Predators Start Road Trip By Falling Flat, Lose to the Blue Jackets 4-0

The Nashville Predators begin a grueling 6 games in 9 nights stretch with a stop in Columbus to face former Division rival Blue Jackets.

The Jackets struggled to open the season but have regained some semblance of respectability under new Head Coach John Tortorella.

Pekka Rinne was in net for the Predators, while Sergei Bobrovsky was between the pipes for the Jackets.

Maybe the Predators thought they could just show up and chalk this one up as a win. Nothing could be further from reality.

The game opened in the worst possible way for the Predators, as the Jackets scored on their first two shots of the game. Gregory Campbell got lost by the defense and was alone in the slot and took a perfect pass from behind the net from Kirby Rychel. Campbell snapped a shot over the glove of Rinne for a 1-0 lead.

Ryan Johanson took advantage of a Predators turnover, setting up a 3 on 2 and Johanson was able to get the puck in the net just before Brandon Saad knocked the net off the moorings.

The Predators mounted some offense in the remainder of the first period but could not solve Bobrovsky.

The second period saw the Predators give up a 2 on 1 that the Jackets capitalized upon on just their second shot of the period. Boone Jenner took the shot and got his own rebound and batted it past Rinne to give the Jackets a 3-0 lead.

Scott Hartnell added an empty net goal as the Predators failed miserably to show up for this game and dropped an embarrassing 4-0 decision.

Some observations:

• The Jackets played last night and lost the game to Ottawa. yet the Jackets opened the game with a lot more jump than the Predators. By the time the Predators got into the game, they were looking at a 2-0 deficit. The Predators have done a good job of starting fast this season, but they did not tonight and were in a hole before they had even worked up a sweat. This is the kind of start that this team can ill afford to have.
• The Predators were guilty not only of a lot of turnovers, but uncharacteristically lost the majority of puck battles. This team is good, but they are not good enough to play without their characteristic intensity.
•  Interesting change on the power play as Gabriel Bourque was inserted for Colin Wilson on one unit to provide the big body in front of the net.
• The Jackets lost two defensemen to injury in the first period- Fedor Tyutin and Cody Goloubef. It was reported that Goloubef was taken to the hospital after taking a puck to the face  off a shot. The Jackets reported that he had a broken jaw as a a result of the shot.
• The Predators were guilty of several turnovers that wound up in the back of their net. The Jackets second and third goals both came off turnovers that created odd man rushes at the net. Being sloppy with the puck cost the Predators and while Rinne is usually spectacular, he was outmanned and swarmed by the Jackets on those goals. 
• The Predators threw a ton of shots at the net-    to be exact, but rarely was Bobrovsky called upon to make a quality save. The Predators, as Coach Kevin  McCarthy said at the first intermission, were trying to be too cute. The Predators have a skilled team but their bread and butter is getting shots to the net with traffic. Tonight, there was not a lot of traffic and Bobrovsky had a lot of clean looks at shots coming his way.
• Unbelievably, the Predators are now 5-4-2 when they out shoot their opponent, while they are 6-0-1 when they are out shot.
• Paging Filip Forsberg... Forsberg now has gone 10 games without a goal
• Paging Colin Wilson... Wilson has now gone forever without scoring a goal. Both Wilson and Forsberg have been non factors in recent games, and the Predators have to have positive contributions from these two players.
• Bobrovsky was good in this game,  no doubt, but what is puzzling is that the Predators couldn't put any more pressure on the Blue Jackets D when they were down to just 4 for the game. The forwards did not do a good job of getting the puck behind the Jackets D and punishing them with the forecheck.
• Give credit to the Jackets skaters. They blocked 26 shots by the Predators. This is a hallmark of a Tortorella coached team, but the Predators have to get the puck through and create chances. 

This was an awful way to start the road trip, and it will not get any easier tomorrow night in Minnesota.

It is going to take a much better effort from the Predators to win that game.

Hopefully we got this stinker out of our system.

My three stars:

1. Sergei Bobrovsky

2. Ryan Johansen

3. Boone Jenner

Predators Blast the Blue Jackets 5-1

The Nashville Predators traveled to Columbus to take on the Blue Jackets, one of the hottest teams in the NHL at the moment. The Jackets entered the contest 8-0-1 for the month of December, while the Predators have been solid at 6-2 for the month.

Pekka Rinne was in net for the Predators and Sergei Bobrovsky was between the pipes for the Jackets.

The first period was scoreless only because of some good fortune for the Predators. The net came off the moorings as Rinne pushed off the post just as Nick Foligno slid the puck into the net. After review, the goal was disallowed.

Whew!

The first legitimate goal of the game came at 7:47 of the second period as Victor Bartley sprung Colin Wilson with a long lead pass. Wilson beat Bobrovsky short side to make it 1-0.

The Predators made it 2-0 at 9:25 as Mike Ribeiro corralled a pass from Shea Weber at the Jackets blue line and started a 2 on 1 rush with Craig Smith. Ribeiro faked the shot and passed to Smith who buried the puck in the open net.

The Predators made it 3-0 on Seth Jones first goal of the season. Jones drove the puck in on net and slid it between the pads of Bobrovsky at 6:31 of the third period.

The Predators extended the lead to 4-0 just 44 seconds later as Filip Forsberg worked hard in the corner to control the puck. He was able to do so and found Craig Smith alone in the face off circle. Smith blasted a puck past Bobrovsky for his second goal of the night.

That was it for Bobrovsky as Curtis McElhinney came into the game for the Jackets.

The first shot that McElhinney faced found the back of the net as Mike Fisher blew a shot over his shoulder off a 2 on 1 rush at 8:43 of the third.

Rinne lost his shutout as Alex Wennberg scored for the Jackets on the power play at 15:38 of the third.

That was it for the scoring as the Predators closed out a dominant game by a 5-1 score.

Some observations:

• James Neal returned to the line up and dropped down to a line with Calle Jarnkrok and Taylor Beck. Craig Smith remained on the top line with Filip Forsberg and Mike Ribeiro.
• Victor Bartley had a strong game and has stepped into the line up in the absence of Anton Volchenkov. He was sound in the defensive zone and drove the net when the opportunity presented itself in the offensive zone. This quite a luxury for the Predators to have a 7th defenseman that can step into the line up and play a solid game.
• Colin Wilson has been playing exceptionally well. His puck possession ability has helped the Predators control games and his speed and puck handling ability have created some quality scoring chances. Good to see him rewarded tonight with the goal.
• Mike Ribeiro is such a smart player. His fake shot allowed Smith to deposit an easy goal in the second period. That experience and hockey savvy has been an underrated part of his game and has undoubtedly been beneficial to some of the younger forwards on the roster.
• Goodness, I like the killer instinct of this team. Rather than sitting back and trying to protect a 2 goal lead in the third, the Predators kept attacking and were rewarded in the third period. Quite a change from years past.
• The last Blue Jacket regulation loss was against the Predators on November 29th.
• This was the last of the two meetings this season between the former division rivals.
• As solid as this game was, the power play continues to be worrisome. They did not register a shot on two of their power play opportunities and were 0-4 tonight.

The Predators played a complete game. They were much better defensively and were dynamic in the offensive zone, capitalizing on their scoring chances. They took on a red hot Jackets team and easily defeated them with a solid game in all zones.

A final game against the Boston Bruins awaits before the Christmas break.

My three stars:

1. Craig Smith

2. Colin Wilson

3. Pekka Rinne

Predators Shoot Blanks in 1-0 Loss to the Jackets

The Nashville Predators were attempting to launch themselves into playoff contention after the Olympic break, and a 5 game home stand seemed the perfect way to do that.

Instead, the Predators crashed and burned, going 1-4 in those five games, the last of which was a 1-0 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets at Bridgestone Arena in front of a sellout crowd.

Pekka Rinne was superb, making some high quality saves until Artem Anisimov finally poked a puck past Rinne with 6:25 left in the contest.

Rinne watched his mates come out flying in the first period as the Predators used their speed to create space and offensive chances. They rang a puck off the post and had one nearly dribble past Jackets netminder Sergei Bobrovsky before being swept off the goal line by a Columbus defender.

The Predators out shot the Jackets 14-5 in the first period, and Predator fans must have felt that effort would yield results in the final 40 minutes.

Instead, the Jackets dominated the Predators in the second period, out shooting them 15-4.

The third period saw the Jackets continue their domination until a very late flurry from the Predators. The Predators came close to tying the game when Mike Fisher hit a post with 30 seconds left in the game.

The Jackets still out shot the Predators 16-10 in the final frame.

Some observations:

• The Predators offense completely disappeared after the first period. The Jackets elevated their game and the Predators did not, and if not for the solid effort by Rinne, the score could have been embarrassing for the Predators.

• The chemistry among the lines seems to have completely disappeared. Passes are missing targets and the Predators inability to skate the puck into the offensive zone is killing this team. Resorting to a dump and chase game means the forwards have to win battles and control the puck, and the Predators are rarely doing that during the course of a game.

• The Predators are still skating hard and competing, but it is a lot of effort that is yielding sparse results. The Predators scored just 6 goals in this five game home stand, and this anemic level of production means that Rinne has to be perfect. As hard as he competes, he is not that, and the lack of offensive support has to be incredibly frustrating.

• With the lack of production and the playoffs not happening, it would seem to make sense to bring up some of the young guys like Forsberg and Jarnkrok from Milwaukee. They certainly could not be any less productive than what is on the ice right now. Remember that the classic definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

• The Predators killed off all 5 penalties, including a 4 minute double minor on Viktor Stalberg. The Predators once potent power play again shot blanks, going 0-3.

Not much that one can say about this game or this team that hasn't already been said. management must take a hard look at this roster in the offseason and commit to getting some consistent, high level scoring in here.

Fail to do that and the Predators will continue to frustrate their fans.

My three stars:

1. Pekka Rinne

2. Sergei Bobrovsky

3. Artem Anisimov

Predators Cruise Past Columbus 4-0

The Nashville Predators traveled to Nationwide Arena to face their former Central Division rival Columbus Blue Jackets. What had been a heated and testy division rivalry has been dampened somewhat by the Jackets move to the Eastern Conference.

Marek Mazanec was in net for the Predators, while the Jackets had their workhorse Sergei Bobrovsky between the pipes.

The Predators were once again without the services of Patric Hornqvist, who was out with an upper body injury. The Jackets were dealing with a myriad of injuries on their roster that caused Head Coach Todd Richards to juggle his lines.

The Predators opened the scoring at 9:58 of the first period. Matt Cullen skated the puck into the offensive zone and passed to Ryan Ellis on the opposite point. Ellis drew the defense to him and zipped a diagonal pass back to Cullen, who beat Bobrovsky with a one timer from just inside the face off circle. Ellis showed great patience and vision on the play and put the pass through the defense on to the tape of Cullen.

That would be the only scoring in the period. The Predators put a lot of pressure on Bobrovsky and the Jackets defense in the period, outshooting them 14-4. Bobrovsky was called upon to make some good saves to keep the Predators from extending their lead.

The Predators started the second period on the power play with 1:30 of man advantage time. A shot from the point by Roman Josi deflected off Gabriel Bourque into the slot. Mike Fisher gathered in the rebound and banged a shot over the shoulder of Bobrovsky to give the Predators a 2-0 lead 54 seconds into the period.

The Predators forecheck forced a Jackets turnover in their defensive zone. Viktor Stalberg was able to create the turnover and got a pass from Gabriel Bourque while driving the front of the net. Stalberg's shot got through to Bobrovsky, who made the initial save, but David Legwand tipped the puck into the open net to make 3-0 at 8:56 of the period.

The latter stages of the second period saw the Jackets attempt to mount an offensive push, but the Predators defense was up to the task.

In the second period, the Predators out shot the Jackets 11-8.

The Predators made it 4-0 at 2:02 of the third period as they won a face off in the offensive zone. Matt Cullen slipped a pass from his knees to Nick Spaling, and he let go a wicked wrist shot that beat Bobrovsky over the shoulder.

The Predators spent the rest of the third period shutting down the Jackets offensive push and Mazanec picked up his second career shut out with the 4-0 win.

Some observations:

• The Predators have been playing some disciplined hockey of late. Tonight, they took one penalty until Craig Smith was called for delay of game for shooting the puck over the glass with 26 seconds left in the contest. This discipline has helped to keep the Predators fresher since they are not spending an inordinate amount of time killing penalties.

• The line of Cullen, Smith, and Spaling has shown some very good chemistry and has become an offensive force. Cullen is playing some very good hockey right now and is the catalyst that gets this line going.

• The Predators defensive effort, especially in the first 40 minutes, was exceptional. They limited the Jackets to 12 shots through 2 periods and did not allow the Jackets many quality scoring chances.

• The Predators have shot the puck well and have been going strong to the net. This is a winning formula and the Predators have to continue to consistently do this to have success.

• Mazanec continues his strong play. He tracked the puck well and gave up few rebounds. The team in front of him seems to be developing a confidence in his abilities in net, and this has helped their play.

This was a solid road win by the Predators. They shut down the Jackets and did not allow the fans at Nationwide to get into the game.

Now the Predators have to continue this kind of play to climb aback into the playoff race.

My three stars:

1. Marek Mazanec

2. Matt Cullen

3. Gabriel Bourque

Predators Flop in the Third Period, Fall to Blue Jackets

The Nashville Predators and the Columbus Blue Jackets met at Nationwide Arena in the final game of the season. For one team, the game meant nothing- finish and book your tee time. For the other team, the outcome of the game held playoff implications- win and have the opportunity to get in the playoffs.

Unlike years past, it was the Predators that would be booking tee times and the Blue Jackets were fighting to get into the playoffs.

For the Predators, it was one final game to audition some of the younger players that had populated the line up in the latter part of the season. On final opportunity to get a win and assuage some of the bad emotions that have built in this difficult season.

The Predators were going to have match the emotion and intensity that the Jackets would be playing with if they were going to win this game.

Chris Mason was in net for the Predators, while the Jackets had Sergei Bobrovsky between the pipes.

A spirited first period ended with neither team scoring, but each generated some good chances. Both netminders came up with some good stops, especially Bobrovsky as the Predators had some good flurries in front of the net. The Predators did a good job of matching the intensity of the Jackets in the opening frame.

The Predators opened the scoring at 8:29 of the second period as Joonas Rask kept the puck in at the blue line in the Jackets zone. he got the puck to David Legwand, who dropped the puck to Shea Weber. Weber fired a wrist shot from the face off circle that beat Bobrovsky over his shoulder to give the Predators a 1-0 lead.

Chris Mason came up with a huge save on Brandon Dubinsky, who broke in alone on the Predators net. Mason stopped Dubinsky with his glove with a brilliant save.

The period ended with the Predators leading 1-0. The jackets had out shot the Predators 22-15 through the first 40 minutes.

Everyone knew that the Jackets would have a push fueled by desperation in the third period, and that is exactly what happened. The Jackets opened the third out shooting the Predators 11-0 in the first 7 minutes of the period, and Mason made some good saves to keep the Jackets off the board, including a stretch of two minutes of a Columbus power play.

With Chris Mueller in the box and the Jackets on their second power play of the game, they finally broke through as Brandon Dubinsky got loose in the slot and beat mason off a backhand to tie the game at 1 at 10:09 of the third period.

As solidly as the Predators had played in the first 40 minutes, they had disappeared in the third period. Through 12:40 of the period, the Predators had been out shot 15-1 and showed no offensive instinct whatsoever. The Predators were letting the Jackets dictate and dominate play, and if they were going to have an opportunity to win this game, they would have to re-discover their offensive game and establish some zone presence.

Jack Johnson gave the jackets a 2-1 lead as he circled behind the net and threw the puck back to the front. The puck hit the back of Mason's pads and floated into the blue paint. Shea Weber inadvertently hit the puck with his stick and knocked it into the net for an unfortunate goal.

The Blue Jackets would add an empty net goal by Cam Atkisson for the final margin of 3-1.

Some observations:

Final Frame Flop

The Predators had played a solid 40 minutes of hockey only to completely collapse in the final frame. The Jackets totally dominated the Predators, out shooting them 26-5. The Jackets were going to come out with intensity and desperation in the final 20 minutes, and the Predators did not come close to matching their effort. This is disappointing even with the young line up. The veterans had to step up and lead and in the process calm down the youngsters. They failed miserably.

Painful Learning Experience

Injuries forced a number of young players into the line up, and they had to play some critical minutes during the latter stages of the season. They weren't often rewarded and the learning experience was not pleasant. The positive aspect of this painful learning experience is just that- experience. They have seen what it takes to compete and win at the highest level. They have also felt what it is like to be in the losing locker room. Those experiences will serve them and the team well in the coming seasons.

Forsberg Has The Potential...

to be really good. he is composed and smooth with the puck. He possesses great hockey sense. With physical and mental maturity that will come, he has the potential to be the elite scorer the Predators sorely lack. It is just that- potential. We will have to watch his development closely.

Mason Deserved Better

Chris Mason played his best game of the year, making some great saves, including on two breakaways. He got absolutely no support in the third period, and the Predators wasted a solid effort.

Final Thoughts

Mercifully, this miserable season has come to an end. Disappointing would be an understatement, but there are lessons that can be learned.

Fail to learn those lessons and next year could be just as ugly.

My three stars:

1. Sergei Bobrovsky

2. Chris Mason

3. Jack Johnson

Predators Can't Beat Bobrovsky and the Blue jackets

The Nashville Predators dropped a 3-1 decision to the Columbus Blue Jackets at Bridgestone Arena in a game that saw jackets netminder Sergei Bobrovsky stand tall and deny the Predators attack throughout the game.

The Predators fired 39 shots on net, and with the exception of a Kevin Klein goal in the second period, they were unable to solve Bobrovsky.

It certainly wasn't for a lack of effort by the Predators. They opened the game with good jump and attacked the Columbus net. Midway of the first period, the Predators had a 10-2 shot advantage and created some good scoring chances.

As has happened so often this season, however, the Predators were unable to finish their chances.

Pekka Rinne was in net for the Predators, and although he gave up three goals, played a strong game as the Jackets were firing pucks as often as the Predators. The Jackets finished with 38 shots on goal.

Columbus opened the scoring on the power play as James Wisniewski scored from the blue line with a shot that went top shelf past a screened Rinne at 8:36 of the second period.

The Predators answered at 12:14 of the second as Kevin Klein crept down from the blue line and took a pass from Patric Hornqvist and beat Bobrovsky, who lost his stick in the traffic in front.

In the third period, the Jackets newest acquisition, Marion Gaborik, took a pass from Brandon Dubinsky and beat Paul Gaustad to the front of the net. Gaborik lifted the puck over Rinne to give the Jackets a 2-1 lead at 4:16 of the third period.

The Jackets made it 3-1 at 10:50 of the third as Matt Calvert fired a wrist shot that Rinne got with his blocker, but it bounced over his shoulder and into the net.

Some observations:

Fish Fights Back

The Predators welcomed back Mike Fisher, who had missed 4 games with an injured hand. It was apparent that Fisher was not 100% as the Predators played him on the wing and he did not take face offs. It appeared that the injured hand was still troubling Fisher as his ability to handle the puck seemed to be limited. Although Fisher was not able to get on the score sheet, he gave a gutsy effort all night.

Failing To Finish

While I cannot fault the effort by the team, and 39 shots on net is a great effort, the fact remains that the Predators have to finish some of their chances. Part of this is obviously the play of Bobrovsky, who was stellar. The Predators desperately need someone to take the puck strong to the net and finish some of their chances. It is also telling that the top three players with the most shots on goal were defensemen (Josi, 6 SOG; Klein, 6 SOG; Ellis, 4 SOG). The Predators need their forwards to develop a goal scorers mentality and find a way to bury some shots.

I Still Have My Doubts...

about the ability of Ryan Ellis to be a full time NHL blue liner. Ellis recorded 4 shots on goal and was a -1 tonight. My doubts arise from the fact that Ellis is consistently out muscled and tonight was knocked to the ice several times during scrums for the puck. Ellis was making his first appearance after a brief stint in Milwaukee, and while he gives good effort, his lack of size is a detriment to his game. The Predators can ill afford an under-sized defenseman that cannot match up with the opponents forwards.

The Best and Most Creative Player Offensively Is...

Roman Josi. Josi is smooth handling the puck, and when he jumps up in the offensive zone, is able to create some offensive chances. The Predators forwards need to take a few lessons from Josi.

Final Thoughts

With the loss, the Predators allowed Columbus to leap frog them in the standings. The Predators now sit in the 11th spot in the West with Chicago coming to town on Saturday night. Nashville is 15-15-8 and has 38 points. In the West, Detroit is playing at the time of this post and sits in 7th with 41 points and will have played 37 games. St. Louis is 8th with 40 points and 35 games played. Edmonton is playing and has 39 points and will have played 37 games. Columbus moves into the 10th spot with 39 points and 37 games played.

You can see the problem for the Predators: having played more games than the teams in front of them and needing points to get back into the playoff picture.

The next few games are going to determine if the Predators will be a playoff team or if they will hit the golf course at the end of the month.

There is only one way to avoid an early tee time.

Bring the effort every shift.

My three stars:

1. Sergei Bobrovsky

2. Marion Gaborik

3. Matt Calvert

Predators Bury the Blue Jackets 5-2

The Nashville Predators were looking to win two games in a row for the first time in over a month, and the Columbus Blue Jackets were just what the Predators needed to do just that.

The Predators buried the Blue Jackets with a first period goal scoring spree en route to a 5-2 victory.

The Predators scored 4 goals in a 3:04 stretch of the first period, the fastest 4 goals in franchise history.

Taylor Beck got the scoring started as he rifled a shot from the face off circle over the shoulder of Columbus netminder Sergei Bobrovsky for his first NHL goal. His tally came at 7:11 of the first period.

Shea Weber stretched the lead to 2-0 at 8:21 of the period on the power play. Bobby Butler worked hard to get control of the puck, made a move toward the net, and slipped a beautiful pass to Weber on the off side. Weber blasted home the shot for his 6th goal of the season.

The Jackets made it 2-1 as R.J. Umberger crashed into Pekka Rinne in the blue paint and the puck trickled through Rinne's pads after the collision and into the net. The play was reviewed, but inexplicably no goaltender interference was called.

Rather than let the Jackets build momentum, David Legwand responded to make it 3-0 at 9:46 of the first as he beat Bobrovsky from the slot.

The Predators made it 4-1 at 10:15 of the first period as Matt Halischuk whistled a shot over the shoulder of Bobrovsky off a rush into the Columbus zone.

Bobrovsky had given up 4 goals on 11 shots by the Predators, and his night was done. Steve Mason came in to replace Bobrovsky and finished the game in net for the Jackets.

Just 12 seconds after the 4th Predators goal, Rich Clune was called for interference, and because the play resulted in an injury to a Jackets player, he was given a 5 minute penalty and a game misconduct.

The 5 minute power play was a prime opportunity for the Jackets to get back into the game. The Predators had killed off the just over 3 minutes of Clune's penalty when Mike Fisher stole the puck and drove the net. He crashed into Mason and was given a 2 minute penalty for goaltender interference.

Now the Predators had to kill off nearly 2 minutes of 5 on 3 power play time.

And they did so in grand fashion.

The Predators gave the Jackets just two shots with the two man advantage.

Game, set, and match.

Artem Anisimov tallied at 14:53 of the second period, as his shot hit the stick of Mike Fisher and caromed over the shoulder of Rinne to make it 4-2.

The third period saw the Jackets have a decided advantage in zone time, as they controlled the puck and kept the Predators bottled up in their own end for lengthy stretches. The Predators did a good job of limiting quality scoring chances for the Jackets, however.

Roman Josi scored an empty net goal at 19:36 for the final margin.

Some observations:

Welcome Back, Big Guy

Hal Gill was back in the line up, and his presence was welcome, especially on the penalty kill. Gill was strong and his effort during the Jackets 5 on 3 was exceptional. Gill is a steady presence on the blue line and his return gives the coaching staff some flexibility with the D corp and getting the best blue liners on the ice for the match ups with the opponent.

Welcome Back, Predator Hockey

In the first period, the Predators forecheck was relentless and helped to create offensive opportunities. It was refreshing to see the Predators firing the puck at the net, and some good things- such as 4 goals- happened because they pulled the trigger. The defense did a good job of limiting quality scoring opportunities by the Jackets. And Pekka Rinne was solid in net. This is the type of game that the Predators are capable of playing, and tonight, they played a solid game in all phases.

Home, Sweet Home

With the win, the Predators home record is now 8-2-4. By contrast, their road record is 5-11-2. With the schedule heavily slanted to home games for the remainder of the season, the Predators have to continue to use home ice to their advantage.

No Let Downs

The Predators out shot the Blue Jackets 13-4 in the first period. In the final 40 minutes, the Jackets out shot the Predators 19-11. The Jackets started to control play in the second period, out shooting the Predators 9-4 and then 10-7 in the third. As mentioned, the Jackets spent a lot of time in the offensive zone in the third period. The Predators cannot step off the gas with a lead. Good teams will make them pay for that, and their success in upcoming games will depend on a full 60 minute effort.

Everyone Contributes

Taylor Beck had a goal and an assist. Marty Erat, Gabriel Bourque, and Bobby Butler each had two assists. Matt Halischuk, David Legwand, Shea Weber, and Roman Josi had goals. This is the kind of effort that this team has to bring every night, and contributions have to come from all lines. This is the formula for the Predators to succeed, and it has to be consistent from game to game.

Kudos to Bobby Butler, who had a strong game. His assist on Weber's goal was a thing of beauty. He was strong on the puck and battled in the hard areas.

Final thoughts

The Predators are now 13-13-6 and have 32 points. They sit just outside of the 8th spot for the playoffs. Getting into the playoffs will be a battle over the final 16 games. I still believe they will need to win 13 of their remaining 16 games to get in the dance.

The hill is steep and the task is going to be difficult. But it can be done.

Tonight, the team saw what it will take to get it done.

Now, they have to bring this effort every game.

My three stars:

1. Taylor Beck

2. Bobby Butler

3. Marty Erat

Predators Fall to Blue Jackets; Season Slipping Away

If the Nashville Predators are going to make a playoff push, it has to begin tonight in Columbus against the Blue Jackets, a team that is 6-0-4 in their last 10 games and boasts one of the hottest goaltenders in the NHL in the person of Sergei Bobrovsky.

No easy task for the Predators, who find themselves in a deep hole of their own making. The Predators are 3-6-1 in their last 10 games and have lost three in a row.

The Predators benched Sergei Kostitsyn for his egregious gaffe in the previous game against Edmonton. Taylor Beck was called up from Milwaukee and took his place on the line with Marty Erat and Mike Fisher.

The Predators had Pekka Rinne in net, and Predator fans could only hope that the team in front of him would give him some support in this game.

The Predators opened with good jump, and early on had a decided shot advantage. As the period wore on, that changed, with the Blue Jackets aided by two Predators penalties. The Jackets out shot the Predators 14-9 in the period after the Predators opened the game with a 7-1 shot advantage.

The period ended scoreless, and Rinne made some big saves to keep the BJ's off the board.

The Blue Jackets got on the board at 4:08 of the second period as Fedor Tyutin launched a shot from the blue line that got through traffic and past Rinne, who was screened by a Columbus player and two Predator defenseman.

Since the midway mark of the second period, the Blue Jackets were carrying the play to the Predators, and it was going to be critical for the Predators to reverse the momentum back to their favor.

The Jackets second goal came off a dominating offensive zone cycle. The Predators could not get the puck out of the zone, and the Jackets made them pay. Mark Letestu roofed a shot over the shoulder of Rinne at the end of this cycle to make it 2-0 at 9:39 of the second period.

At this point, it looked as if the Jackets were going to run the Predators out of the barn.

The Predators responded at 14:45 of the second as Roman Josi walked the puck in from the blue line and took a shot from the high slot. Gabriel Bourque was in front of the net battling for position and re-directed the puck past Bobrovsky to make it 2-1.

Heading into the third, the Predators were in the game and needed a strong period to capture a much needed two points.

Yeah... about that strong period.

The Predators gave up a power play goal to Nikita Nikitin at the 10:00 mark to make it 3-1 Jackets. On the play, it looked as if Roman Josi had partially screened Rinne as he did not see the shot until the last second.

Derick Brassard made it 4-1 off a rush as he blasted a puck past Rinne at 12:41 of the third.

The Predators got a goal from Chris Mueller, who was battling in front of the net and shoveled a puck past Bobrovsky to make it 4-2 at 17:59 of the third.

Mike Fisher scored off a gritty effort in front of the net, sweeping the puck past Bobrovsky at 18:46.

Unfortunately, the Predators could not get the tying goal, and they saw a game that they had to have slip away by a 4-3 margin.

Some observations:

What Happened to That Opening Surge?

The Predators opened the game with good jump and were taking it to the BJ's early in the contest. Through ten minutes of the first period, the Predators had out shot the Jackets 9-1 and controlled the play. That effort slowly waned, aided by two Predator penalties in the period, and the Predators never matched the effort of the Jackets after that. It's a 60 minute game boys.

Another Third Period Fade

A disturbing characteristic of the Predators is getting whipped in the third period. Maybe it is the experience level of the players. I hope it isn't the character and heart of those on the ice. If it is that, then this team has deeper problems than just their won/lost record.

It Is Time For The Pine

I like him, but the fact is that Marty Erat has been awful. He has contributed nothing to the offense for far too long, and this team needs someone who is going to contribute. Tonight, Marty had 19:40 of ice time (second only to Mike Fisher) and not a single shot on net. Too often, Marty chews up big minutes and does nothing. This is unacceptable and is hurting the team. It is past time to get someone in the lineup that is at least going to get some shots on net and at least has an opportunity to score.

Speaking of Pine

After his horrific mistake against Edmonton, Head Coach Barry Trotz benched Sergei Kostitsyn. He spoke of accountability, and that each player has to be accountable to the team. It is now time to apply that principal to some of the other guys.

Motor

Gabriel Bourque recorded his team leading 10th goal. Roman Josi was solid. Chris Mueller and Mike Fisher scrapped and worked for goals. Some of the guys have their motors still running. That is a good thing. Unfortunately, not enough guys have their motors running. And therein lies the problem for the Predators.

Final Thoughts

The Predators are watching their season slowly slip away. And it is painful. No one, the fans, the coaches, the owners, the players, enjoy this. This is not fun.

Yet there is a lot of hockey to be played. We are going to learn a lot from about this team by how they respond to this adversity. This is an inflection point for this team. The guys that put on the sweaters can play with heart and grit or they can piss away the remainder of the season.

It will tell us a lot about the future of this team.

Your call, boys.

My three stars:

1. Sergei Bobrovsky

2. Derick Brassard

3. Gabriel Bourque

Predators Fall 3-2 in a Phrustrating Loss to Philly

The Nashville Predators battled the Philadelphia Flyers, the Eastern Conference points leader skate to skate before falling 3-2 at the Wells Fargo Center on a late goal by Ville Leino. This is the fourth straight loss for the Predators.

The Flyers opened with Sergei Bobrovsky in net while the Predators started Anders Lindback. Once again, the netminder for the Predators had to be sharp early as the Flyers generated some good chances and the Predator offensive effort was characteristically slow starting.

The Flyers drew first blood as Jeff Carter ripped a wrist shot over the glove hand of Lindback from just inside the face off circle at 10:18 of the first period.

The Predators did not record their second shot on net until the 11:10 mark of the first period. It was going to be important for the Predators to answer the Flyer marker and take away some of their energy.

That answer came at 11:17 of the first period as Cody Franson stick handled the puck through the Flyer defense and put a shot on net that Bobrovsky kicked out with his pad. Marcel Goc was driving the net on the off wing and buried the rebound to tie the game at 1. The play was made by the deft stickhandling of Franson, who was impressive on the rush.

That tally reversed the momentum and energized he Predators,and this team awoke and started playing some very good hockey. The forecheck boxed in the Flyers for the remainder of the first period and totally stymied their offensive flow in the second.

The ability of the Predators to slow the Flyers in the neutral zone created scoring opportunities off turnovers for the Predators throughout the second period. The forechecking effort was excellent and frustrated the Flyers, who responded by taking the body and trying to amp up the physical level of play. Daniel Carcillo spent much of the game running around hitting people, including a dangerous boarding hit on Marcel Goc. Kevin Klein stepped up to drop the gloves against Carcillo and got a few good shots in while keeping Carcillo tied up. Props to Kleiner for stepping up to defend his teammate against Philly's resident cheap shot artist.

The Predators appeared to score late in the second period as Shane O'Brien fired a shot that found the back of the net, but the goal was waved off by referee Dennis LaRue, who said that Patric Hornqvist interfered with Bobrovsky with incidental contact. No penalty was called on the play, but the tally was disallowed.

Nashville outshot the Flyers 13-8 in the second period, and outworked them throughout, but had nothing to show for the effort. At the end of two periods, the scored remained tied at 1.

Ville Leino would break that tie at 6:55 of the third period on the power play as he would knock home a rebound of a Jeff Carter shot.

The Predators would once again answer as their power play would finally click. Joel Ward fought for position just outside the blue paint and was able to gather in a rebound of a Marty Erat shot and slide the puck past Bobrovsky at 10:18 of the third period.

Leino would victimize the Predators once again with a spinning backhand move at 16:46 that was highlight reel material. Leino got the puck in the low slot and avoided a sliding Marty Erat. He spun around and lifted a backhand over the shoulder of Lindback to give the Flyers a 3-2 lead.

The Predators could not get a puck past Bobrovsky over the remaining 3:14, and once again a solid effort went for naught.

The losing streak stands at 4, and this streak has been particularly frustrating because several of the losses came in games where the Predators played well and had an opportunity to win. This team has to get over that hump and start putting games away. The occasional defensive lapse, the consistently slow starts, the goals given up in the third period have bitten the Predators in the ass, and winning teams don't get bitten. Right now, this team has to play a full 60 minutes and perhaps most importantly, believe they can win these games.

The road to the playoffs is going to be difficult. It will take the maximum effort in every game, because every team the Predators will face is gunning for one of the 8 playoff spots.

It's time to put together a winning effort.

It's time to end these phrustrating losses.

My three stars:

1. Ville Leino

2. Jeff Carter

3. Marcel Goc