The Nashville Predators posted a highly satisfying 3-2 overtime win last night, finally taking down the Dallas Stars on home ice. This Dallas team is solid and frankly, Stars netminder Anton Khudobin tends to channel the ghost of Terry Sawchuk when he sees Predator Gold. Khudobin was excellent again last night, frustrating the Predators on a repeated basis, but Nashville responded better last night then they did last Saturday, not responding to the significantly less behind the play and after the whistle stuff.
Nashville took a 1-0 lead on a fluke goal from a terrific shot by Kevin Fiala that Khudobin got a piece of, then bounced off Craig Smith’s back, hit off Khudobin’s head, then bounced off his trapper… nothing but net. Just like the coach drew it up.
For most of the next period and a half of play, it looked like that goal was going to be all that was needed, before Miro Heishkenen knotted the game at one on a blast that left a vapor trail past Preds goaltender Juuse Saros early in the third period. Then the JoFA line struck as Victor Arvidsson buried a nice tic-tac-toe play from Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen to put the Preds up 2-1. That lasted less than two minutes when the Stars tied it up again on a dogpile in front of Saros.
Both teams had golden scoring opportunities in the last five minutes of the game, but neither could convert… to overtime we went.
Dallas never controlled the puck in the OT. The unit of Roman Josi, Ryan Hartman and Victor Arvidsson held the puck, looking for an opening. Then Josi hit Arvidsson with a nice stretch pass, Arvidsson took it to the corner, then found a wide open Johansen who wasted no time in burying it, giving the Preds the win.
The acquisitions made on Wednesday morning, Cody McLeod and Brian Boyle seemed to have an immediate impact. Brian Boyle looked like he fit right in to the Predators scheme and Cody McLeod had the entire team smiling.
The McLeod addition was controversial in some fan circles, but both the players and coaches were -addition of the tough guy to the team. David Poile’s story of how the team lost him was a fascinating one. I liked GMDP’s “do over” comment.
A big home and home with the St. Louis Blues gets going tomorrow.
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The
Where We Stand section
Nashville maintains the second slot in the Central Division, onr point behind the Winnipeg Jets, Winnipeg holds two game in hand over Nashville. The Preds lead Dallas by nine points, Minnesota by 13 points and St. Louis by 15 points.
Nashville currently holds the 4 seed in the Western Conference playoff race and has a 99.8% chance of making the playoffs according to SportsClubStats.com… the “85% chance” line has moved down a bit to 89 points right now.
Impact Games Tonight – None.
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