The Nashville Predators are back in action tonight, trying to snap a five game losing streak and get themselves back into playoff position. It’s a sign of how tight the Central Division and the Western Conference is that a five game losing streak dropped the Preds from second in the division to 6th and three points out of a wild card slot. Look… I know it is only November 21st and I certainly am not pushing the panic button, but I am a believer in the Thanksgiving rule… It is exceedingly rare for a team to make the playoffs if they are not within four points of a playoff slot by American Thanksgiving. The Predators are dangerously close to that scenario.

All is not lost Pred Nation… there were green shoots evident in Tuesday night’s loss to Winnipeg as the team certainly showed better than they have been. You saw some real improvement in all phases of the game. I liked the add of Steven Santini to the blueline, adding a bit of desperately needed grit and physicality. The reunited JoFA line had solid spurts and we saw some nice periods of chaos being caused by Matt Duchene and Mikael Granlund. Now it’s time to turn those positives into results on the scoreboard and in the standings. The other positive is that the Predators have only played 20 games… giving them games in hand over each of the teams they are chasing. Including tonight’s opponent, the Vancouver Canucks.

These are two teams heading in the wrong direction… Nashville is 3-5-2 for 8 points in their last ten games. The Canucks are 2-5-3 for 7 points in their last ten… something’s gotta give here. Vancouver hits Smashville after being spanked 6-1 on Tuesday night in Dallas and the team is reeling just as hard as the Predators are. This is a dangerous matchup for Nashville and they have to come out strong.

Giving up a goal :18 seconds in won’t cut it tonight.

Expect Pekka Rinne back in net for the Preds and after Jacob Markstron got lit up on Tuesday, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Thatcher Demko in net… he was the author of the Nucks victory over the Pred on nine days ago in Vancouver.

In the words of almost every old Western… Time’s-a-wastin’! This team needs to get back on the horse… quickly. Game time is 7pm tonight at Bridgestone Arena. Game coverage on 102.5 the Game and Fox Sports Tennessee.

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Random Notes – Presented by

- Sorry for my lack of posting lately… the day job has been running me pretty hard, but I am back in full swing.

- The sputtering offense for the Predators is a little cause for concern, however, a lot of what is happening is a bit of a “regression to the mean”

- A cautionary tale for Pred Nation, Vancouver is dealing with over three million a year in cap recapture penalties for two different goaltenders, Corey Schneider and Roberto Luongo.

- Mike Babcock fired in Toronto… he wasn’t the issue in Toronto, but let’s not let facts get in the way of a good story.

- Tonight’s NHL schedule – 6pm – BUF @ BOS, ANA @ FLA, PIT @ NYI, PHI @ CAR, DET @ CBJ. 7pm – CGY @ STL, VAN @ NSH, COL @ MIN. 7:30pm – TBL @ CHI, WPG @ DAL. 8pm TOR @ ARI. 9pm - SJS @ VGK. 9:30pm - EDM @ LAK.

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SlapShot Radio is back for our 12th season as Zack, Brent and I are now on Monday night’s this season. The best hour of hockey talk on the longest running hockey show in the southeast will begin the season at 8pm and will settle into our normal 7pm slot after Thanksgiving… Monday’s on 102.5 the Game, except for next week where the Predators game schedule moves us to Tuesday night at 7pm…

Our sponsor list continues to grow. Not only are we welcoming back Drs. Jane Bacon and Aileen Kruger at Hermitage Family and Cosmetic Dentistry … make your appointment at (615) 872-7762 and our good friend Carter Church, Your Murfreesboro real estate expert with Weichert – The Andrews Group. And our newest sponsors… Cool Springs Wines and Spirits! The largest spirit store in all of middle Tennessee! And La-Z-Boy Nashville! Three locations, locally owned and operated, check out La-Z-Boy in Murfreesboro, Hendersonville and Cool Springs!

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Tweets by @PredPAPaul


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