This is a big one tonight. It’s the first of three meetings between the Calgary Flames and the Nashville Predators and the only one in Alberta. The Predators need to put aside the loss in Vancouver, one that featured a completely unexplainable waived off goal call that no one, not former NHL referees, not broadcasters, no one understands.
I won’t get started on that… time to look ahead…
Tonight’s showdown in Calgary gives the Predators a chance to pick up two points on a team they are chasing for a wild card slot without spending one of their three games in hand over the Flames. 5-4-1 in their last ten, Calgary is in the middle of a five home game in six game stretch that has seen the team go 2-1-0 in the first three with wins over San Jose and Florida, they finish their homestand with Edmonton Saturday night. Potential trap game for Calgary?
Don’t bet on it. The Calgary Flames have owned the Preds over the past two seasons, winning five of six. The only blemish happened last January 27th when the Preds won 2-1… you may remember that game as the one where Flames blueliner Dennis Wideman ran down linesman Don Henderson, injuring the linesman so badly that he still has not returned to his role.
The Predators remain wounded, five players on IR including PK Subban, who is practicing with the team, but David Poile indicated in an interview yesterday that he may be targeting next Tuesday night against Buffalo for the superstar’s return. Colin Wilson, Roman Josi, Miikka Salomaki and Petter Granberg round out the IR list for Nashville.
Tonight is the first game of a back-to-back Calgary tonight, Edmonton tomorrow, I would expect to see Juuse Saros in one of these games. Pekka Rinne has been outstanding, but the team loses very little (if anything) in net when Saros goes between the pipes and head coach Peter Laviolette has done an excellent job so far this season in managing Rinne’s workload, giving him extra rest which should pay off come April and May.
Game time is 8pm Central, coverage on 102.5 the Game (preame at 7pm) and Fox Sports Tennessee (pregame at 7:30pm)… should be a good one
-------------------------------------
ICYMI – Last night’s SlapShot Radio
-------------------------------------
Random Notes
-
Where We Stand – After last night’s play, the Nashville Predators have 47 points in 44 games played and stand 4th in the Central Division, trailing, 3rd place St. Louis by four points with a game in hand. Nashville is one point out of a Wild Card spot. The Predators are four points behind with three games in hand over the first wild card team Calgary and are one point behind the 2nd Wild Card team, Los Angeles with a game in hand. They also trail Vancouver by a point with two games in hand.
- The Flames have won five of their past six at the Saddledome.
- Expect the Grant/McLeod/Zolnierczyk line to remain together tonight, they have been generating chances and making things happen over the last two games.
- Marks for Alexandre Carrier’s first game were solid, he seems to be a very smart hockey player.
- Waiver wire acquisition Brad Hunt got his first practice with the team yesterday.
- Lost in the PK Subban news was Colin Wilson participating in yesterday’s practice as well…
- Eight games in the NHL tonight, all times CST – 6pm – DAL @ NYI, OTT @ CBJ. 6:30pm – NYR @ TOR. 7pm – WSH @ STL, ARI @ MIN. 8pm – NSH @ CGY, 9pm – COL @ ANA. 9:30pm TBL @ SJS.
------------------------------------
-------------------------------------
SSR’s season nine is on, our next show is Wednesday at 7pm on 102.5 the Game. SlapShot Radio is the longest running hockey show in the mid-south and Pete Weber and I bring you the best in hockey talk all season long.
SlapShot Radio has been delivering great hockey talk to the most energetic and engaged fans in radio and advertising with us drives results. Our premier sponsors include 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.
Advertisers… reach out to me in order to access our activated listener base though great advertising deals available 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
link.
-------------------------------------
KINDLE USERS: Please subscribe to Predators Buzz, a one-stop feed for all things Predators-related on HockeyBuzz. Your subscription includes a free 14-day trial and is just 99 cents per month thereafter. For more information,
click here.
Nashville Predators Blogger •Predators Radio Network • 
Join the Discussion:
»