Just over the midway mark of the season, and the Nashville Predators faced the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place in a game that had to be considered "must win" for the Predators.
The good news for the Predators was that their offense was finally scoring some goals, having scored 7 in their past two games.
The bad news was that the Predators defense had totally collapsed in those two games, allowing 13 goals.
For the Predators to have a chance to win this game against an Oilers offense that can score, they were going to have to play better defense.
The Predators had Pekka Rinne in net, while the Oilers went with Devan Dubnyk.
The first period ended 0-0 with the Predators having a 10-6 shot advantage. Rinne had to make a couple of great saves to keep the Oilers off the board, while Roman Josi beat Dubnyk with a blast but rang it off the post.
The Oilers got on the board first on the power play at 8:11. Ryan Ellis was in the box for cross checking and Magnus Paajarvi tapped the rebound of a Ryan Whitney shot past Rinne from in front of the net. Rinne was left alone as Paajarvi had gotten lost behind Shea Weber and had an easy put back for the score.
The Oilers had three shots on the power play, and those were their first three shots of the period.
The Predators tied the game at 1 on their power play at 16:37 off a bomb from the blue line by Shea Weber for his 5th goal of the year. Roman Josi and Craig Smith picked up assists on the goal.
The period ended tied at 1. The Oilers out shot the Predators 10-7.
The Predators lost defenseman Scott Hannan to an injury in the second period, and he was out for the remainder of the game.
The Predators had a power play, but Sergei Kostitsyn had the puck hop away from him at the blue line. The Oilers had a 2 on 2 until Kostitsyn went to the bench, leaving the Oilers 2 on 1 against Shea Weber. The Oilers made the Predators pay for a major gaffe by Kostitsyn as Lennart Petrell and Sam Gange broke in and Petrell hammered home a shot at 10:53.
Inexplicable decision by Kostitsyn, and it cost the Predators.
The Oilers picked up a Jonathan Blum turnover just inside their blue line and began a rush down the ice. Jordan Eberle whistled a shot over the shoulder of Rinne to make it 3-1 at 15:48 of the third.
Roman Josi scored with the extra attacker on the ice with 9.2 seconds remaining in the game.
Unfortunately, it was once again too little too late for the Predators as they lost their third in a row by a 3-2 margin.
Some observations:
Made of Glass
Right now, this team has no confidence and is fragile. Every mistake ends up in their net, and this team is tentative. Playing not to make mistakes and tentatively is a formula to consistently lose games. And that is the way this team is playing. If they are going to reverse their fortunes, they are going to have to play more like Predator teams of the past: sound defense and capitalizing on the other team's mistakes. Right now, the opponents are making the Predators pay for their errors.
Get Out the Stapler
Better yet, don't staple Sergei Kostitsyn to the bench. His play has been so atrocious of late that he should be relegated to the press box to watch. His play on the second Oilers goal is inexplicable and inexcusable. A lack of offensive presence and a too casual attitude are killing the Predators.
Better Jump, No Finish
I can't fault the Predators for their effort in general. They had good chances, but once again, could not finish on those chances. Until they bury some pucks, their offense is all sound and fury, but signifies nothing.
Better Hope Rinne Is Mentally Tough...
because this team in front of him is making him look bad.
Final Thoughts
It is now desperation time for the Predators. Their string is short if they are going to make the playoffs, and they are going to have to start putting together a lengthy winning streak.
Right now, I don't see that.
This team is not playing with confidence. Their breakdowns are resulting in goals. Their scorers are not scoring consistently.
Not a great combination of factors.
Now it boils down to those in the room. The have to reach down inside and get their mojo back. It will not come from the coaches. It will come from those guys that put on the sweater each night.
This will be a test of character and heart.
Time to find out what you got, boys.
My three stars:
1. Devan Dubnyk
2. Jordan Eberle
3. Roman Josi
Showing posts with label Scott Hannan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scott Hannan. Show all posts
Sunday, March 17, 2013
A Look at the Predators: Playoff Contenders or Pretenders
The Nashville Predators are currently 11-11-6 and sit outside the playoffs with 28 points. They have limped through their last 10 games, going 3-6-1, and more troubling, are last in the NHL in scoring.
Predator faithful are questioning if this is a playoff team.
It is a legitimate question.
There is no simple answer to that question, but we can bring some clarity by examining the various components of this team.
So let's take a look at this version of the Predators.
Goaltending
Pekka Rinne has been the workhorse for the Predators, starting 25 of the 28 games the Predators have played. Rinne has a 2.20 GAA and a save percentage of .916. He has faced 632 shots, an average of 25 shots per game. Rinne leads the NHL with 5 shutouts. Last season, Rinne had a 2.39 GAA and a .923 save percentage.
Looking at Rinne's numbers, one would conclude they are not bad. A marginal drop off in save percentage, but an improvement in GAA.
Rinne has been pulled in two consecutive games, and in seven in total this season.
There have been times that Rinne has been mortal, but for the most, his play has been solid. What has plagued Rinne has been the defense in front of him on occasion (more on that in a moment), as there have been numerous times that he has been hung out to dry by the skaters in front of him. And at times, his frustration has boiled over. Witness his slamming of the stick on the post in the first Dallas game as Scott Hannan was beaten badly by a Stars forward in the slot, leaving Rinne no chance to make the save.
One has to wonder how Rinne's frustration level is at this point of the season.
With the Predators anemic offense, both Rinne and Chris Mason have to be nearly perfect for the Predators to have a chance to win each night.
Chris Mason has appeared in 7 games, having started 3. He has a pedestrian 3.10 GAA and an .881 save percentage.
When Mason was signed, it was hoped that he would provide quality goaltending in the backup role. At best, he has been average.
Compared to last season, goaltending is comparable.
Defense
The obvious challenge for the Predators was to replace Ryan Suter. Roman Josi has been that player that has manned the other side of the blue line with Shea Weber. Josi is not Ryan Suter- yet. But the fall off between Josi and Suter has not been as dramatic as many feared. Josi has a great shot, skates well, and is poised and calm with the puck. Through 28 games, Josi is a plus 3 and has 3 goals and 6 assists. Extrapolate that to an 82 game season and you get 9 goals, 18 assists, and a plus 9. In Suter's last season, he had 7 goals, 39 assists, and was a plus 15.
I think those numbers for Josi will only improve.
In 2012, Shea Weber had 19 goals, 30 assists, and was a plus 21. So far in 2013, Weber has 4 goals, 11 assists, and is a plus 4. Over an 82 game season, this would translate to 12 goals, 32 assists, and a plus 12. The decline is understandable as Weber is getting used to a new defense partner and is being denied his cannon shot on the power play.
Kevin Klein has been quietly solid, with 1 goal, 5 assists, and a plus one. Klein is steady and is rarely noticed, which is a good thing as it means he is efficiently doing his job.
Once you get past these three, it gets interesting on the Predators blue line.
Hal Gill, who was expected to eat up big minutes, has been injured for a large portion of the season.
Ryan Ellis is...an adventure. Offensively gifted, he is proving to be a defensive liability. The coaches do a good job of trying to keep him away from the top forwards of the other teams, but Ellis is still a minus 4. While Ellis can provide some offense, he is regularly out muscled by bigger forwards, thus relegating him to more of a specialists role.
Jonathan Blum has gotten stronger, but is still on the smallish side, which is an obvious disadvantage against bigger forwards. Blum has five points (1G-4A) in 15 games, but has been relegated to a perma scratch over the last five games.
The reason for that is the emergence of Victor Bartley. Bartley was called up from Milwaukee and has been in the lineup for the past 5 games. Bartley has no points and is a plus 1, but he has good size, skates well, and makes good decisions with the puck. I don't see Bartley coming out of the lineup the way he is playing.
The blueliner that is having an absolutely miserable season is Scott Hannan. Hannan started well, playing some quality minutes and was generally solid. It seems as if Hannan has now run out of gas. He is a team worst minus 11 and is struggling with defensive coverage. He is routinely beaten in the defensive zone, and has quickly turned into a liability.
With the absence of Hal Gill, the defense has struggled once you get past Josi, Weber, and Klein. I think Bartley will settle in and be a positive contributor, but there is a huge hole in the third pairing, typically Hannan and Ellis. The play of that third pairing continues to trouble the Predators and does not look to improve any time soon.
The defense is weaker than last season.
Forwards
Being last in the NHL in scoring is indicative of how this group has struggled.
And struggle they have.
At times, some of our top forwards have been invisible. And for a team that desperately needs offense, this is unacceptable.
And beyond explanation.
Here are some numbers:
Marty Erat 2012: 71 GP 19G-39A 58 points 2013 27 GP 3G-10A 13 points (9G-30A in 82)
Sergei Kostitsyn 2012: 75 GP 17G-26A 43 points 2013 27 GP 2G- 9A 11 points (6G-27A in 82)
David Legwand 2012: 78 GP 19G-34A 53 points 2013 28 GP 6G- 7A 13 points (18G-20A in 82)
Mike Fisher 2012: 72 GP 24G-27A 51 points 2013 28 GP 6G-6A 12 points (18G-18A in 82)
Colin Wilson 2012: 68 GP 15G-20A 35 points 2013 25 GP 7G-12A 19 points (23G-39A in 82)
Gabriel Bourque 2012: 43 GP 7G-12A 19 points 2013 26 GP 9G- 2A 11 points (28G- 6A in 82)
I have taken the production of these forwards for the games played in 2013 and projected it to an 82 game season and compared it to the previous season. What you notice is significant drops in production from Erat, Kostitsyn, and Fisher. Legwand projects to be about the same in goals but significantly drops in assists. For a second line center that has to set up his wingers, this will affect their production. Wilson has stepped up his game, but is currently injured. Bourque shows a significant increase in goal production. The Predators have had Patric Hornqvist in the lineup for only 14 games this season, and his production is sorely missed.
Additionally, The Predators enjoyed good secondary scoring from players like Matt Halischuk and Nick Spaling in 2012. Halischuk had 15 goals and 13 assists in 73 games last year. This season, he has struggled to stay on the roster and produce, having appeared in 19 games with 1 goal and 4 assists. Spaling appeared in 77 games last season with 10 goals and 12 assists. In 2013, Spals has appeared in 27 games and has 5 goals and 3 assists.
The slump in offensive production has plagued the Predators all season. Unless the production from the forwards improves significantly, the playoffs may not happen.
The forwards are substantially worse than last season.
Coaching
Barry Trotz continues as the coach that has been able to squeeze the most out of his talent, but this season, that talent has not produced. I like the way Trotz and the staff have coached this team, but if there is a criticism, it is sticking with non-producing players for too long. He scratched Kostitsyn in the last game, but is not quick to sit down other players that are not getting it done. Perhaps it is time to sit some of the other forwards that are not playing up to their talent level.
Coaching has remained steady from last season.
General Manager
David Poile has put this team together and these are his draft picks and trades. Is Poile "married" to these players- loath to trade some of them for other options because they are his players? I would submit that this is the case and that he is waiting, perhaps for too long, for some of these players to validate his decisions to sign them, and to sign some to long term, high dollar extensions.
Time for David Poile to make some tough decisions.
As you can see, the Predators are struggling because of the offense slump by key cogs on the team. If the play doesn't improve substantially, or if these players continue in the lineup, the Predator faithful may be looking wistfully at the the playoffs.
Predator faithful are questioning if this is a playoff team.
It is a legitimate question.
There is no simple answer to that question, but we can bring some clarity by examining the various components of this team.
So let's take a look at this version of the Predators.
Goaltending
Pekka Rinne has been the workhorse for the Predators, starting 25 of the 28 games the Predators have played. Rinne has a 2.20 GAA and a save percentage of .916. He has faced 632 shots, an average of 25 shots per game. Rinne leads the NHL with 5 shutouts. Last season, Rinne had a 2.39 GAA and a .923 save percentage.
Looking at Rinne's numbers, one would conclude they are not bad. A marginal drop off in save percentage, but an improvement in GAA.
Rinne has been pulled in two consecutive games, and in seven in total this season.
There have been times that Rinne has been mortal, but for the most, his play has been solid. What has plagued Rinne has been the defense in front of him on occasion (more on that in a moment), as there have been numerous times that he has been hung out to dry by the skaters in front of him. And at times, his frustration has boiled over. Witness his slamming of the stick on the post in the first Dallas game as Scott Hannan was beaten badly by a Stars forward in the slot, leaving Rinne no chance to make the save.
One has to wonder how Rinne's frustration level is at this point of the season.
With the Predators anemic offense, both Rinne and Chris Mason have to be nearly perfect for the Predators to have a chance to win each night.
Chris Mason has appeared in 7 games, having started 3. He has a pedestrian 3.10 GAA and an .881 save percentage.
When Mason was signed, it was hoped that he would provide quality goaltending in the backup role. At best, he has been average.
Compared to last season, goaltending is comparable.
Defense
The obvious challenge for the Predators was to replace Ryan Suter. Roman Josi has been that player that has manned the other side of the blue line with Shea Weber. Josi is not Ryan Suter- yet. But the fall off between Josi and Suter has not been as dramatic as many feared. Josi has a great shot, skates well, and is poised and calm with the puck. Through 28 games, Josi is a plus 3 and has 3 goals and 6 assists. Extrapolate that to an 82 game season and you get 9 goals, 18 assists, and a plus 9. In Suter's last season, he had 7 goals, 39 assists, and was a plus 15.
I think those numbers for Josi will only improve.
In 2012, Shea Weber had 19 goals, 30 assists, and was a plus 21. So far in 2013, Weber has 4 goals, 11 assists, and is a plus 4. Over an 82 game season, this would translate to 12 goals, 32 assists, and a plus 12. The decline is understandable as Weber is getting used to a new defense partner and is being denied his cannon shot on the power play.
Kevin Klein has been quietly solid, with 1 goal, 5 assists, and a plus one. Klein is steady and is rarely noticed, which is a good thing as it means he is efficiently doing his job.
Once you get past these three, it gets interesting on the Predators blue line.
Hal Gill, who was expected to eat up big minutes, has been injured for a large portion of the season.
Ryan Ellis is...an adventure. Offensively gifted, he is proving to be a defensive liability. The coaches do a good job of trying to keep him away from the top forwards of the other teams, but Ellis is still a minus 4. While Ellis can provide some offense, he is regularly out muscled by bigger forwards, thus relegating him to more of a specialists role.
Jonathan Blum has gotten stronger, but is still on the smallish side, which is an obvious disadvantage against bigger forwards. Blum has five points (1G-4A) in 15 games, but has been relegated to a perma scratch over the last five games.
The reason for that is the emergence of Victor Bartley. Bartley was called up from Milwaukee and has been in the lineup for the past 5 games. Bartley has no points and is a plus 1, but he has good size, skates well, and makes good decisions with the puck. I don't see Bartley coming out of the lineup the way he is playing.
The blueliner that is having an absolutely miserable season is Scott Hannan. Hannan started well, playing some quality minutes and was generally solid. It seems as if Hannan has now run out of gas. He is a team worst minus 11 and is struggling with defensive coverage. He is routinely beaten in the defensive zone, and has quickly turned into a liability.
With the absence of Hal Gill, the defense has struggled once you get past Josi, Weber, and Klein. I think Bartley will settle in and be a positive contributor, but there is a huge hole in the third pairing, typically Hannan and Ellis. The play of that third pairing continues to trouble the Predators and does not look to improve any time soon.
The defense is weaker than last season.
Forwards
Being last in the NHL in scoring is indicative of how this group has struggled.
And struggle they have.
At times, some of our top forwards have been invisible. And for a team that desperately needs offense, this is unacceptable.
And beyond explanation.
Here are some numbers:
Marty Erat 2012: 71 GP 19G-39A 58 points 2013 27 GP 3G-10A 13 points (9G-30A in 82)
Sergei Kostitsyn 2012: 75 GP 17G-26A 43 points 2013 27 GP 2G- 9A 11 points (6G-27A in 82)
David Legwand 2012: 78 GP 19G-34A 53 points 2013 28 GP 6G- 7A 13 points (18G-20A in 82)
Mike Fisher 2012: 72 GP 24G-27A 51 points 2013 28 GP 6G-6A 12 points (18G-18A in 82)
Colin Wilson 2012: 68 GP 15G-20A 35 points 2013 25 GP 7G-12A 19 points (23G-39A in 82)
Gabriel Bourque 2012: 43 GP 7G-12A 19 points 2013 26 GP 9G- 2A 11 points (28G- 6A in 82)
I have taken the production of these forwards for the games played in 2013 and projected it to an 82 game season and compared it to the previous season. What you notice is significant drops in production from Erat, Kostitsyn, and Fisher. Legwand projects to be about the same in goals but significantly drops in assists. For a second line center that has to set up his wingers, this will affect their production. Wilson has stepped up his game, but is currently injured. Bourque shows a significant increase in goal production. The Predators have had Patric Hornqvist in the lineup for only 14 games this season, and his production is sorely missed.
Additionally, The Predators enjoyed good secondary scoring from players like Matt Halischuk and Nick Spaling in 2012. Halischuk had 15 goals and 13 assists in 73 games last year. This season, he has struggled to stay on the roster and produce, having appeared in 19 games with 1 goal and 4 assists. Spaling appeared in 77 games last season with 10 goals and 12 assists. In 2013, Spals has appeared in 27 games and has 5 goals and 3 assists.
The slump in offensive production has plagued the Predators all season. Unless the production from the forwards improves significantly, the playoffs may not happen.
The forwards are substantially worse than last season.
Coaching
Barry Trotz continues as the coach that has been able to squeeze the most out of his talent, but this season, that talent has not produced. I like the way Trotz and the staff have coached this team, but if there is a criticism, it is sticking with non-producing players for too long. He scratched Kostitsyn in the last game, but is not quick to sit down other players that are not getting it done. Perhaps it is time to sit some of the other forwards that are not playing up to their talent level.
Coaching has remained steady from last season.
General Manager
David Poile has put this team together and these are his draft picks and trades. Is Poile "married" to these players- loath to trade some of them for other options because they are his players? I would submit that this is the case and that he is waiting, perhaps for too long, for some of these players to validate his decisions to sign them, and to sign some to long term, high dollar extensions.
Time for David Poile to make some tough decisions.
As you can see, the Predators are struggling because of the offense slump by key cogs on the team. If the play doesn't improve substantially, or if these players continue in the lineup, the Predator faithful may be looking wistfully at the the playoffs.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Young Guys Help Predators Defeat the Wings in OT 4-3
The Nashville Predators faced the Detroit Red Wings at the Bridgestone Arena in their first meeting of the year. There is no love lost between these teams, and the contests usually feature a high level of intensity.
Tonight did not disappoint.
Pekka Rinne was in net for the Predators, and Jimmy Howard was in net for the Red Wings. The Predators quickly made life uncomfortable for Howard.
The Predators opened the scoring at 5:01 of the first period on the power play. Colin Wilson got the puck to Craig Smith and he sniped a shot to the top corner from a severe angle to give the Predators a 1-0 lead. This was Smith's first goal of the year and it was a beauty. With little net to work with, Smith found the top corner at the far post over the shoulder of Howard.
The Predators extended their lead to 2-0 at 10:41 of the first period as Scott Hannan took a shot from the blue line that was re-directed by Gabriel Bourque in front of the net and past Howard. This goal was the result of Hannan getting the shot through and Bourque battling in the hard area in front of the net.
Shortly after this goal, Howard would leave the game with an upper body injury and Jonas Gustavsson would come in net for the Wings.
Dan Cleary would make it a 2-1 game at 15:01 with a shorthanded goal. Jonathan Blum turned the puck over behind the Predators net. Pavel Datsyuk stole the puck and got it to Cleary, who was alone in the slot and beat Rinne with a wrist shot.
The Wings out shot the Predators 11-8 in the first period.
The second period opened with the Wings dominating in puck possession and forechecking the life out of the Predators. Rinne made some good saves early in the period to keep the Wings off the board. The Predators did not get their first shot on net until 15:30 of the period.
Surviving the early push by the Wings, the Predators got their legs going and fired shots on Gustavsson, who came up with some good saves as well.
The second period ended scoreless and the Predators leading 2-1. The Predators out shot the Wings 12-7 in the period.
The fireworks came in an intense third period. Jordin Tootoo tied the game at 2 at 11:33 as he took a shot that appeared to be going wide of the net. However, it hit the skate of Kevin Klein and re-directed into the net past an out of position Rinne. This was Tootoo's first goal of the season.
The Predators reclaimed a 3-2 lead at 12:54 of the third period as Roman Josi took a shot from the blue line that a screened Gustavsson did not see until the last second. It hit a Detroit defender in front of the net and caromed into the net.
Pavel Datsyuk would tie the game just 36 seconds later as he embarrassed David Legwand, Marty Erat, and Kevin Klein. Datysuk dangled the puck through the three Predators and beat Rinne with a wrist shot from the slot.
With no more scoring in the period, the Predators would once again head to overtime.
In the overtime period, Colin Wilson skated the puck in over the blue line and fired a shot that kicked off the end board and back out to the other side of the net. Shea Weber was pinching in from his defense position and got the puck on his stick and beat a sprawling Gustavsson with a wrist shot just 44 seconds into overtime.
Some observations:
This was a gutsy win for the Predators, especially after a disappointing loss the day before. The Predators have shown resiliency. Now they are showing grit and their offense is starting to click.
It will have to in this short season.
My three stars:
1. Shea Weber
2. Pavel Datsyuk
3. Colin Wilson
Tonight did not disappoint.
Pekka Rinne was in net for the Predators, and Jimmy Howard was in net for the Red Wings. The Predators quickly made life uncomfortable for Howard.
The Predators opened the scoring at 5:01 of the first period on the power play. Colin Wilson got the puck to Craig Smith and he sniped a shot to the top corner from a severe angle to give the Predators a 1-0 lead. This was Smith's first goal of the year and it was a beauty. With little net to work with, Smith found the top corner at the far post over the shoulder of Howard.
The Predators extended their lead to 2-0 at 10:41 of the first period as Scott Hannan took a shot from the blue line that was re-directed by Gabriel Bourque in front of the net and past Howard. This goal was the result of Hannan getting the shot through and Bourque battling in the hard area in front of the net.
Shortly after this goal, Howard would leave the game with an upper body injury and Jonas Gustavsson would come in net for the Wings.
Dan Cleary would make it a 2-1 game at 15:01 with a shorthanded goal. Jonathan Blum turned the puck over behind the Predators net. Pavel Datsyuk stole the puck and got it to Cleary, who was alone in the slot and beat Rinne with a wrist shot.
The Wings out shot the Predators 11-8 in the first period.
The second period opened with the Wings dominating in puck possession and forechecking the life out of the Predators. Rinne made some good saves early in the period to keep the Wings off the board. The Predators did not get their first shot on net until 15:30 of the period.
Surviving the early push by the Wings, the Predators got their legs going and fired shots on Gustavsson, who came up with some good saves as well.
The second period ended scoreless and the Predators leading 2-1. The Predators out shot the Wings 12-7 in the period.
The fireworks came in an intense third period. Jordin Tootoo tied the game at 2 at 11:33 as he took a shot that appeared to be going wide of the net. However, it hit the skate of Kevin Klein and re-directed into the net past an out of position Rinne. This was Tootoo's first goal of the season.
The Predators reclaimed a 3-2 lead at 12:54 of the third period as Roman Josi took a shot from the blue line that a screened Gustavsson did not see until the last second. It hit a Detroit defender in front of the net and caromed into the net.
Pavel Datsyuk would tie the game just 36 seconds later as he embarrassed David Legwand, Marty Erat, and Kevin Klein. Datysuk dangled the puck through the three Predators and beat Rinne with a wrist shot from the slot.
With no more scoring in the period, the Predators would once again head to overtime.
In the overtime period, Colin Wilson skated the puck in over the blue line and fired a shot that kicked off the end board and back out to the other side of the net. Shea Weber was pinching in from his defense position and got the puck on his stick and beat a sprawling Gustavsson with a wrist shot just 44 seconds into overtime.
Some observations:
- Did you notice who scored in regulation for the Predators? Smith, Bourque, and Josi. These young players have played some quality minutes for the Predators, and Smith especially has begun to elevate his game. The Predators have to continue to get contributions from the younger players on their roster to be successful, and it is good to see them contributing in a big way.
- Here is a blinding flash of the obvious: Pavel Datsyuk is good. Really good. He almost single handedly willed the Wings to victory and his mastery at handling the puck is amazing. His goal in the third was a highlight reel goal, beating three defenders and then Rinne with a wrist shot. As a hockey fan, I respect his skill. As a Predator fan, I am ready for him to retire.
- The Wings are a wounded team, and tonight they were without the services of Todd Bertuzzi and Johan Franzen, two key cogs that are injured. The extent of the injury to Howard is unknown. The Predators are relatively healthy but did not have Paul Gaustad, who was injured in the previous game against Colorado
- The return of Patric Hornqvist is welcome for the Predators. His energy and effort are contagious, and he is fearless in going to the front of the net. His presence in the line up seems to energize the Predators.
- It is troublesome that the Predators are having trouble holding a lead. It is especially bothersome that the Predators are giving up goals shortly after they score. This is an area that has to improve, and the Predators have to get better at protecting a lead.
This was a gutsy win for the Predators, especially after a disappointing loss the day before. The Predators have shown resiliency. Now they are showing grit and their offense is starting to click.
It will have to in this short season.
My three stars:
1. Shea Weber
2. Pavel Datsyuk
3. Colin Wilson
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Predators Play Predator Hockey, Defeat the Coyotes 3-0
A funny thing happened in the Nashville Predators tilt against the Phoenix Coyotes at the Bridgestone Arena.
The Predators out shot their opponent for only the second time this season.
The Predators out shot the Coyotes 29-19 en route to a 3-0 victory in front of a sell out crowd, turning the tables on the Coyotes and dominating the visitors. In their first meeting, the Coyotes had dominated the Predators in a 4-0 victory.
The Predators did not get on the scoreboard until the third period offensive explosion, surpassing over 200 minutes without a goal in regulation time.
Fortunately, the Predators had Pekka Rinne in net, and the big netminder recorded his second consecutive shutout. Rinne has not allowed a goal in over 137 minutes of regulation time.
Mike Smith was in net for the Coyotes and did a good job of frustrating the Predators through two periods.
Smith made a great save on Mike Fisher, who was alone in front of the net. Smith got his glove on Fisher's shot to prevent the score.
The Predators had another glorious scoring chance in the waning seconds of the second period as Gabriel Bourque was alone at the side of the net and found the puck on his stick. Unfortunately, the puck bounced as Bourque took the shot and he didn't get much on it, allowing Smith to make the save.
Frustrating for Fisher and Bourque, but the story is not over. They would get their goals.
Bourque got his goal in the third period on the power play as Marty Erat took a shot with Bourque screening Smith. Bourque did a good job of taking away any look that Smith had at the shot. Erat's shot hit Bourques's skate and re-directed past Smith to put the Predators up 1-0 at 2:40 of the third period.
The Predators had done a good job of swarming the net, taking shots, and getting traffic in front of Smith. Predator hockey was back, and it was keeping the Coyotes on their heels and bottled up in their zone.
The Predators made it 2-0 at 9:38 of the third as Matt Halischuk dug the puck out of the corner and got a pass to Nick Spaling inside the face off circle. Spaling ripped a shot over the shoulder of Smith to give the Predators some breathing room.
Mike Fisher made it 3-0 at 18:16 of the third as he beat Smith to the far post from almost the same spot as Spaling. This was Fisher's second goal of the season, and it was good to see him on the score sheet.
The Predators played Predator hockey. Even though they were held off the board through two periods, it felt as if it was just a matter of time before they scored. They were firing shots at the net and had traffic in front of Smith. They had control of the puck in the offensive zone for lengthy stretches. When the Coyotes did threaten, Rinne was a wall.
With the win, the Predators are 7-3-4, good for 18 points and tied for third in the Western Conference.
Some observations:
Now it is time to continue to string together some more games like tonight.
My three stars:
1. Pekka Rinne
2. Gabriel Bourque
3. Nick Spaling
The Predators out shot their opponent for only the second time this season.
The Predators out shot the Coyotes 29-19 en route to a 3-0 victory in front of a sell out crowd, turning the tables on the Coyotes and dominating the visitors. In their first meeting, the Coyotes had dominated the Predators in a 4-0 victory.
The Predators did not get on the scoreboard until the third period offensive explosion, surpassing over 200 minutes without a goal in regulation time.
Fortunately, the Predators had Pekka Rinne in net, and the big netminder recorded his second consecutive shutout. Rinne has not allowed a goal in over 137 minutes of regulation time.
Mike Smith was in net for the Coyotes and did a good job of frustrating the Predators through two periods.
Smith made a great save on Mike Fisher, who was alone in front of the net. Smith got his glove on Fisher's shot to prevent the score.
The Predators had another glorious scoring chance in the waning seconds of the second period as Gabriel Bourque was alone at the side of the net and found the puck on his stick. Unfortunately, the puck bounced as Bourque took the shot and he didn't get much on it, allowing Smith to make the save.
Frustrating for Fisher and Bourque, but the story is not over. They would get their goals.
Bourque got his goal in the third period on the power play as Marty Erat took a shot with Bourque screening Smith. Bourque did a good job of taking away any look that Smith had at the shot. Erat's shot hit Bourques's skate and re-directed past Smith to put the Predators up 1-0 at 2:40 of the third period.
The Predators had done a good job of swarming the net, taking shots, and getting traffic in front of Smith. Predator hockey was back, and it was keeping the Coyotes on their heels and bottled up in their zone.
The Predators made it 2-0 at 9:38 of the third as Matt Halischuk dug the puck out of the corner and got a pass to Nick Spaling inside the face off circle. Spaling ripped a shot over the shoulder of Smith to give the Predators some breathing room.
Mike Fisher made it 3-0 at 18:16 of the third as he beat Smith to the far post from almost the same spot as Spaling. This was Fisher's second goal of the season, and it was good to see him on the score sheet.
The Predators played Predator hockey. Even though they were held off the board through two periods, it felt as if it was just a matter of time before they scored. They were firing shots at the net and had traffic in front of Smith. They had control of the puck in the offensive zone for lengthy stretches. When the Coyotes did threaten, Rinne was a wall.
With the win, the Predators are 7-3-4, good for 18 points and tied for third in the Western Conference.
Some observations:
- Bourque moved up to the line with Mike Fisher and Marty Erat. Sergei Kostitsyn moved to a line with Colin Wilson and David Legwand. I like Bourque's game, and he provided some jump to Fisher's line. I am glad to see Barry Trotz mix the lines to try to generate some offense, and tonight it worked well.
- Pekka Rinne was in the zone tonight. I think he has the best glove hand of any goalie in the NHL, and tonight, his glove gobbled up a number of the Coyotes shots. He tracked the puck well and appears to be playing relaxed and with confidence. Rinne has 3 shut outs in his last 4 games.
- The defensive pairs also changed, as Shea Weber was paired with Roman Josi and Kevin Klein and Scott Hannan were on the second D pairing. Josi continues to be a solid blueliner and his game is consistent in all phases. The pairing of Jonathan Blum and Ryan Ellis has been good, and they are playing some quality minutes.
- The Predators appear to be rounding into shape as far as playing Predator hockey. Solid defense, excellent goaltending, and now some opportunistic scoring. The Predators have to continue to build on this effort.
Now it is time to continue to string together some more games like tonight.
My three stars:
1. Pekka Rinne
2. Gabriel Bourque
3. Nick Spaling
Friday, February 1, 2013
Predators Defeat the KIngs in a SO 2-1
The Nashville Predators have struggled to generate offense so far this young season. Their task is to get shots on net and quality scoring chances, to get back to playing Predator hockey. A game built on grit, speed, and effort.
That task was going to be made more difficult as they faced the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center.
The Predators had Pekka Rinne in net, while the Kings were going with Jonathan Quick.
The Predators got the start they wanted as just 58 seconds into the game David Legwand won a face off in the Kings zone and the puck came to Brandon Yip at the top of the face off circle. Yip loaded up the shot and beat Quick high glove side to give the Predators a 1-0 lead.
The Predators gave the Kings a golden opportunity to tie the game. Scott Hannan was called for interference at 11:10 of the period. One minute later, Paul Gaustad was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct for chirping the officials. The Kings had 1 minute of 5 on 3 power play time, which they immediately short circuited by taking a tripping penalty off the face off, resulting in a minute of 4 on 3 hockey and the Kings with the advantage.
The Kings made the Predators pay for their transgression just as Hannan's penalty was about to expire. Mike Richards shot the puck over the net and it rebounded right in front of the net. Hal Gill did not see the puck and Dustin Brown pounced on the loose puck at the top of the crease and hammered it past a defenseless Rinne to tie the game at 13:08 of the period.
The Predators continued to tempt fate as Hal Gill was called for cross checking, the fourth penalty that the Predators took in the period. The Predators were able to kill the penalty, but would open the second a man down for another 32 seconds. That is until Dustin Brown took a penalty at the 20 minute mark for interference.
The Predators skated better in this opening frame than they have in their past few games.The undisciplined play of the team gave the Kings the opportunity to out shoot the Predators 10-3 and disrupted any offensive flow the Predators tried to establish. The Predators were going to have to play a more disciplined game and stay out of the box to be successful. The potent Kings offense did not need help with the man advantage.
Scott Hannan continued to get familiar with the officials in the penalty box as he took his third penalty of the game for tripping at 3:05 of the second period. Fortunately, the Predators were able to kill off the penalty.
The second period was scoreless. The Predators power play was ineffective, and even though the shots were 5 apiece in the period, the Kings had the territorial advantage for much of the period. Through two periods, the Predators offense continued to struggle, mustering just 8 total shots on goal.
The same sad song.
If the Predators were going to have a chance, they were going to have to commit to getting the puck onnet and create some havoc in front of Quick. So far, they had failed to do that.
The third period started to open up with both teams moving the puck up and creating some chances. The Predators had a chance to take the lead with Quick caught out of position but the Predators unable to corral a bouncing puck at the side of the net. Rinne made a huge stop as the Kings converted a turnover and Jeff Carter got loose in front of the net.
The Kings pressed late in the third period, but the Predators were able to keep them off the board. Neither team could find the back of the net, so the game was going to overtime.
The Kings out shot the Predators 22-11, and the Predators failed to register a shot on goal over the final 10 minutes of the period.
It would be an understatement to say that the Predators stole a point in this game.
The Predators created some great scoring chances in the overtime period off their effort down low in the Kings zone. Ryan Ellis had a good scoring chance but could not bury it and Sergei Kostitsyn could not put home a rebound.
The Predators kept up the effort and the forecheck and showed their best offensive zone possession of the game, but could not get the puck in the net. So for the fourth time this season, the Predators were heading to the shootout.
In the first round, Pekka Rinne stopped Jeff Carter. David Legwand beat Quick to give the Predators a 1-0 lead.
In the second round, Mike Richards beat Rinne five hole. Craig Smith fired a shot that hit Quick's pads and bounced in the goal. to restore the Predators lead.
In the third round, Dustin Brown beat Rinne with a great fake. to tie the shootout. Marty Erat missed the net on his attempt.
The fourth round saw Drew Doughty miss the net. Colin Wilson had a chance to end the game, and was missed off the backhand.
The Kings had Jarrett Stoll shoot in the fifth round and Rinne was able to stop the shot with his left pad. Brandon Yip hit the side of the net.
Anze Kopitar gave the Kings the lead as he beat Rinne stick side. Gabriel Bourque had to score in the sixth round and he made a sweet move and beat Quick off his backhand just under the crossbar.
Rinne stopped Justin Williams as he got enough of the shot and it trickled wide. Roman Josi fired wide on his attempt.
In the eighth round, Simon Gagne was stopped by the pad of Rinne. Sergei Kostitsyn faked Quick to the ice and beat Quick to the far post for the win.
Although there were stretches where the Predators were outplayed by the Kings, this game was a different game for this team. They did not cave under pressure and played with some heart, qualities that had been lacking in some of their previous games.
This is the kind of effort that, while far from true Predator hockey, showed flashes of what this team can do.
It is time to build on that effort, boys.
My three stars:
1. Pekka Rinne
2. Brandon Yip
3. Sergei Kostitsyn
That task was going to be made more difficult as they faced the defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center.
The Predators had Pekka Rinne in net, while the Kings were going with Jonathan Quick.
The Predators got the start they wanted as just 58 seconds into the game David Legwand won a face off in the Kings zone and the puck came to Brandon Yip at the top of the face off circle. Yip loaded up the shot and beat Quick high glove side to give the Predators a 1-0 lead.
The Predators gave the Kings a golden opportunity to tie the game. Scott Hannan was called for interference at 11:10 of the period. One minute later, Paul Gaustad was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct for chirping the officials. The Kings had 1 minute of 5 on 3 power play time, which they immediately short circuited by taking a tripping penalty off the face off, resulting in a minute of 4 on 3 hockey and the Kings with the advantage.
The Kings made the Predators pay for their transgression just as Hannan's penalty was about to expire. Mike Richards shot the puck over the net and it rebounded right in front of the net. Hal Gill did not see the puck and Dustin Brown pounced on the loose puck at the top of the crease and hammered it past a defenseless Rinne to tie the game at 13:08 of the period.
The Predators continued to tempt fate as Hal Gill was called for cross checking, the fourth penalty that the Predators took in the period. The Predators were able to kill the penalty, but would open the second a man down for another 32 seconds. That is until Dustin Brown took a penalty at the 20 minute mark for interference.
The Predators skated better in this opening frame than they have in their past few games.The undisciplined play of the team gave the Kings the opportunity to out shoot the Predators 10-3 and disrupted any offensive flow the Predators tried to establish. The Predators were going to have to play a more disciplined game and stay out of the box to be successful. The potent Kings offense did not need help with the man advantage.
Scott Hannan continued to get familiar with the officials in the penalty box as he took his third penalty of the game for tripping at 3:05 of the second period. Fortunately, the Predators were able to kill off the penalty.
The second period was scoreless. The Predators power play was ineffective, and even though the shots were 5 apiece in the period, the Kings had the territorial advantage for much of the period. Through two periods, the Predators offense continued to struggle, mustering just 8 total shots on goal.
The same sad song.
If the Predators were going to have a chance, they were going to have to commit to getting the puck onnet and create some havoc in front of Quick. So far, they had failed to do that.
The third period started to open up with both teams moving the puck up and creating some chances. The Predators had a chance to take the lead with Quick caught out of position but the Predators unable to corral a bouncing puck at the side of the net. Rinne made a huge stop as the Kings converted a turnover and Jeff Carter got loose in front of the net.
The Kings pressed late in the third period, but the Predators were able to keep them off the board. Neither team could find the back of the net, so the game was going to overtime.
The Kings out shot the Predators 22-11, and the Predators failed to register a shot on goal over the final 10 minutes of the period.
It would be an understatement to say that the Predators stole a point in this game.
The Predators created some great scoring chances in the overtime period off their effort down low in the Kings zone. Ryan Ellis had a good scoring chance but could not bury it and Sergei Kostitsyn could not put home a rebound.
The Predators kept up the effort and the forecheck and showed their best offensive zone possession of the game, but could not get the puck in the net. So for the fourth time this season, the Predators were heading to the shootout.
In the first round, Pekka Rinne stopped Jeff Carter. David Legwand beat Quick to give the Predators a 1-0 lead.
In the second round, Mike Richards beat Rinne five hole. Craig Smith fired a shot that hit Quick's pads and bounced in the goal. to restore the Predators lead.
In the third round, Dustin Brown beat Rinne with a great fake. to tie the shootout. Marty Erat missed the net on his attempt.
The fourth round saw Drew Doughty miss the net. Colin Wilson had a chance to end the game, and was missed off the backhand.
The Kings had Jarrett Stoll shoot in the fifth round and Rinne was able to stop the shot with his left pad. Brandon Yip hit the side of the net.
Anze Kopitar gave the Kings the lead as he beat Rinne stick side. Gabriel Bourque had to score in the sixth round and he made a sweet move and beat Quick off his backhand just under the crossbar.
Rinne stopped Justin Williams as he got enough of the shot and it trickled wide. Roman Josi fired wide on his attempt.
In the eighth round, Simon Gagne was stopped by the pad of Rinne. Sergei Kostitsyn faked Quick to the ice and beat Quick to the far post for the win.
Although there were stretches where the Predators were outplayed by the Kings, this game was a different game for this team. They did not cave under pressure and played with some heart, qualities that had been lacking in some of their previous games.
This is the kind of effort that, while far from true Predator hockey, showed flashes of what this team can do.
It is time to build on that effort, boys.
My three stars:
1. Pekka Rinne
2. Brandon Yip
3. Sergei Kostitsyn
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