When the Predators got out of Florida yesterday, it was 73 degrees… when they arrived in Chicago, it was 3. A 70 degree swing in temperature does kinda reflect the kind of swing this team needs to get back into the playoff picture. It’s a swing they will have to accomplish with quite a few challenges ahead of them, starting tonight at United Center against the Blackhawks.
Challenges… ummm… yup… the major one being injuries.
Coming into tonight’s critical Central Division showdown, the Predators have lost 115 man-games to injury, that is almost three per game played, but those are only the ones lost to IR, which now has a new occupant, James Neal. He joins PK Subban and Miikka Salomaki on the shelf but also keep in mind that Colin Wilson and Viktor Arvidsson are questionable for tonight as well.
edit (Johnny... maybe a little wishful thinking?) Freddy Gaudreau has been called up from Milwaukee, joining Vladislav Kaminev in the lineup.
These injuries are a gut punch to a team that is desperately trying to find some consistency and needs all of its guns firing if they are to compete with a pretty healthy Chicago team looking for their third consecutive win at home after two one-goal wins over Eastern Conference teams. Noted Pred-killer Marian Hossa is in the lineup for Chicago, who is trying to hold off Minnesota for the division lead. The Predators may be catching this team at the exact wrong time as they recover from a bit of a swoon in late December / early January.
It should be Corey Crawford vs. Pekka Rinne in net for tonight, both goaltenders are playing well and are keeping their teams in the games where sometimes they shouldn’t be. I expect no different tonight in the fourth game of the five scheduled between these two teams. Nashville is 1-2 against the Hawks so far, winning on opening night in Smashville, losing the next night in Chicago and dropping their game back on December 29. The lesson from that loss at the end of 2016 was not to breathe too hard on Corey Crawford as he probably has trouble walking in Chicago with the wind blowing, falling to the ground on the Mag Mile looking for the tripping call on a passing shopper.
No real advantage in scheduling as both teams are playing their 3rd game in 4 nights. Game time is 6pm central, coverage on Fox Sports Tennessee and 102.5 the Game . Radio pregame starts at 5pm, TV at 5:30.
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Random Notes
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Where We Stand – After last night’s play, the Nashville Predators have played 39 games and stand 4th in the Central Division, training 3rd place St. Louis by 6 points with a game in hand. Nashville is 3 points out of a Wild Card spot. The Predators are 5 points behind, with two games in hand over the first wild card team Calgary and have a game in hand over the 2nd Wild Card team, Los Angeles who they trail by 3 points.
- Matt Irwin has been rewarded for his solid play with a contract extension announced on Friday. He is now signed through the 2017-18 season.
- The only good thing to pull from Friday’s loss in Florida was Craig Smith finally scoring. The look of relief on his face was very evident.
- The Predators are the only non-playoff team in the West standings that have a positive goal differential, +5 heading into tonight.
- Jets rookie star Patrik Laine was blown up in a big hit with Sabres defenseman Jake McCabe yesterday and had to leave the game. No update on his condition.
- OK… now Columbus’ home win streak is done… thanks to a 5-4 loss to the New York Rangers.
- Six games in the NHL tonight, all times CST – 4pm – BOS @ CAR, TBL @ PIT. 5pm – PHI @ CBJ. 6pm – NSH @ CHI, EDM @ OTT. 7pm – MIN @ ANA.
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