Erat fine after leaving practice - Predators Insider Please be OK, Marty.
The 303:30 – Preds’ struggles, Titans’ punter Brett Kern and Ads prospects with Ryan Miller | Section 303 Jeremy & Codey are back behind the mic, musing over whether an AHL callup might help the Preds these days.
Ads can’t climb out of 5-0 hole | Admirals Roundtable Milwaukee went for a rough ride last night against the Chicago Wolves.
The Best and Worst of AHL Jerseys: Admirals Finale | Admirals Roundtable The Ads have sure had some odd looks over the years...
Orlando Solar Bears get their championship banner – 12 years after winning title | Puck Daddy The head coach of that team? Nashville's own Peter Horachek.
Also, here's an excellent segment from Thursday's Thom Abraham Show, featuring an extended conversation on the state of the Preds:
Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey
Preparing yourself for games on back-to-back days | Backhand Shelf Back-to-backs have a real effect on team performance, dropping expected winning percentage by about 5%.
NHL drug testing committee looking at Ambien use - NHL - SI.com In light of all those back-to-backs and other travel issues, perhaps the biggest performance booster is a drug that helps players get some sleep?
Keeping Coyotes in Phoenix is proving tough sell | Hockey | CBC Sports If Bill Daly says Phoenix is a hill the NHL is willing to die on, you know it's time to bring in the moving vans.
The Quiet Room: Cruddy injuries around the league | Backhand Shelf Jo's injury updates are always worth checking out.
Did Jackets’ Dorsett bite Blues’ Stewart after their fight Thursday night? | Puck Daddy Nom-nom-nom.
Backchecking Hard Is For Suckers | mc79hockey.com Tyler dissects the "lazy Russian" diatribes hurled at Ilya Kovalchuk during the Stanley Cup Final.
KHL.RU - official site - Excellence rewarded. KHL-TV scoops broadcasting award Congrats to KHL-TV, which won the Big Digit (seriously).
Blues At Red Wings Game Recap: Blues Lose 5-3, Backes Ejected For Hit To The Head - St. Louis Game Time St. Louis fans have reason to gripe over an awful call which gave Detroit a 5-minute power play in the third period.
Dallas Stars Beat Phoenix Coyotes 4-3 In Shootout - Defending Big D Dallas rolled out a young 6'7" defenseman in this game, Jamie Oleksiak.
Canucks Top Hawks; Welcome to the NHL, Rookie! - Nucks Misconduct Jordan Schroeder won this one for Vancouver in a shootout.
Happy 22nd Birthday Kyle Palmieri, Ducks Forward Nets 2 In Win Over Wild, 3-1 - Anaheim Calling The Ducks have moved to 4-1-1.
Recap: Capitals 3, Flyers 2 - Japers' Rink Might the combination of Mike Ribeiro and Alex Ovechkin get things rolling in Washington?
Game 7: Tampa Bay Lightning versus Winnipeg Jets - Raw Charge I'd say the Lightning are on fire, having won their fifth straight game, but that doesn't make sense.
Game 6 Recap: Hurricanes 1, Senators 0 - Canes Country Dan Ellis pitched the shutout for Carolina.
The fourth try was the charm, as the Preds earned their first shootout victory of the season, thanks to a Sergei Kostitsyn goal in the 8th round.
The Stats
Nashville Predators
Los Angeles Kings
Record
1-2-3
21st
2-2-1
19th
GF/Game
1.67
28th
2.00
24th
GA/Game
2.50
8th
2.80
15th
5-on-5 SF/60
20.6
30th
30.7
11th
5-on-5 SA/60
25.5
4th
27.3
12th
Fenwick Close
47.81
21st
54.67
4th
5-on-5 Save %
.908
21st
.896
27th
5-on-4 GF/60
7.8
12th
1.6
30th
# of PP's/Gm
3.17
28th
5.40
3rd
4-on-5 GA/60
7.2
16th
1.7
6th
# of PK's/Gm
3.17
2nd
5.40
29th
It will be interesting to see how much of a role special teams play into tonight's contest. In 5-on-5, the Kings are carrying the play, but have been undermined by poor goaltending results. Power play and penalty killing numbers are all over the map due to much smaller sample sizes, but the big story here is on the Shots For & Against battle in 5-on-5, along with that Fenwick Close line. Just as with last season, the Kings are generally tilting the ice in the right direction, while the Predators are not, putting extra pressure on Pekka Rinne.
Los Angeles Kings
For the perspective from La-La Land, make sure to check out the preview at Jewels From The Crown.
The Kings are shaking off a sluggish start, having opened 0-2-1, but since then they have beaten Phoenix and Vancouver. This is very much the same bunch that claimed the Stanley Cup back in June, (there was almost no turnover from that team), so they aren't likely to be frustrated by any short-term difficulties.
That lack of turnover does present a challenge to younger players trying to work their way up the ladder, however. Over at Mayor's Manor, we hear that aspiring center Andrei Loktionov has requested a trade, since he can't break into the NHL lineup:
This boils down to playing time, something the highly skilled forward isn't likely to see in Los Angeles anytime soon.
Deep at center, the Kings moved the 22-year old Russian over to the wing two seasons ago. And according to both the player and former coach Terry Murray, that was a failed experiment.
Now, with Jarret Stoll signing a multi-year contract extension last summer, the team is locked up down the middle for many years to come - with Anze Kopitar, Mike Richards and Stoll.
As for lines, these are lifted from JFTC's game preview:
Dustin Brown
Anze Kopitar
Justin Williams
Kyle Clifford
Mike Richards
Jeff Carter
Simon Gagne
Jarret Stoll
Trevor Lewis
Dwight King/ Dustin Penner
Colin Fraser
Jordan Nolan
Those top two lines will be a handful, without a doubt. The surprising omission here has been Dustin Penner, who has played in only two games and is once again in the doghouse (presumably eating pancakes). The Kings defense pairings were listed as follows:
Rob Scuderi
Drew Doughty
Alec Martinez
Slava Voynov
Jake Muzzin
Davis Drewiske
Nashville Predators
The Preds, as we all know, are looking to generate a few goals, but for right now the answers will have to come from within, as Nashville declined to pick up ex-Carolina forward Zach Boychuk, who was available on waivers but went instead to Pittsburgh.
So it's line shuffling for the present time, and Josh Cooper's report from yesterday's practice brings line combinations very similar to what I suggested they might go with against Phoenix on Monday:
Colin Wilson
Mike Fisher
Martin Erat
Gabriel Bourque
David Legwand
Brandon Yip
Sergei Kostitsyn
Nick Spaling
Craig Smith
Rich Clune
Paul Gaustad
Matt Halischuk
My lineup just had Spaling & Smith switched between center & wing, but still on the same line.
Make sure to check back later and join us for the Game Thread, it'll be a late night folks!
Do you need a new Preds hat to keep your head warm? Shop here!
We've been talking quite a bit lately about the dearth of shots being generated by the Nashville Predators, and that perfectly characterized tonight's game. Brandon Yip gave Nashville a 1-0 lead in the first minute of the game, but after that the shots came few and far between for the Preds. They finished with just 14 SOG all night (one of the lowest such totals in franchise history), to the Kings' 24.
Despite taking 6 minor penalties, however, the Preds held the Kings down for most of the contest as well, as a combination of stout penalty killing and stellar goaltending from Pekka Rinne got them to overtime, and thence the shootout.
And what a shootout it was, going a full 8 rounds before Sergei Kostitsyn buried the winner (and no, that doesn't count as a Shot On Goal for him). I'll post the video highlights in the morning, but for now...
Random Observations
Scott Hannan getting the start alongside Shea Weber? An interesting decision on the part of Barry Trotz, which smelled like a "get the experienced guy out there against top opponents" type of move. It fizzled, however, with all the penalties Hannan took, and it makes me appreciate all the more how Kevin Klein plays so much without heading to the box.
Yip's goal was a nice play on the offensive-zone faceoff, with Gabriel Bourque softly teeing the puck up for Yip, who was waiting in shooting position at the top of the circle
The fewest shots the Preds have ever had in a road game is 10, in a November 22, 1999 3-2 loss at St. Louis. This game also came close to setting a record for fewest shots by both teams combined in a Preds game (31 on March 4, 2003, a 2-1 loss at St. Louis).
Video Highlights:
And for your advanced stats...
Nashville Predators
Player
Pos
ES TOI
Total Shots For
Total Shots Against
Corsi
Net Zone Starts
Adjusted Corsi
Mike Fisher
C
17:52
13
17
-4
-6
-2
Martin Erat
R
16:22
13
15
-2
-5
0
David Legwand
C
15:12
8
15
-7
-1
-7
Colin Wilson
C
14:00
13
11
+2
-4
+4
Sergei Kostitsyn
L
13:47
6
10
-4
+5
-6
Nick Spaling
C
13:35
5
15
-10
+4
-12
Gabriel Bourque
L
13:06
5
14
-9
-1
-9
Craig Smith
C
12:18
6
10
-4
+2
-5
Brandon Yip
R
11:55
3
15
-12
0
-12
Paul Gaustad
C
8:32
4
12
-8
-8
-5
Matt Halischuk
R
6:44
3
9
-6
-3
-5
Rich Clune
L
5:48
5
9
-4
-3
-3
Shea Weber
D
23:31
15
18
-3
-1
-3
Scott Hannan
D
22:25
12
20
-8
+1
-8
Roman Josi
D
16:53
14
13
+1
-2
+2
Ryan Ellis
D
16:24
4
22
-18
-3
-17
Kevin Klein
D
14:51
13
15
-2
-3
-1
Hal Gill
D
10:31
2
17
-15
-4
-13
Not a good night for the depth guys possession-wise, as the Gill/Ellis pairing took the brunt of the damage.
Los Angeles Kings
Player
Pos
ES TOI
Total Shots For
Total Shots Against
Corsi
Net Zone Starts
Adjusted Corsi
Anze Kopitar
C
16:37
14
13
+1
+1
+1
Justin Williams
R
15:13
11
14
-3
-1
-3
Dustin Brown
L
14:13
10
14
-4
0
-4
Jeff Carter
C
14:02
25
3
+22
+3
+21
Simon Gagne
L
13:35
14
4
+10
+1
+10
Jarret Stoll
C
12:44
6
6
0
-1
+0
Mike Richards
C
12:38
22
3
+19
+2
+18
Colin Fraser
C
11:14
11
5
+6
+5
+4
Kyle Clifford
L
10:56
17
3
+14
+1
+14
Trevor Lewis
C
9:47
5
4
+1
+1
+1
Jordan Nolan
C
9:27
7
5
+2
+5
0
Dwight King
L
9:13
8
5
+3
+5
+1
Drew Doughty
D
20:41
20
11
+9
+2
+8
Slava Voynov
D
20:38
21
13
+8
+2
+7
Alec Martinez
D
20:18
22
17
+5
+3
+4
Rob Scuderi
D
20:03
19
6
+13
+2
+12
Jake Muzzin
D
11:39
11
7
+4
+1
+4
Davis Drewiske
D
10:49
11
6
+5
+2
+4
Yeah, that Carter/Richards tandem is pretty dreamy.
It will be interesting to see how much of a role special teams play into tonight's contest. In 5-on-5, the Kings are carrying the play, but have been undermined by poor goaltending results. Power play and penalty killing numbers are all over the map due to much smaller sample sizes, but the big story here is on the Shots For & Against battle in 5-on-5, along with that Fenwick Close line. Just as with last season, the Kings are generally tilting the ice in the right direction, while the Predators are not, putting extra pressure on Pekka Rinne.
Los Angeles Kings
For the perspective from La-La Land, make sure to check out the preview at Jewels From The Crown.
The Kings are shaking off a sluggish start, having opened 0-2-1, but since then they have beaten Phoenix and Vancouver. This is very much the same bunch that claimed the Stanley Cup back in June, (there was almost no turnover from that team), so they aren't likely to be frustrated by any short-term difficulties.
That lack of turnover does present a challenge to younger players trying to work their way up the ladder, however. Over at Mayor's Manor, we hear that aspiring center Andrei Loktionov has requested a trade, since he can't break into the NHL lineup:
This boils down to playing time, something the highly skilled forward isn't likely to see in Los Angeles anytime soon.
Deep at center, the Kings moved the 22-year old Russian over to the wing two seasons ago. And according to both the player and former coach Terry Murray, that was a failed experiment.
Now, with Jarret Stoll signing a multi-year contract extension last summer, the team is locked up down the middle for many years to come - with Anze Kopitar, Mike Richards and Stoll.
As for lines, these are lifted from JFTC's game preview:
Dustin Brown
Anze Kopitar
Justin Williams
Kyle Clifford
Mike Richards
Jeff Carter
Simon Gagne
Jarret Stoll
Trevor Lewis
Dwight King/ Dustin Penner
Colin Fraser
Jordan Nolan
Those top two lines will be a handful, without a doubt. The surprising omission here has been Dustin Penner, who has played in only two games and is once again in the doghouse (presumably eating pancakes). The Kings defense pairings were listed as follows:
Rob Scuderi
Drew Doughty
Alec Martinez
Slava Voynov
Jake Muzzin
Davis Drewiske
Nashville Predators
The Preds, as we all know, are looking to generate a few goals, but for right now the answers will have to come from within, as Nashville declined to pick up ex-Carolina forward Zach Boychuk, who was available on waivers but went instead to Pittsburgh.
So it's line shuffling for the present time, and Josh Cooper's report from yesterday's practice brings line combinations very similar to what I suggested they might go with against Phoenix on Monday:
Colin Wilson
Mike Fisher
Martin Erat
Gabriel Bourque
David Legwand
Brandon Yip
Sergei Kostitsyn
Nick Spaling
Craig Smith
Rich Clune
Paul Gaustad
Matt Halischuk
My lineup just had Spaling & Smith switched between center & wing, but still on the same line.
Make sure to check back later and join us for the Game Thread, it'll be a late night folks!
Do you need a new Preds hat to keep your head warm? Shop here!
Quotes from the Preds locker room after def LA 2-1 via shootout - Mayor's Manor Peks was glad to notch his first W of the season.
Rich Clune says goodbye to the Kings, hello again to Los Angeles - Mayor's Manor Last night's game was a homecoming for Clune, who had spent the last two seasons playing for L.A.'s AHL affiliate.
Smashville 24/7 - Can Preds build off Thursday’s win? Last night's game was further proof of something which has been a hallmark of Barry Trotz's tenure here. Even when it looks like the Preds are playing lousy & should be getting their heads kicked in, they don't break ranks.
Dissecting the Predators Shootout Struggles | The Hockey Writers Given the small sample size that goes along with shootout statistics, it's hard to get too worked up over things. If you flip a coin and it comes up "tails" the first 3 times, are you really concerned that you'll never see "heads" again?
The Best and Worst of AHL Jerseys: Part Deux | Admirals Roundtable Some way-cool threads herein.
Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey
Phoenix Coyotes front office, players reeling as Greg Jamison's bid fades - Phoenix Business Journal Where will this drama go from here?
Know who isn’t excited about new Toronto arena? Hamilton, that’s who | Puck Daddy Sorry, Hamilton, it was never meant to be.
NHL - Gary Bettman's 20 years as commissioner have been full of ups and downs - ESPN Fans may hate his guts, but owners (and players) have to love the results Gary Bettman has delivered for the league.
NHL short season may save coaches on hot seat | Home Ice - SI.com Will teams just wait a few months, or pull the trigger soon on their coaches?
Sharks beat Oilers in regulation, then do it all over again in the shootout - Fear The Fin San Jose (which hosts the Preds on Saturday) remains the NHL's lone undefeated team, at 7-0-0.
Game 7 Recap: Avalanche douse Flames 6-3 in Calgary - Mile High Hockey Colorado keeps the Flames firmly esconced in the Northwest Division basement.
Blues at Blue Jackets Recap: Early Lead Gives Blues Another Win - St. Louis Game Time Just another night at the office for St. Louis, which boasts a 6-1-0 record.
Recap: Florida Panthers End Five-Game Skid, Top Winnipeg Jets 6-3 - Litter Box Cats Marcel Goc's return to the Panthers lineup led to a big win.
Islanders 5, Devils 4 (OT): Wild first-place battle ends on Brad Boyes winner - Lighthouse Hockey This win pulls the Islanders up alongside New Jersey for the Atlantic Division lead.
Buffalo Sabres vs. Boston Bruins Instant Reactions - Die By The Blade It was the Thomas Vanek show, as he put up five points in a Buffalo win.
Maple Leafs 3 v. Capitals 2: Highlights And A Look At The Numbers - Pension Plan Puppets They're getting giddy over Matt Frattin in Toronto.
Seth Jones and Nathan MacKinnon Still Dominating The 2013 NHL Draft Rankings | NHLNumbers.com For those of you already looking forward to the draft...
Staged Fights: Good or Bad for the Red Wings? - Octopus Thrower Red Wings fans aren't quite sure what to make of Jordin Tootoo's propensity to drop the gloves, especially right at the start of a game.
Hockey and ’30 Rock’: Inside plentiful puck references as Tina Fey’s sitcom reaches finale | Puck Daddy I've never watched this show much, but hey, hockey.
Bleacher Report is coming to a TV near you - Awful Announcing CNN is smearing as much lipstick on that pig as it can during Super Bowl weekend.
Fantasy Hockey: Joe Pavelski is a stud; Cam Ward is a dud | Puck Daddy Among the waiver wire favorites, I did recently pick up Joel Ward.
Changes released Thursday across SB Nation - Blog Huddle A few tweaks have been made to our platform (I dig the color changes in particular).
Folks, I'm thrilled to welcome Caroline to the OTF writing crew for this season. You know her already as OTF's busiest commenter, and after lending a hand as a moderator last season, she's going to provide her signature, detailed analysis of some of the key plays from recent Predators games. See, those Enforcers can indeed work their way up the depth chart! - Dirk
So hey guys! I never thought I'd be here... and yet here I am. Big shout-out to Dirk for letting me climb aboard and start writing. I'm really excited to add another angle to OtF. Have no fear though, I'm definitely not abandoning my enforcing duties. I'm watching, so all you ruffians out there better behave!
As some of you know, towards the mid-end of last season, I started writing for another blog. I picked a few goals from each game and broke them down to show exactly where the Predators went right and wrong. It was fun looking at goals from every game, but it was really time consuming, it kept me up late, and I got stuck looking at the same mistakes over and over. In hopes of fixing those problems, I'm going to write on a weekly basis instead, picking a few of the goals from a few of the games that week. This also gives me the opportunity to reach out to you guys. If there are ever any requests, I'm happy to take them. If there is a particularly stupid/frustrating/ridiculous or weird/confusing/spectacular goal that you want me to break down, email me or mention it in the post-game thread for that game. This should get smoother as I get into the swing of things.
If you read nothing else in this post, please read this:
I'm doing this for you guys. I love writing this stuff, and I'm doing it for OtF. That being said, I'd really love to get some feedback on this. I covered three goals because it seemed like a solid number. Is it too much for one post? Would you rather have more? Is it perfect? I also tried to explain some of the things that I, as a player, immediately noticed, and thought that non-players might not immediately consider, like the weird issue of Ryan Suter's initial positioning as a lefty in the first goal (see below), or Ryan Ellis' communication in this earlier bit (see paragraphs under the first picture). Is that kind of thing interesting to read about? Is that stuff you actually wouldn't have noticed/considered, or am I not giving you enough credit? I honestly want to make sure you guys find this interesting, so any and all thoughts, ideas, suggestions, critiques, likes, dislikes, and loving praise will be accepted.
---
This week was massively disheartening, so I'm going to try to be NOT sad in my first post. I can't guarantee the same thing for next week.
January 22: Predators vs. Wild (3-1)
Preds: Martin Erat (2) on Nicklas Backstrom
This starts off as a 4-on-4 in the defensive zone, as Mikko Koivu tries to set up a scoring opportunity by sending the puck behind the net to Zach Parise, who is being watched by Roman Josi. Nick Spaling has his head on a swivel, sees someone coming into the zone behind him, and is going to switch places with Martin Erat to continue to cover that guy, which will give Marty a grand opportunity.
Welcome, Voldemort. Here is Minnesota's problem: Voldemort is too low. I see what he's doing, and it sorta makes sense, but not really. First of all, he is a lefty. I am also a lefty, which is why this caught my attention. Please consider for a moment the current positions and angles of these three things in relation to each other: Voldemort, Parise, net. Finished? That is a seriously awkward shooting angle. As a player, I feel uncomfortable just looking at it. Unless he's planning on simply redirecting the pass instead of shooting (which, granted, is possible), I'm not sure why he's this low and at this completely useless of an angle. Second of all, see where Spals is? He has single-handedly removed all of Voldemort's time and space. There is no way V. can adjust for a quality shot before Spals will get to him. Third of all, V. has left control of the blue line up to one dude. He's gambling that Jared Spurgeon (out of picture) won't screw anything up, because if he does (spoiler alert), Marty is gonna have a spectacularly clean break away. I'm not at all against a defenseman dropping low and into the play, but Voldemort has nothing to offer Parise right now by dropping this low... so I don't know why he's doing it. He'd be better off to just back up closer to the boards, giving Spurgeon an outlet pass.
Amazingly enough, Marty somehow manages to see that Parise is passing the puck right up his alley, and pokes it out of the way. Also amazingly enough, Spurgeon decides that he's gonna go for it... fully aware that Voldemort has dropped low... and that there is no one behind him if he misses the puck... and that Marty could get a breakaway... But hey - why not risk it all when you're tied in the last half of the third period, right?
I really wanted to photoshop them onto horses so it looked like they were jousting.
Gotta give Nicklas Backstrom credit for doing this, because his other option is to let Marty have a full-blown breakaway. It's ballsy, but it's probably the better alternative.
Of course, the only problem with racing a charging forward for the puck is that if you aim poorly and clear the puck right into said forward, there ain't a whole lot of defense between him and the net once he gets past you... the goalie. I have to give half unhappy credit to Voldemort for hauling himself down the ice that fast, and half joyful credit to him for doing that, because now he gets to witness the following:
Thank you, Ryan, for making Barry smile. I will keep this gif forever and ever.
Here is the Minnesota goal, for your viewing pleasure:
January 26: Predators vs. Ducks (2-3 SO)
Preds: Brandon Yip (1) on Some Dude Playing His 1st NHL Game
I commissioned a poem just for this goal. Credit goes to 3DLink, because DAMN.
The Redemption of Brandon Yip
The stick of Brandon Yip is built of fear and of fire
The puck flew out in front like a spark on a wire
Yip crashed down ice, our much maligned golden tiger
Then with Smithson-like grace he dodged Fowler with a slider
The wrist shot flew out, truer than an Englishman's arrow
Poor Fasth was screened by Clune, a tower of muscle and marrow
The Swede makes the stop, but downwards Yip bore
Again his stick found the puck, and holy shit did Yip score?
Accompanying photos:
This took place immediately after a face off, which explains the awkward positioning of all six players in the defensive zone. Rickard Rakell (dat name) wins the face off back to Cam Fowler, who is immediately hassled by Brandon Yip and Rich Clune. He passes over to Bryan Allen, but not well, as the puck leaves the zone. As Allen fumbles with it, it bounces off either his or the referee's skate (I can't tell which) and careens into the neutral zone. Yip is all over it.
Here, we have Yip charging after the puck. Also, Clune not fighting anyone.
Unfortunately you can't watch the drag Yip's about to do around the floundering Fowler, but it's pretty sweet.
Of major note here is my confusion and serious disproval of whatever the heck Fowler is doing. Here are the steps you take as a defenseman during a 2-on-1. First: Who are the two? Datsyuk/Zetterberg or Crosby/Malkin differs significantly from Yip/Clune or Thing 1/Thing 2. You end up doing the same thing regardless, but it's important to know what you're up against. Blocking a shot is much different than getting dangled out of your jock strap. Second: Find the guy without the puck. YOU ARE NOW BEST FRIENDS WITH THAT GUY. Third: Let your goalie save a clear and unblocked shot. That's It. Fowler took himself completely out of the play, allowing his goalie to get partially screened and Yip to find his own rebound. Because he had to lay down. The 10-year-olds I coach know better.
Anyway. Yip gets around Fowler, who now gets to watch the whole shebang, and Clune sidles up to the goalie, resisting the urge to fight him. Yip shoots, and the rebound comes flying out between Clune's feet. Of marginal interest here, the Anaheim announcers decided this was an accurate call of the play: "Here's Erat, his first save as a dandy, and then the rebound..."
O_o ...wut? They do later correct themselves, but there are so many weird things happening in that sentence.
All hail the Yip-Shot!
Watch the Yip-Shot here:
January 28: Predators vs. Coyotes (0-4)
Coyotes: Nick Johnson (1), assisted by Keith Yandle (4) and Derek Morris (4) on Pekka Rinne
There was so much bad this week that it was impossible to ignore. It took me a while to decide which goal I hated the most, and I stumbled upon this one. There are many others that were just as frustrating, but I picked this one because it so perfectly demonstrates why I was so frustrated after our last game.
Ready?
Me neither.
This is very similar to what happened to Minnesota, except this was 5-on-5, and the Predators handled it much better than the Wild did. Roman Josi is sneaking down behind the play and dropping low into the zone. I'm pretty sure no one is aware that he exists right now except for David Legwand, and David Morris sees him at the last minute. It's a fantastic move by Roman, and one of about three solid moves during this shift. He gets a gold star.
Also like the Minnesota goal, unfortunately, someone does figure out where the pass is going, and he tips it just out of the way. I bet $30 that if Derek Morris hadn't screwed with Leggy's pass, Roman would have scored right there. You can tell that Leggy is already aware of the fact that Roman missed the shot, and is going to be behind the play. He's upright, about to do a crossover (check the skates - the body and leg angle? That right leg is about to come up), and is going to book it back to cover for his teammate. This is the second good move that occurs during this shift. Leggy also gets a gold star.
Keith Yandle, who is a defenseman, gets past Nick Johnson (who had to turn 180 degrees before taking off, whereas Yandle just had to skate forward) and carries the puck into the neutral zone with Shane Doan on a 3-ish-on-2. Weber backed the heck up after Roman decided to drop down into the zone (third gold star), and therefore had time to transition and prepare for everything. Roman and Sergei Kostitsyn are booking it back down to their zone, and Gabby, who was down by the net, is on his way. So far so good.
Alright, pairing time! Weber has Yandle covered. Leggy has Doan nearby. I'm really not thrilled with his coverage of Doan, cause he sorta just lets him sit there, but Leggy is Leggy. He's not a very aggressive guy, and he's not a defenseman. He's doing the best he can, I guess. Roman has made it back quickly enough to pick up the fourth man in (Antoine Vermette), and Sergei SHOULD be covering Nick Johnson. The difference in Tits' body position between this picture and the last is really impressive, and not at all in a good way. He is HAULING in the other picture, and he is gliding here, when it really matters that he still be hauling. There's a tiny bit too much space for comfort between Josi and Vermette too, but at least he's less than a stick-length away from him. Tits is just watching this all go down, so guess where Yandle decides to put the puck?
Hey Gabs. So anyway, Leggy is way too far away from Doan for my immediate liking, but there are two things going on here. First, I think standing right on top of Doan just doesn't quite fit into his automated list of things to do in the defensive zone. Second, NO ONE is even NEAR BY Nick Johnson. So I guess at least he saw that and is kinda attempting to cover him. It's up for grabs whether it'd be better for Leggy to let Johnson get the shot off while covering Doan really carefully, or whether he should have fully committed to Johnson (which he sorta did, to the best of his ability) and just let things run as they did. Not sure the first option would have changed much, but I guess it's worth considering.
I'm not going to show the puck actually going into the net.
It's just too fresh.
And too sad.
But here it is:
Here's the big issue I had with this play, amongst all the others (and I can't even remember how bad some of the others were, but I did not enjoy watching them): This all comes down to backchecking and covering your man. I really am a fan of Sergei, but I'm getting reaaaaaaaally sick and tired of watching him float around, in both ends, doing nothing. And he isn't the only one I've seen do this. Others are guilty as well. But he does it a LOT. The only real reason this goal happened was because while Sergei Kostitsyn did get back fast enough to cover his man, he suddenly decided not to cover the LONE UNCOVERED MAN.
Preds digging deep hole with early slump - Cross Checks Blog - ESPN Fortunately, all the shootout losses still earn a point in the standings, so the Preds aren't far off the pace. They do need to improve their play, however.
Should The Nashville Predators Consider Zach Boychuk? - Predlines Before you look at the one season in which this Carolina winger scored at a point-per-game pace in the AHL and start drooling, consider that Cal O'Reilly had a longer track record of minor league success, but couldn't take it to the next level. Still, this might be a low-risk option.
Nashville Predators' Shea Weber diversifies shot beyond pure power | The Tennessean Might a few changeups from the point end Weber's pointless streak?
Some Nashville Predators get new luxury on road trips | The Tennessean
It seems odd to me that athletes getting paid hundreds of thousands (or millions) of dollars would have to share hotel rooms, but at least now more guys are getting their own.
Nick Spaling's diary: Walk along the beach takes mind off hockey | The Tennessean
In an "as told to Josh Cooper" entry, Spals waxes on sandy beaches & airplane food.
The Best and Worst of AHL Jerseys: Part 1 | Admirals Roundtable Viewer Discretion Advised.
Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey
Greg Jamison, main suitor of Phoenix Coyotes, can't produce capital to purchase team, according to sources - ESPN This long, terrible saga still has no end in sight. Ugh!
Spector on NHL expansion: Phoenix experiment evaporating - sportsnet.ca It's pretty easy to draw a dotted line between the ongoing drama in Phoenix and the potential waiting to be tapped in markets like Seattle, Quebec City, and Toronto.
How would Seattle fare as a hockey market? - CBSSports.com Forget Seattle, how about an NHL team in Portlandia?
Capitals owner Ted Leonsis concerned with Alex Ovechkin’s start: ‘He needs to play better’ | Puck Daddy Forget the Caps, my fantasy hockey team needs more production out of Ovie, too.
The 10 Commandments of NHL Shootouts - The Triangle Blog - Grantland There's a spectacular Preds highlight in here...
San Jose Sharks announce ownership change - San Jose Mercury News It sounds like a couple of the smaller Sharks were gobbled up by the big one.
Still in Charge - The Spin Is Roberto Luongo flipping the script in Vancouver?
Budweiser’s Canadian Super Bowl Ad - KuklasKorner Take a sneak peek at what our friends north of the border will get to see on Sunday.
Todd Bertuzzi lucky to escape with cut after taking stick to eye | Puck Daddy Scary stuff...
Mike Komisarek got a stitch in his eye and missed practice because he had a temper tantrum | Backhand Shelf
Temper, temper!
The Power of Positive Thinking | Backhand Shelf
Less than two weeks into the season, and we're already deep into concussion talk.
Hockey fighting is one thing; staged fighting is another. | SportsonEarth.com Where does one draw the line on fighting in hockey? Ask 10 different fans, and you'll probably get 10 different answers.
Nashville Predators coaches work overtime to prepare | The Tennessean There's no rest for the coaches, as they not only try to fix their own squad, but plan ahead for upcoming opponents.
Troubling trends easy to spot in Predators' slow start | Nashville City Paper David Boclair lists the main areas of concern right now.
Nashville’s hesitancy costing them points early in the season | The Predatorial Shots Forced? Never heard that one before.
Nashville Predators: Keep Calm And Shoot The Puck - Predlines Jason takes another angle on the shot problem.
New ice surface will greet Predators upon their return to Bridgestone - Nashville Predators Examiner With the circus having moved on, it was time to paint the ice yesterday.
Nashville Predators' Rich Clune Steps Into Enforcer Role - Rant Sports I can only assume that "Jonathan Katje" is the pen name for Clune's mom.
Nashville Predators And FOX Sports Tennessee Announce New Long-Term TV Rights Agreement No surprise here, but the interesting nugget is that the Preds are claiming an average 1.7 TV rating so far this season. I can't remember seeing them announce regular-season rating at all before.
Eat Some Humble Pie, Preds Fans… - Predneck Nation I'm with Miranda here, there's no place for riding Coyotes fans for low attendance in Phoenix. Given what's happened over the last several years, why would anyone buy in for a season ticket package there? Until they get the ownership situation resolved, we should be happy that anyone shows up at all.
Vic Bartley: All Star Style | PuckScene.com Patten was on hand to cover the AHL All-Star Game festivities, and caught up with Milwaukee's Victor Bartley.
Possible Call-ups This Week? | Admirals Roundtable Ryan points out that the AHL schedule makes it even easier for the Preds to call up a forward for a short-term promotion.
Need a Valentine's Day gift idea? How about a new Nashville Predators t-shirt...
Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey
Ex-NHLPA boss calls Quebec City, Toronto expansion spots | Hockey | CBC Sports The drive to build a second NHL-size arena in the Toronto area moves another small step forward, with the carrot of a theoretical expansion team hanging in the air.
30 Thoughts: P.K. Subban eyes bigger payday | Hockey | CBC Sports The can has been kicked down the road in Montreal, writes Elliotte Friedman at the beginning of his weekly 30 Thoughts.
NHL Panic Watch - The Triangle Blog - Grantland Where are the Preds on the Panic Scale?
Minnesota Wild in Trouble? Playing GM - Hockey Wilderness Fans in other cities are getting uncomfortable, too.
On grinders, reward minutes, and over-playing your bottom forwards | Backhand Shelf When a team's not scoring, does it really make sense to reduce the scorers' ice time?
A "Hall of Stats" Approach to Hockey - Beyond the Box Score A baseball guy takes a metrics-based approach to see who might belong in the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The curious case of Dustin Penner, here we go again - Mayors Manor Penner is once again in the coach's doghouse, having been benched for the last three games.
Jeremy Roenick Stops By Second City, Part 2 - Second City Hockey Hey, here's my favorite rendition of the Star Spangled Banner of all time...
Wild v Blue Jackets- Game wrap up - Hockey Wilderness As I pointed out on Twitter last night, Ryan Suter now has as many points (4) as the entire Nashville Predators defense corps put together.
Dallas Stars Fall to Detroit Red Wings, 4-1 - Defending Big D Stars fans aren't happy, as they were hoping for a better start.
Sharks play terribly but still win because that's how things work this season, apparently - Fear The Fin Even on the rare occasion of being outshot handily, the Sharks pulled out a victory to move to 6-0-0.
Top Six Minutes - Airplane Pun Edition as the Montreal Canadiens defeat the Winnipeg Jets - Eyes On The Prize If Andrei Markov can enjoy a healthy season, Habs fans could be in for a fun ride.
Recap: Tampa Bay Strides to Easy Win as Florida Panthers Reel off 5th Straight Loss - Litter Box Cats The Lightning are off to a 5-1-0 start that has them atop the Southeast.
Resilient Senators notch impressive 3-2 comeback win over Capitals - Silver Seven Kudos to one of my fantasy hockey goalies, Craig Anderson, for a big effort for Ottawa.
New York Islanders 4, Pittsburgh Penguins 1: All systems go - Lighthouse Hockey A nice road win for the Islanders here.
Rangers Vs. Flyers Recap: Big Win Over Flyers Comes With Unfortunate Cost - Blueshirt Banter Beating Phialdelphia is always nice for the Rangers. Losing Ryan Callahan to injury? Not so nice.
Matt Frattin Scores with 1.4 Seconds Left in Overtime! - Pension Plan Puppets Toronto avoids the shootout with a dramatic OT goal to beat Buffalo.
Bruins beat Devils 2-1 in the shootout after idiot Bruins fan nearly jeopardizes everything - Stanley Cup of Chowder Forget the hockey game, there was a shameful episode of hot dog abuse at TD Garden last night.
From January 28th to February 18th, potential applicants have the opportunity to submit a short video and written statement outlining why they should become the next voice of XFINITY Sports.
Ten semifinalists will be selected, with 8 of the best submissions selected initially and 10 alternates selected as Wild Cards. Each Wild Card contestant will have one week to campaign for votes to help them advance to the semifinalist round. Voting will take place on the XFINITY Facebook page (www.facebook.com/xfinity), and ultimately 2 Wild Cards will fill the final two semifinalist slots.
Each of the 10 semifinalists will be invited to XFINITY Live! in Philadelphia, PA, to participate in a series of challenges designed to test their social media skills. The 5 contestants who excel in their evaluations will receive the opportunity to travel to a live sporting event, hosted by an XFINITY partner.
Full prizing details include:
Unparalleled access to the country's premier sporting events
Annual salary
XSG Home Studio in Philadelphia apartment
12 months of free Comcast/XFINITY service (TV with all sports packages, internet and phone)
Head over to Facebook.com/xfinity to read the rules and regulations. For even more information on the contest, check out the video below.
NO PURCH.NEC. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. THIS IS NOT A GAME OF CHANCE. Open only to legal U.S. residents (incl.DC) who are legal adults 18+. For application details and official rules, click here. Enter 12:01a.m. ET on 1/28/13 to 11:59 p.m. ET on 2/18/13.
This Contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. You understand that you are providing your information to Comcast® and not to Facebook. The information you provide will only be used for purposes of administering this Contest.
Saturday, the Nashville Predators lost to Viktor Fasth in his NHL debut for the Anaheim Ducks. Tonight, it was Chad Johnson playing only his 7th NHL game and shutting them out, as the Preds never really threatened in a 4-0 loss that drops their record to 1-2-3.
Your random observations:
Paul Gaustad getting some offensive zone faceoffs on the power play? I like that idea, particularly if they're looking to set up Shea Weber for a point shot.
On the positive side, until late in the 3rd I liked what I saw out of the penalty killers tonight. They did a great job blocking passing lanes and restricting puck carrier's free space.
On the negative side? Whoa, we could go on for quite a while. So few shots, especially from the dangerous areas of the ice. The Coyotes forwards fired 16 shots on net, to just 10 for the Preds forwards.
Your Sergei Kositsyn Update: 6 games, 3 shots on goal.
Pekka Rinne? Not the problem at all.
From here, it's on to Los Angeles for a Thursday date with the Kings.
As for your advanced stats...
Nashvillle Predators
Player
Pos
ES TOI
Total Shots For
Total Shots Against
Corsi
Net Zone Starts
Adjusted Corsi
Mike Fisher
C
17:09
19
12
+7
-1
+7
Colin Wilson
C
16:39
21
13
+8
0
+8
Martin Erat
R
15:30
17
12
+5
0
+5
Sergei Kostitsyn
L
13:15
13
11
+2
0
+2
David Legwand
C
12:57
11
11
0
0
0
Gabriel Bourque
L
12:47
8
11
-3
+1
-3
Nick Spaling
C
11:52
9
11
-2
0
-2
Craig Smith
C
11:09
8
5
+3
-1
+3
Brandon Yip
R
9:37
5
12
-7
-2
-6
Matt Halischuk
R
8:16
6
2
+4
0
+4
Paul Gaustad
C
7:59
7
10
-3
-1
-3
Rich Clune
L
5:41
4
3
+1
-2
+2
Roman Josi
D
19:36
26
20
+6
-2
+7
Shea Weber
D
19:23
26
20
+6
-2
+7
Scott Hannan
D
17:52
10
12
-2
-1
-2
Ryan Ellis
D
17:14
14
11
+3
0
+3
Hal Gill
D
11:28
5
7
-2
0
-2
Kevin Klein
D
10:50
7
6
+1
+1
+1
Behold the magic of Score Effects, as most of the Preds' shots came after they had fallen well behind. That first period was positively brutal to watch.
1) Former Pred Steve Sullivan is tearing it up for you guys. Where does he fit in the lineup these days, and what has been the key to his success?
Sullivan was signed to replace Ray Whitney. He started the season taking Whitney's spot on a line with Martin Hanzal and Radim Vrbata. However, he wound up having success with Antoine Vermette & Shane Doan, so [head coach Dave] Tippett has kept the line together. Sullivan was a non-factor in their last game with the Kings. Similar to Whitney's struggles with L.A. last year, Sullivan's lack of size and physical game may have been the reason why. Sullivan's success has been driven by his stick skills combined with the ability to find creases in defenses where he can sneak in and drive the net.
2) We're used to the Coyotes playing a similarly tight, disciplined style of play as the Predators, so it's surprising to see them giving up the most goals in the league. Is this playoff hangover, or are there more fundamental issues at work?
Probably a combination of both along with free agent losses and injuries. The players may have gotten a bit overconfident after last year's playoff run. Instead of looking like a disciplined Dave Tippett squad, they've looked more like a bunch of turnover-happy rookies.
The concern I have is the team's two best defensive defensemen last season were Rostislav Klesla and Adrian Aucoin. Klesla has been out injured for several games and Aucoin signed with Columbus as a free agent. The Coyotes traded to get one of their former blueliners, Zbynek Michalek, back in the offseason to replace Aucoin. So far Z has been inconsistent in his play and was probably the worst defender on the ice in their last contest. The forwards don't get a pass either. They have been turning the puck over and slow to backcheck at times. While Mike Smith and Jason Labarbera haven't been perfect in net, defensive breakdowns by skaters have been the biggest reason for the Yotes surrendering so many goals.
3) How has the mood changed among Coyotes fans since last season's playoff run? Has the bandwagon effect carried over into this season?
I would say the mood has changed slightly. The team's playoff success increased their season ticket base and increased expectations coming into this season. I noticed the proportion of Coyotes fans to Blackhawks fans was better than in the recent past and the energy level at the two games I attended was a bit higher than in recent years as well. However, the metro area as a whole still hasn't jumped on the bandwagon.
The one concern I have besides the need to further expand the fanbase itself is expectations.The performances of undermanned squads since Dave Tippett's arrival have created expectations here which may not be totally realistic.
Thanks to Carl for the feedback, and make sure you head over to check out Five For Howlings' preview of tonight's game (8:00 p.m. Central on FS-TN).
The Nashville Predators get a chance to avenge their Western Conference Semifinal loss to the Phoenix Coyotes tonight with a game at Jobing.com Arena (8:00 pm. Central on FS-TN). At the same time, they'll find a familiar face wearing the enemy colors...
The Stats
Nashville Predators
Phoenix Coyotes
Record
1-1-3
16th
1-4-0
29th
GF/Game
2.00
26th
3.40
7th
GA/Game
2.20
8th
4.00
30th
5-on-5 SF/60
20.6
30th
35.9
3rd
5-on-5 SA/60
25.4
5th
29.8
18th
Fenwick Close
47.67
23rd
51.46
12th
5-on-5 Save %
.920
16th
.866
30th
5-on-4 GF/60
9.0
8th
5.7
20th
# of PP's/Gm
3.50
24th
4.75
15th
4-on-5 GA/60
7.0
18th
10.5
26th
# of PK's/Gm
2.75
2nd
4.75
14th
Defense & goaltending are killing the Coyotes these days, overwhelming their reasonable possession stats.
Phoenix Coyotes
People talk about the L.A. Kings suffering from Stanley Cup hangover, but what's up with the Coyotes, a Western Conference Final hangover? After last spring's surprising dash deep into the playoffs (which of course included a 2nd-round triumph over the Preds), Phoenix has stumbled out of the gate, with a 1-4-0 record that has them sitting last in the West. In their last outing, they topped lost to the Kings 4-2.
We all know how Steve Sullivan made a first impression on Predators fans, notching a hat trick in his first game for Nashville. He came close to doing the same in the desert, waiting until his third game as a Coyote before potting three goals in a game last Wednesday against Columbus. Sully's hot start has him leading the Coyotes in scoring these days, a pretty nice early return on his one-year, $1.85 million contract.
Steve Sullivan
#26 / Left Wing / Phoenix Coyotes
5-8
161
Jul 06, 1974
The other former Predator in Phoenix is Matthew Lombardi, who signed as a free agent with Nashville, suffered a concussion in his second game for Nashville, and was traded the next summer to Toronto. The Maple Leafs then took this new CBA for a spin, sending Lombardi back to Phoenix while retaining a portion of his $3.5 million salary and cap hit. It remains to be seen if he can get back to his old self, however, as he put up just 18 points in 62 games for Toronto last season. We won't see Lombardi tonight, however, as he's out indefinitely with an upper-body injury.
Nashville Predators
The big question heading into tonight's game is how the forward lines will shake out in the absence of Patric Hornqvist, who has returned to Nashville for evaluation after suffering a leg injury at Anaheim Saturday night. Just looking at who has been gaining ice time and producing lately, the likeliest candidate to step into his role might be Brandon Yip, who scored the first goal against the Ducks and has seen some time on the power play already.
If Yip does get the nod, the lines could look something like this:
Colin Wilson
Mike Fisher
Martin Erat
Gabriel Bourque
David Legwand
Brandon Yip
Sergei Kostitsyn
Nick Spaling
Craig Smith
Rich Clune
Paul Gaustad
Matt Halischuk
On defense, one interesting change saw the left side switched around a bit Saturday night, as Scott Hannan was often paired with Ryan Ellis, and Hal Gill with Kevin Klein. Hannan & Ellis appear to comfortable working together already (see Ryan's quotes after the season opener), while Klein's skating ability might make for a better complement to Gill.
Are the defensively-challenged Coyotes the answer to Nashville's ills? We'll find out tonight, so come back for the Game Thread this evening!
Should the Nashville Predators Consider Tim Connolly? - Predlines If the Preds could get Toronto to retain some of his salary, that might be an OK option for a 3rd-line center spot and PP specialist.
All Quiet on the Scoring Front… - Predneck Nation Charlie Saunier isn't hitting the panic button, but he's making sure it's within arm's reach.
Bartley helps Western All Stars to Skills Victory | Admirals Roundtable What, no Gangnam Style event?
Bartley, Western All Stars win All Star Game 7-6 | Admirals Roundtable Patten Fuqua (@puckscenedotcom) even said a hit was thrown in this game, but I'll believe that when I see it.
Need a Valentine's Day gift idea? How about a new Nashville Predators t-shirt...
Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey
Are NHL player safety rules obsolete? Incident that sidelined Gabriel Landeskog revisits several troubling questions | Edmonton Journal There's major concern in Colorado, as the Avs' young star has been injured by a massive hit by Brad Stuart last Saturday. Bruce McCurdy raises two important questions: can teams properly protect their best players, and was it proper for Landeskog get clearance to return to the game?
P.K. Subban signs with the Montreal Canadiens, not your team. - Eyes On The Prize It doesn't sound like Subban got anything near what he was looking for.
Phoenix Coyotes vs Nashville Predators Recap: Predators Become Prey - Five For Howling It was smiles all around for the Coyotes last night.
Game 6 Recap: Jackets Shoot Down the Stars - The Cannon Vinny Prospal got the game winner for Columbus, scoring on a shot from the goal line that deflected in. Good things happen when you fire the puck at the net...
Avalanche @ Oilers Recap: Avalanche Penalty Kill Inept in 4-1 Loss To Edmonton - Mile High Hockey The Oilers rolled over Colorado for an easy win.
No Sweep This Year: Bruins Beat Hurricanes, 5-3 - Stanley Cup of Chowder The Bruins have yet to be defeated in regulation.
10 Tidbits from Darryl Sutter at Kings morning skate - Mayors Manor With the Los Angeles Kings up next on the schedule, a few notes from the Cup champs seem appropriate.
JLA garage fall proves fatal for Wings fan - KuklasKorner Terrible news out of Detroit.
Digital Voices: Social Media, Hockey Reporting, and the Fans | All Habs Hockey Magazine A nice look at the modern media environment, and how various hockey reporters are adapting to it.
Down Goes Brown: So you've scored a goal: The etiquette of NHL celebrations "Do: Borrow the signature celebration of the Green Bay Packers by leaping into the first few rows of the stands after scoring. Do not: Try this in Toronto during the opening ten minutes of a period, since you'd prefer to land in an area that actually has fans."
Markham city council set to vote on arena financing plan - The Globe and Mail Tonight, approval could be given to move forward with a second NHL-caliber arena for the Toronto area.
NHL rookie class of 2013: Who will take home the Calder Trophy? | Puck Daddy Vladimir Tarasenko is the early leader, but there's a long way to go.
Vancouver Canucks’ Jannik Hansen cross-checks a referee, gets away with it vs. Sharks (VIDEO) | Puck Daddy I can't believe the NHL would let this slide...
Jonathan Huberdeau To Remain With Florida Panthers - Litter Box Cats Interesting news in Florida, as the Panthers could have sent Huberdeau back to junior.
Phoenix Coyotes sale: Time running out for Greg Jamison to close purchase - NHL - Sporting News Here comes the 132nd deadline in this long-running drama.
Maple Leafs must keep first pick, deal Phil Kessel: Cox - thestar.com Damian Cox argues that Toronto should trade Phil Kessel. Hmm... I remember the Preds were really interested in him at one time...
Phil Kessel, or How the variance demons blur good execution | Backhand Shelf ...and Cam Charron shows why trading Kessel now would be a horrible case of timing for the Maple Leafs.
Corey Crawford Is The X-Factor For The Chicago Blackhawks - The Hockey Writers Is Chicago's on-again, off-again goalie on again?
And lastly, the save of the night goes to Kari Lehtonen:
Josh Cooper shared a grim update on the status of Patric Hornqvist earlier today:
Predators coach Barry Trotz always tries to take an optimistic approach when it comes to player injury. But when he says the words, "he's going to miss some time," that often indicates a player will be out much longer than a week or two. Trotz said that exact quote today when talking about his leading goal scorer from last year.
"Obviously he's out for the rest of this trip, and maybe longer," he added.
The Nashville Predators still have four games left on the current roadie, Monday at Phoenix, Thursday at Los Angeles, Saturday at San Jose and next Tuesday at St. Louis. Who inherits Hornqvist's spot on the second line and the power play in the meantime? There are any number of (unproven) candidates...
Finally, we get to see some hockey on this side of the pond!
After a week of NHL play (some may call it the preseason), the standings in the Western Conference seem to be sorting out as a few teams have risen to the top and have the talent to stay there. Most teams have only played four or five games, but every point is going to be crucial in this truncated season. If you start out slowly, you could be booking early tee times come April.
Let's take a look at the current standings.
Chicago 5-0-0... 10pts San Jose 4-0-0... 8pts Vancouver 2-1-1...5pts St. Louis 4-1-0...8pts Anaheim 3-1-0...6pts Dallas 2-2-1...5pts Nashville 1-1-3...5pts Colorado 2-2-0...4pts ------------------------------------------------ Minnesota 2-2-0...4pts Edmonton 2-2-0...4pts Detroit 2-2-0...4pts Los Angeles 1-2-1... 3pts Calgary 1-2-1... 3pts Columbus 1-3-1... 3pts Phoenix 1-4-0...2pts
There is a lot that can be deciphered from the standings thus far, especially for those teams on the top.
The Contenders
Chicago and San Jose remain the NHL's only unbeaten teams (Boston has one overtime loss). The Blackhawks and Sharks have been on fire offensively, producing 20 and 19 goals respectably, while only surrendering a combined 19 goals. Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau are tied for the most points in the league, each tallying 11 points in four games. The savvy veterans are proving that wily experience can trump youth and skill.
For Chicago, Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa are proving to be a dynamic duo as they have a combined 16 points. The most surprising thing about these clubs is their fantastic goaltending, something that most experts thought would be their greatest weakness. If the great goaltending (think of Minnesota's goaltending at the beginning of last season) continues for these two teams, they will be cup contenders due to their offensive prowess.
As expected, St. Louis has turned their incredible ability into standings points. Rookie sensation Vladimir Tarasenko has notched seven points in a five-game span, leading the Blues in both goals and points. The Blues are probably the deepest team in the West, with a lineup balanced with knowledgeable veterans and skilled youth. The Blues even added defenseman Wade Redden recently, and his scoring has already paid dividends. Many hockey pundits have St. Louis winning the Stanley Cup, and it isn't hard to understand why as the Blues have Ken Hitchcock's smothering defense and the best goaltending tandem in the league to match their high powered roster.
The Middle of the Pack
Vancouver, Anaheim, Dallas, Nashville, Colorado, Minnesota, and Edmonton are all in the middle of the pack in the Western Conference and will be jockeying for playoff position over the next few months. All of these teams have playoff-worthy rosters, but they will have to stay steady if they are to make it into post-season play.
Nashville is currently in a playoff position, but they need to figure out how to close games with a win as they had opportunities to do so against Anaheim, St. Louis, and Columbus. In all three games, the Predators gave up leads before losing in a shootout. All is not negative in Smashville, as Martin Erat has been on fire for the Preds, tallying four points in five games and Pekka Rinne continues to be impressive between the pipes. However; the Preds must be resilient, as it appears Patric Hornqvist went down with an injury last night that could challenge the Predators' depth. Nashville will need players like Wilson, Halischuk, Bourque, and Smith to step-up offensively if Hornqvist is out for any length of time. These young players should be more than up for the challenge and this is a great opportunity for Nashville to see what they have in them.
Anaheim has had a bit of a resurgence this season, as the Ducks seem to have rebounded from last year's disappointment. Saku Koivu and Daniel Winnik have both been surprises for the Ducks, tallying six points in four games. Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry have some of the NHL's best talent, but they can't carry the team by themselves. The Ducks may end up being a playoff team, but will need to have scoring contributions from others.
Dallas seems to be turning a new (or should I say old) leaf as the ageless Ray Whitney and Jaromir Jagr lead the new-look Stars. Dallas has a good system going and could be a playoff team if they get stellar goaltending from Kari Lehtonen. At 2-2-1, they are off to a good start, but it is unclear if the veterans can continue this given the compressed schedule. Games every other night are tough on old legs.
Vancouver is battling the injury bug as their key centerman Ryan Kessler is still on the IR and power forward David Booth continues to be hampered by a groin injury. The Luongo trade odyssey continues to be the talk of the league, yet the former All-Star has not been dealt. It has not helped that Schneider has not been sharp for the Canucks. Zack Kassian has a trio of goals so far this year, which is phenomenal news for the Canucks. They will need all the help they can get offensively as recent history has proved the Sedin twins can only take them so far.
Colorado continues to tread water, as their two wins came against the struggling Kings and the stagnant Blue Jackets while losing against rival Minnesota and the hot San Jose Sharks. Matt Duchene seems to be refocused after a poor 2011-2012 season, in which he only produced 28 points in 58 games. The Avs will need Duchene and the rest of their young core to continue to produce if you are going to make the playoffs. I like Colorado's future, but am not sure this is the Avs' year.
Everyone knows the young Oilers are as talented as anyone. Edmonton is playing good hockey with their only losses coming against San Jose and hated rival Calgary. The young guns are producing for the Oilers, but they will need both maturity and skill to make the playoffs. It remains to be seen if the Oilers are ready for the post season, but they are close. One thing is for sure, they are a very exciting team to watch.
Minnesota remains an enigma sitting at 2-2, but have looked unstoppable at times. Zach Parise appears to be worth every penny of his mega contract, as he has six points in four games. Ryan Suter, however, has not looked like a $98 million dollar man, with only one point and a minus four rating. It looks like he misses playing alongside Shea Weber. Josh Hardings' impressive comeback is a truly inspirational story, and he and Backstrom look to be solid between the pipes. Minnesota has great depth at forward, but their blue line remains a big question mark. If Suter settles in and Parise continues to play well, look for Minnesota to move up in the standings as the season progresses.
Works In Progress
Detroit misses Nicklas Lidstrom badly. The Red Wings have given up a lot of scoring chances without him and their power play has been truly pathetic. Really not much else to say here, as the Wings will need some serious soul searching in the next few months. Newly appointed captain Henrik Zetterberg has his work cut out for him.
Columbus is definitely improved as they have shown you can add by subtraction in the wake of Rick Nash's departure. This change was the only way for Columbus to turn it around in the long run. The Blue Jackets have a decent blue line and their forward group has a nice mix of players in their prime, along with others at the start of what could be bright careers. This year may not be their time yet, but there maybe some hope in Columbus - although their tradition of losing is a tough obstacle to overcome.
The L.A. Kings are suffering from post-Cup hangover, and have a couple of injuries hampering their lineup. Kyle Clifford has been on fire, however, posting five points in four games. The Kings looked to be in playoff form against the Coyotes last night. Anze Kopitar's return to the team means a lot and Dustin Brown looks to be getting his energy level back up. The Kings have talented scorers, solid blueliners and great goaltending, so even though they are currently struggling, expect them to rebound and make the playoffs.
Calgary got steamrolled on their opening night against the Sharks, but have since settled in nicely. They have lost two very closely contested games against Anaheim and Vancouver before finally getting their first win of the season against the Oilers. Look for the Flames to be competitive and gritty, but probably a couple years away from playoff material.
After a surprisingly deep playoff run last season, the Phoenix Coyotes have had a bit of a rough start to the year. Like Calgary, the Coyotes have been in every game they have lost this season. Former Predator Steve Sullivan is on a hot streak with five points in as many games, including a hat rick against the Blue Jackets. The Coyotes are looking good, but their goaltending has been very shaky. If they can settle down in their crease, they should be in the hunt for the playoffs by spring.
First, Hornqvist took a Shea Weber shot off his right thigh, which left him hobbling off to the bench for repairs. Signs were hopeful at that time, as he made it back out for another shift, but a Ducks player (Ryan Getzlaf) then fell into Hornqvist's left leg in the corner of the Anaheim zone, causing that knee to buckle at an unnatural angle.
From there, Hornqvist had to be helped off the ice, and didn't return. Josh Cooper brings the news, uncertain as it is, for now:
Trotz said Hornqvist out indefinitely. Didn't know if he would be further examined out here or back in Nashville.
— JoshuaCooper (@JoshuaCooper) January 27, 2013
Calling it a lower body injury right now
— JoshuaCooper (@JoshuaCooper) January 27, 2013
Patric Hornqvist
#27 / Right Wing / Nashville Predators
6-0
188
Jan 01, 1987
Hornqvist has been one of the Predators' most productive forwards to this point, and had four shots on goal tonight before leaving the game.
So who moves up the depth chart? Brandon Yip, who scored tonight? Matt Halischuk, who was scratched against the Ducks, or can Craig Smith reclaim some of his lost ice time?
Nashville's crease-crasher had a rough ride in the third period against Anaheim, taking a slap shot off the right thigh before having Ryan Getzlaf fall into his left leg from behind.
First, Hornqvist took a Shea Weber shot off his right thigh, which left him hobbling off to the bench for repairs. Signs were hopeful at that time, as he made it back out for another shift, but a Ducks player (Ryan Getzlaf) then fell into Hornqvist's left leg in the corner of the Anaheim zone, causing that knee to buckle at an unnatural angle.
From there, Hornqvist had to be helped off the ice, and didn't return. Josh Cooper brings the news, uncertain as it is, for now:
Trotz said Hornqvist out indefinitely. Didn't know if he would be further examined out here or back in Nashville.
— JoshuaCooper (@JoshuaCooper) January 27, 2013
Calling it a lower body injury right now
— JoshuaCooper (@JoshuaCooper) January 27, 2013
Patric Hornqvist
#27 / Right Wing / Nashville Predators
6-0
188
Jan 01, 1987
Hornqvist has been one of the Predators' most productive forwards to this point, and had four shots on goal tonight before leaving the game.
So who moves up the depth chart? Brandon Yip, who scored tonight? Matt Halischuk, who was scratched against the Ducks, or can Craig Smith reclaim some of his lost ice time?
Smith's slow start leads to long stays on Predators' bench | Nashville City Paper Quick, somebody get Craig Smith some swagger - apparently that's what he's lost.
Nashville Predators' Biggest Game Of The Year, On Ice And Off - Predlines Jason looks at the array of challenges facing this team.
Smashville 24/7 - Shootouts remain a thorn in Nashville’s side How do the Preds stink at shootouts these days? Let Robby count the ways.
Why Watson? | Hockey Gal Milwaukee Stephanie bangs the drum for Austin Watson to get a callup while Patric Hornqvist is out.
Ads keep riding high into All Star Break | Admirals Roundtable Two wins in a row, and the Admirals are on a roll.
Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey
Future of hockey media? More NHL teams add full-time independent beat reporters | Puck Daddy Of course the trick is reconciling that "teams hiring" thing with the "independent" label.
Northern Illinois Set Multiple Records For Offensive Futility, But You Wouldn't Know It From The Student Recap - Deadspin And for an example of how in-house media can work...
You Forgot To Push Him Over: Scum 1 – Hawks 2 (OT) | The Committed Indian The Blackhawks took an overtime decision over Detroit to go 6-0-0.
Wild At Blues Recap: Blues Beat Wild With Another Come From Behind Victory - St. Louis Game Time Another overtime contest here (so many three-point games...) sees St. Louis move to 5-1-0.
Recap: Capitals 3, Sabres 2 - Japers' Rink Alex Ovechkin scored his first goal of the season, but the real hero in this one was Joel Ward.
New Jersey Devils Salvage a Point After Awful Start, Lose 4-3 to Montreal Canadiens in OT - In Lou We Trust The Devils had to overcome a two-goal deficit in the third to even make it OT.
Game 5: Philadelphia Flyers versus Tampa Bay Lightning - Raw Charge The Lightning topped Philly 5-1.
Jets 5, Islanders 4 (OT) Game Recap - from the heights to the depths - Lighthouse Hockey The Isles took a pratfall for the fans in Winnipeg.
This is how we D: Penguins 2, Senators 1 (SO) - PensBurgh The high-flying Penguins gutted out a close win.
NAHL Coach Imitates a Blind Ref on the Ice - Western College Hockey Blog Whoa, I don't think we'll see this at the NHL level any time soon (at least by a coach, not a mascot).
Breaking News: Rangers Deal For Jason Arnott Falls Through Following Failed Physical - Blueshirt Banter Arnott had knee surgery over the summer, so perhaps that had something to do with this.
Scott Laughton sent back to juniors; Flyers make the smart call - Broad Street Hockey Now is the time for several teams to make the call on their junior hockey-eligible players. Scott Laughton looked good...
Defense & goaltending are killing the Coyotes these days, overwhelming their reasonable possession stats.
Phoenix Coyotes
People talk about the L.A. Kings suffering from Stanley Cup hangover, but what's up with the Coyotes, a Western Conference Final hangover? After last spring's surprising dash deep into the playoffs (which of course included a 2nd-round triumph over the Preds), Phoenix has stumbled out of the gate, with a 1-4-0 record that has them sitting last in the West. In their last outing, they topped the Kings 4-2.
We all know how Steve Sullivan made a first impression on Predators fans, notching a hat trick in his first game for Nashville. He came close to doing the same in the desert, waiting until his third game as a Coyote before potting three goals in a game last Wednesday against Columbus. Sully's hot start has him leading the Coyotes in scoring these days, a pretty nice early return on his one-year, $1.85 million contract.
Steve Sullivan
#26 / Left Wing / Phoenix Coyotes
5-8
161
Jul 06, 1974
The other former Predator in Phoenix is Matthew Lombardi, who signed as a free agent with Nashville, suffered a concussion in his second game for Nashville, and was traded the next summer to Toronto. The Maple Leafs then took this new CBA for a spin, sending Lombardi back to Phoenix while retaining a portion of his $3.5 million salary and cap hit. It remains to be seen if he can get back to his old self, however, as he put up just 18 points in 62 games for Toronto last season. We won't see Lombardi tonight, however, as he's out indefinitely with an upper-body injury.
Nashville Predators
The big question heading into tonight's game is how the forward lines will shake out in the absence of Patric Hornqvist, who has returned to Nashville for evaluation after suffering a leg injury at Anaheim Saturday night. Just looking at who has been gaining ice time and producing lately, the likeliest candidate to step into his role might be Brandon Yip, who scored the first goal against the Ducks and has seen some time on the power play already.
If Yip does get the nod, the lines could look something like this:
Colin Wilson
Mike Fisher
Martin Erat
Gabriel Bourque
David Legwand
Brandon Yip
Sergei Kostitsyn
Nick Spaling
Craig Smith
Rich Clune
Paul Gaustad
Matt Halischuk
On defense, one interesting change saw the left side switched around a bit Saturday night, as Scott Hannan was often paired with Ryan Ellis, and Hal Gill with Kevin Klein. Hannan & Ellis appear to comfortable working together already (see Ryan's quotes after the season opener), while Klein's skating ability might make for a better complement to Gill.
Are the defensively-challenged Coyotes the answer to Nashville's ills? We'll find out tonight, so come back for the Game Thread this evening!
