Paul McCann: Taking the Hard Road

I think we come out stronger against the Coyotes - Depending on who Trotz inserts.

If it is Tootoo - he has to play a disciplined game - if he takes dumb penalties he will sink the team.


Hunker down!

We MUST score 1st!

Okay...so there is a big challenge to Trotz in filling out the lineup card for tonight. The defensive pairs are obvious. The experiment with Josi & Klein together seems, thankfully, at an end.

My line preferences:

10-12-74
33-11-15
57-13-27
22-28-24 (Trotz will likely run Yip out, so 22 may be out of luck).

6-20
75-59
8-51


I know Trotz had Legwand skating with 57 & 27 yesterday. But they are just not 2nd line forwards. I think they will play better as a third line with Spaling. Of course, Trotz has the last change, so he can try to get favorable matchups even if those guys play up on the 2nd line. I suspect Trotz wants Hornqvist to get some extra minutes to bother Smith in front of the goal.

Essentially, 10-12-74 needs to be the best line on the ice tonight & then get some crontributions from the lower half. I think a 57-13-27 line could be nasty dangerous.

Just a little over 10 hours to game time!!!

Well, if Nashville is anything like Washington or New Jersey, where they win with their best players either out or with reduced playing time, there's hope yet. If Nashville locks down defensively like they have all season, they have a very, very good shot at winning this thing.

My call is that hustle-chuck and toots get inserted into the line-up tonight....and we finally see that "boring", hard-hitting defensive game that had been promised when this series started.

Despite killing a couple of toots' absent minded charging/roughing penalites, and overcoming untimely turnovers, I predict a nashville victory with an end-of-the-game empty netter marking a 3-1 decision.

And I also predict blueline will come to my seat after the second period and b!tch about legwand's lack of effort (because he knows what I like to hear ).

We all know what happens when Halischuk is reinserted into the lineup.

Guaranteed goal. Put him in.

Not a huge HBO fan but the 24/7 series on the MWC has been great. I'm afraid the greater involvement of the NHL is a direct attempt by them to control and scrub out a lot of the rough edges and grittiness that make it that much more compelling. Kiss 99% of the truly creative use of F-bombs by coaches and players alike.

too bad. Hope I'm wrong

We all know what happens when Halischuk is reinserted into the lineup.

Guaranteed goal. Put him in.
- ProudestMonkey

Actually... it's guaranteed goal and an assist

Sitting in 118 tonight since I won the #FindDoug tickets, anybody going to be near me?

“I think we need to play a different style than we did in Game 1 and 2, period,” Nashville Captain Shea Weber said. “We weren’t ourselves. We need to get back to defense first. Our offense will piggyback off of it. We just need to take it to the next level, and we are looking forward to the chance to do that on [Wednesday].”

I think that its pretty ironic that Weber and Suter were pining for more offensive talent and now they both want to get back to "Predator Hockey." Well I for one hope they do get back to "Predator Hockey," or we are going to get swept.

Actually... it's guaranteed goal and an assist

Sitting in 118 tonight since I won the #FindDoug tickets, anybody going to be near me?
- iamageek

I'll be in 117.

My call is that hustle-chuck and toots get inserted into the line-up tonight....and we finally see that "boring", hard-hitting defensive game that had been promised when this series started.

Despite killing a couple of toots' absent minded charging/roughing penalites, and overcoming untimely turnovers, I predict a nashville victory with an end-of-the-game empty netter marking a 3-1 decision.

And I also predict blueline will come to my seat after the second period and b!tch about legwand's lack of effort (because he knows what I like to hear ).
- wings-suck

Maybe I can find something positive to say about the Legster tonight or at least not have any apoplectic anti-11 tirades.

I've defended him many times over the years (when deserved) and tried so damn hard to see the good in him. (Gotta justify that #2 pick and all of that.)

He's like a Whack-A-Mole - he does show that he has a head occasionally. It would be nice to see a strong game from him tonight but I'll go the contrarian route (for counter good luck) and say No Way that it will happen.



Oh yeah - Go Preds!

I'll be in 117.
- Domov14

I will pop over and say hey. Old school jersey and fedora. Will hover during pregame for a bit.

Re the media reaction to the suspensions: Many have spoken in strong support of the move.

NHL network analysts last night (Jaffe & Chase) were 1,000% behind the move and they did it without unnecessary vindictiveness towards the two suspended players.

Both Jaffe and Chase are good analysts imo.

Did I mention that KT is good too? Lol.

Trotz just said in his press conference that Radulov and AK probably won't dress if this group tonight gets it done. Really not a suprise, honestly these 2 guys have really sh*t the bed here. Also, these playoffs are different in that the highly skilled teams i.e. Chicago, Vancouver and Detriot are all out and the teams left are defense first type team. We picked up guys like Radulov and AK to compete with those highly skilled teams. If we can get back to playing the style of hockey we played for 95% of the year, the type that actually got us into the playoffs we can come back. I just hope the boys come out fired up, but play smart and not try to do to much. The crowd needs to be loud and pick this team up. I say Preds come out and play a hard game and get the win 3-1, and then its a series again.

I will pop over and say hey. Old school jersey and fedora. Will hover during pregame for a bit.
- iamageek

I will be rocking , proudly, my jersey foul 3rd jersey. "House" , #14. I will try to spot you as well.

I'll be in 117.
- Domov14

317 here so i will drop stuff on you

317 here so i will drop stuff on you
- im4preds

324 in the house.....and the loudest person in the section...I'm not hard to find...Black and Blue jersey

Actually... it's guaranteed goal and an assist

Sitting in 118 tonight since I won the #FindDoug tickets, anybody going to be near me?
- iamageek

I will be watching you

I 100% agree that it is the right thing to do but don't say that there is no risk. Be proud of the fact that they are doing the right thing even though there is huge short term risk

317 here so i will drop stuff on you
- im4preds

I prefer Miller Lite, please

324 in the house.....and the loudest person in the section...I'm not hard to find...Black and Blue jersey
- HardCorePredFan316

I think by now I can pretty much spot you a mile a way. I'm a bit more bearded this time though.

317 here so i will drop stuff on you
- im4preds

Fat Tire, please.

I will be watching you
- Bones

Creepy dude. Just creepy.

I'm trying to be all upbeat and positive about this game but it's hard. Thought we could do a lot better against the 'yotes than we have. Maybe this new (old ) lineup will do the trick. Don't know if Wilson is in the mix. Hope so.

Okay...so there is a big challenge to Trotz in filling out the lineup card for tonight. The defensive pairs are obvious. The experiment with Josi & Klein together seems, thankfully, at an end.

My line preferences:

10-12-74
33-11-15
57-13-27
22-28-24 (Trotz will likely run Yip out, so 22 may be out of luck).

6-20
75-59
8-51


I know Trotz had Legwand skating with 57 & 27 yesterday. But they are just not 2nd line forwards. I think they will play better as a third line with Spaling. Of course, Trotz has the last change, so he can try to get favorable matchups even if those guys play up on the 2nd line. I suspect Trotz wants Hornqvist to get some extra minutes to bother Smith in front of the goal.

Essentially, 10-12-74 needs to be the best line on the ice tonight & then get some crontributions from the lower half. I think a 57-13-27 line could be nasty dangerous.

Just a little over 10 hours to game time!!!
- holycow_75

33/11/27 or 33/15/27 were our hottest line combos early on. They came out of the gates strong when Legwand was centering the line. When Legwand was injured Smith stepped in and the line was even better.

Trotz broke up the line combo for good when Legwand came back. I wonder if he'll remember how lethal they were and put either of those combos back together again?

We all know what happens when Halischuk is reinserted into the lineup.

Guaranteed goal. Put him in.
- ProudestMonkey

I think the only reason he hasn't been in is because he's injured. If he's not 100% I don't want him in.