It’s Game Night in Smashville as the Pittsburgh Penguins come a-callin’. After a tumultuous off season, the Penguins are off to a tepid start, gathering seven points in their first six games. They are being led in goal scoring by a couple of names that are familiar… one to the world, and one to Pred Nation.
Sidney Crosby is co-leading the team in points with 4 goals and 5 assists… that’s no surprise, but the surprise may be his co-leader in goals. None other than Patric Hornqvist, the long-time Predators that came over to the Pens in the James Neal trade. Hornqvist’s gritty, go to the net style seems to be the perfect compliment to Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz on Pittsburgh’s top line. He’s picking up the garbage and playing the type of game we have seen for years in Nashville… and now, playing with the league’s marquee player, the rest of the league seems to be noticing too.
Tonight’s game will be a stiff test for the Nashville. The Predators are off to one of the best starts in team history, one game shy of their record eight game point streak to start off the 2010-11 season and their 12 points are just 5 shy of the franchise record for points in October, set in 2005. The team has historically done well against the Pens in Music City, carrying a 6-3-1 record against Pittsburgh at 501 Broadway.
Expect Pekka Rinne in net tonight, he is off to a flying start to the season, posting a 5-0-1 record with a GAA of 1.62 and a save percentage of .939. He is doing what Pred Nation always expects, making the critical save at the critical time and keeping his team in the game. Nowhere was that more evident then Thursday night as he defended against a Chicago onslaught of shots in the third period, preserving the Preds 3-2 win over the Blackhawkks… classic Rinne.
You can’t preview this game without looking at the Predators top line as well. The line of Mike Ribeiro, Filip Forsberg and James Neal is responsible for a lot of the Predators scoring so far this season. As we have seen over this season, when a team tries to key on that line, the other lines have picked it up, getting scoring from the blueline as well. Forsberg is tied for the lead in rookie scoring so far and leading the team with 7 points (1g, 6a) and Ribeiro and Neal have two of the Predators game winning goals. This could possibly be the Predators most potent offensive line ever assembled if they keep performing at their current pace.
The Penguins took both games of the season series last year, but as we all know… it’s a new year… Game time is 7pm… it’s a sell out, but you could check out the marketplaces for tickets… it’s also the last game of the homestand as the CMA takes over Bridgestone Arena. Next home game is November 11th! Coverage on Fox Sports Tennessee and the Predators Radio Network.
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Random Notes
- Nashville is also welcoming back another favorite, Nick Spaling, who was also part of the Neal trade.
- The Penguins have dropped their last two games, losing to the Flyers in a strage one, then blowing a lead in the last three minutes of the game against the Detroit Red Wings, losing in OT.
- Tonight is James Neal bobblehead night.
- The Colorado Avalanche broke out last night, tacking on the extra point against Vancouver, scoring seven after giving up the first goal 10 seconds in. That was the Av’s first home win.
- Watch out… the Dallas stars are heating up. After a tough start to the season, they are looking like the team we expected them to be, showing resiliency and grit in their shootout win last night over New Jersey. The Stars are now 4-1-2 and two points back of the Preds.
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