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Time for Pred Nation to boldly go where they have not gone before. At 9:07pm tonight the puck will drop on the first game seven in franchise history. Talk about a new frontier. The Nashville Predators and Anaheim Ducks spent yesterday travelling, and answering questions, and trying to convince the press where the pressure lies. Let’s face it… there is pressure on both teams. Pierre LeBrun may have summed it up best on ESPN.com
For the Nashville Predators, it's new territory they can't wait to experience. For the Anaheim Ducks, it's an all-too-familiar setting they wanted so badly to avoid.
Since we are in Music City... this deserves a soundtrack... For Nashville, cue Queen/David Bowie…
- This is their first game seven, how will the team react?
- There were significant preseason expectations of this Predators team and to be bounced in the first round would not be good.
So sure, there is some pressure on the Nashville Predators tonight.
For Anaheim… OK, cue Billy Joel…
– Almost no one picked them to lose this series, being a heavy favorite brings pressure.
- This team had significant preseason expectations, with many picking the Ducks to win the cup.
- Playing at home in game seven...
- 2013 – Round One vs. Red Wings, lost game six on the road, lost game seven at home.
- 2014 – Round Two vs. Kings, lost game six on the road, lost game seven at home.
- 2015 – Conference Final vs. Blackhawks, lost game six on the road, lost game seven at home.
- Head coach Bruce Boudreau is 1-6 in game sevens, including six consecutive losses.
- A loss in Round 1 very well could cost Bruce Boudreau his job.
There is enough pressure on this Anaheim team to turn a lump of coal into a diamond… or to completely crush them.
Each team has reason to believe that this will go their way. Both the Ducks and the Predators have had to come from behind in this series. Anaheim had to recover from an early 0-2 hole, and Nashville had to stave off elimination after dropping three straight games… these are two resilient teams. So what does each team need to do in order to win this series tonight?
Anaheim needs to play hockey, the most success they have seen in this series has been when they have limited the after whistle crap and played the game. When they are focused on the game, they are almost unstoppable.
The Ducks need to come out fast, an early goal would relieve quite a bit of the pressure (there's that word again) that their history applies. The Ducks gave up the first goal in 2013 in their 3-2 loss to Detroit. They gave up four goals by early in the second period in 2014 against LA and trailed 5-1 going into the third. Last year… it got worse, Chicago jumped out to a 2-0 lead, taking the air out of the Honda Center and the will from the Ducks, sending them home and the Hawks to their third cup in six years.
The last key for Anaheim, Corey Perry… goalless in the series, he has been a non-factor. Perry needs to get on the board and have an impact on this team, it is expected of him and if his futility continues, it's a bad omen for the Ducks.
For Nashville, they need to outwork Anaheim like they did in Game Six. You saw the change begin in Game Five, a few unlucky bounces put the Predators down 3-2, but the work continued Monday night. Their performance from Monday's Game 6 win is the template for a victory tonight.
It is not critical, but an early goal or two will drive the Ducks to distraction. It will bring up all of the questions about their past three years of game seven failure and will have a significant impact on the team's psyche. An early goal is not a must… after all, game six was scoreless until midway through the second period, but it would be a real positive for the Preds.
If ever there was a time for special teams to get on it, it is tonight as 1-23 on the power play ain’t cutting it. The officials swallowed their whistles for the most part on Monday night, with the exception of Mattias Ekholm’s penalty for getting hugged. I expect the same to happen tonight, this should be a positive for the Predators if they keep their discipline and initiate as Nashville is the better team 5 on 5.
The X-Factor tonight could be off the ice. The coaches… Bruce Boudreau’s game seven record is 1-6… Peter Laviolette’s game seven record is 3-1. Boudreau has lost the last three his team’s have played in, Laviolette has won the last three. Both coaches have shown solid moves between games, in game adjustments will be critical as this game unfolds. The coach who makes the right move at the right time may have an outsized impact tonight.
We will have a complete game seven preview on SlapShot Radio tonight at 7pm on 102.5 the Game rolling right into Predators pregame at 8pm. Pete will be joining us from the pressbox at Honda Center and Ducks radio color man Dan Wood will be joining us live. We will also be talking to Comcast SportsNet’s Chuck Gormley to take a look at the Eastern Conference, focusing on the Penguins / Capitals bloodfeud.
Game time is 9pm with coverage on 102.5 the Game, Fox Sports Tennessee in the Predators viewing area. Coverage also on the Predators Radio Network and NBCSports Network nationally.
Wear your gold and strap in Smashville… this one is going to be fun.
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Cause for Joy – Game 7
Cause for Concern – Game 7
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Random Playoff Notes
- I love James Neal’s quote from yesterday’s press availability… "Everyone's picked them to win. We know what kind of team we have in Nashville. We did everything all year to push ourselves to this point. You know, why not win one more game?''
- Six Nashville Predators have skated in a game seven. Barret Jackman (1), Mike Fisher (2), Eric Nystrom (1), James Neal (2), Paul Gaustad (2) and Mike Ribeiro (3)
- Game 7 records for the two franchises… Anaheim – 2-5, Nashville – 0-0
- Round One concludes tonight, but not before Round Two starts with Game One between the Lightning and Islanders at Amalie Arena, game time is 6pm on NBCSN.
- Interesting story developing in Tampa as Steve Stamkos has resumed skating three weeks after surgery to remove a blood clot. The biggest question here will be how quickly can Stamkos get off the blood thinners and have the med clear his body.
- I always find it interesting when the hockey media makes a story about themselves… just shut up and cover the team. Should Dan Boyle have cursed in yesterday’s Rangers close out presser, no… but should the media expect him to be “nice” after the vicious way he was treated by certain members of the New York media? News flash… it is not an athlete’s job to make your job easy.
- Oh boy… Glendale and the Coyotes are at it again… I can’t wait till the team moves back to downtown Phoenix and leaves the gang of idiots in Glendale with a billion dollar white elephant… the only one I feel sorry for are the taxpayers of Glendale that will get stuck with the bill for their clueless council’s actions.
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First Round Series Snapshots - all times Central
- Predators / Ducks – Series tied 3-3 – Game 7 – Wed @ ANA – 9pm – Fox Sports TN / NBCSN
- Kings / Sharks – SJS wins 4-1 – Will face winner of ANA/NSH
Season eight of SlapShot Radio is on! Join us every Wednesday night at 7 on 102.5 the Game. Pete Weber and I cover the playoffs from pillar to post. Pete Weber will be joining us live from Honda Center and we will have you ready for puck drop of Game Seven.
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