The bye week is done, the Predators have one last break before the grind really begins. Before the All-Star Weekend break… the Predators have five games, four at home and one on the road, beginning tonight inside the friendly confines of Bridgestone Arena against a team that has quickly become an NHL nemesis of quite a few clubs… the Vegas Golden Knights.
Vegas has developed a culture of hard work and relentless forechecking. They wear you down, wait for a mistake and pounce on it. We’ve seen it twice… and the Predators have been the ones to make the mistake in both their losses to the expansion team. The Knights hit town coming off an home OT loss to Edmonton… the bad news is that Vegas hasn’t lost back-to-back since November.
Pred Nation is concerned after seeing that Viktor Arvidsson had to be helped off the ice during yesterday’s practice, no update on his condition is available yet. That news was balanced by reports of Filip Forsberg back on the ice, skating on his own.
Expect another tight matchup in net, with Pekka Rinne and Marc-Andre Fluery between the pipes. Fluery is 9-2-2 this season and posted the shutout win two weeks ago in Vegas.
The Predators start the last 40 game sprint with a tough test. Vegas will not quit skating and the Predators will have to find another gear to beat this team in their third and final meeting of the season. Injuries may play a role as the JOFA line has been decimated… there are no words of any call ups yet, but I would not be surprised to see Freddie Gaudreau in the lineup if Arvy can’t go.
Game time is 7pm central. Pregame coverage begins at 6pm on 102.5 the Game, 6:30pm on Fox Sports Tennessee. Limited tickets are available and please drive carefully if you are coming down for the game as the snow is having an impact on the roads.
See you at the Bridge!
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Tonight, the Predators are honoring a fan who lost his life in the tragedy that took place in Las Vegas back in October, Sonny Melton. Sonny was one of my son’s hunting buddies, a registered nurse in Paris, TN and by all accounts, a very good man.
To celebrate Sonny's life, the Sonny Melton Scholarship Fund has been created to assist graduating Big Sandy High School seniors who desire to pursue a career in nursing. To assist in endowing the fund, Apex Bank has committed to match the first $50,000 in private contributions to the fund. Sonny's uncle and aunt, Rich and Donna Plumley, have matched Apex Bank's $50,000 initial contribution and are actively advocating for more donors. For more information and to donate, visit sonnymeltonfund.com/donate/.
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“Where We Stand” update… a daily tracking of where the Preds are in the standings and the games that impact them most, brought to you by Mark Lonsway - THE real estate professional for hockey fans!
The bye week did not impact the Preds standing at all… After last night’s play, the Predators continue to stand second in the Central Division with 56 points, three points behind Winnipeg (4 GIH) and one point ahead of St. Louis (4 GIH) … the Preds lead Dallas (3 GIH) and Minnesota (4 GIH) by three points each.
Impact games tonight (all times Central) – 6pm – STL @ TML, 6:30pm – DAL @ DET.
Playoff Odds Courtesy SportsClubStats.com - The Predators playoff chances are now at 96.2% after yesterday’s play.
The Playoff Point Line - I look at the point level needed for a 75%+ chance to make the playoffs… right now, it stands at 96-97 points.
Playoff odds and playoff point line courtesy of SportsClubStats.com
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Random Notes
- The Games in Hand that Nashville holds are huge… they represent 8 points over the Jets and Blues.
- Juuse Saros went 2-1 in his stint with Milwaukee, he was recalled yesterday and Anders Lindback sent back.
- Eeli Watch – Eeli Tolvanen’s Jokerit team plays tomorrow. Tolvanen has 17 goals and 16 assists in 42 games.
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SlapShot Radio’s tenth anniversary season is on. As the longest running hockey show in the region, SSR feeds hockey fans what they crave… intelligent, fun, entertaining talk about their favorite sport and we do it from the opening of training camp all the way through UFA day… the only local hockey show that does that.
We are on every Wednesday night at 7pm on the Predators flagship station, 102.5 the Game. Our co-hosts, Dan Keczmer and JP Dumont bring a true insiders perspective to the show. Dan Keczmer is back in the co-host chair for our next show on Saturday January 20th at 8am.
We have been delivering great hockey talk to the most energetic and engaged fans in radio and advertising with us drives results4 at a reasonable price. Just ask our sponsors… including day one sponsor
Dr. Jane Bacon at Hermitage Family and Cosmetic Dentistry … make your appointment at (615) 872-7762, Mark Lonsway at ReMax Fine Homes, call him for all your real estate needs at (615) 207-7799, and TurfMasters… check out their great service at
TurfMasters.com. Also… The Crag… Nashville’s premiere location for indoor rock climbing. Newton Dominey and his awesome crew have a great location in Cool Springs and they have opened a new location in South Nashville at the corner of Old Hickory Blvd and Nolensville Rd. Check out their website at
ILoveRockClimbing.com If you’ve never done it before… you need to try, they specialize on helping first timers.
Advertisers… reach out to me in order to access our activated listener base though great preseason advertising deals available for our tenth season when you email me at paul(@)slapshotradio(dot)com
You can also keep up with all the goings on with SlapShot Radio by following the show on Twitter @SlapShotRadio1 … Also... make sure to "like" SlapShot Radio on Facebook... here's the
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If you are outside of the listening area, listen live online at
The Game website or check out the podcast about two hours after the show at
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