It’s a potential snowy Game Night in Smashville as the Predators host the Colorado Avalanche in the completion of a home and home series that saw the Preds win game one in Denver Tuesday night by a score of 4-1. The Av’s are looking to snap a six game losing streak to the Preds and will get a little help as they have activated Peter Mueller off IR, he is expected to play tonight.
While the Av’s get Mueller back, they placed Shane O’Brien on injured reserve due to his knee injury, joining the Av’s leading goal scorer Matt Duchene. Eric Johnson is listed as day-to-day but did practice yesterday. The Predators list Jerred Smithson as day-to-day, but today won’t be the day he comes back to the lineup, missing his second game.
I expect the Avalanche to come out flying tonight after Tuesday’s first period sunk the team, it will be critical for the Predators to hold the line over the first ten minutes of the game. The energy lines have been the key for the Preds, especially the Spaling/Tootoo/Bourque line, as they have been very productive over the past few games. This line is giving opponents fits, as too much concentration on it frees up the top two lines to do the damage they are capable of, it has been a successful recipe for Nashville thus far.
After being held off the board over five straight games, the Preds power play has converted on five of their last eight opportunities, maintaining its’ ranking as the second best in the league. It drives the question on what has changed in this year’s version. To me, it’s a lack of predictability and a willingness to shoot. The shots are coming from all angles which is making this power play much more difficult to defend.
Don’t let the paranoid shrieking of some local weathermen get in your way, if you must... get your bread and milk early, then get down to the arena... it’s a College Night tonight at the Bridge and the team is looking for a ninth consecutive sellout. Some tickets remain for this critical Western Conference showdown. Game time is 7pm with coverage on 102.5 the Game, the only TV is on Center Ice.
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Random Notes
- I don’t care what NHL.com or Puck Daddy says… if Pekka Rinne is not selected for the All-Star Game, it is a crime. OK, maybe not a crime, but he deserves to be there.
- Congratulations to the Nashville Junior Predators who won the championship in the “A/E” Novice/Mite Division at the International Silver Stick Finals. The Jr. Preds dominated the division, winning all six games and outscoring their opponents 63-7. This is the second Pelham International Silver Stick champion to hail from Middle Tennessee as the 2005 Atom-Squirt Tier I championship was won by the Nashville Ice Tigers.
- The Ryan Suter talk is amping up, I would expect it to continue until he is signed to a contract for next season and beyond. I also expect other moves from Preds GM David Poile that would continue to show this team’s commitment to winning.
- Ryan Ellis is getting a lot of attention lately, well deserved as he has looked pretty good in his first few NHL games. The thing I notice is his demeanor on the ice, he looks very comfortable out there, he hasn’t shown the “Holy Crap” look that a lot of rookies show in their first few games in the bigs.
- Former Pred Tomas Vokoun was on his game last night in Washington’s 1-0 win over Pittsburgh. Sidney Crosby is skating, Pens fans are hanging their hopes there.
- Puck Daddy is reporting that the NHL and the University of Michigan are in “advanced discussions” about Michigan Stadium hosting the next Winter Classic. The Big House would be an amazing setting for the game.
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