Monday dawns as the Nashville Predators approach Halloween week. In the spirit of the holiday, the Predators have been a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde team. It’s hard to quibble with a 8-3-0 start, but the 3 losses have the nattering nabobs of negative-ism are going crazy. I kinda get it, the San Jose game was disheartening and the egg laid at the home opener wasn’t fun but Saturday’s loss was a little different. Sometimes folks forget that there are two teams on the ice. You have to give Edmonton credit, they were determined that the 13 game losing streak to Nashville was not going to get to 14.
These streaks tend to average out over time and Edmonton seems to be rounding into the form that preseason expectations were crediting them with. All I know is that the next one is going to be fun as Nashville will be looking to start a new streak. Let's put Saturday in the rear-view mirror and look to the week ahead.
The Predators open this week with three very difficult games against three powerhouses, one in the Western Conference and two in the Eastern Conference. First up, the Vegas Golden Knights. Vegas has had an up and down start to the 2018-19 season. Their OT win last night over Ottawa brought the team to .500 as 5-5-1.
After Vegas comes another short roadie, a one nighter to Tampa. The Lightning are off to a very good start as well and would be leading the East if it weren’t for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Bolts are being led in scoring by… that’s right… you guessed it… Brayden Point.
Wait, what?
Yup… Brayden Point along with Yanni Gourde, Nikita Kucherov and JT Miller. Not the names you would expect, but a sign of the depth of this Lightning team. And if that wasn’t enough; it is back home for Hockey Fights Cancer Night in Smashville as the Boston Bruins make their only visit to Music City. One of the tougher weeks on Nashville’s schedule this season.
I can’t talk about the upcoming week without recognizing the start that Filip Forsberg is on. 10 goals in 11 games has him in a three way tie for third in the NHL in goal scoring, with Viktor Arvidsson not far behind in a six-way tie for 12th. I can’t remember another time in franchise history where two Preds were in the top ten goal scorers in the league.
It’s a big week for the boys in gold, game time tomorrow night is 7pm, however… there will be lots of Halloween activity getting going early, check the Preds website for event scheduling.
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Random Notes
- Tolvanen Update – The Milwaukee Admirals are off to an amazing start, 8-1-1 after a 4-1 win over Manitoba on Saturday. Eeli Tolvanen rebounded with a two assist effort, bringing his season total to 1 goal and 6 assists.
- Filip Forsberg has set a franchise record in getting to 10 goals faster than any other player in franchise history as he scored his 6th career hat trick on Saturday.
- Auston Matthews sustained a shoulder injury in the Leafs Saturday game against the Jets. He has been placed on IR and will miss at least four weeks.
- Are the hockey gods in correction mode? The Vegas Golden Knights have the lowest PDO in the league right now, PDO being the stat that is referred to as a “luck… stat, combining shooting percentage with save percentage.
- Speaking of the Admirals… keep an eye on defenseman Matt Donovan. He is leading the team in scoring with 6 goals and 6 assists and is showing quite the chemistry with Tolavanen.
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