The Nashville Predators are back in Vancouver for their first game with the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last season. The Canucks are off to a rocky start going 2-3-1 on their first six, including a 4-0 stink bomb of a loss on home ice Tuesday night. Why a stink bomb? When your all-world goaltender gives up four goals on 15 shots and gets heartily booed in the bargain… you can use that term.
While Roberto Luongo is traditionally a slow starter, you have to wonder if you are beginning to see a movement for a change in goal with the Canucks. I’m not sure that Cory Schnieder is the answer. This is certainly a story that bears some watching. The best news for Vancouver from Tuesday night is the return of Ryan Kesler. The player who single handedly did the Predators in last May. Kesler picked up over 19 minutes of ice time and didn’t look too terribly rusty in his return game.
For the Predators, tonight’s game is a gut check. After winning their first two, the Preds have lost three straight and strangely, are looking for their work ethic. Meetings and practices have gone on in the past few days between Monday’s loss to the Oilers and tonight’s showdown with the Canucks. Much has been made over the Preds lack of shots on Monday, and much should be made… it was the lowest shot total from a Predators team in over ten years… but the most disturbing thing was the unmotivated play against a team that they should beat.
So, what needs to happen? The keys to tonight’s game as I see it…
- Work – It is not a matter of system or talent. It is not a matter of hype or salary… the team needs to remember how it came out against NJ on Saturday night, and repeat it, then do it again in the second period, then do it again in the third.
- Blueline – The rumbles are growing louder, the defensemen on this team, especially the third paring need to step up. Shea Weber and Ryan Suter will munch up 27-28 minutes a game, it is imperative that Jack Hillen and Teemu Laakso need to deliver responsible, quality minutes. A return of Francis Bouillon would be a large help here as his veteran presence really has an impact on players like Laakso and Kline and Blum.
- Good things happen… - Shots on goal have been rare, it’s time to fire the puck like Chicago votes… early and often.
The Predators have a nasty habit of getting well against the most unlikely teams in the most unlikely places. Pred Nation is hoping that trend holds. Get your Five Hour Energy ready, game time is 9pm. Game coverage is on SportsSouth and 102.5 the Game.
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Random Notes
- Niclas Bergfors will be in the lineup tonight for Nashville per Coach Barry Trotz, not sure who he will be replacing though…
- If you think some fans in Pred Nation are pushing te panic button, they got nothing on the Vancouver media… they’re jumping up and down on it.
- The Vancouver media looks to be accurately reflecting a very vocal piece of the Canuck fanbase, in scanning the boards and comments to newspaper stories the invective being tossed at Roberto Luongo is simply amazing. A team that has never really had good goaltending until Luongo came along, and all of a sudden, he is the source of all their pain? Last time I checked, it takes goals to be scored to win games as well.
- Fascinating game last night as the Winnipeg Jets blew a two goal lead late and lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs in a shootout. The eyes of all hockey was on that game last night as the only game scheduled.
- Tonight’s game of the night (at least the early one) is Washington at Philly… both teams are undefeated in regulation and the Caps are 5-0-0 … should be a very good one.
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On the next SlapShot Radio
SlapShot Radio hits the road next week as we take the show to Blackstone Brewery, immediately following our show will be 102.5 the Game's player show featuring Jordin Tootoo.
Last night’s episode of SlapShot Radio featured “Puck Daddy” Greg Wyshynski and Jeff Paterson from the Team 1040 in Vancouver with some blunt assessment of the Canucks… t’s perfect gameday listening! Our podcast is posted on the SlapShot Radio website.
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