid self. Good glove, great positioning, and amazing reflexes. He did a good job of thwarting the Canes when they were pressing in the last 40 minutes, and this team is going to need that kind of play from him this season.
• I have to say that the eye test shows this team has lots of talent and speed. The eye test also reveals that this team cannot let off the gas, because good teams will make the Predators pay for not playing for a full 60 minutes. The Hurricanes out shot the Predators 21-11 over the final 40 minutes, a trend that cannot continue throughout the season.
• The Predators are 4-1-1 in their last 6 home openers.
• Shea Weber led the Predators in TOI with 23:07, showing no ill effects after off season surgery
• Roman Josi led the team with 5 blocked shots.

The Predators showed flashes of how good they can be in this opener. There is lots of talent on this team. Now they need to put it together for 60 minutes.

My three stars:

1. Viktor Arvidsson

2. Pekka Rinne

3. Seth Jones

Predators In a Deep Hole, Fall to the Blackhawks 3-2 in Triple OT.

The Nashville Predators trail the Chicago Blackhawks in their first round series by a 2-1 margin. To say that game Four at the United Center was a huge game for the Predators is an understatement of Brobdingnagian proportions.

A spirited and fast paced first period saw both teams go to the locker room having tallied once.

Colin Wilson redirected a Ryan Ellis shot past Scott Darling with the Predators on the power play to give the Predators a 1-0 lead.

The Hawks answered with a shot that was redirected by Antoine Vermette to knot the game at 1. Vermette's goal was his first of the series.

James Neal got his first goal of the playoffs as he corralled a loose puck and slid it off the skate of Duncan Keith and past Darling to give the Predators a 2-1 lead late in the second period.

Brandon Saad was left all alone in the slot and he blasted a puck past Pekka Riine to tie the game at 2 midway of the third period.

With neither team able to score in the remainder of the period, the teams went to overtime for the second time in this series.

These teams must really like playing each other, because the first OT wasn't enough to decide the game. For the second time in four games, the Predators and Hawks would go to double overtime.

Guess what?

That wasn't enough hockey for these two teams either.

Off to triple overtime.

And in the triple OT session, Brent Seabrook ended 1 minute in with a shot that eluded Rinne to give the Blackhawks a 3-2 victory. Rinne was screened by Brian Bickell on the shot from the blue line and he never saw the shot until it went in the net.


Some observations:

• Kevin Fiala saw his first post season action. Taylor Beck was scratched to make room for Fiala. Fiala is the 6th youngest player in League history to play in the post season. Fiala started the game on a line with Calle Jarnkrok and James Neal.
• Colin Wilson got the tip in front off the Ryan Ellis shot for his 4th goal of the series. Wilson has come alive in the post season, and this is obviously good for the Predators. Wilson went to the hard area in front of the net on the power play and was rewarded for his efforts. This is the kind of play the Predators need to consistently see from Wilson and it is good to see him step up on the big stage. Wilson goal came on the power play, and he has 3 of his 4 goals on the man advantage.
• The Predators iced a depleted line up without Shea Weber and Mike Fisher, two big losses for the team. Regardless, I liked the hustle and the effort of the Predators. The Blackhawks are clearly a more talented team, but the Predators didn't back down in the face of a hostile crowd or the pressure of the Hawks. The young players on the ice had to grow up quickly, and they did just that.
• Viktor Stalberg has played a solid series against the Hawks. We are seeing flashes of his skill and he is not afraid to throw the body around. I would really like to see Stalberg live up to his potential in these playoffs and in the coming season.
• James Neal notched his first goal of the playoffs, and it was good to see him get on the score sheet. Neal played a solid game all night, hustling, hitting, and fighting for the puck. This is the kind of play the Predators need from Neal if they are going to win this series.
• Two Predator players that stood out to me in this game were Gabby Bourque and Ryan Ellis. Bourque was a demon on the forecheck and was physical all night. Bourque doesn't often find the score sheet, but he plays with heart and passion, and I love that about his game. The mini-me D man, Ellis, also had a strong game. He was directly responsible for the Predators first goal, getting his shot from the point to the net. Ellis lacks size, but he is a very smart player and uses his hockey smarts to get into position in the offensive and defensive zone and generates a lot of offense from the blue line.
• The Hawks are a dangerous team throughout their line up and they made the Predators pay on Brandon Saad's goal. The defense was drawn to the puck carrier and Saad was alone in the high slot. His shot was blistered past Rinne and was perfectly placed inside the post.
•  While Rinne has struggled in this series, his save on Marian Hossa with about 5 seconds remaining in regulation was amazing. It was a beauty of a stop that Predator fans have become used to seeing to keep the Predators in a game.
• And Rinne made some great stops in overtime as well. This team really needs Rinne to get his mojo back, and hopefully those quality saves will help his confidence.
• I have seen pucks get lost in equipment before, but the one that got lost in Rinne's gear stayed hidden for about as long as I have seen a puck stay lost.
• Fatigue really played a factor as the OT sessions wore on. On the Seabrook game winner, no one attempted to move Bickell out of front of Rinne and the screen was perfect for the shot to sneak through.

The Predators competed and competed well, but they were not good enough to win this game. They had their chances but let the Hawks hang around and capture a critical win.

Their backs are really against the wall. Can they fight back and extend this series or will it be a disappointing first round exit?

We will find out what the team is made of Thursday night.

My three stars:

1. Brent Seabrook

2. Colin Wilson

3. Scott Darling

Predators Blow Golden Opportunity, Choke Against the Avs

The Colorado Avalanche are out of the playoffs. The Nashville Predators are firmly ensconced in a playoff position.

That didn't mean the Predators game against the Avalanche had the Pepsi Center had no meaning.

A Predators win, coupled with a loss by the St. Louis Blues in their game tonight against Winnipeg, would move the Predators back into the top spot in the Central Division.

St. Louis (and Chicago) complied as they lost their games tonight.

The table was set for the Predators to feast on the Avs and pick up an important two points.

Instead, the Predators choked.

Big time.

After a Calle Jarnkrok goal gave the Predators a 1-0 in a dominant first period, the Predators took just 9 seconds to puke up the lead to the Avs.

Mattias Ekholm fell in the defensive zone, creating a turnover. Jerome Iginla hammered a puck past Pekka Rinne to tie the game. 9 seconds later, Ryan O'Reilly blasted a shot from the slot past Rinne to give the Avs a 2-1 lead.

The Predators tied the game at 2 on a Ryan Ellis power play goal, a rocket from the blue line, and looked to have taken the lead when Roman Josi scored 18 seconds later but the goal was diallowed on a weak incidental contact call on Paul Gaustad as he skated past Semyon Varlamov.

The Predators once again gave up the lead as Joey Hishon scored his first NHL goal with a wrist shot that beat Rinne cleanly.

The Predators pulled Rinne with 1:36 to go in the game, but the Predators couldn't solve Varlamov and went down to a horrific and disappointing loss by a 3-2 margin.

Some observations:

• Paul Gaustad returned to the line up after being injured by a cheap shot from alex Burrows in the Vancouver game. Mike Santorelli was scratched for the second consecutive game. 
• I really like this trend of the Predators scoring first. It certainly beats having to fight your way back into a game. Now if we can just learn to hold a lead.
• The Predators once again show the disquieting trend of being unable to hold a lead. Whether it's being too cautious, lacking intensity, or just plain bad luck, the Predators have shown an inability in the last quarter of this season to hold onto a lead. I am at a loss to explain it, but this lack of intensity and failure to elevate their play has been the bane of the Predators over the last 20 games. This trend is one that will spell immense trouble for the Predators in the playoffs.
• To be successful in the playoffs, you have to have secondary scoring. The line of Viktor Stalberg, Matt Cullen, and Calle Jarnkrok, running as the third line, has played with a lot of jump and has created some good scoring opportunities. You can't overstimate the play of Cullen. He drives this line and having him healthy and producing is a huge plus for the Predators.
• While I don't think anyone could have stopped the Iginla goal, the next two goals given up by Rinne were pucks that were stoppable, and he has to stop those if this team is going to win games. We are so used to seeing Rinne play at an elite level, and he has for so much of the season. He is now playing at a good level, and that is a problem for this team.
• The coaches and players both have talked about hitting another gear and getting playoff ready. I don't see the Predators have another gear. If you can't step up and take care of business against a team that is out of the playoff hunt, if you can't lock down a game, perhaps you don't have another gear. Playoffs are about elevating your level of play, and the Predators have shown they can't elevate their compete level and win critical games.
• The Predators out shot the Avs 42-23. while Varlamov played an outstanding game, the Predators had a lot of very good opportunities where they couldn't finish. Again, this team has struggled to finish and it is only going to get harder to do so in the playoffs.

The Predators had a golden opportunity to re-take the lead in the Central and didn't have the heart to do that.

And this scares me for this team come playoff time.

My three stars:

1. Semyon Varlamov

2. Joey Hishon

3. Calle Jarnkrok

Predators Can't Finish, Fall to the Stars In OT

There is no doubt the Nashville Predators are going to make the playoffs.

The question is where will they be seeded.

Tied for first in the Central Division, and with 4 games remaining, every point is precious to the Predators.

The Predators threw away a point for the second consecutive game as they fell to the Dallas Stars 4-3 in overtime at Bridgestone Arena. The Stars scored the game winner by Cody Eakin on a penalty shot. Eakin was awarded the shot after Mattias Ekholm slashed the stick out of Eakin's hand on a breakaway.

Eakin beat Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne 5 hole for the winner.

The Predators got out to a 1-0 lead after Filip Forsberg recorded his 24th goal of the year. Forsberg gathered in a deflected Ekholm shot and quickly deposited the puck past Stars netminder Jonas Enroth.

The Stars scored the next three goals. Travis Moen wristed a shot from the slot past Rinne to tie the game at 1. Tyler Seguin gave the Stars a 2-1 lead with a power play goal. Colton Sceviour made it 3-1 early in the third period.

The Predators began a furious rally to force overtime. Ryan Ellis scored from the slot off a nice pass from Forsberg. James Neal scored on a short side snipe from the faceoff circle to tie the game with 1:56 remaining.

That set up Eakin's goal on the penalty shot. On the play, he split Ekholm and Ellis and had a breakaway, forcing Ekholm to desperately dive and slash the stick out of his hand.

Some observations:

• The Predators defense was outstanding at times, shutting down the Stars attack, and at others was incredibly leaky. Besides Eakin's breakaway in overtime, the Predators also gave up a breakaway to Tyler Seguin. Rinne got just enough of the shot to cause it to hit the post. Moen's goal came from out-muscling Ellis to get position in the low slot for a point blank shot.
• Ellis had a nice goal, but he struggled against the bigger forwards for the Stars. As mentioned, Moen used his size to get position in the low slot and Ellis was pushed around quite a bit by Valeri Nichuskin. Ellis has third pairing minutes that protects him to some degree, but when he is caught on the ice against first line players from the other team, he is vulnerable.
• Paging Colin Wilson...paging Colin Wilson. Wilson has now gone 19 games without a goal, and the Predators desperately need him to find his scoring touch again.
• Shea Weber, James Neal, and Matt Cullen returned to the line up after missing games due to injury.
• Mike Ribeiro picked up his 500th career assist on the goal by James Neal.
• Forsberg now has 61 points (24G-37A) in his rookie season. His 24 goals leads the Predators.
• Two players really stood out for me (besides the guys that scored) for the Predators: Mike Fisher and Gabriel Bourque. Both played with a high level of intensity throughout the game  and were beasts in all zones. Bourque picked up an assist and both he and Fisher were excellent on the penalty kill. These guys go to the hard areas and battle all night long.
• I just don't understand our power play. There is continued difficulty getting in the zone and no movement and creativity when (if) they get the puck in the zone. The power play is connecting at 16.6%, and only one other playoff bound team (Anaheim) is ranked below them (16.4%). This is going to be a problem for the Predators in the playoffs.
• The Predators out shot the Stars 36-24, but many of those shots were from the point with no traffic in front of Enroth. Make no mistake, Enroth made some good saves, but when the Predators were pressing and getting traffic to the net, they created quality scoring chances that gave Enroth trouble.The Predators need to do more of that to be successful.
• The Predators are 3-0-1 against the Stars and close out the season with their final game in Dallas.
• How big are the points the Predators are giving away? The Preds have 104 points; St. Louis has 103; and Chicago has 102. St. Louis and Chicago play each other tomorrow.

The Predators need points to secure home ice in the first round of the playoffs. Giving away points like they have in the last two games continues their trend in the final 25% of the season of playing mediocre hockey. The inability to match the intensity of desperate teams does not bode well for the Predators in the playoffs because that is nothing but desperate hockey.

It would certainly be good to see the Predators finish their last 3 regular season games clicking on all cylinders.

Right now, they are sputtering.

My three stars:

1. Jonas Enroth

2. Filip Forsberg

3. Cody Eakin 

Predators Clinch Playoff Spot With 4-3 Win Over the Capitals, and Scenes From the Road

The Nashville Predators were looking to continue their winning ways going into their game with the Washington Capitals at the Verizon Center.

The task was going to be a bit more difficult as Shea Weber was out of the line up and called day to day with the dreaded "lower body injury".

The Predators proved they were up to the task, scoring 3 first period goals on the way to a 4-3 victory.

Moments after killing off a 55 second 5 on 3 advantage for the Caps, Mattias Ekholm, who was one of the Preds in the box, took a puck that was muffed by Curtis Glencross at the Capitals blue line and beat Braden Holtby with a sweet backhand shot to give the Predators a 1-0 lead.

Mike Fisher made it 2-0 with a wrist shot through traffic.

The Capitals former first round pick, Filip Forsberg drilled a wrist shot past Holtby for a 3-0 first period lead and that ended the afternoon for Holtby. He was lifted for Justin Peters after giving up 3 goals on 13 shots.

The Caps scored just 19 seconds into the second period as the Predators got scrambly in their end and Troy Brouwer lifted a puck over a fallen Pekka Rinne.

Brouwer would score a short handed goal as Forsberg made a blind drop pass in the neutral zone that Brower picked off and beat Rinne low to the stick side.

Mike Ribeiro gave the Predators a 4-2 lead after Forsberg won a battle on the wall and passed to Ribeiro in the low slot. He redirected it past Peters to give the Predators some breathing room.

That goal was the game winner because the Caps stormed out and scored just 20 seconds into the third period to make it 4-3. Mike Green scored from the blue line through traffic to cut the lead to 1 and increase exponentially the pucker factor of every Preds fan.

Rinne and the defense were able to shut the door on the Caps to secure the win and a playoff spot. The Predators have now won 4 straight games, including 3 over Eastern Conference playoff contenders (Montreal, Tampa Bay, and Washington).

Some observations:

• With Weber out of the line up, the defensive pairings were: roman Josi and Seth Jones; Mattias Ekholm and Cody Franson; and Anton Volchenkov and Ryan Ellis. The blueliners were very good today, and I have to give kudos to Volchenkov and Ellis in particular. They got caught several times with Ovechkin's line on the ice and handled themselves very well. And what can you say about Roman Josi? He handled some tough minutes and continues to impress with his poise, solid play, and ability to move the puck.
• I also really like the play of Mattias Ekholm. He is playing with confidence and has shown some offensive flair. His goal was a beauty, completely fooling Holtby with a quick backhand.
• I saw Weber in the hotel before the game and spoke with him. He did not appear to be in pain and was moving well. Hopefully he returns to the line up quickly.
• Filip Forsberg picked up a goal and 2 assists (thank you former Caps GM George McPhee!). But the play that really stood out to me was his work on the wall the win the puck and get it to Ribeiro for the game winning goal. One of the underrated aspects of his game is the strength that he has and his ability to use that strength to win puck battles. That goal was a direct result of his strong effort on the boards.
• Pekka Rinne was once again solid in net. He stopped 23 of 26 shots and picked up his 41st win of the season. Rinne looks confident and smooth in the net, and there is no doubt the team feeds on that condidence that he brings.
• The Predators held Alex Ovechkin without a goal. He had 2 goals in their contest against the Predators in Nashville. Ovi has now gone 7 straight games without a goal.
• The Caps had 45 hits to the Predators 17. That is an indication of how the Predators possessed the puck and forced the Caps to chase.
• Once again, the penalty kill was excellent, killing off all 5 of the Capitals power plays, including 55 seconds of a 5 on 3. The Caps have a potent offense and power play and the Predators did a good job of foiling their entries into the zone and disrupting their offensive flow.
• Likewise, the Caps did the same thing to the Predators power play. The Predators even managed to give up a short handed goal off a bone headed drop pass to no one by Forsberg. This unit has got to start performing at a higher level quickly. Please!

This was a very big win by the team, not only for clinching a playoff spot but for meeting the challenge of playing a quality playoff contender and taking care of business in a hostile environment.

Now they have to keep it rolling. Going into the playoffs on a roll is certainly preferable to limping into the postseason.

My three stars:

1. Filip Forsberg

2. Troy Brouwer

3. Mike Ribeiro

Here are some scenes from DC:

The Verizon Center is right in the middle of downtown. The 20 year old barn is a nice facility, but inside is starting to show its age a bit. While Verizon has the naming rights on the facility, notice the big T-Mobil LED ad on the corner of the building.

A view of the arena before the game.

The ladies just can't resist sharp dressed men wearing gold.

My hockey pal and traveling companion Mark Blake on the right and Pete Weber. We had an opportunity to tour the historic National Press Club and have dinner there on Friday night. The history in that facility and some of the exhibits there were amazing.

Predators Return the Favor, Defeat the Canadiens in OT

The two best goaltenders in the NHL as well as two of the best teams went head to head at the Bridgestone Arena as the Nashville Predators dueled with the Montreal Canadiens.

In their first meeting, the Canadiens won in overtime.

The Predators returned the favor, defeating the Candiens 3-2 on a Filip Forsberg power play goal.

Forsberg's heroics were set up by a tripping penalty on P.K. Subban for the Predators 5th power play goal of the night.

Mattias Ekholm opened the scoring with a highlight reel goal. Ekholm stole the puck, split the defense and was tripped. Ekholm got up off his belly, got to his knees, and flipped the puck past Carey Price to make it 1-0 for the Predators.

The Candiens came back strong in the second period, scoring twice to take a 2-1 lead. The Predators failed to clear a puck that Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne should have covered. The puck squirted out into the slot and Brendan Gallagher slammed the puck past Rinne to tie the game at 1.

David Desharnais gave the Habs the lead when the Predators defensive coverage broke down. Desharnais was left alone at the side of the net, and P.A. Parenteau found him with a perfect pass. Rinne had no chance as Desharnais banged home the puck into a wide open net.

Ryan Ellis tied the game in the third period when his flip from the blue line hit the ice 10 feet in front of Price. Filip Forsberg was in front screening Price and the puck took a high bounce and into the net over the shoulder of Price for a 2 all score.

In the overtime, Forsberg stole the puck from Subban and was off on a breakaway when Subban tripped Forsberg. On the ensuing power play, Mike Ribeiro mad a nice pass across the slot and Forsberg buried the game winner over an out of position Price.

Some observations:

• Mattias Ekholm scored a beauty of a goal. He stole the puck, split the defense, was tripped, and still had the presence to get his stick on the puck and lift it over Price. That goal was the first goal that Price had given up in 166:10 of play. Ekholm has been solid in the defensive end and has shown some surprisingly good offensive flair. That goal had to lift the Predators as it showed they could score against the best netminder in the NHL.
• Price leads the league with 40 wins. Pekka Rinne is right behind him, picking up his 39th win tonight. Rinne was strong in the net and made some quality saves. Both goals that the Canadiens scored occurred off defensive breakdowns by the team in front of him. The Desharnais goal was especially egregious, as the forward responsible for Desharnais was no where to be found on that scoring play. Rinne was solid and made some very good saves on quality scoring chances by the Habs.
• Ryan Ellis scored his career high 7th goal with what could be charitably called a fluke goal. The puck took a high bounce over the shoulder of Price, but full marks to Ellis for getting it on net and to Forsberg for doing a good job battling in front of the net and screening Price.
• Kevin Fiala, the Predators first round draft choice in 2014, made his NHL debut. He logged 11:25 in ice time and put 3 shots on net. The 18 year old has had quite a year, playing in the Swedish Elite League, the World Junior Championships (representing Sweden), the American Hockey League, and now the NHL. And he is not even close to being old enough to buy a beer.
• Fiala was a call up because Viktor Stalberg was injured in the morning skate. Matt Cullen was also scratched. No word on his status.
• With the win, the Predators are now 14-8 in overtime.
• Colin Wilson picked up an assist on the goal by Ryan Ellis, his 100th assist.
• Mike Ribeiro had 2 assists, giving him 497 for his career.
• Filip Forsberg picked up his 22nd second goal of the season with his overtime tally. This was his 6th game winning goal of the year.
• This is the first time that the Predators have won back to back games since February 22nd and 24th.
• Props to the Predator fans. Tonight's sellout crowd was the 26th of the season, setting a franchise record.
• Although the game winning goal came on the power play, the Predators power play unit continues to struggle. They were 1-5 tonight and often had trouble just entering the zone. The Predators are going to have to get the power play fixed and become more of a threat with the man advantage or it is going to bite them in the ass in the remainder of the season and in the playoffs.
• The Predators were 60% in the faceoff circle. Mike Fisher led the way, winning 16 of 20 draws.
• The Predators out shot the Canadiens 31-29.

The Predators sit 1 point behind St. Louis and Anaheim with 98 points and 4 points ahead of Chicago. With the point tonight, the Canadiens are the first team in the NHL to reach 100 points.

It doesn't get any easier for the Predators as they will have a 2 game roadie with Tampa Bay and Washington, two teams that will look to avenge earlier season losses to the Predators.

Play like you did tonight and you can win those games, boys.

My three stars:

1. Filip Forsberg

2. Pekka Rinne

3. Carey Price

Predators Get A Much Needed Win Against the Sabres

You hate to say that the Nashville Predators game at Bridgestone Arena against the Buffalo Sabres was a must win game for the Predators.

But it was.

The Predators were looking to snap a 3 game home losing streak and to get back to the type of game that propelled them to the top of the NHL for a good portion of this season.

The Predators brought the effort, and more importantly, they brought the finish to the game and secured a 3-0 victory in front of a sellout crowd.

The Predators came out firing and poured 17 shots on Sabres netminder Matt Hackett in the first period, but could not find the back of the net. Pekka Rinne had relatively little work in the first as he faced only 6 shots.

The Predators finally broke through on the power play late in the second period as Taylor Beck redirected a Shea Weber shot past Hackett. The power play goal came just 5 seconds into the man advantage.

The Predators tacked on 2 more goals in the third period.

Craig Smith banged home his 23 goal of the season as Hackett kicked out a rebound of a Ryan Ellis shot to Smith, who was driving hard to the net.

Mike Fisher added an insurance goal as Viktor Stalberg found Fisher in the high slot and Fisher beat Hackett stick side to make it 3-0.

That was a big goal for the Predators because although the Sabres had not mustered much offense to the third period, they would up the intensity and Rinne made some huge saves to keep the Sabres off the board.

Some observations:

• James Neal missed his third game with an upper body injury. Colin Wilson, who is listed as day to day, was out with a lower body injury.
• With those players out of the line up, the Predators called up Viktor Arvidsson from Milwaukee. Arvidsson doesn't have the size of Wilson or Neal, but the kid has some wheels and showed that he is not afraid to go to the hard areas. Arvidsson played on a line with Mike Ribeiro and Gabriel Bourque and finished with 12:52 of ice time, 3 shots, and 1 hit.
• Craig Smith continues to play some solid hockey. He is not afraid to go to the net and has a nose for the puck. His goal was a direct result of driving the net, blowing past a Sabres defender and his own teammate (Mike Fisher, whom he bowled over to get to the puck) to score.
• Once again, the Predators faced an opponent who turned it up in the third period, but this time, Pekka Rinne shut the door. He was outstanding in the third period, making some very big and athletic saves, and he stopped Tyler Ennis on a breakaway to keep momentum with the Predators. Rinne was a rock for the Predators and kept Buffalo from seizing momentum in the third, something the Predators have failed to do in previous games. This was Rinne's 4th shutout of the season and his 38th win of the year.
• Ryan Ellis played a strong game in the defensive zone and picked up 2 assists tonight. The Predators get more dangerous when Ellis can contribute offensively, and it is good to see him back to 100% after missing 21 games.
• This was the Predators first win on home ice since February 24th against Colorado.
• The Predators out shot the Sabres 43-24 and out shot them in every period. It was certainly good to see the Predators keep up the effort and intensity for a full 60 minutes.
• One troubling aspect of this skid has been the tendency for the Predators to give up the first goal. Tonight the Predators got on the board first. How important is that to this team? The Predators are 24-2-4 when they score first.
• Matt Hackett kept the Sabres in the game and was very good in net. He was under attack all game long, and this game had the makings of another hot goalie stealing a game from the Predators. Full marks to the Predators for their relentless attack all game long.
• And big ups to the fans of Smashville. This was the 7th consecutive sellout and the 25th of the year, tying a franchise record.
• The Predators were outstanding in the faceoff circle, winning 63%. Paul Gaustad won all 13 faceoffs he took. This is so important for possession in the offensive zone in particular, and the Predators had their best game of the season in the dot.
• The Predators PK did a good job, shutting down the Sabres power play including a 4 minute double minor to Craig Smith for high sticking. They did an excellent job disrupting the Sabres offense and limiting scoring chances.

Like I said, this was a must win game for the Predators, and it was good to see the team take care of business.

Nine games are left and it will be against some stiff competition. 

The Predators control their destiny and where they will wind up in the playoffs.

It's up to this team to determine where they will wind up.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Craig Smith

3. Ryan Ellis

Predators Wilt Under the Pressure From the Jets, Fall 3-1

The Winnipeg Jets continued the Nashville Predators recent misery, handing them a 3-1 defeat at the Bridgestone Arena for the Predators 6th consecutive loss.

The Jets opened the scoring when Andrew Ladd blew past Seth Jones and slipped a pass to Michael Frolik, who had beaten Cody Franson badly driving to the net. Frolik's shot was partially stopped by Pekka Rinne but it was not enough to keep the puck out of the net.

The Predators tied the game at 1 in the second period when a shot from the point by Ryan Ellis made its way through traffic and over the shoulder of Michael Hutchinson.

The elation of that goal was short lived, however, as Rinne kicked out a rebound of a Tyler Myers shot. Shea Weber lost track of Blake Wheeler and he pounded the puck home to give the Jets a lead they would not relinquish.

Drew Stafford added an empty net goal for the final margin.

Some observations:

• My view of this team is that they overachieved in the first half of the season and are now reverting to who they really are. Many pundits spoke of this team as elite. They are not. Not even close. They are most certainly a good team, but far from elite. When this team plays their game and limits mistakes, more often than not, they will win games. Right now, they are making mistakes and those mistakes are ending up in the back of their net. And they are certainly not playing their game- attacking the net and aggressively fighting for rebounds and position on the ice.
• The Jets gave the Predators fits all night. They trapped coming out of the defensive zone and in the neutral zone, sending two forecheckers after the puck carrier. This baffled the Predators all night and forced them into bad passes and turnovers. When the Predators could get into the offensive zone, once again the Jets pressured the puck carrier and disrupted the offense. The Predators puck support was terrible and they lost just about every battle for the puck along the boards. Part of this speaks to the effort of the Jets. More troubling is that the Predators didn't adjust and step up their game to match the intensity of the Jets. Elite teams adjust their game. The Predators did not.
• To that point, their were only two Predators that seemed to be able to consistently handle the puck against the Jets pressure. Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi could carry the puck into the zone against the trap. Rarely could any other Predator. This is going to be a serious problem in the playoffs.
• How stifling was the Jets defense? They held the Predators to 4 shots on goal in the first period and 7 in the third. The Preds got 10 shots in the second for a total of 21. The Jets had 26 shots on goal.
• I really like the play of Gabriel Bourque. He was physical and created some scoring chances. He certainly went hard to the net, including a scary first period collision with Hutchinson when he was forchecked into the Jets netminder by Adam Lowry.
• The defensive pairing of Seth Jones and Cody Franson looked out of sync all night. The Jets first goal was a direct result of bad plays by both. These two just look like they have no chemistry at all. 
• Franson took a knee on knee hit and crashed into the boards in the second period, and it looked bad. He left the ice with the assistance of the training staff and could put no weight on his left leg. Fortunately, he did return for the third period.
• It sure would be nice to see Mike Santorelli get his game going. Santorelli has been invisible since he was acquired from the Maple Leafs.
• Someone on the coaching staff please tell Mike Ribeiro it is okay to take the puck to the net and especially to shoot the puck. Ribeiro had a couple of open looks at the net but chose to try to pass instead. Never pass up a good shot at the net, Ribs.
• For the 11th straight game, the Predators gave up the first goal. Can we stop this trend? PLEASE! Remember early in the season when we were doing that and we were still winning games? Now the Predators are 19-18-3 when giving up the first goal. See my first bullet point above.
• Thankfully, this is the last time we play the Jets in the regular season. The Predators captured the season series 3-2.

No doubt this isn't fun for the team and the fans. As fans, we can just sit and stew and vent our frustration. Getting out of this funk is on the team. They are going to have to elevate their game to break this losing streak.

More importantly, they are going to have to play smart. They are going to have to play with heart and passion.

That is the only way out.

My three stars:

1. Blake Wheeler

2. Michael Frolik

3. Ryan Ellis

Weber's Two Goals Leads the Predators Past the Stars

On a frigid night in Nashville, the action inside the Bridgestone Arena was heated between the Predators and the Dallas Stars. The Predators were attempting to win their third straight game over their Central Division rivals while the Stars were looking to build on the momentum of 4 wins in their last 6 games.

The Predators prevailed 3-2 in overtime, with Shea Weber scoring just 17 seconds into the extra frame. The game winner was Weber's second goal of the night.

The game never should have gotten to overtime, as Filip Forsberg scored with just over three minutes to go in regulation. Craig Smith was tied up with Stars netminder Kari Lehtonen and prevented him from getting over to defend the shot. Referee Paul Devorsky was emphatic that Smith had been cross checked into Lehtonen and it was a good goal. However, the officials huddled and waved off the goal with no clear explanation given.

The Predators got on the board first as Shea Weber took a drop pass from Mike Ribeiro and blasted a shot from inside the blue line that went through Lehtonen to make it 1-0 (no, really, the shot looked like it went THROUGH Lehtonen).

The Stars tied it at 1 when Pekka Rinne failed to completely seal off the post and Jason Spezza fired a shot from a bad angle that went under Rinne's glove and into the net.

Making his first appearance in an NHL game, Miikka Salomaki took a long pass from Roman Josi an went in on a breakaway. Lehtonen stopped the first shot but Salomaki followed the rebound and lifted it over the pad of Lehtonen for his first NHL goal and a 2-1 Predators lead.

The Stars tied the game with 3 seconds left in the second when Trevor Daly pinched down from the blue line and no one on the Predators picked him up. He was alone at the side of the net and was able to put the puck into a nearly open net off a pass from Jamie Benn.

In the overtime, the Stars controlled the face off but turned it over in their zone. Colin Wilson got the puck across the ice to Shea Weber who let a wrist shot go that hit Lehtonen in the shoulder and flipped over and into the net for the game winner.

Some observations:

• With the win tonight, the Predators are first in the NHL with 58 points. Not the Central Division, but the NH freakin L. The Ducks also have 58 points but have played 2 more games than the Predators. Honestly, I did not see this coming. No one did. This team is playing with confidence and with the mentality that they are never out of a game. They have overcome bad calls, tough opponents, and now a spate of injuries. They just keep coming and refuse to roll over. I like the way this team plays and I like the way they carry themselves on the ice. They are quietly confident and playing at a high level. The test for them will be to continue to do so in the second half of the season.
• Speaking of those injuries, James Neal has now been placed on injured reserve. Eric Nystrom has also been added to IR. And tonight, Ryan Ellis left the game midway of the second period in obvious pain and did not return to the game. It looked as if he had an injury to his leg.
• Taylor Beck and Matt Cullen have been skating and look to be closer to returning. No timetable on their return has been given, though.
• With his assist on Weber's first goal, Roman Josi picked up his 100th NHL point. He later added an assist on Salomaki's goal. Josi is quietly becoming a defenseman that will have to be considered when discussing the top NHL blueliners.
• This was the 11th consecutive game in which the Predators have scored 3 or more goals. It used to be that when the Predators were discussed by the national media, it was always the "offensively challenged" Predators. No more.
• Miikka Salomaki had 10:49 of ice time, and even saw some action on the PK. He had 7 hits, 4 shots on goal, and one goal in his debut. He did not look out of place out there in his first NHL action. Good on you, young man.
• The game was a tight checking contest with lots of hitting. The Stars spent a lot of time grabbing and tripping with no calls. Kudos to the Predators for pushing through a muck and grind contest.
• The Predators were able to kill off all 3 power play chances by the Stars, and were very effective on the PK. The Predators power play...oh, the power play. 0-2 tonight and very few threats.
• Shea Weber led the Predators in TOI with 26:39
• Victor Bartley led the team with 4 blocked shots.
• The Predators are 16-2-1 on home ice, by far and away the best home record in the NHL.

This was a tough win against a hungry opponent that wanted badly to continue their positive momentum. The Predators refused to let injuries or bad calls deter them from their objective of getting these important 2 points.

The team gets back at with an afternoon  road meeting against the Minnesota Wild on Saturday.This will be another hungry team that would like nothing more than to knock off the Predators.

Another big challenge awaits.

My three stars:

1. Shea Weber

2. Roman Josi

3. Miikka Salomaki