Nashville Predators

Game Night in Smashville - Fan Appreciation Night
April 4, 2017, 8:48 AM ET [5 Comments]
Paul McCann
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It’s Fan Appreciation Night in Nashville as the Predators host the New York Islanders, a team desperate to keep their flickering playoff dreams alive. The Islanders need to win out and get help, lots of help, in order to sneak into the last wild card slot in the East. Even if they win out, their playoff chances only rise to 32%. For Nashville, tonight and the next two games after represent a chance to potentially pick their poison come round one in the playoffs. Improving to the first wild card slot virtually guarantees a crossover to the Pacific, 3rd in the Central is about as likely as the Islanders making the playoffs.

All that being said, there is indeed plenty to play for tonight.

The Islanders are the owners of a modest two game win streak, going 5-4-1 in their last ten. The Predators finished a five game in seven day stretch with a back-to-back split over this past weekend, beating Minnesota at home, losing to St. Louis on the road.

New York is without their captain, John Taveres is listed as “week-to-week” after a left hamstring injury sustained in the Isles game vs. the Devils last Friday. He will not be in the lineup tonight, but his very dangerous line mate, Anders Lee will… also, youngster Josh Ho-Sang has made a splash in his debut season. Another familiar face… goaltender Jaroslav Halak, who has fought his way back to the league after an extended stay in the AHL.

Nashville comes in with a few dings and potentially, a return… you are hearing rumblings about a potential return to the lineup sometime this week of Miikka Salomaki. Ahhh… the curative power of the playoffs. The JOFA line remains fairly hot as both Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen are on three game point streaks. No word of who is in net tonight, but I do expect Pekka Rinne as part of the regular goaltender schedule.

Plenty of activities surrounding Fan Appreciation Night, very limited tickets remain. Game time is 7pm.


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Random Notes

- Where We Stand – After yesterday’s play, the Nashville Predators have 91 points in 79 games played and remain in the 2nd Wild Card slot, they trail St. Louis for 3rd spot in the Central by two points, the Blues have a game in hand. The Preds are one point behind Calgary for the first Wild Card slot.

- Impact Game(s) Tonight - WPG @ STL – Go Jets Go… CGY @ ANA – Any result in regulation. EDM @ LAK – If you want EDM in the first round, root for the Oilers.

Matchup chances - Chicago – 58.2%, Anaheim – 21.3%, Edmonton – 15.7%, Minnesota – 3.5%, San Jose – 1.2%.

- If the Playoffs Started Today - As the 8 seed in the West, the Predators would play the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round.

- Teams that have clinched playoff spots - No one clinched a spot last night. 13 down, 3 to go… Washington, Chicago, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, New York Rangers, Anaheim, San Jose, Edmonton, Montreal, Calgary, St. Louis and Nashville have punched their tickets. Montreal clinched the Atlantic Division title last night with their win over Florida.

- Playoff “Tragic Numbers” - In the East… Tampa Bay = 5, New York Islanders = 3, Carolina = 1. (Stick tap to Damian Echevarrieta for this data)

- Single game playoff tickets went on sale yesterday and promptly crashed the Predators phone system.

- Lots of tongues wagging on the NHL’s announcement about not participating in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Korea… my tongue will be wagging about it later this week…

- Thirteen games in the NHL tonight, all times CST – 6pm – TBL @ BOS, PHI @ NJD, CBJ @ PIT. 6:30pm – WSH @ TOR, DET @ OTT. 7pm – WPG @ STL, NYI @ NSH, CAR @ MIN. 7:30pm – ARI @ DAL. 8pm – CHI @ COL. 9pm – CGY @ ANA. 9:30pm - EDM @ LAK, VAN @ SJS.

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