The Predators come into today’s game in St. Paul holding the third spot in the Central Division. It’s been a long slog back into the driver’s seat of their own playoff destiny, but the Predators are there. The team is on a nice little roll, one more time, getting well on a western road trip, but tonight’s game at Xcel Energy Center is the stiffest test of the trip. It is a measuring stick of the team’s progress as right now, the Minnesota Wild are one of if not the, best teams in the NHL.
Want proof? Look no further than last night’s game in the Twin Cities. The Wild trailed Anaheim 3-2 with a little less than seven minutes to play in the game when they exploded for three goals in 1:59 to take a 5-3 win. That shows that this is not your Dad’s Wild team… this team is defensively responsible, that’s in their DNA. But now they have an offensive punch that has been rarely seen in St. Paul since the NHL returned and it means that no lead is safe on the Minnesota Wild.
Devan Dubnyk has been almost impenetrable, Minnesota’s defense has been stellar and the offense, explosive… heck they are at a +48 in goal differential…
+48!!! The next closest Western Conference team is San Jose, at +18.
This road trip for the Predators has been a really odd one, with multiple travel issues… the first one came at departure, with plane trouble causing the team to arrive at Pepsi Center two hours before game time last Saturday afternoon. The latest being the Preds personal luggage didn’t make it to St. Paul when the team arrived and they are still waiting for it as I write this. I am sure that the whole travelling party can’t wait to get home again.
Add to all of this… the Minnesota Wild are 19-2-2 since December 1st and are 4-1-1 on the back half of back-to-backs. So, tonight’s game seems like a Herculean task for a still undermanned Predator team. Getting PK Subban back was a big lift on Friday night. You may wonder now about the return of Colin Wilson (who has been skating with the team) or Roman Josi (who Swedish media is reporting that he is hoping to be back next week) but this team has met the challenges placed before it over the past few weeks. You can’t help but think that a team facing this type of adversity will be able to draw on it come April… and May… and…
Game time is 7pm central as the team goes for its third consecutive win and sixth in their last seven. Coverage begins with pregame at 6pm on 102.5 the Game and 6:30pm on Fox Sports Tennessee, puck drop at 7:07pm.
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Random Notes
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Where We Stand – After last night’s play, the Nashville Predators have 51 points in 46 games played and stand 3rd in the Central Division, tied in points with 4th place St. Louis, the Predators hold the tie-breaker. St. Louis is now in the 1st Wild Card, the Predators have a game in hand over the Blues. Calgary is now in the 2nd Wild Card slot, also with 51 points, the Predators have three games in hand over the Flames. Vancouver is one point behind the Wild Cards, LA and Winnipeg are three points out.
- An interesting game Friday night, much more physical than I expected… the Predators have reacted well when being faced with this and it is helping with the chemistry of this team.
- Minnesota is 2-0-0 against the Preds this season.
- Thoughts and prayers to the family of Yordano Ventura and to the KC Royals… the 25 year old pitcher was killed in a car crash.
- Six games in the NHL today, all times CST – 11:30pm – NYR @ DET (NBC). 2pm – BOS @ PIT. 4pm – CBJ @ OTT. 5pm PHI @ NYI. 6:30pm – VAN @ CHI. 7pm – NSH @ MIN.
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