Game Night in Smashville as the Nashville Predators are back on home ice this week for the first of three at Bridgestone Arena. The Arizona Coyotes are in town, and they may be in town with a good sized chip on their shoulder. The Desert Dogs hit the road for the first time this season and completing the season opening homestand by getting smacked down by St. Louis 6-1. This team is giving up goals in bunches… atypical for a Dave Tippett coached team, giving up markers at an average of 4.5 per game. Arizona goaltender Mike Smith is off to a horrendous start, going 1-2 with a GAA 5.33 and an anemic .822 save percentage. Don’t let those stats fool you, these ‘Yotes are wildly inconsistent and you can’t predict which team will show up.
The Predators are one of three teams left in the NHL without a regulation loss, going 3-0-2 in their first five, good for a Central Division leading 8 points. The Predators weakness has been early scoring so far this season, only posting three goals in the first so far. The Coyotes weakness is being outscored 9-4 and outshot 52-45 in the first frame. This could be an early indicator of how this game will go.
Another storyline to watch is Mike Ribeiro, the player that this franchise cut loose last season, and then poured salt into the wound by going public with why. I’m never a big fan of either side going public with their disputes… ironic for a writer to say that… but I just think it cheapens both sides in those situations. Ribeiro could have a massive chip on his shoulder and will want to show this team what they are missing (and partially paying for.)
Expect Pekka Rinne back between the pipes for Nashville, he is posting Pekka-like numbers so far this season, in four starts he has a shutout, a 1.22 GAA and a save percentage at .948, safe to say, it looks like Rinne is fully recovered and the swagger is back.
This is Arizona’s only visit to Smashville this season, the Preds will play two in the desert, one in December and one in March. Game time is 7pm at the Bridge… if you can’t make it out, tune in on Fox Sports Tennessee… pregame coverage starts at 6:30pm… or, you can listen in on the Predators Radio Network… the flagship station is 102.5 the Game, pregame also starts at 6:30pm.
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Random Notes
- Be on the lookout for “Beneath the Ice” premiering on nashvillepredators.com this Friday at 10am CT
- Observations from yesterday’s practice at Centennial had the Preds laser focused on special teams
- The ugly specter of domestic violence has hit the NHL. Kings defenseman Slava Voynov was charged with domestic assault on Sunday evening. The NHL immediately suspended the player indefinitely. The blueliner was released on $50k bond.
- Glad to hear that the Sabres are going to retire Dominik Hasek’s jersey. The ceremony is scheduled for January 13.
- Somebody break up the Oilers! With last night’s 3-2 win over Tampa, Edmonton is no longer part of the 0-fer club. One team left there… Carolina. Their chance to get off the schniede is tonight in Winnipeg.
- Speaking of Winnipeg… Paul Maurice needs to have his mouth washed out with soap… dropping an f-bomber is shocking!!! Oh please… this is hockey guys, heck… with the way things are going in the ‘Peg, I’d be shocked if he wasn’t cursing.
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Hey… don’t forget to check out the Player’s Show tomorrow night at Tavern 96. This year’s host is Eric Nystrom and his first guest is Mike Ribeiro. Showtime is 7pm, can’t make it down to Tavern ’96? Listen in on 102.5 the Game.
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SlapShot Radio is back every Wednesday at 7pm on 102.5 the Game and the SlapShot Radio Network, except this one… we are pre-empted for the player’s show this week, but we are back Wednesday October 29. Our premier, day one sponsor is back, that’s
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