We have a really good one tonight on SlapShot Radio. Pete Weber and I talk with Hockey Hall of Fame member and the Voice of the Los Angeles Kings, Bob Miller along with the beat writer from the Columbus Blue Jackets, Aaron Portzline… tonight at 7 on 102.5 the Game… listen online at TheGameNashville.com
Tonight’s SlapShot Radio could be considered a bit of an extended pregame as the Predators are in San Jose to take on the resurgent Sharks. Both teams have gotten a bit of a break as each had their last game on Saturday… the Sharks posting a 5-2 win at Carolina and the Preds dropping an overtime decision against Pittsburgh. The Predators went 1-2 against the Sharks last season, losing both games at SAP Center by identical 0-2 scores, winning their only game in Music City 5-1. This is Nashville’s only regular season trip to San Jose for the 15-16 campaign.
The Predators had a few news stories hit before leaving town, calling up Miikka Salomaki from Milwaukee for a look. Carrying an extra forward for the West Coast trip makes sense as Viktor Arvidsson was sent back down after Saturday night’s game. Salomaki had a cup of coffee with the big club last season and impressed with his speed and physical game. He skated on the third line at yesterday’s practice. Calle Jarnkrok, who missed Saturday’s game and Monday’s practice did skate with the team yesterday and Colin Wilson was given a maintenance day.
San Jose has cooled a bit since their hot start but is definitely feeling the “DeBoer Effect.… Their new head coach Peter DeBoer is famous for having an immediate impact on teams. A familiar name is leading the Sharks in scoring, ex-Predator Joel Ward… and no, that’s not a typo. Ward has 5 goals and 3 assists to start the season closely followed by the usual Sharks suspects, Joe Pavelski (3p, 4a,) Joe Thorton (2g,4a,) and Patrick Marleau (3g,2a.)
The goaltending in the Bay Area was the question before the season and free agent acquisition Martin Jones has more than filled the bill. Posting a 5-2-0 record, a save percentage of .940 and a GAA of 1.69 has given the Sharks unexpected dominance in net.
So your hockey schedule is set… SlapShot Radio at 7pm with Pete joining us live from SAP Center… pregame at 8:30 with Darren McFarland and puck drop at 9:30pm. Radio coverage is on 102.5 the Game and the Predators Radio Network, TV is NBC Sports Network at 9:30pm.
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Random Notes
- Tonight is the first of four games the Predators have on NBC Sports Network.
- With Mattias Ekholm signing his shiny new six year contract on Monday, four of the top six defensemen are signed through the 2018-2019 season. Seth Jones is an RFA at the end of this season.
- Along with Shea Weber, Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis and Ekholm… the Predators also have Colin Wilson, Craig Smith and Pekka Rinne signed through at least 18-19.
- Those seven players listed above will account for 33.3 million in cap hit… reasonable to say the least for that lineup and plenty of room for Jones’ salary along with Forsberg and Fiala…
- Montreal finally lost, their nine game win streak is over. Vncouver did the deed, 5-1.
- More bad news for Anaheim, Ryan Getzlaf is out for the next week or two, he is having an appendectomy. The Ducks are tied at the bottom of the NHL with Calgary and Columbus with four points.
- Speaking of Anaheim, head coach Bruce Boudreau sounds completely defeated… his post game presser shows a coach out of ideas and waiting for the axe to fall.
- Things shifted in the Pacific rather quickly, LA is on a six game win streak and has gone from the outhouse to the penthouse, leading the division.
- Two wins for John Tortorella in Columbus… so far so good… the team is certainly reacted well to the new voice in the room.
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Season eight of SlapShot Radio is here! Tonight at 7 on 102.5 the Game, we feature HHOF broadcaster and the Voice of the LA Kings Bob Miller along with the man who now gets to deal with John Tortorella on a daily basis… Aaron Portzline of the Columbus DIspatch
SlapShot Radio is the longest running hockey show in the mid-south delivering great hockey talk to the most energetic and engaged fans in radio. Nashville will be a focus to the entire league as Music City hosts the All-Star game and we’ve got room for your business to be part of the SlapShot Radio family with effective and affordable advertising packages for every budget. Advertisers… reach out to me to access our activated listener base via email at paul(@)slapshotradio(dot)com
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