Nashville Predators

Playoff Shots - "They were relentless"
April 21, 2017, 11:25 AM ET [0 Comments]
Paul McCann
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SlapShot Radio’s intrepid photographer was capturing the action of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in Smashville… check out the pics!

Pictures courtesy Denise McCann Photography

No Pred Nation… it wasn’t a dream. The Nashville Predators completed an improbable sweep of the Chicago Blackhawks with a 4-1 beat down in front of a crazed oversold Bridgestone Arena last night. To use an old saw, the game was a lot closer than the final score indicated.

After a first period where the Blackhawks successfully did everything they could to hold off a determined, hard charging Predator team and at the end of one, there was no score. Situations like that make a fanbase nervous as the Preds dictated play, but saw no reward.

Then came one of those “only in Smashville” moments and I am not referring to John Elelfante and John Hiatt on stage between periods. The TV Timeout Standing O. The tradition started about ten years ago, when the franchise was under threat from a vulture… but that is long in the history of the team and the standing O has turned into a statement of support and help to their team.

That is exactly what happened midway through the second period. The standing O turned into a thunderous “Let’s Go Preds” chant as the puck was dropped to resume play… clean faceoff win for Ryan Johansen to Ryan Ellis, Ellis to Roman Josi, who uncorked one that squeezed between Corey Crawford’s pads… that blew the roof off 501 Broadway.

But the Chicago Blackhawks were not going gently into that good night. It was a tight, back-and-forth affair until a puck bounce… Colton Sissons clanked one off the crossbar that got caught up in Crawford’s blocker and in the process of trying to clear the puck, put it into his own net. Then, a minute and a half later… Roman Josi finished off an absolutely beautiful tic-tac-toe play to score his second of the night.

At that point… Pred Nation was ready to party… for about :45 seconds. Then, an inadvertent hi-stick got whistled on Colton Sissons that turned into a double minor… and Jonathan Toews finally showed up, potting a power play goal that had Bridgestone Arena holding its collective breath… until Viktor Arvidsson (you just knew it had to be Arvy) scored an empty netter to give Nashville the sweetest Frosty’s they have ever had…

Game. Set. Match. The sweep was complete.

You have to give the Chicago Blackhawks a lot of credit, they showed up last night… but it just wasn’t enough. I ran into a Chicago TV reporter post game last night and he told me that the GM had a lot to answer for. Boy… how quickly you can turn from a genius to a goat. There will be a rather nasty post mortem on this one in the Windy City if that comment is any indication.

The Predators move on to the second round, but for now… this win is one to savor Smashville.

No GBU for this one... everything is beautiful! :-)

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Playoff Status

Eastern Conference

Washington vs. Toronto – Series tied 2-2 – Game 5 – tonight in Washington

Montreal vs. New York – NYR leads 3-2 – Game 6 – tomorrow in Montreal

Ottawa vs. Boston – OTT leads 3-1 – Game 5 – tonight in Ottawa

Pittsburgh vs. Columbus – PIT wins 4-1

Western Conference

Chicago vs. Nashville – NSH wins 4-0

Anaheim vs. Calgary – ANA wins 4-0

Minnesota vs. St. Louis – STL leads 3-1 – Game 5 – tomorrow in Minnesota

Edmonton vs. San Jose – EDM leads 3-2 – Game 6 – tomorrow night in San Jose

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Playoff Random Notes

- Quote of the series from Jonathan Toews – ““I think it’s insulting to not give that team credit for how well they played, and how they played us specifically. They were relentless.”

- As I noted on Wednesday’s SlapShot Radio… yesterday was the fifth anniversary of the Predators taking down another nemesis, the first playoff series win over Detroit.

- The Chicago Blackhawks clinched the conference banner on 4/1… and then did not win another game.

- Round 2 tickets are on sale at nashvillepredators.com

- The Penguins were the second team to punch their ticket to round two… Nashville joined the group about an hour later.

- Four games in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs tonight, all times CST – 6pm – CBJ @ PIT (NHLN), NYR @ MTL (USA). 7pm – CHI @ NSH (NBCSN). 9:30pm – SJS @ EDM (NBCSN).

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