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 Blow Three Leads, Fall to the Avalanche in a SO

The Nashville Predators had every chance to get their first win of the season against the Colorado Avalanche. All they had to do was hold a lead.

Yeah...about that "holding the lead" thing.

The Predators blew three leads in this game on their way to a disappointing shoot out loss to the Avs. The Predators dropped the shootout 2-1 to fall to the Avalanche 5-4 at Bridgestone Arena.

Roman Josi showed why he is quickly emerging as an very good defenseman. Josi scored the first two goals of the game, launching shots from the blue line that beat Semyon Varlamov with traffic in front. Josi's goals came at 3:33 and 9:49 of the first period.

The Predators allowed the Avalanche to close within one goal with just 54 seconds left in the period as Gabriel Landeskog skated uncontested into the high slot and beat Pekka Rinne to make it 2-1.

The Predators outplayed the Avs in the first period, out shooting them 13-3 and generating some great scoring chances down low. Landeskog's goal had the potential to swing momentum back to the Avs, though, and it was going to be critical that the Predators bring that same effort in the second period.

Instead, Landeskog struck again, tying the game at 2 with his second goal at 8:41 of the second period. Landeskog was once again able to skate into the high slot and was not challenged by the Predators, and he beat Rinne with a wrist shot.

The Predators regained the lead at 14:43 of the second as Matt Cullen scored with a wrist shot under the crossbar from in close.

Cody McLeod out worked the Predators defense and gathered in a rebound and beat Rinne to tie the game at 3 at 14:43 of the third period.

The Predators once again took the lead as Matt Cullen re-directed a pass from Patric Hornqvist past Varlamov at 15:17.

And once again, the Predators gave up the lead as Nick Holden blew past Colin Wilson and beat Rinne to tie the game at 4 at 16:01 of the third.

After a scoreless overtime, the game went to a shootout. Calle Jarnkrok scored for the Predators while Ryan O'Reilly scored and then Landeskog netted the game winner.

Some observations:

• The Predators fell to 1-8 in shootouts this season.

• Josi now has 11 goals on the season, and has 18 points (7G-11A) in his last 25 games. Josi now joins a group of only 16 defensemen with double digits in goals. The Predators are one of three teams (Boston, Pittsburgh) with more than one defenseman with double digits in goals. Josi's partner Shea Weber has 18 goals.

• I really, REALLY like the play of Jarnkrok. He picked up an assist for his third point in three NHL games and scored the Predators only goal in the shootout with a sweet move. Jarnkrok skates well and is poised on the ice and gets himself into good scoring position.

• Gabriel Bourque has points in three straight games. Mike Fisher also has a three game point streak.

• Matt Cullen had his first multi-goal game as a Predator and has 6 points in his last three games (3G-3A).

• The defensive gaffes by the Predators wound up in the back of their net. Leaving Landeskog alone twice in prime scoring territory bit the Predators and is really inexcusable. Perhaps the most egregious mistake of all was Colin Wilson allowing Nick Holden to skate right past him for the game tying goal. On the night, Wilson was -2; Eric Nystrom was -2; Nick Spaling was -3; Victor Bartley was -2; and Mattias Ekholm and Michael Del Zotto were -1.

• Seth Jones missed his first game of the season after leaving the previous game against Chicago in the first period.

• For a team that prides itself for playing tight defense, the inability to hold a lead this season has been troubling. Especially giving up a goal quickly after scoring themselves has bitten the Predators in the butt. Whether it is a lack of focus or talent, this has cost the Predators in too many games this season.

This is a game that the Predators should have won.

Shoulda, woulda, coulda.

This game encapsulates the entire Predators season: on the cusp of doing something good and giving it away in a frustrating loss.

My three stars:

1. Gabriel Landeskog

2. Roman Josi

3. Matt Cullen

Predators Fight Back for a 3-2 OT Win Over the Avalanche

The Nashville Predators faced the Colorado Avalanche for the second of their back to back games at the Bridgestone Arena, and this game was a mirror image of their first meeting. The difference this time was that Colorado returned the favor and dominated the Predators in the first period en route to a 2-0 lead. The Predators, unlike the Avalanche in the previous game, fought back to take a 3-2 overtime victory.

The Avs were aided by two goals that Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne would like to have back.

The first occurred on a seemingly harmless play, as Rinne had the puck in front of his net with plenty of time to clear it. Rather than kick it over to a defenseman, Rinne chose to try to get the puck through the middle of the ice to Marty Erat. Rinne's clearing attempt was intercepted by Ryan O'Reilly and he buried the puck from the low slot to give the Avalanche a 1-0 lead at 6:09 of the first period.

At that point, the Avs had out shot the Predators 5-4. To give you an idea of their dominance throughout the period, the Avalanche out shot the Predators 15-7.

Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado's rookie phenom, made it 2-0 with a shot off the boards that blew past Rinne through the five hole at 12:17. Landeskog got off a good shot from a difficult angle that seemed to surprise Rinne and went right between his legs into the back of the net. Certainly a goal that Rinne would not normally let in.

Colorado netminder J. S. Giguere had very little work in the first period, a circumstance that had to change if the Predators were going to get back into the contest.

Down 2-0 and outplayed at the end of one period, it did not look good for the Predators.

Yeti (see what I did there- the Avs have a Yeti on their shoulder patch), the Predators would come out in the second period and would start to fight their way back into the contest.

Colorado did a good job of forcing the puck deep and trapping all night. The Predators responded by being patient and moving the puck to break the trap and started to work the puck deep into the offensive zone and create some chances.

The Predators finally got on the board when Matt Halischuk fought for the puck behind the boards and came around the net and attempted a wrap-around shot. Giguere blocked the shot with his pad, but the rebound came into the low slot. David Legwand was crashing the net and got the puck cleanly on his stick and blistered a wrist shot over the shoulder to Giguere to make it 2-1 at 11:02 of the second.

There was no more scoring in the second period, yeti (okay- that's abominable) it felt as if the momentum had shifted to the Predators, and if they could tie the game, they would win it. The Predators effort in the second period was much better, as the peppered Giguere with 14 shots, to just 7 for Colorado.

Get that tying goal, and the game would go the Predators way.

That tying goal would come at 8:48 of the third period. Sergei Kositisyn broke in and unleashed a wicked wrister from just inside the face off circle and through the legs of the defender that was back. Giguere reacted as the puck sailed over his shoulder and hit the back of the net. This was a great shot, with Kostitsyn using the defender as a screen, and the shot was perfectly placed to the top shelf.

The Predators were flying now, and generated some great scoring chances, but just could not get the puck past Giguere for the regulation winner. The Predators threw 12 shots on net, while the Avalanche managed 7.

Heading to overtime, the Predators controlled the face off and got the puck into the Avalanche zone. David Legwand took a shot from the high slot, and Giguere could not control the rebound, which bounced into the low slot. Legwand followed his shot, and lifted over Giguere for the game winning goal 26 seconds into overtime.

For the Predators, this win showed the emerging confidence that this team has. Down early and off some bad goals, the Predators kept fighting their way back into this game. Rinne settled down and made some big saves as the game wore on. The forwards for the Predators kept attacking, kept chipping away, and eventually outworked and prevailed.

That is character.

This is a team the Predators need to beat. With this win, the Predators extended their lead over Colorado to 4 points. It is important to take care of business against the teams that are chasing you, and although the Predators started slowly, they did that.

The Predators overcame a slow start, some shaky goaltending early in the contest, and an 0 for 6 power play effort. Yet (no yeti) they found a way to win.

And there is nothing abominable about that.

My three stars:

1. David Legwand

2. Sergei Kostitsyn

3. Ryan O'Reilly

Predators Conquer Colorado 4-2

In the course of a season, there are wins that are things of beauty. There are also wins that are not pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but they are wins nonetheless. Tonight, the Nashville Predators won a contest with the Colorado Avalanche by a score of 4-2 that was anything but pretty. But it was a win and two precious points for the Predators.

The game opened with the Nashville Predators going up by a 2-0 margin with opportunistic scoring. Shea Weber tallied his 15th goal of the season just as a Predators power play expired. Weber crashed the net and was able to flip a wrister past Colorado netminder Peter Budaj at 4:16 of the opening period. The Predators were very good at establishing pressure on the power play, and though the Avs got Brandon Yip out of the box- where he was serving the too many men on the ice penalty- the Predators continued to control the play. Joel Ward put a shot on net and Weber was able to get the rebound and put it past Budaj to give the Preds a 1-0 lead.

The Predators would stretch the lead to 2-0 at 11:36 of the first as Kevin Klein would put a shot on net that Budaj kicked out with his pad. Matt Halischuk was crashing the net and gathered in the rebound and lifted the puck over the pad of Budaj for his second goal of the season. The play was started by Blake Geoffrion, who stole the puck in the Avs zone and passed the puck to Klein for the shot. The young guys- Geoffrion and Halischuk had a strong game for the Predators tonight.

In the first period, Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne was called upon to make a few good saves, but generally the Predators controlled the play in the period.

That would change in the second period, as the Avalanche turned up the intensity and it appeared as if the Predators were a step slow and unable to match the level of play of the Avs. In this period, the Avalanche outshot the Predators 16-8 and controlled much of the play. This was in part to the Predators taking penalties, including giving Colorado 1:43 of a two man advantage, which they were able to kill.

Colorado would make it 2-1 at 4:15 of the second as they swarmed the Predators net. Rinne made several saves, but was finally beaten by Ryan O'Reilly to cut the deficit to 1. Momentum and energy were definitely in favor of the Avalanche.

Joel Ward would re-establish the Predators two goal advantage at 13:31 with a beautiful goal. Ward would intercept a pass from Jay McClement at the face off circle. He took a stride toward the net and faked a slapshot to draw Budaj out of the net. Ward pulled the puck back and drove to the net, tucking it into the goal from behind the goal line for his 10th goal of the year and his third straight game with a goal. Wardo was deft in his handling of the puck and patient in drawing Budaj out of the net for the scoring opportunity.

Colorado was not going away easily, however, and they once again cut the deficit to one goal at 19:30 as Daniel Winnik Took a shot from the point. The puck was going wide of the net but hit the skate of Colin Wilson and skittered past Rinne into the net.

This set up a third period that would hang in the balance and would require the Predators to match the intensity of the Avalanche to secure the win.

The Predators responded with a much better defensive effort in the third period, holding Colorado to 9 shots while recording 8 of their own. Rinne was solid in the third period and shut the door on the Avs offensive effort. The defense did a better job of limiting second chances and forcing many of the Avs shots from the outside.

Marty Erat would ice the game with an empty netter at 19:58 of the third for the final margin of 4-2.

This was a game the Predators had to have, yet it was a game in which the Predators effort was less than their best. The fact that they persevered and came away with the win is a sign of the growth of this team. They will have to win some ugly games in this stretch drive. They will have to match the intensity of some desperate teams. They will have to find ways to win games that will not make highlight reels.

Contributions will have to come from all the lines, and it won't necessarily be things that show up on the score sheet. Things like Jordin Tootoo being willing to drop the gloves like he did tonight against Ryan Wilson, pounding him to the ice and energizing his team and the crowd. Things like taking hits to make plays. Things like winning battles for the puck.

At times, the Avs dominated play. The fact that this team refused to wilt in the face of that pressure will serve them well.

The battles will continue and the road to the playoffs will not get an easier.

Keep battling like you did tonight, and you will be successful.

My three stars:

1. Joel Ward

2. Pekka Rinne

3. Matt Halischuk