Game Night in Smashville as the Nashville Predators take on the Calgary Flames tonight at 7pm. The Predators have started the Peter Lavioolette era with a 2-0-0 start and a dramatic increase in shots per game. The Calgary Flames visit Nashville for the first of two times this season, coming in with a 1-2-0 record and expectations of improvement over last season’s poor performance.
Mason Raymond is off to a hot start, setting a goal per game pace for the Flames and Jonas Hiller is still looking for his first win between the pipes for Calgary since coming to the Flames in the offseason. Nashville looks to keep the momentum going as the bottom two lines have picked up the scoring as the top two lines get their chemistry right. The scoring chances are there, the lines are playing well and it is only a matter of time for players like James Neal to crack the scoresheet.
The goal scoring has been carried by Eric Nystrom, Paul Gaustad and Shea Weber, each two two goals on this early season. The competition for slots in the lineup appears to be having the intended effect. As Viktor Stalberg gets closer to coming off the IR, you have to wonder where he can break into the lineup, especially after missing such a large chunk of training camp.
Pekka Rinne is off to an excellent start between the pipes for the Preds, 2-0 with a save percentage of .921 and a goals against of 1.50… yup… those are Pekka-like numbers that are a result of coming up with the key save at the right time and much improved blueline play.
The Preds finish their season opening homestand tonight, eleven of the next sixteen games are on the road so there will be plenty of time to complete the team bonding process that inevitably happens on long road trips. Puck drop is at 7:08pm, no local TV but you may be able to catch the game on Center Ice or Game Center. Radio coverage begins with pregame at 6:30pm, hosted by Darren McFarland, Willy Daunic and Brent Peterson have the call at 7pm of 102.5 the Game and the Predators Radio Network.
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Random Notes
- Nashville has a five game home win streak against the Flames dating back to December of 2011.
- Nashville’s shot differential may be the most stunning stat of this young season… the team stands at a +32 after two games, pouring 37 shots on Ottawa and 33 on Dallas while holding each team under 20.
- Saturday night’s win was Peter Laviolette’s 391st win as an NHL Head Coach. That win had the Nashville head coach pass the legendary Fred Shero on the NHL’s all-time coaching wins list.
- Matt Cullen skated with the team yesterday in his first full practice since going down with an upper-body injury in training camp.
- Steven Stamkos potted the natural Hattie last night as Tampa simply destroyed Montreal.
- Call off the panic… Colorado scored their first goal and won their first game last night… a 2-1 win over Boston. Lots of drama as Danny Briere scored with 0.4 seconds remaining.
- Wow… Buffalo looked bad last night… I mean really bad… you could almost see the steam coming out of head coach Ted Nolan’s ears. So… I wonder how Connor McDavid likes his Sahlen’s Hot Dog?
- Nine games in the NHL tonight with Philly, Dallas, Carolina, Buffalo, and Edmonton looking for their first win.
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