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Nashville Predators Blogger •
The Nashville Predators attempted to break up their losing streak at TD Garden tonight in front of 16,715. Although the Boston Bruins looked a bit off of their form from a season ago, they still had just enough fire power to push past the offensively challenged Preds. The Bruins battled back from two Nashville leads to win this game 3-2.
Felder’s FRUSTRATED Five:
1. Locking Down A Lead - As these guys get used to scoring more than 1 goal in a game, they also have to learn to defend a lead a bit better. Overall the play of the Predators was better tonight, but the D again had a few problems in their own end and gave up some big time chances.
2. Faceoffs - Usually the Preds are very solid in this category, but tonight was one to forget in the circles. A final showing of just 38% in faceoff wins. You could look at Legwand as the key culprit since he lost 12 faceoffs on 18 taken. One thing that was odd is that Marcel Goc only had 4 total faceoffs tonight. Then again, he only had 8:12 of TOI as well.
3. The Giveaway Game - In such a defensive back and forth game the giveaways are costly. 6 total tonight is a manageable amount but what I'm really trying to point out is this is a routine problem for the Predators this season.
4. Man Advantage - No need to give a full description since the stats will do. 0-3 on the night. 5 shots on goal during the man advantage is an improvement. This team now has a 3.7 PP%. They are the only team in the league with a % that does not feature double digits. At what point this become unacceptable is beyond me. It can't get worse than 3.7% can it? CAN IT?
5. The Trotzy Line Juggle - It must be an absolute headache for Pete Weber night in and out. I understand why Barry juggles the lines so much, but with the injuries on the Preds, I wish he would try and stick with a set line for just one game and see what happens. I'm not sure things would improve, but it would at least give Petey a little break.
Other Notes:
* Tonight’s scratches were Dan Hamhuis, Ryan Jones, and Teemu Laakso. Arnott and Tootoo remain on IR.
* 1ST PERIOD
* Dave Scatchard and Alexander Sulzer will be suiting up for the 1st time this regular season. Scatchard is wearing #38 while Sulzer is still wearing #52.
* GOAL for NASHVILLE - 14:05 to go. Legwand drives the net with some steam. As Terry Crisp said, Legwand showed some tenacity on this one as he battled towards the net. As the D-men close the gap on Legwand the puck squirts free and travel back to Jerred Smithson's stick. Smithers lets off a wrister that gets by Tim Thomas for Smithson's first goal of the season. Strong play by Legwand there and Smithson gets the reward as he beat Thomas on the 5-hole. Tim got the edge of the bottom of his left leg pad on it but he simply deflected it in at a different angle. The 5-hole was way too open so there wasn't much Thomas could do on this one. Smithson (1) from Legwand (1) and Cody Franson (1st NHL point). Preds lead 1-0.
* Some decent play from the Preds. O'Reilly hit a post and was so close to putting this game at 2-0.
* END OF THE 1ST PERIOD – NSH: 1 BOS: 0. Positives - Preds leading the game and the shots on goal 7-5. Negatives - Considering the Bruins look like they are on the heels I would like to see more pucks pepper Thomas. 0-1 on the man advantage, but at least they got 2 shots on goal during that 2 minute stretch.
* 2ND PERIOD
* GOAL for BOSTON - 19:35 to go. Ryan Suter gets a bad break. The linesman gets in his way at his own blueline and the puck gets past him to Brad Marchand's stick. Marchand breaks in and quickly distributes the puck over to Michael Ryder on a 2 on 1. Kevin Klein was hung out to dry thanks to the linesman gaffe and at least took his man. Ryder broke in on a mini-breakaway and just back hands the puck high glove side right over Ellis. Ryder(3) from Marchand (1) and somehow Derek Morris (3). This game is tied at 1.
* GOAL for NASHVILLE - 13:41 to go. Colin Wilson gets his first NHL goal in the town he played college hockey. Hard work in front is rewarded. Patrick Hornqvist held onto the puck as he glided through the faceoff circle to Thomas' glove side. Hornqvist lasered off a wrister high glove side that Thomas batted at. The puck arced in the air and fell into the crease. Wilson was battling for position and made a quick tap in right on the red line for his first goal. Nice to see the young man get his first goal in Boston. Sometimes things just work out that way in this sport. Wilson (1) from Hornqvist (5). Preds now own the 2-1 lead in this contest.
* GOAL for BOSTON - 7:22 to go. After some sustained pressure in the Preds end, the Bruins use a rebound of their own to cash in. Patrice Bergeron gets a rebound to Dan Ellis' stick side after Danny had set up to make a save on a Zdeno Chara slap shot but it got tipped down in traffic and deflected to the side of the net. Bergeron tried to back hand off of Ellis stick on the ice, and Danny almost got back to glove down the puck before it crossed the line but Bergeron tapped it in for insurance a half second before Ellis could snag the puck. Bergeron (3) from Chara (4). This game is knotted up at 2.
* END OF THE 2ND PERIOD – NSH: 2 BOS: 2. Positives - Wilson pots his NHL 1st goal and his 1st point in the NHL. A decent mix of play here by Nashville as they are leading the scoring chances 8 to 6 by FS TN's count. Very disciplined play by the Preds so far. They've yet to take a penalty. Negatives - The Preds look lost in the faceoff dot tonight. They've only won 38%. Out shot 18-17. 0-3 on the man advantage.
* 3RD PERIOD
* GOAL for BOSTON - 11:27 to go. Steve Begin is parked at the top of the crease and gets a great one timer off a loose puck. Daniel Paille, who was traded to Boston just yesterday, deposits the puck high stick side through a screen. Ellis had no chance on this one. Begin (1) from Paille (2). Boston breaks the tie and takes their first lead of the game, 3-2.
* 7:11 to go and Tim Thomas has turned it on a bit in the 3rd. This time he gloves down a Kevin Klein shot to keep his Bruins in the lead.
* 1:01 to go and Ellis hits the bench to give the Preds an extra attacker.
* :37.9 seconds to go and Barry Trotz elects to use his timeout at this point.
* FINAL SCORE – NSH - 2 BOS - 3.
My Three Stars:
1. Steve Begin - 1 game winning goal, 2 shots on goal, and won 8 of 11 faceoffs.
2. Tim Thomas - 28 saves on 30 shots against. Stopped all 13 shots the Preds put up in the 3rd period.
3. Zdeno Chara - 1 assist, a +1 rating, 5 shots on goal, 1 hit, and 1 blocked shot.
Goalie Grade: B+ – The starting goaltender tonight was Dan Ellis. I thought Dan played very well. The goals he gave up were pretty tough to stop. Ryder tallies on a 2v1, Bergeron is a rebound goal that Ellis almost gloved on the ice surface, and Begin scores the game winner by picking the corner through traffic. Overall, I though the 24 stops on 27 shots against was a solid effort. I can't fault Dan too much tonight.
Final Thoughts:
I felt that this game was a better one than we've seen in quite some time. That 1st period was an actual complete effort from the Preds. Signs of improvement are the real positive of this game, but again, it goes in the L column. The season is slowly slipping away if things don't get turned around soon. Don't forget last season the Preds missed playoffs by a mere 3 pts. All it takes is holding onto leads like in tonight's game and that can be the difference.
The Predators next game is less than 24 hours away. The Preds will travel to Ottawa and take on the Senators tomorrow night at 6:30 pm. Despite the off-season moves that saw offense be traded away, the surprising Sens are the 2nd best team in Canada so far this young season. It should be an interesting matchup. The game will be televised on FS TN and you can hear the radio call on 104.5 the Zone.
Till then, take care friends.
Questions, comments, and criticisms can be sent to brandonfelder@gmail.com if you wish to contact me personally.
Felder’s FRUSTRATED Five:
1. Locking Down A Lead - As these guys get used to scoring more than 1 goal in a game, they also have to learn to defend a lead a bit better. Overall the play of the Predators was better tonight, but the D again had a few problems in their own end and gave up some big time chances.
2. Faceoffs - Usually the Preds are very solid in this category, but tonight was one to forget in the circles. A final showing of just 38% in faceoff wins. You could look at Legwand as the key culprit since he lost 12 faceoffs on 18 taken. One thing that was odd is that Marcel Goc only had 4 total faceoffs tonight. Then again, he only had 8:12 of TOI as well.
3. The Giveaway Game - In such a defensive back and forth game the giveaways are costly. 6 total tonight is a manageable amount but what I'm really trying to point out is this is a routine problem for the Predators this season.
4. Man Advantage - No need to give a full description since the stats will do. 0-3 on the night. 5 shots on goal during the man advantage is an improvement. This team now has a 3.7 PP%. They are the only team in the league with a % that does not feature double digits. At what point this become unacceptable is beyond me. It can't get worse than 3.7% can it? CAN IT?
5. The Trotzy Line Juggle - It must be an absolute headache for Pete Weber night in and out. I understand why Barry juggles the lines so much, but with the injuries on the Preds, I wish he would try and stick with a set line for just one game and see what happens. I'm not sure things would improve, but it would at least give Petey a little break.
Other Notes:
* Tonight’s scratches were Dan Hamhuis, Ryan Jones, and Teemu Laakso. Arnott and Tootoo remain on IR.
* 1ST PERIOD
* Dave Scatchard and Alexander Sulzer will be suiting up for the 1st time this regular season. Scatchard is wearing #38 while Sulzer is still wearing #52.
* GOAL for NASHVILLE - 14:05 to go. Legwand drives the net with some steam. As Terry Crisp said, Legwand showed some tenacity on this one as he battled towards the net. As the D-men close the gap on Legwand the puck squirts free and travel back to Jerred Smithson's stick. Smithers lets off a wrister that gets by Tim Thomas for Smithson's first goal of the season. Strong play by Legwand there and Smithson gets the reward as he beat Thomas on the 5-hole. Tim got the edge of the bottom of his left leg pad on it but he simply deflected it in at a different angle. The 5-hole was way too open so there wasn't much Thomas could do on this one. Smithson (1) from Legwand (1) and Cody Franson (1st NHL point). Preds lead 1-0.
* Some decent play from the Preds. O'Reilly hit a post and was so close to putting this game at 2-0.
* END OF THE 1ST PERIOD – NSH: 1 BOS: 0. Positives - Preds leading the game and the shots on goal 7-5. Negatives - Considering the Bruins look like they are on the heels I would like to see more pucks pepper Thomas. 0-1 on the man advantage, but at least they got 2 shots on goal during that 2 minute stretch.
* 2ND PERIOD
* GOAL for BOSTON - 19:35 to go. Ryan Suter gets a bad break. The linesman gets in his way at his own blueline and the puck gets past him to Brad Marchand's stick. Marchand breaks in and quickly distributes the puck over to Michael Ryder on a 2 on 1. Kevin Klein was hung out to dry thanks to the linesman gaffe and at least took his man. Ryder broke in on a mini-breakaway and just back hands the puck high glove side right over Ellis. Ryder(3) from Marchand (1) and somehow Derek Morris (3). This game is tied at 1.
* GOAL for NASHVILLE - 13:41 to go. Colin Wilson gets his first NHL goal in the town he played college hockey. Hard work in front is rewarded. Patrick Hornqvist held onto the puck as he glided through the faceoff circle to Thomas' glove side. Hornqvist lasered off a wrister high glove side that Thomas batted at. The puck arced in the air and fell into the crease. Wilson was battling for position and made a quick tap in right on the red line for his first goal. Nice to see the young man get his first goal in Boston. Sometimes things just work out that way in this sport. Wilson (1) from Hornqvist (5). Preds now own the 2-1 lead in this contest.
* GOAL for BOSTON - 7:22 to go. After some sustained pressure in the Preds end, the Bruins use a rebound of their own to cash in. Patrice Bergeron gets a rebound to Dan Ellis' stick side after Danny had set up to make a save on a Zdeno Chara slap shot but it got tipped down in traffic and deflected to the side of the net. Bergeron tried to back hand off of Ellis stick on the ice, and Danny almost got back to glove down the puck before it crossed the line but Bergeron tapped it in for insurance a half second before Ellis could snag the puck. Bergeron (3) from Chara (4). This game is knotted up at 2.
* END OF THE 2ND PERIOD – NSH: 2 BOS: 2. Positives - Wilson pots his NHL 1st goal and his 1st point in the NHL. A decent mix of play here by Nashville as they are leading the scoring chances 8 to 6 by FS TN's count. Very disciplined play by the Preds so far. They've yet to take a penalty. Negatives - The Preds look lost in the faceoff dot tonight. They've only won 38%. Out shot 18-17. 0-3 on the man advantage.
* 3RD PERIOD
* GOAL for BOSTON - 11:27 to go. Steve Begin is parked at the top of the crease and gets a great one timer off a loose puck. Daniel Paille, who was traded to Boston just yesterday, deposits the puck high stick side through a screen. Ellis had no chance on this one. Begin (1) from Paille (2). Boston breaks the tie and takes their first lead of the game, 3-2.
* 7:11 to go and Tim Thomas has turned it on a bit in the 3rd. This time he gloves down a Kevin Klein shot to keep his Bruins in the lead.
* 1:01 to go and Ellis hits the bench to give the Preds an extra attacker.
* :37.9 seconds to go and Barry Trotz elects to use his timeout at this point.
* FINAL SCORE – NSH - 2 BOS - 3.
My Three Stars:
1. Steve Begin - 1 game winning goal, 2 shots on goal, and won 8 of 11 faceoffs.
2. Tim Thomas - 28 saves on 30 shots against. Stopped all 13 shots the Preds put up in the 3rd period.
3. Zdeno Chara - 1 assist, a +1 rating, 5 shots on goal, 1 hit, and 1 blocked shot.
Goalie Grade: B+ – The starting goaltender tonight was Dan Ellis. I thought Dan played very well. The goals he gave up were pretty tough to stop. Ryder tallies on a 2v1, Bergeron is a rebound goal that Ellis almost gloved on the ice surface, and Begin scores the game winner by picking the corner through traffic. Overall, I though the 24 stops on 27 shots against was a solid effort. I can't fault Dan too much tonight.
Final Thoughts:
I felt that this game was a better one than we've seen in quite some time. That 1st period was an actual complete effort from the Preds. Signs of improvement are the real positive of this game, but again, it goes in the L column. The season is slowly slipping away if things don't get turned around soon. Don't forget last season the Preds missed playoffs by a mere 3 pts. All it takes is holding onto leads like in tonight's game and that can be the difference.
The Predators next game is less than 24 hours away. The Preds will travel to Ottawa and take on the Senators tomorrow night at 6:30 pm. Despite the off-season moves that saw offense be traded away, the surprising Sens are the 2nd best team in Canada so far this young season. It should be an interesting matchup. The game will be televised on FS TN and you can hear the radio call on 104.5 the Zone.
Till then, take care friends.
Questions, comments, and criticisms can be sent to brandonfelder@gmail.com if you wish to contact me personally.
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