It’s Game Night in Smashville as the Anaheim Ducks come a-callin’ to Bridgestone Arena after a successful thumping of the Detroit Red Wings last night at the Joe. Anaheim started the season slowly, but came around quick and is now leading the Pacific Division on a crisp offense and a first year goalie. The Ducks are 8-1-1 in their last ten and the right behind the Blackhawks as the hottest team in the league.
Meet Viktor Fasth, who began his NHL career with a shootout win in Anaheim over the Nashville Predators a few weeks ago. At the age of 30, Fasth is a little long in the tooth to be called a rookie after a successful career in the Swedish Elite League. Fasth has posted a 7-0-0 record since taking over for the injured Jonas Hiller, leading the Ducks back to the top of the division and frustrating opponents along the way. I’m not sure if there is a goaltender controversy brewing in Anaheim or not, but the Ducks don’t seem to feel the need to rush Hiller back from his groin injury, obvious by the simple fact that the Ducks appear to be going with Fasth tonight in the second of a back-to-back.
While Fasth is the new guy on the block, the hottest goaltender in the league right now could well be Pekka Rinne. Rinne is on a stretch of 137:41 of goalless hockey, stretching back to last Sunday. Rinne’s been seeing beach balls, posting a shutout in three of his last four starts and the defense has been stellar in front of him. Rinne has turned it around after an admittedly rough start to the season. In his last seven starts the big Finn is 6-1-0 with a 0.83 GAA and .968 Save Percentage. That’s a hot goalie in any league.
On the injury front, Patric Hornqvist is still on IR, but word is that he is skating. The Ducks list Hiller as questionable and Cam Fowler as out.
The Predators seemed to break out of their scoring woes on Thursday night against Phoenix, finally cracking Mike Smith for three goals in the third period. The team had gone three games only scoring two goals total, only one of them in regulation. The fact they got three points out of those games is something to be happy about but let’s face it… this team does need to get a little more consistent on the goal scoring front. They don’t have to post 6 every night, but they do need to give Rinne a little more support.
Game time is 7pm at Bridgestone Arena, I will be hosting a plaza party starting at 4pm at the front entrance; we will have music, food and fun so come on down early! If you can’t make it down, game coverage is on Sports South with Pete Weber and Terry Crisp… radio coverage is on the Predators Radio Network (flagship station is 102.5 the Game) with Tom Callahan and Stu Grimson on the call.
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Make sure to check out the
SlapShot Radio Facebook page tomorrow for our first Caption contest! We’ve got a couple of tickets for Friday’s game against Vancouver on the line. We will settle this by your vote and announce the winner on Wednesday night’s show.
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Random Notes
- The folks over at The Globe and Mail actually have a nice write up on Shea Weber and the expectations of a large contract. Eric Duhatschek does a nice job laying it out
here.
- The Preds need to get Nick Spaling the puck more… the team is 17-1-1 when Spaling scores and 31-4-3 when he records a point.
- There were only a few hundred tickets remaining after Thursday night’s game so I do expect a 20th straight sellout to happen, extending the franchise record.
- The Predators have earned points against the Ducks for seven consecutive games, a streak dating back to January of 2011.
- Don’t look now, the Washington Capitals have won their last three games and are threatening to make a move in the East. While they remain tied for the basement, they are tied with four teams and only 4 points out of 8th.
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SlapShot Radio will be live from the concourse studio at Bridgestone Arena this Wednesday, Join Pete Weber and I as we chat with hockey’s best, every Wednesday at 7pm on 102.5 the Game and the SlapShot Radio Network.
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