Happy New Year everyone! Here’s to a great 2014.
The Nashville Predators get 2014 started with a tilt against the Boston Bruins in Beantown tonight. The 6pm central faceoff at TD Garden will be a test of the momentum generated from the last two solid wins over contending teams at Bridgestone Arena. It is the start of a critical three game Eastern Conference road trip that takes the team from Boston to Florida to Carolina.
The memory of Boston’s pre-Christmas dismantling of the Predators is fresh in the team’s mind and that loss seems to have propelled the team as they have played much better hockey since the Christmas break, the power play is clicking, the scorers seem to be stepping it up and the veteran leaders of this team are coming to the fore, especially Shea Weber and Mike Fisher, both playing excellent hockey right now.
Tonight is game 41, marking the halfway point of the season for both teams. Boston is in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race and considered a Stanley Cup contender, Nashville is still trying to find the consistency needed to get back into the playoff mix, they come into tonight’s game nine points out of a wild card spot in the Western Conference and 12 points out of third place in the division.
The injury situation is static for the Predators, Pekka Rinne on IR. Boston lists Dennis Seidenberg on IR, Loui Eriksson is out, Dougie Hamilton and Carl Soderberg may return to the B’s lineup tonight.
Special teams will be a big factor tonight. Puck drop at 6pm, coverage on 102.5 the Game, flagship station for the Predators Radio Network, Willy Daunic and Stu Grimson. Fox Sports Tennessee has the TV with the Voice of the Predators, Pete Weber and Terry Crisp.
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Random Notes…
- An excellent Winter Classic yesterday… good game, great atmosphere.
- So much for the repeat… Team USA was eliminated from the World Junior’s dropping their elimination game with Russia this morning. Team Canada has won and will play Finland.
-Team USA was announced after yesterday’s Winter Classic. A few surprises, but one of them wasn’t the lack of a Nashville Predator on the team.
- I was surprised that Bobby Ryan wasn’t selected.
- Ten games today, 6pm starts – Predators @ Bruins, Blackhawks @ Islanders, Hurricanes @ Capitals. 6:30pm start – Jets @ Senators. 7pm starts – Kings @ Blues, Sabres @ Wild. 7:30pm start – Canadiens @ Stars. 8pm starts – Flyers @ Avalanche, Blue Jackets @ Coyotes. 9:30pm start – Oilers @ Sharks.
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SlapShot Radio, Join Pete Weber and I as we chat with hockey’s best, every Wednesday night at 7pm on 102.5 the Game and the SlapShot Radio Network. Our next show is this Wednesday, January 15th.
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