Predators Fall to the Flyers in a SO

The Nashville Predators fell to the Philadelphia Flyers 3-2 in a shootout at Bridgestone Arena. The game was tied at 2 at the end of overtime.

The Flyers Vinnie Lecavalier scored the only shootout goal in the first round.

The Flyers opened the scoring at 16:49 of the first period as Claude Giroux cruised down the slot and roofed a shot over the shoulder of Predators goaltender Marek Mazanec.

The Predators answered back at 17:49 of the first period as Mike Fisher used two Flyers as a screen and fired a shot from the face off circle that beat Steve Mason.

After a scoreless second period, the Predators took a 2-1 lead at 5:05 of the third period as Colin Wilson beat Mason five hole with a backhand off the rush.

That score stood until 13:06 of the third when Sean Couturier was left alone by the Predators defense at the top of the crease and he lifted a shot over Mazanec to tie the game.

In the overtime, the Predators out shot the Flyers 3-1, and Colin Wilson banged a puck off the post, but the could not neat Mason.

Some observations:

• The young and mix and match defense corps did a commendable job. There were some breakdowns but generally the blueliners played well. Seth Jones steadied his game and he played a monstrous 30:43, second only to roman Josi's incredible 32:26.

• The Predators will be without the services of Shea Weber for the next few games. Weber took a puck to the face and suffered an eye injury. According to head Coach Barry Trotz, Weber is "very lucky" and the injury could have been much worse. The Predators were also without Kevin Klein, out with a lower body injury.

• The Predators called up Joe Piskula from Milwaukee, and he logged 10:27 tonight.

• Patric Hornqvist returned to the lineup after missing two games. Hornqvist picked up an assist in 22:24 of ice time.

• The compete level of the Predators was much better than in their previous game. Their speed advantage against the Flyers was obvious and they used it to their advantage to create scoring chances. The Predators out shot the Flyers 36-24, and Mason made some good saves to prevent the Predators from scoring.

• That said, the Predators power play was abysmal. Entry into the zone was a struggle and their was little movement and flow once in the zone. The power play appears to have taken a big step backwards the past several games, and this has to improve for this team to have success. Tonight, the power play was 0-5.

The Predators did some good things in this game, just not enough to notch the win. The team can get back to their winning ways if they continue to bring this kind of effort and finish their chances.

My three stars:

1. Vinnie Lecavalier

2. Colin Wilsom

3. Sean Couturier

Predators Get a Humongous Win Over the Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers made a rare visit to Nashville to take on the Predators in a barn where they last won in the year 2000. The Predators continued the Flyers misery in the Music City with a 4-2 victory in front of a sell out crowd that had a number of Flyers fans in attendance.

Pekka Rinne started in net for the Predators, while media sensation Ilya Bryzgalov got the start for the Flyers.

The first period was an entertaining period of hockey, with both teams pouring shots on the net. Philadelphia out shot the Predators 15-12 in end to end action. Both teams generated some quality chances, and both goaltenders came up with some solid saves.

It appeared that the Predators had taken a 1-0 lead as Gabriel Bourque was able to direct the puck from behind the net off Bryzgalov and into the goal. The goal was waved off after a review that deemed that Bourque had kicked the puck at Bryz for the deflection.

The Predators got on the board with just 57 seconds remaining in the period while on the power play. With Patric Hornqvist screening Bryzgalov in front, Marty Erat took a shot from the face off circle that hit the ice in front of Bryzgalov and skipped up over his shoulder to give the Predtors a 1-0 lead.

The second period saw the Flyers use their size to assert themselves. They out shot the Predators 13-6, but were forcing the puck deep in the Predators zone, cycling well, and creating some chances. One had to wonder whether the Predators defense could hold up under this pressure.

Want an indication of how the Predators responded? Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds, one of the massive forwards on the Predators roster, broke down the wing with no one but the smallish Ryan Ellis between him and Pekka Rinne. Ellis timed a perfect hip check and flipped Simmonds head over heels, separating him from the puck and thwarting the scoring threat.

The Predators kept grinding away at the Flyers defense, and their effort paid off with their second goal. The Flyers appeared to have control of the puck in their zone, but Gabriel Bourque fought for the puck and stole it away. He found Sergei Kostitsyn and got the puck on his stick. Kostitsyn fired a wrist shot over the shoulder of Bryzgalov with Mike Fisher screening in front to give the Predators a 2-0 lead at 10:36 of the second period.

The Flyers sensational rookie, Sean Couturier, cut the lead to 2-1 at 12:18 of the second with a sweet wrist shot from just inside the face off circle that beat Rinne high glove side.

Going into the third period with a 2-1 lead, the Predators lead seemed tenuous at best, and everyone knew the Flyers would have a strong push.

Rather than wilt under the pressure of the Flyers, it was the Predators that struck first in the third period. Jordin Tootoo found Nick Spaling driving the slot and centered a pass to him. The puck actually bounced off the shaft of Spaling's stick and through the five hole of Bryzgalov to give the Predators a 3-1 lead at 4:30 of the third period.

The Flyers answered at 9:55 of the third as the Predators failed to clear the puck and Wayne Simmonds beat Ryan Ellis for control of the puck at the top of the crease. He was able to poke the puck past Rinne to cut the Predators lead to 3-2.

Rinne stepped up and made some big saves after this to keep the Flyers off the board. With time winding down and Bryzgalov on the bench for the extra attacker, Mike Fisher potted an empty net goal at 19:20 to seal the win.

The defensive effort by the Predators was very good tonight. Although they gave up 38 shots, most were not from quality scoring areas. The Flyers big line of Claude Giroux, Jaromir Jagr, and Scott Hartnell were held off the board, and the play of Ryan Suter and Shea Weber was outstanding in this effort.

This game may not have taken on the importance of a game against a Western Conference opponent, but this was a humongous 2 points for the Predators. With this win, they sit just 4 points out of the lead in the Central Division and 5 points out of first place in the West. They also sit just 4 points out of 9th place in the West. The Western Conference is tightly bunched in the standings and is ultra competitive and it makes every point precious.

Make no mistake- this was a very big game.

The Predators have now won 13 of their last 17 games, essential for keeping pace with the other teams in the West that seem to keep winning as well. Nashville now has sole possession of 6th place in the West.

Tonight, this team battled against a very good opponent. Young players stepped up and veterans played like they should. It will be critical that they continue to do so in the unrelenting pressure cooker that is the Western Conference.

Keep playing this way, and you will have more humongous wins.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Sergei Kostitsyn

3. Wayne Simmonds