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Game Night in Smashville

February 12, 2013, 10:02 AM ET [36 Comments]
Paul McCann
Nashville Predators Blogger •Predators Radio Network • RSSArchiveCONTACT
It’s Game Night in Smashville with a couple of teams trying to right the ship after a bad loss. Nashville’s 3-0 loss to Chicago showed the team how much further they had to go to complete with the best of the Central, especially when they are playing their best. San Jose is mired in a five game losing streak after getting completely dominated in Columbus last night.

Both of these teams have shown an ability to fill the net up in bunches… both of them have also shown a distressing habit of drying up on offense. Both teams came into this season with high expectations. Both teams have almost opposite records home and away, Nashville is .500 at home, San Jose is .500 on the road losing their last two. San Jose is looking to finally live up to the expectations of a team considered a Stanley Cup contender repeatedly, only to flame out in the playoffs. Nashville usually flies under the radar and ends up in the playoffs, but this year, the expectations are higher for this Predator team after last year’s disappointing playoff exit.

San Jose has no one on IR but Marek Viedensky is listed as out for tonight’s contest. Patric Hornqvist remains on IR for the Preds, NHL.com has Hal Gill as day-to-day, but nothing further is known. I would expect to see Antti Niemi in net for the Sharks and Greiss played the entire game last night, Pekka Rinne should go for the Predators tonight.

This is San Jose’s only visit to Nashville this season, expect another packed house tonight as the franchise goes for its’ 18th straight sellout. Game time is 7pm. Coverage on the Predators Radio Network, flagship 102.5 the Game, with Tom Callahan and Stu Grimson… television coverage on Fox Sports Tennessee with Pete Weber and Terry Crisp on the call.

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Random Notes

- An interesting analysis of the Paul Gaustad penalty in Saturday’s loss to Minnesota from former NHL ref Kerry Frasier on TSN.com.

- Sharks head coach Todd McLellan was quoted after their loss last night… "It's pretty simple. The team that works the hardest wins, … (We were) outworked, outexecuted, outdetailed, outgoaltended -- out-a lot of things."

- After a brief flirtation with 27 and 26 in goals per game, the Predators are now back on the bottom of the NHL standings in that stat.

-The Washington capitals are at the bottom of Eastern Conference and league standings with only 7 points. Rough first quarter for the Caps.

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