Seemed like old times last night as the Nashville Predators welcomed an old friend to town for a holiday visit. The Predators and Detroit Red Wings spent 15 years in the same division and got to know each other very well. Always the measuring stick for Pred progress, Detroit was the big brother as Nashville grew and developed as a franchise. Wins over the Wings are always a bit sweeter. Wins over the Red Wings that are desperately needed are even better, and that defines last night’s 6-4 victory over Detroit.
The key to last night’s win was simple… resiliency. In a game that resembled a “call and response… song, every goal scored seemed to be quickly answered. Preds score 2 minutes in? Detroit responds a minute later. Detroit pulls to within one in the third? Preds score 37 seconds later… then Detroit scores a little less than three minutes later, and back and forth we go until the game was finally salted away on an empty netter from Roman Josi with :19 seconds left on the clock.
Red Wing goaltender Jimmy Howard, in his first game back from a knee injury that kept him on the sidelines for almost three weeks, showed more than a little rust, giving up two goals on the first five shots he faced. Two other players for the Red Wings were also activated from IR for last night’s game, Darren Helm and Justin Abdelkader, both who didn’t show near the rust that Howard did, Abdelkader got the scoring going for the Wings and got into a scrap with Mike Fisher near the end of the second period.
Fisher has been on fire recently, three goals in the last two games, consecutive three point nights and a Gordie Howe hat trick to boot… enough to earn the Predators center the first star of the game and second star of the night on nhl.com. Here’s the highlights…
This had to be the kind of game envisioned when this team was assembled. Scoring being led by Colin Wilson and Craig Smith, activated defense and plenty of grit resulted in a win for Nashville. As the year turns to 2014 the Predators find themselves seven points out of a wild card spot and ten points out of the third divisional playoff spot with four teams to leapfrog. At the halfway point of the season, that is not an impossible task… or even an improbable one. It is, however, a difficult task that will require consistency and … here’s that word again… resiliency.
Preds head out on the road for a three game road trip looking to put this disastrous December behind then and expecting better things in 2014. Next game is Thursday night in Boston.
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Random Notes…
- A question… the rule book is pretty clear that dropping your gloves with the intention to fight is a penalty, plain and simple… so how’s come there was no call on Bertuzzi last night when he did it right in front of the ref? You can’t catch everything and you can always find something, I get that… but this was obvious to everyone. And the league wonders why people complain about the officiating…
- HBO was in the house last night, following Detroit for 24/7. I was fairly impressed by how unobtrusive they seemed to be. I am very curious to see how this game is covered in the final episode airing Saturday night.
- I don’t know if one performance will hurt his chances, but Jimmy Howard certainly did not help himself in front of Team USA GM David Poile.
- Granted, it’s only two games, but that was the first season sweep that the Predators have gotten over the Red Wings in franchise history.
- Good quote from Mike Babcock by Chip Cirillo in today’s Tennessean about the Predators being constantly underrated…
“I always hear about how little they have — that’s not the team I’ve coached against for nine years,… Babcock said. “I think they’ve got lots of depth and a good talent base here. They have a back end that can really skate and really pass the puck. They make it hard for you to get in on them and then they work. I’ve always liked this team.…
- Be ready… it’s the annual New Year’s Eve showdown between Canada and Team USA in the World Juniors. Puck drop at 1030am CST and coverage is on NHL Network in the US.
- Eleven games today, Noon start – Penguins @ Devils. 4pm start – Rangers @ Panthers. 5pm start – Blues @ Wild. 6pm starts – Islanders @ Bruins, Canadiens @ Hurricanes, Sabres @ Jets. 7pm starts – Kings @ Stars, Blue Jackets @ Avalanche, Sharks @ Ducks. 8pm starts – Flyers @ Flames, Oilers @ Coyotes.
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