It’s a Christmas miracle!!!! Two wins in a row on the road…
The Predators finally got off to a great start in a hockey game, scoring two goals in the first seven minutes, scoring three more before the Devils scored a meaningless one with five minutes left in the third and posting a 5-1 win. The loss was the seventh straight for the floundering team from New Jersey but only their second regulation loss at home this season.
It was a measure of payback for Nashville as they continue to right the ship after listing badly in the first two weeks of December, and it all started in a bad loss to the Devils at Bridgestone Arena. Snark aside, going into the holidays with two consecutive road wins is big for Nashville, considering that is the first time this season they have posted consecutive wins away from Bridgestone Arena. Head Coach Peter Laviolette called it “our cleanest, strongest team road win of the year.…
It all started with James Neal’s 13th of the season as Viktor Arvidsson fed the sniper and Neal put a filthy one-time wrister past New Jersey netminder Cory Schneider. 1:32 later, it was Neal again, putting the Preds up 2-0 and Devils back on their heels. Mattias Ekholm scored his first of the year almost six minutes into the second giving the Predators the dreaded three goal lead that seems to have been a not-so-good thing for this team this season, but they rode solid defensive play and outstanding work between the pipes from 21 year old Juuse Saros to weather the inevitable push back from the home team.
Pred Nation would be lying if they said they felt confident going into the third period after the Preds blew a three goal lead to this team just 17 days earlier but their fears were eliminated when Filip Forsberg buried his 5th of the season on the Preds first power play of the game. Ryan Johansen put the final nail in any hope of comeback with his short-handed goal about five minutes later.
On the blueline, last night’s game seemed to be the perfect mix of defensive responsibility and involvement in the offense as the defensemen generated a goal and assists on the other four. Giveaways were still evident, but Saros covered a few and New Jersey just didn’t capitalize on the others.
The team is back in Nashville, snug in their homes for the holidays. One more home game before the team gets a much needed four day break for Christmas as they have an off day Friday before the CBA mandated three-day break from 12/24 – 12/26. The Los Angeles Kings come a-calling tomorrow night for a critical showdown. Entering the game, the teams are tied in points for the last wild card slot in the Western Conference, LA owns the tie-breaker as the teams stand right now. Game time is 7pm tomorrow, very limited tickets remain for your last live hockey fix before Christmas.
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Random Notes
- A lot of Pred Nation want the Dad’s to stick around for awhile… they seem to be good luck as the team went 2-0-0 on the away portion of the trip.
- Viktor Arvidsson had a great game last night with three helpers. He is rapidly playing himself into an “expansion draft… protection position with this team.
- Arvidsson’s three assists marked the first three point game of his NHL career.
- Congrats to the ageless wonder, Jaromir Jagr ties Mark Messier for second in career points last night.
- My heavens… seven different Penguins scored last night as they dismantled the Rangers 7-2.
- Two games in the NHL tonight, all times CST – 7pm – WSH @ PHI. 8:30pm – EDM @ ARI.
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