It’s a critical Central Division showdown tonight in Smashville as the Minnesota Wild and Nashville Predators get together for a potential first round preview matchup. It’s the rubber game of a season series that has seen the home team lose every game. The goaltending matchup should be the story… two goaltenders that have been mentioned for Vezina consideration and deservedly so.
Nashville’s Pekka Rinne has been dominant this season, but since returning from injury in February simply hasn’t consistently regained his early season form. He has shown stretches and flashes of excellence that is for sure, but for this Nashville team to make a serious run in the upcoming Stanley Cup playoffs, Rinne needs to be Rinne.
And then there is Devan Dubnyk who, after many fits and starts, has finally become the goaltender he has been purported to be throughout his career. While he was good with the Arizona Coyotes, he has been spectacular with the Minnesota Wild… almost impenetrable over a 38 game stretch, going 27-8-3 and single handedly saving Wild coach Mike Yeo’s job and the Wild’s season. But word from the Minnesota media contingent is that Darcy Kuemper may get the start tonight… so that storyline may get blown to bits.
So let’s talk about a couple of streaks. Minnesota has won 11 consecutive road games and they have a chance to tie Detroit’s NHL record of 12 tonight, then break it in St. Louis should they come up with a W in Smashville. The Predators are looking to snap a 0-2-2 stretch and win their first game since officially punching their playoff ticket.
The injury situation is pretty clear for Nashville, Eric Nystrom is hoping to be ready for the playoffs and is skating but is listed as questionable. The Wild list Keith Ballard on IR, Nino Niederreiter is questionable and Matt Cooke is listed as ready to return.
It is Fan Appreciation Night at Bridgestone Arena, there will be giveaways galore and the players will be doing the “Shirts Off Their Backs… promo after the game. Game time is 7pm and very limited tickets remain. Coverage on Fox Sports Tennessee and 102.5 the Game and the Predators Radio Network. Pregame on all media begins at 6:30pm.
Here is your video preview, from nhl.com:
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Random Notes
- Standings update after play on 4/8 – Nashville continues to trail division leading St. Louis by one point with 104 points. Anaheim leads in the Western Conference with 107 points. Chicago is three points behind the Blues, 2 behind the Preds. The Blues and Preds have a game in hand on Anaheim and still have the potential to win the conference. A non-shootout Nashville win tonight clinches home ice for the first round of the playoffs, no matter what happens in the STL/CHI game.
- The Western Wild Card – Minnesota (80 games played) owns the first wild card slot with 98 points, the Winnipeg Jets (80) are in the last wild card slot with 96 points, the LA Kings (80) are three points behind the Jets and two points behind the Flames.
- Who Should Pred Nation Root for Tonight? – A Nashville win and a Chicago win in regulation will allow the Predators to leapfrop over St. Louis for first in the division and a chance at the conference title as well.
- Playoff Seeding Update - The only Western Conference seed that seems to be on lock is Minnesota, they appear to have the first wild card in the West and will stay there unless things get really nuts over the next three days. Anaheim has won the Pacific and will play one of the wild cards. Vancouver has the 2nd spot in the Pacific fairly well in hand. Other than that… the West is still in question. In the East, the Rangers have clinched the President’s Trophy, Conference and their division. Montreal leads the Atlantic, but Tampa is only two back. Boston’s loss last night keeps Ottawa in the game for that final wild card as the Bruins and Senators are tied in points. The Sens are at the Garden tonight for a tilt with the Rangers and Boston tries to get back on track in Sunrise against the Panthers. .
- In the “I’m just sayin’… department… Minnesota’s Zach Parise is knocking down $11 million dollars this year for 61 points. Mike Ribeiro is knocking down $1.05 million for the same point total. Ryan Suter is also taking home $11 million for 38 points… Roman Josi is taking home $3 million for 55 points. I’m just sayin’…
- Pred Nation will be keeping an eye on that St. Louis / Chicago game tonight, big implications there.
- Congratulations to Viktor Arvidsson who was named to the AHL All-Rookie team yesterday. Arvidsson leads the Ad’s in scoring with 51 points (19 goals, 32 assists.)
- Tonight should be the 30th sellout of the season for Nashville (a franchise record) and the 12th consecutive.
- It’s been one helluva year for Bridgestone Arena, after neing named Pollstar’s 2014 Venue of the Year news comes out that the facility ranked second in US ticket sales and fifth in world ticket sales for the first quarter of 2015. Almost 800,000 people came through the doors at the arena in the first three months of 2015.
- Tuesday night was one of the best nights of hockey that I can remember… tonight has the potential to be better.
- I’m hoping to be home in time to catch the last period of Calgary / LA. Calgary has the chance to eliminate the reigning Stanley Cup Champs and clinch their playoff spot with a win.
- Other clinch scenarios – Detroit is in with a win over Montreal tonight. Montreal is looking for a season sweep.
- Sometimes hockey writers are unintentionally funny… Multiple tweets overnight and this morning expressing surprise at Dallas’ Jamie Benn tying for the NHL lead in points.
- The final CSS Prospect Rankings are out for the 2015 NHL Entry Draft and to no one’s surprise… Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel are ranked 1 – 2 on the North American skater list.
- Fascinating quote from Penguins dman Rob Scuderi after their collapse against Ottawa, he called his team “fragile.… And… am I the only one who reads that last word of that sentence like the dad in “A Christmas Story?…
- Eleven games in the NHL tonight – Senators @ Rangers, Hurricanes @ Flyers, Red Wings @ Canadiens, Devils @ Lightning, Bruins @ Panthers, Blackhawks @ Blues, Wild @ Predators, Jets @ Avalanche, Kings @ Flames, Sharks @ Oilers, Coyotes @ Canucks.
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