Anyone who thinks that upward pressure on a roster isn’t effective needs to view a recording of last night’s 3-1 Predators win at Nationwide Arena. The addition of Kyle Turris seemed to add a little jump to some players that were already playing well, as if to say… “don’t pick me to go to Milwaukee!… It may also be a case of “don’t scratch me… as the Predators don’t necessarily have to send someone down as they are carrying the league limit of 23 (including Turris.)
It seemed to be your typical Nashville/Columbus game… tight checking, low scoring with Pekka Rinne frustrating the bejeebus out of the Jackets including a stellar save right at the end of the first period to preserve the scoreless tie… yes… it was a Jimmy Buffet matchup in net as Columbus went with Joonas Korpisalo against Rinne. Ahhh.. Pekka… we are seeing some vintage Rinne so far this young season. Last night was his second consecutive 35 save performance. Oh… and a note to the naysayers… please keep it up! Keep saying how Rinne is over the hill, past his prime, no longer elite. Pekka will keep proving how wrong you are…
Oh, yeah… that save at the end of the first… Wow… The Predators seemed to fire off that save and they came out in the second ready to test the Jackets backup and it was Matt Irwin who finally cracked through, scoring his second goal in three games. Irwin is certainly taking advantage of a second chance. He had a terrible couple of games that led to him being a healthy scratch for a couple of games… consider the message received as Irwin’s play has really been spot on since his return to the lineup.
Coming into the third period, with a 1-0 lead on the road against a team that was on the back end of a back-to-back, you had to feel good about the Preds chances… until an ugly turnover from PK Subban led to Pierre-Luc Dubois cleanly beating Rinne on a breakaway to tie it up and wake up the home crowd.
Nashville’s reaction to the goal was very positive, slowly taking the air out of the Nationwide Arena crowd through solid play and chance limiting until a dirty, lunch bucket type of goal started by Miikka Salomaki’s drive to the net and Calle Jarnkrok being Johnny-on-the-spot for the rebound, putting the Preds up for good with the eventual game winner.
Columbus put on a nice push in the last few minutes, but Rinne was up to the task and Viktor Arvidsson put the icing on the cake with an empty-netter. The Predators finished their west coast roadie with a 3-1-0 record, anytime you get six out of a possible eight on a road trip, you gotta be happy. The win brought the Preds road record to 5-4-1 and overall record to 8-5-2, good for 18 points and third in the Central.
The boys do not have a practice scheduled today, practice resumes tomorrow at Centennial Sportsplex. Next game is Saturday night for one that Pred Nation has had circled since the schedule came out as Pittsburgh makes their only visit of the regular season.
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We got a good one tonight on SlapShot Radio, first off, we talk to Preds fan, 4 time World Champion and 1984 Olympic Gold Medalist Scott Hamilton… we are doing back flips over having him on the show (see what I did there?) :-) … Also, we talk to the legendary voice of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Mike Lange as he helps us preview Saturday’s rematch of last season’s Stanley Cup Final.
It’s all tonight at 7 on 102.5 the Game. Listen online at thegamenashville.com or you can get the podcast on SoundCloud or iTunes a few hours after the show. Please join Dan Keczmer, Zack and me at 7pm!
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Random Notes
- Kyle Turris has cleared immigration and will arrive in Nashville this morning. He will meet with the media early this afternoon.
- Time to take advantage of some home cookin’ as Nashville now spends the rest of November at home except for three one game roadies, at Minnesota, Carolina and St. Louis. The Preds have seven at home in the month.
- Viktor Arvidsson got his 6th goal of the season last night, adding in the assist he also got, he now has 9 points on the season.
- KHL Watch – Eeli Tolvanen’s Jokerit club is off until 11/15. Tolvanen has 14 goals on the season, combined with 11 assists he has 25 points in 27 games.
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------------------------------------- SlapShot Radio has an exciting season in store for our tenth anniversary. As the longest running hockey show in the region, SSR feeds hockey fans what they crave… intelligent, fun, entertaining talk about their favorite sport and we do it from the opening of training camp all the way through UFA day… the only local hockey show that does that.
We are on every Wednesday night at 7pm on the Predators flagship station, 102.5 the Game. Our co-hosts, Dan Keczmer and JP Dumont bring a true insiders perspective to the show. Next show is tonight and we will be talking to Olympic Gold Medalist and big Pred fan… Scott Hamilton, along with the Voice of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Mike Lange.
We have been delivering great hockey talk to the most energetic and engaged fans in radio and advertising with us drives results at a reasonable price. Just ask our sponsors… including day one sponsor Dr. Jane Bacon at Hermitage Family and Cosmetic Dentistry … make your appointment at (615) 872-7762, Mark Lonsway at ReMax Fine Homes, call him for all your real estate needs at (615) 207-7799, and TurfMasters… check out their great service at TurfMasters.com.
We are also welcoming a new sponsor to the SlapShot Radio family… The Crag… Nashville’s premiere location for indoor rock climbing. Newton Dominey and his awesome crew have a great location in Cool Springs and they have opened a new location in South Nashville at the corner of Old Hickory Blvd and Nolensville Rd. Check out their website at ILoveRockCLimbing.com If you’ve never done it before… you need to try, they specialize on helping first timers.
Advertisers… reach out to me in order to access our activated listener base though great preseason advertising deals available for our tenth season when you email me at paul(@)slapshotradio(dot)com
You can also keep up with all the goings on with SlapShot Radio by following the show on Twitter @SlapShotRadio1 … Also... make sure to "like" SlapShot Radio on Facebook... here's the link.
If you are outside of the listening area, listen live online at The Game website or check out the podcast about two hours after the show at on SoundCloud.
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