It was actually a 3-2 S/O win...not 2-1. But the point remains the same, it was not pretty hockey. The first 30 minutes were about as exciting as watching paint dry.
My takeaways from the game are this:
1. Ellis is back and fully healthy. He was a beast last night - which is saying something for one of the smallest guys on the ice.
2. Smith/Turris/Fiala continue to be a force. They are playing fast & furious, and had 11 shots on goal last night. Without a first line, they are stepping up.
3. Rinne is having a good year, but still struggles with "in-close" rebound control. The backhand that beat him high-blocker was a nasty shot. But the OEL goal should have been snuffed out before it had a chance to happen.
The Preds have weathered the first half of the Forsberg absence pretty well. They need to hang on and win a few ugly games the next couple of weeks, and hopefully will be back to full strength for the stretch run. |