The first goal. The first win. The first win over Detroit, in an ice storm. The R2K line. Five assists from the Great One. Back door Bubba. Sully’s hat trick. Signing Paul Kariya. The lock-out. The first playoff series. The Forsberg trade. Two game sweep in Detroit, two months after the Jiri Fisher game. The rally. “Keep Your Damn Hands Off My Team!” The sale. The battles with the Sports Authority and clueless “journalists” with barely concealed agendas. The first playoff series win. The summer from hell.
Stories from 999 games in the history of the Nashville Predator franchise.
As an observer over these last 13 years, a season ticket holder, a blogger, and as the team’s PA Announcer over the past six seasons, I have ridden the roller coaster. From a team that no one thought had a chance in a so-called “non-traditional market,” to a perennial playoff contender. From an expansion team, to a hostile takeover target, to a well run, successful franchise, the Nashville Predators have been through it all in their short history… and tonight, in front of the premier showcase in hockey, Hockey Night in Canada, the little franchise that could celebrates its’ 1,000th game.
The 1,000th game for the Nashville Predators, the 6,054th game for the Montreal Canadiens, the young franchise vs. the most storied franchise in all of sports, the most traditional market of them all in our great sport vs. the upstart, up-and-coming market.
There is tons of pressure on the Habs as they are in the basement of their division and battling injuries to key players. The Predators are back home after a long and successful west coast swing and battling the same kinds of injuries. Montreal is listing Andrei Kostitsyn as out, Michael Cammalleri as questionable and Scott Gomez as probable. Nashville lists David Legwand as questionable, Nick Spaling as probable and Teemu Laakso as out. This Montreal’s seventh visit to Bridgestone Arena and the Preds have only lost one of these, back in 2003.
Special game time to accommodate Hockey Night in Canada, it will be a 6:15 faceoff. Coverage on Fox Sports Tennessee and 102.5 the Game.
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Random Notes
- Lots of positive press from the Montreal media on this 1,000th game.
- Check out
Inside Smashville for an excellent interview with Pete Weber and Terry Crisp looking back at 1,000 games.
- Aaron Portzline is reporting that the Blue Jackets are now in search of a goaltender as former Pred prospect Mark Dekanich suffered a groin injury. Things keep getting worse
- Anaheim finally snapped its losing streak, winning a big one last night over Vancopuver.
- Edmonton is cooling off a bit, losing last night to the resurgent Detroit Red Wings.
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You are invited to follow me on Twitter. Search for @PredPAPaul… Not only will I be updating when I get news or updates, but we are having a bit of fun by getting your input on Gnash introductions, weigh in on Twitter and who knows, we may use your introduction for the best mascot in the NHL at the next Preds game!
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link.
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On the next SlapShot Radio
The podcast for Wednesday night’s show is posted… We had a very special interview with hockey fan and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Alice Cooper! We discussed the bad situation in Columbus with Aaron Portzline from the Columbus Dispatch and previewed Nashville's 1,000th game with The Voice of the Montreal Canadiens, John Bartlett
That’s all on this week’s podcast of SlapShot Radio.
More past episodes are also posted on the SlapShot Radio website.
Click
here to listen or download.
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