Nashville Predators

Four out of six
March 12, 2017, 10:04 AM ET [2 Comments]
Paul McCann
Nashville Predators Blogger • Predators Radio Network • RSS • Archive • CONTACT
Coming into yesterday’s matinee with the San Jose Sharks, the Nashville Predators were on a four game losing streak and 0-2-2 for the month of March. With their 3-1 win at the Shark Tank yesterday, all of a sudden, the team is on a three game point streak and captured four of a possible six points on their West Coast roadie. Ahhhh… the joys of the OT point.

The JOFA line continued their excellent play as both Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson got goals, but the biggest one may have been James Neal’s finish of a sweet Colin Wilson feed in the second period. Neal has been swarming for a few games now, but hasn’t been able to crack the net… this could portend well for Nashville, the Predators need Neal scoring.

We may have seen one of Nashville’s tighter games of the season yesterday, sure there were some miscues, that happens in every game, but the team was much more solid, sure-footed and playing the kind of game necessary for success in the late season and more especially, the playoffs.

One other interesting storyline was the lineup selections… for the first time in this observer’s memory, there is real back pressure from the players being scratched. Kevin Fiala is playing solid hockey, but the selection of a veteran (PA PArenteau) over the youngster sends a message, solid isn’t good enough. The same message may have been sent to Matt Irwin yesterday as well. Irwin has been a real find this season, but lately, he’s been a little loose, not a firm defensively as we have seen… he was sat in favor of Anthony Bitteto. This is not to call out these specific players, I think that line makeup was part of Fiala’s scratch as well, Parenteau is a top six forward and he needed to go on the second line.

Let’s get to the good, the bad and the ugly…

The Good - Juuse Saros continued the excellent play of the Nashville goaltending last night.

The Bad - The officiating was… ummm… shall we say… interesting last night. Way too many “reputation” calls and non-calls. Not good.

The Ugly - It’s a little rough to call it ugly, but I gotta put something here… Craig Smith just is snake-bit right now.

Weeks like the one the Preds just went through shows how thin the line is between successful road trip and disaster. St. Louis won their third in a row last night and are breathing down the Preds neck for that third slot in the Central. Tomorrow night’s game against Winnipeg looms large. Some tickets are still available.

--------------------------------------

Random Notes

- Where We Stand – After yesterday’s play, the Nashville Predators have 77 points in 68 games played and remain 3rd in the Central Division, leading St. Louis by two points. The Blues have a game in hand on Nashville. Per sportsclubstats.com, the Predators playoff chances are at 82.4%.

- Impact Game Warning - WSH @ ANA has a marginal impact should the Wild Card come into play.

- I am impressed with how Peter Laviolette is managing the goaltenders this season. It was a perfect spot to play Saros last night. Of course, Saros turning in the kind of performance he did makes him look like a genius.

- Certainly great to see both Ryan Ellis and Mattias Ekholm in the game last night after injuries had them listed as questionable. They are necessary parts of the Nashville defensive machine.

- PA Parenteau was eased into the Preds lineup, logging a little over 11 minutes of ice time and registering a shot and two hits.

- The schedule gets no easier for Nashville this week, after Monday night’s home game against Winnipeg, the team heads out to Washington for a Thuirsday date with the Caps and then to Carolina.

- Five games in the NHL today, all times CST – 11:30am – MIN @ CHI. 6pm – MTL @ EDM, NYR @ DET. 8:30pm – WSH @ ANA. 9pm – DAL @ SJS.

------------------------------------




-------------------------------------

SSR’s season nine is on, our next show is Wednesday night at 7 on 102.5 the Game. SlapShot Radio is the longest running hockey show in the mid-south and Pete Weber and I bring you the best in hockey talk all season long.

SlapShot Radio has been delivering great hockey talk to the most energetic and engaged fans in radio and advertising with us drives results. Our premier sponsors include day one sponsor Dr. Jane Bacon at Hermitage Family and Cosmetic Dentistry … make your appointment at (615) 872-7762, Mark Lonsway at ReMax Fine Homes, call him for all your real estate needs at (615) 207-7799, and TurfMasters… check out their great service at TurfMasters.com.

Advertisers… reach out to me in order to access our activated listener base though great advertising deals available when you email me at paul(@)slapshotradio(dot)com

You can also keep up with all the goings on with SlapShot Radio by following the show on Twitter @SlapShotRadio1 … Also... make sure to "like" SlapShot Radio on Facebook... here's the link.

-------------------------------------