If Nashville’s 5-0 shellacking of the Los Angeles Kings at Bridgestone Arena last night is an indicator of what is to come… it could be a beautiful spring in Smashville. For the first time in the 17/18 season, the Nashville Predators iced a fully healthy hockey team, with Ryan Ellis and Filip Forsberg on the ice at the same time.
There is something to be said for having the right players in the right roles.
The JOFA and FiST lines were both back together, the blueline pairings were back to the Big 4 playing on their familiar pairings and the team played with passion and purpose. The results speak for themselves.
Ryan Johansen was a beast last night, collecting three assists, shooting the puck with purpose and playing a much more physical game. Nice to see that Ryan Johansen back in the lineup. Forsberg and Arvidsson were the beneficiaries of that shooting, both getting goals off of Johansen’s work. It was Joey’s best performance since last year’s playoffs.
There is something to be said for having the right players in the right roles.
Now imagine Mike Fisher in that 4th line role. Grit, possession and some offensive upside… as someone put it on Twitter last night – It’s like adding more bacon to a Baconator.
The Predators came out on fire… popping their first goal in just a little more than eight minutes into the game, but after video review it was determined that a Kings player was pushed into their goaltender and causing goaltender interference… the fact that the Kings player had time for a donut, cup of coffee and a manny/peddy before the puck got there and that same player made NO effort to get out of his goaltenders way… I swear, given all of the different standards in last night’s goal reviews across the league, you wonder why you even bother.
It turns out that it really didn’t matter as Craig Smith scored his 16th of the season about two minutes later, then Filip Forsberg put the Preds up two with his 16th of the season and Calle Jarnkrok finshed up the scoring in the first period sending the teams to the locker room with the Preds up 3-0.
LA tried to put on a push in the second period but Nashville simply wouldn’t allow it, frustrating the Kings with a ferocious forecheck and any chance they managed to get was turned away by Pekka Rinne who authored his second consecutive shutout.
Colton Sissons converted a sweet feed from Miikka Salomaki in the second to give the crowd Frosty’s and Viktor Arvidsson potted his 16th in the third to put an end of any flicker of hope the Kings had in the third. It was a thoroughly dominating performance .
There is something to be said for having the right players in the right roles.
The Preds close out this homestand on Saturday night against the Rangers. Very limited tickets remain.
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“Where We Stand… update… a daily tracking of where the Preds are in the standings and the games that impact them most, brought to you by Mark Lonsway - THE real estate professional for hockey fans!
After last night’s play the Predators stand second in the Central Division with 67 points, two points behind Winnipeg (3 GIH) and two points ahead of St. Louis (4 GIH) … the Preds lead Dallas (3 GIH) by five points and Colorado (1 GIH) by seven points.
Impact games tonight (all times Central) – 7pm – VGK @ MIN.
Playoff Odds Courtesy SportsClubStats.com - The Predators playoff chances are now at 99.2%
The Playoff Point Line - I look at the point level needed for at least a 75%+ chance to make the playoffs… right now, it stands at 97.
Playoff odds and playoff point line courtesy of SportsClubStats.com
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Random Notes
- Ryan Johansen was a beast last night, shooting, passing and completely shutting down Anze Kopitar.
- Three 16 goal scorers… with 32 to play… hmmm…
- Much is being made of Fil-bruary… he certainly got it off to a mice start last night.
- Eeli Watch – Eeli Tolvanen’s Jokerit team has two games remaining in their regular season. They are now on their Olympic break. Tolvanen now has 17 goals and 17 assists in 47 KHL games. Tolvanen will play for the Finnish Olympic Team. The league returns in late February for a few games before their regular season ends on March 1st.
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------------------------------------- SlapShot Radio’s tenth anniversary season is on. 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. Dan Keczmer is in the co-host chair for our next show, which will be Saturday at 8am where we check in with Eklund on how the trade deadline market is shaping up and we will do the first of our “Down on the Farm… segments, checking in on the Milwaukee Admirals with Aaron Sims. These segments are brought to you by Patrick Brown’s Farmers Insurance Agency…
We have been delivering great hockey talk to the most energetic and engaged fans in radio and advertising with us drives results4 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. Also… 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.
We are also happy to welcome our latest sponsor… Patrick Brown’s Farmer Insurance Agency in Mt. Juliet… I switched to them a few years back and their service has been incredible! Give Pat and his team a call at 615-288-2086.
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
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