So far this season, the Predators are 2-0 against the Minnesota Wild, winning both games in St. Paul earlier in the season… but the Wild have righted the ship and the road to the playoffs for this team may run right through 501 Broadway in Smashville. This is the first of three trips to Bridgestone Arena for Minnesota over the final eight weeks of the season. The Wild has posted a respectable home record this season, but they are a .500 team on the road going 14-14-2 away from Xcel Energy Center.
Minnesota made a deal with Florida on Tuesday, acquiring forward Sean Bergenheim adding some size to their lineup and partially replacing the injured Jason Zucker. The big story in this game though in between the pipes… and that focus is not on Hart Trophy candidate Pekka Rinne… it’s on Wild netminder Devan Dubnyk.
Yes… that Devan Dubnyk. The goalie that Nashville acquired mid-season last year to try and stabilize the situation in goal… the Devan Dubnyk that looked like he couldn’t stop a beach ball in his brief time in Nashville… yup… that one.
Dubnyk began the year in Arizona and put up some decent numbers… doing good enough for Minnesota to trade for him to help their net situation, which was an abject disaster due to injuries and sup-par play. IN 18 games for the Wild, Dubnyk has posted a 13-3-1 record with 5 shutouts, a .935 save percentage and a miniscule 1.66 GAA.
That being said… the Nashville Predators have been near unbeatable at home, 26-3-1… including a 7-1 record at home in February and a 15-1 record dating back to December 16th. They are coming off their most complete performance of the season in their 5-2 win over Colorado in which five different players hit the scoresheet. At times Tuesday night, it seemed the Preds were skating circles around the Av’s. The Wild, on the othe3r hand, are coming off a 2-1 home loss to Edmonton, in a game that looked a lot like last Sunday’s Preds/Sabres game, only Minnesota couldn’t pull off the win.
The Wild are 7-2-1 in their last ten, the Predators are 8-1-1… Special game time, 7:30pm puck drop to accommodate NBCSN coverage bringing Smashville nationwide tonight. Radio coverage will be on the Predators Radio Network, including flagship station 102.5 the Game. Pregame begins at 7pm.
Here is your preview courtesy of nhl.com…
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Tickets are now on sale for the SlapShot Radio Cook Off. Predators forward Eric Nystrom and I will be battling it out at The Chef and I in Lenox Village on Monday night, March 23rd. If you have never been to The Chef and I, it is an “open kitchen… restaurant that allows you to watch the chef create your dinner! An incredible, accessible and unique experience. Eric and I will be taking over the show kitchen to compete in an “Iron Chef… like battle to win the Cup!
Measuring Cup that is…
It’s all to raise money for the Nashville Predators Foundation and should be a lot of fun! Tickets are on sale at The Chef and I’s website… they handle catering, conduct fun cooking classes and run a fantastic restaurant. Chris and Erica Rains are amazing people!
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Random Notes
- Standings update after play on 2/25 – Nashville has a six point lead in the President’s Trophy race over Montreal and Anaheim. The Canadiens have two games in hand over the Ducks and one on the Preds. The Predators have a game in hand over Anaheim. The Islanders trail by seven points. Nashville’s lead in the Western Conference is also six points, their lead in the Central is now up to 9 points over St. Louis and 12 over Chicago. The Blues have a game in hand over Nashville and Chicago.
- The Western Wild Card – Winnipeg (62 games played) remains in the first wild card slot with 73 points. The second slot is currently owned by the Calgary Flames (61) with 70 points. The Minnesota Wild (60) trail by one with 69 points. San Jose (61) has 68 points. Dallas (61) and Colorado (61) are seven points back of the last slot.
- Both Ryan Ellis and Anton Volchenkov (both on IR) participated in yesterday’s practice.
- The Preds Tuesday night win tied an NHL record for most wins by a team thorugh its first 30 home games of a season. Six other teams have achieved this… The last team to do it was the 2011-12 Red Wings.
- Don’t make him angry… Sheas Weber had a season high nine shots on goal Tuesday night… and he did that with only 16:35 in ice time due to the rarely called instigator penalty that kept him in the penalty box for 17 minutes.
- Colin Wilson continues his hot play, he has posted 19 points (9g-10a) in his last 23 games and is one goal away from 20 on the season.
- The Predators are 9-1-0 on home ice against the Central Division.
- Man… what a nasty game in DC last night… a true Rivalry Night game to be sure as the Penguins avoided the season sweep at the hands of the Caps.
- The Penguins added Daniel Winnik yesterday as the dismantling of the Maple Leafs continues.
- Patrick Kane out for 12 weeks after surgery on his fractured clavicle. Don’t write Chicago’s obituary yet… this is still a deep, talented team.
- WTH is going on with Anaheim? Shut out 3-0 on home ice by Ottawa? The Kings are up next for the Ducks who have a pretty safe lead in the Pacific, but Anaheim needs to get
- LA filled a hole yesterday on the blue line, acquiring Andrej Sekera from Carolina. The Kings obviously realize the Cup window will not be open forever as they gave up a first rounder and a prospect for the D Man. Pretty high price…
- Calgary posted a good win last night over NJ, but it came at a cost… Norris Trophy candidate Mark Giordano left the game late in the third period with an undisclosed injury… no word of extent or if the blueliner will miss any time.
- Nine games in the NHL today – Canucks @ Sabres, Coyotes @ Rangers, Canadiens @ Blue Jackets, Flyers @ Maple Leafs, Blackhawks @ Florida, Blues @ Jets, Wild @ Predators, Senators @ Kings, Red Wings @ Sharks.
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