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SlapShot Radio's photographer caught all the pomp, color and action of Opening NIght in Smashville. Click on the picture to see the entire album.

Pictures courtesy DM Photography

This is the first of what will end up being quite a few “review/preview” blogs. The Nashville Predators couldn’t have scripted a better opening to the 2016-17 season with a wholly satisfying, rough and tumble 3-2 win over Chicago last night in front of a sold out, playoff loud Bridgestone Arena. Nashville starts the season with three consecutive Central Division games and these points are incredibly valuable for a team with deep playoff run aspirations.

Starting off with the Player Gold Walk, Smashville was out in force, and another contingent was out in force… media… lots of media. RDS was there, Sportsnet was there, TVA was there, all five local stations were there. Frankly the biggest media presence outside of the playoffs or All-Star Weekend that I have ever seen for a Predators game. All there to see the reaction to the Predator’s newest acquisition. PK, and Subban did not disappoint. From the custom tailored blue and gold suit he wore on the Gold Walk, to his play on the ice, PK Subban was everything advertised and more.

But don’t be mistaken… this is not a one player team. The Nashville Predators showed speed, grit, speed, finish, speed, physicality, and more speed with some vintage Pekka Rinne sprinkled in for good measure. The first two period were breathtaking in the speed shown by both teams… but as Pete and I discussed on today’s SlapShot Radio, the Predators found another gear in the second period, a gear that I thought the Hawks had trouble matching… and speaking of the Blackhawks… where the heck did their discipline go?

They took stupid penalties and allowed the Preds to get under their skin… very un-Blackhawk-like, and I wouldn’t expect to see it again tonight when the teams meet again at United Center.

Tonight’s 7:30pm faceoff at United Center is a critical early season game for Chicago, going 0-3 to start the season, all losses inside the division could be a recipe for disaster for this team, but they have to start getting production from their high dollar players.

This is a team in cap jail, committing a sizeable chunk of their cap to Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Corey Crawford, Brent Seabrook and Marian Hossa who count for over half of your cap hit. It does create a situation like the Hawks are in now… high dollar stars and low dollar youngsters. Time will tell how this works out, but it don’t look good thus far.

Chicago has to get some production out of the players I listed, they have not performed well so far, but again… it’s only two games in.

For Nashville, they need to bring it like the first two periods last night, continue to bring the physicality that so got under the Hawks skin last night and continue to dictate the pace and speed of the game.

Game time is 7:30pm, coverage on Fox Spots Tennessee and 102.5 the Game

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Random Notes

- Anthony Bitetto left the game bleeding pretty heavily after a fight with ex-Pred Jordin Tootoo. He is out tonight, expect to see Yannick Weber make his debut in Predator Gold.

- Ryan Johansen earned his number one star last night, setting up all three Predator goals.

- Chicago’s Ryan Hartman left the game last night and is not expected to be in the lineup tonight.

- Tonight’s NHL Schedule – 13 games on the schedule, all times Central – 6pm – WPG @ MIN, NJD @ TBL, NYI @ WSH, BOS @ TOR, MTL @ OTT, DET @ FLA, ANA @ PIT, SJS @ CBJ. 7pm – NYR @ STL. 7:30pm – NSH @ CHI. 8pm – PHI @ ARI, DAL @ COL. (pm – CGY @ VAN.

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Tweets by @PredPAPaul


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SSR’s season nine is on, our next show is Saturday at 8am 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. This week’s guests include the author of Stat Shot and the Hockey Abstract, Robb Vollman and Judd Sirrot from the Blackhawks broadcast team joins us to preview Saturday’s Preds/Hawks game in Chicago.

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, and Mark Lonsway at ReMax Fine Homes, call him for all your real estate needs at (615) 207-7799.

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