There is no doubt about it, Nashville is a hockey town just as Uniondale & Long Island are. The Nashville Predators fans are just as loyal, loud and proud as we are. They are proud that the Preds, who have seen playoff action in years past, are having a terrific season sitting at the top of the NHL standings.
Then along came the Islanders, the team sitting at the top of their division winning games they shouldn’t and losing ones you didn’t expect. Recently it’s been a revolving door of “who is in? who is out?… of Jack’s line-up, and still they managed an impressive 5-2 win over Nashville.
Brian Strait, who takes a good degree of flak from the fan base, opened the scoring in the first minute of the first period. Welcome to the Coliseum Nashville. Another sell-out for the barn and even with yellow jersey clad fans in the arena, the fans were deafening. It has been that way the entire season.
Things could have gotten really ugly when Eric Nystrom, of Islander Royalty, knocked Mikhail Grabovsky into Tuesday with a legal, almost lethal hit. He refused the stretcher, but did not return. I can only imagine that Eric felt just as bad as Doug Weight did when he leveled a Sutter kid. It’s hockey, but it still hurts.
Johnny Boychuk added to his score sheet with a goal at the 10:10 mark followed by a power play goal by Johnny T which put the Isles at the dreaded, feared and maligned “three goal lead.… And just like clockwork, Filip Forsberg put the Preds on the board at 19:42 just as the period was winding down. We’ve seen this movie before.
Capuano’s new strategy is put out the fourth line after an opponent’s goal to keep the energy from swinging in their favor. With the best fourth line in the NHL currently playing for the Isles, it’s a strategy that seems to work.
Nick Leddy scored his 8th of the season 7:02 into the third and earned himself the first star of the game with his three point night, (two assists, one on Boychuk’s and one on JT’s power play goal).
James Neal put the Preds within one goal with the only score of the second period. And that is where Jaro Halak would keep them.
Bailey finished off the scoring party with a lucky bounce at 8:41 of the second with some assistance from Tavares. Bailey is doing well on that top line. Then again, who doesn’t?
Clutterbuk returned after seemingly injuring his arm, so that will be something to keep a watch for. Grabovsky’s official status is “upper body injury… that kept him from returning because “he had his bell rung… was just too obvious.
So, the Isles beat the best in the NHL and continue to pile up the points. Looks like the party will continue just a little longer at the Coliseum this year. Bittersweet for sure.