Predators Can't Hold Leads, Blow Game to the Wings In OT

The Nashville Predators can't stand success.

They managed to blow a 3-1 lead before losing in overtime to the Detroit Red Winds by a 5-4 margin

Brad Richards gave the Wings a 1-0 lead before the Predators reeled off 3 straight goals to take a 3-1 lead late in the second period.

Shea Weber notched 2 power play goals and Viktor Arvidsson got a tally from in front of the net to give the Predators the two goal advantage.

Tomas Tatar scored on a late power play to send the Predators into the second intermission with a 3-2 lead.

Weber would record another power play goal as he blew a point shot past Petr Mrazek to give the Predators a 4-2 lead.

Dylan Larkin wove his way through the Predators defense to beat Rinne under the crossbar to make it 4-3.

Ryan Ellis took a stupid boarding penalty to put the Wings on the power play and Justin Abdelkader scored on a shot from Gustav Nyquist where Rinne was bumped by Abdelkader. The goal was reviewed but allowed to stand.

In overtime, Nyquist beat Rinne on the a breakaway and the Predators had tanked on a game they should have won.

Some observations :

• Some poetic justice for Shea Weber as the first Detroit goal bounced off of him and past Pekka Rinne. Two goals in the second is a pretty good response, eh? Especially one that bounced off the glass and back of Mrazek, which was confirmed by review. This was Weber's first 2 goal game since January 2015 against Dallas. Weber would add a third power play goal as he blew a shot from the point past Mrazek for his first career hat trick.
• I continue to like the play of Viktor Arvidsson. The Aardvark has adjusted to the speed of the NHL and is not afraid to bang along the boards and work in front of the net. He is using his speed to find open areas and was rewarded with a goal tonight.
• Rough start for Seth Jones with two slashing penalties in the first period. 
• Good to see the power play get going. One of the contributing factors to the Predators spotty play recently has been the weak special teams play. If these units can get going, it will be a great boost to the team.
• While it was good to see the power play get going, the PK continues to struggle, allowing 2 power play goals in 5 attempts by the Wings. The Predators have allowed 10 power play goals in their last 8 games, a major contributor to their struggles.This unit is going to have to get their game together quickly if the Predators are going to have success.
• No way the Predators defense should allow Larkin to skate through them like he did for his third period goal. The defense has to step up and take the body. Instead, Larkin was allowed to skate unimpeded until he found the soft spot in the defense to beat Rinne.
• the boarding penalty by Ryan Ellis late in the game is a penalty that just cannot happen. It was a selfish play as Ellis was going full speed into a player that had his back to the ice and was along the boards. The Predators have to play with more discipline than that with the game in the balance.
• The Predators have yet to win a game in the overtime session this season. They often look disjointed and lack a sense of urgency and attacking attitude in OT.
• The Predators were a horrid 39% in the face off circle, which contributed to the Wings possession time.
• The Predators blocked 20 shots, while the Wings blocked 8.

The Predators continue in their funk and each game exposes another crack in the Predators facade. This team has shown that they can play excellent hockey, and they have shown they can stink it up.

Tonight, they showed they lack killer instinct. yes, the Wings are a dynamic team, but when you have two 2 goal leads, you lock down the  opponent.

Tonight, the Predators let the Wings dictate play in critical times and it cost them the game.

The Predators have no swagger and no one that will step up and take control of a game.

Better find one fast or more trouble awaits.

My three stars:

1. Shea Weber

2. Gustav Nyquist

3. Roman Josi

Predators Can't Hold A Lead, Fall to Wings 4-3

Defensive breakdowns and an unlucky bounce doomed the Nashville Predators as they dropped a 4-3 decision to the Detroit Red Wings at Bridgestone Arena.

This was the Predators second loss in a row on home ice, where they have been dominant this season.

Tomas Tatar scored the game winner with the Wings on the power play as his shot deflected off the stick of Roman Josi and past Pekka Rinne.

The Wings jumped out to a 2-0 lead on goals from Brendan Smith and Drew Miller. Miller's goal was one that Rinne would like to have back as he got most of the shot but it trickled over his pad an into the net.

The Predators would answer just 30 seconds after the Miller goal as Matt Cullen would gather in a rebound that Jonas Gustavsson could not handle. Cullen banged in the loose puck in the blue paint to make it 2-1.

Mike Fisher scored from in close, roofing a shot over the shoulder of Gustavsson to tie the game midway of the second period.

The Predators took a 3-2 lead on the power play as Shea Weber unleashed a bomb that Gustavsson did not see until it hit the back of the net to send the Predators into the second intermission with their first lead of the game.

Alexey Marchenko tied the game at 3 with a perfectly placed blast that went top corner on Rinne.

Tatar's game winner came at 9:06 in the third.

Although the Predators had two late power plays, they could not get the equalizer.

Some observations:

• The Predators got 9 shots on net in the first period, but rarely challenged Gustavsson. The Predators seemed content to shoot from the point and hope to get rebounds and second chance opportunities. They did not even come close. The momentum swung to their favor in the second period when they started attacking the net. This is the Predators most effective style of play, and when they get away from that, the Predators are a very average team.
• The Predators got very sloppy and undisciplined in the third period. Of the 8 penalties the Predators took in the game, 5 came in the third period. One was a weak embellishment call on Filip Forsberg after he was tripped. Regardless, the Predators made the hill a lot steeper having to kill off 8 minutes with Detroit on the power play.
• Mike Ribeiro was 5 for 7 in the faceoff circle, but lost every offensive zone draw he took. this is just frankly a huge momentum killer for the Predators. he was replaced on the top line by Mike Fisher late in the game for some more prowess on the faceoff dot. However, Fisher was not any better, going 8 of 20.
• Pekka Rinne made some huge saves in the first period as the Wings had several quality scoring chances. As mentioned, he would like to have had Miller's goal back, one that was easily stoppable. There was nothing he could do on Tatar's game winner as the puck completely changed direction off of Josi's stick.
• The Predators were 1-7 on the power play. They had two opportunities late in the game but never seriously challenged Gustavsson. While Weber got some good looks, the Predators rarely had traffic in front of Gustavsson, and this is the aspect of the power play that has to improve. That, and just getting the puck into the zone.
• The Predators defense has not been as sharp recently. The team has given up 8 goals in their last 2 games and some breakdowns have resulted in the puck finding the back of our net. Part of this is getting Cody Franson meshed with his defense partner. Part of it is just some uncharacteristically sloppy play.
• Ryan Ellis was scratched for this game. His knee is still not healed well enough to play and there is no word as to when he might be back in the lineup.
• The Predators have a much more potent offense, but this trend of giving up the first goal in the game is troubling. It will be even more troubling in the playoffs.
• Roman Josi picked up two assists, his 8th multi-point game this season.
• Shea Weber led the team in TOI with 30:15.
• The Predators had 15 games in the month of February and went 10-4-1.

The Predators level of play over the past few games has fallen from elite to average. Playing average hockey against good teams often leads to a loss, and this is what the Predators are facing right now.

It is no time to panic, but it is time for the team to pay attention to the details and elevate their game.

My three stars:

1. Tomas Tatar

2. Matt Cullen

3. Drew Miller

Predators Whipped by the Wings

The Nashville Predators were similar to a lot of fans of the Red Wings at the Joe.

They didn't show up.

The Nashville Predators, fresh off an emotional and hard fought victory the night before, traveled to Detroit to take on the Red Wings in a contest that featured former division rivals that were playing some good hockey.

On this night, only one team played some good hockey.

And it wasn't the Predators.

Carter Hutton allowed 3 goals on 4 shots before being pulled in favor of Marek Mazanec.

The Predators gave up a 2 on 1 goal to Gustav Nyquist; a strange bouncing deflection goal to Kyle Quincy; and a goal to Tomas Tatar to chase Hutton to the bench.

The Predators finally showed some life as Mattias Ekholm patiently waited for an opening and beat Mrazek from the slot to make it 3-1.

Whatever momentum the Predators got from that late first period goal was wiped out when Henrik Zetterberg scored from the goal line on the power play when Mazanec didn't seal off the post and the puck bounced off his shoulder and over the goal line.

Tatar scored on another power play with just under a minute to go in the second period to make it 5-1.

Mike Fisher tallied on the power play early in the third period to make it 5-2.

Some observations:

• The Predators recalled Anthony Bitetto from Milwaukee. He saw his first NHL action and was paired with Mattias Ekholm.
• I know that you are not going to win every game, but wow, the Predators were loose in the defensive zone and didn't look sharp in any zone.There were spurts of energy and good play but they were few and far between. The most disappointing aspect of this game was that the team just looked lifeless at times (most of the time) and had no push back. Not surprised there was an emotional letdown after the game last night and Barry Trotz returning to Nashville, but this team just had no spark tonight.
• The first goal that Hutton gave up was a 2 on 1. The second was off a wild deflection and a bouncing puck. I will give him a pass on those two. He has to stop that Tatar shot. the goal that Mazanec gave up on the power play was just brutal. That shot should never go in.
• Calle Jarnkrok faced the team that drafted him. Jarnkrok was acquired when David Legwand was traded to Detroit.
• The penalty kill was atrocious, and tonight they continued the disturbing trend of giving up power play goals. The first goal from Zetterberg should never have happened but it did. The Predators PK entered the game killing just 80.6% of their opportunities, and this is an area that has to improve quickly.
• Mattias Ekholm tallied his 5th goal of the season and his second in as many nights. Ekholm continues to impress with his play and has started to show some flashes of offensive punch. He is showing more confidence in all aspects of his game.

This game was an absolute stinker for the Predators. No excuses about an emotional game last night or being on the second half of a back to back.

It was just bad.

Sometimes that happens. None of us like it, but that is just the way it goes sometimes.

The team has an opportunity to get this bad taste out of their mouth on Tuesday in Montreal.

My three stars:

1. Tomas Tatar

2. Gustav Nyquist

3. Reilly Sheahan

Wings Humble the Predators 4-0

The Nashville Predators visited the Joe Louis Arena to face the Detroit Red Wings and were attempting to notch their second win over the Wings this season.

The Predators opened with Pekka Rinne in net while Jimmy Howard was between the pipes for Detroit.

The first period was a fast paced affair with the Red Wings getting the only goal off a rebound put back by Drew Miller under the pad of Rinne at 5:11.

The Predators had some good scoring chances, including a breakaway by Matt Halischuk, but much like their game the night before, could not finish their chances. This is a trend that has to change quickly for the Predators if they were going to win this game.

The Predators out shot the Wings 12-9 in the period.

Tomas Tatar made it 2-0 for the Wings at 2:58 of the second period as the puck was bouncing around just outside of the crease. Tatar roofed the puck from a sharp angle to stretch the Wings lead.

Once again, the Predators inability to finish scoring chances haunted them, as they were creating scoring opportunities but not solving Howard.

By contrast, the Wings made the most of their opportunities. Niklas Kronwall made it 3-0 as he buried a shot past a screened Rinne at 15:33.

The Predators once again out shot the Wings 12-9 in the period, but the difference was that the Wings finished their scoring chances while the Predators did not.

The Predators offense could not get anything going, but the Wings made the most of their chances and they capitalized on a power play as Niklas Kronwall took a shot that was deflected by Dan Cleary past Rinne to make it 4-0 at 11:48

The game ended with the 4-0 margin for the Wings. The Predators out shot the Wings 33-27 but Jimmy Howard was equal to the task of stopping the Predators offensive threat.

Some observations:

• The Predators lost Hal Gill to a lower body injury in the second period. The extent of the injury is unknown.

• Rich Clune and Craig Smith were the most dynamic forwards on the ice for the Predators. Both drove hard to the net and created some chances. Truthfully, I did not see how Clune fit in with this team early in the season, but I have changed my opinion and believe that he is a good add for this team.

• It goes without saying that the Predators have to finish their chances. Tonight, they had some quality scoring chances and could not bury them. Part of that is the play of Howard, and part of this is the inability to put the puck in the net. This trend has to change quickly.

The effort was there, but the finish was not. This is two straight games that has happened to the Predators.

A negative trend that has to change.

My three stars:

1. Jimmy Howard

2. Niklas Kronwall

3. Tomas Tatar