The Nashville Predators hit the ice today for a practice at Bridgestone Arena this morning for the first time since clinching their first ever berth in the Western Conference Final. They still don’t know who their opponent will be and when the conference final series will begin, although that question gets answered tonight when the Anaheim Ducks host the Edmonton Oilers for a winner-take-all Game Seven at Honda Center. Edmonton looks to continue the magic, Anaheim is looking to exorcise the specter of past game seven home failures.
There are plenty of questions about which team would the Preds prefer and every player, coach and staff member has the correct answer… it doesn’t matter… so I guess I should weigh in here. After looking at both teams, how they are playing now and how the Predators have traditionally fared against them… I am ready to declare my preference for opponent in the Conference Final… ready?
It really doesn’t matter.
Stay with me because that isn’t a cop-out… it truly doesn’t matter and here is why. The Predators have shown versatility in these playoffs, and frankly throughout the regular season. They have a very unique ability to able to adapt their game to the opponent, without playing the opponent’s game.
Example One – the Chicago series – The Predators used their speed and their fast-paced game to its maximum effect. They leveraged the JoFA line to the hilt and drove offense from their activated defense. They were highly disciplined and frustrated the hell out of the Hawks with their structured play. This would be the kind of series we might see if Edmonton wins tonight.
Example Two – The St. Louis series – The Predators used a physical edge by inserting players like Cody McLeod and Vernon Fiddler to blunt the impact of players like Ryan Reeves and prevent him from having any kind of major impact on the series. While the Blues focused on shutting down the JoFA line, they still were highly effective in setting up offense from the blueline. They didn’t need as much speed for St. Louis’ game. This could very well be kind of a series we would see if Anaheim is able to bust their Game Seven at home hex.
The common threads? Speed, structure, discipline... and Pekka Rinne. Rinne has been outstanding in these playoffs, posting record numbers. One of the reasons for Rinne’s success, the team in front of him… he’s stopping everything he sees and a lot he hasn’t. It’s pretty clear that the Nashville Predators can play the type of game necessary to take down both Edmonton and Anaheim…
The one thing that is incredibly obvious... This team is fully bought in to Coach Laviolette’s system and the more success they see, the more it gets ingrained in the team.
We will find out the schedule late tonight.
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Round Two Reset
Eastern Conference
NYR vs OTT – OTT wins 4-2 – waiting for opponent in Eastern Conference Final
WSH vs PIT – Series tied 3-3 - Game seven is tonight in Washington
Western Conference
STL vs. NSH – NSH wins 4-2 – waiting for opponent in Western Conference Final
ANA vs. EDM – Series tied 3-3 - Game seven is tonight in Anaheim
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Playoff Random Notes
- Rest may be a critical factor in the upcoming Conference Final series, after a playoff season last year that saw 14 games in 28 days with over 20,000 miles of air travel interspersed. So far this playoff season, the Predators have played 10 games in 25 days with only three plane trips for less miles than a single trip to the West Coast.
- Speculation is that the WCF will start on Friday, but nothing gets announced until the completion of the ANA/EDM series. Looking at the Bridgestone Arena calendar, it would leave either Monday 5/22 or Thursday 5/25 for game six if it is needed. The concert conflicts are Wed. 5/17, 5/23, 5/24, 5/26 & 27.
- The Ottawa Senators simply took it to the Rangers last night to capture their series.
- Thoughts and prayers going out to the ESPN’s Chris Berman on the loss of his wife of 33 years. She was killed in a car accident.
- Two Game Sevens in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs tonight – 6:30pm – PIT @ WSH (NBCSN). 9pm – EDM @ ANA (NBCSN).
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------------------------------------- SSR’s season nine is on, our next show is tonight at 7pm 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 playoffs long. Our guests are… Radio voice of the Anaheim Ducks, Steve Carroll to help us preview tonight’s game seven, Steve joins us live from the Honda Center. We also talk to the hockey renaissance man, Jeff Marek from Sportsnet to get his unique take on these playoffs.
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