Photo Credit: Dale MacMillan/Getty Images
9 shots through 2 periods and only adding 3 more in the third period (for a total of 12), the Predators gave up another 3rd period lead for their third loss in a row as they start their Western Canada road trip with a extremely disheartening 3-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers
Special Teams:
Powerplay – 0 for 5, 0%
Penalty Kill – 4 for 5, 80%
Best Play of the Game: The only goal of the game for Nashville. Sergei Kostitsyn comes down on a 2-on-1 and uses that “shoot first, ask questions later” mentality to make the game 1-0 for the Predators early in the second period
Worst Play of the Game: Pretty much everything after that. Nashville couldn’t get a shot on the net, finished the game with TWELVE shots and let the Oilers (much like the image above) sit on them for the entire 3rd period. Edmonton scored three goals in the third, marking the 3rd straight loss for the Predators
My Three Stars:
#1: Ryan Smyth – BEAUTIFUL goal to give the Edmonton Oilers a 2-1 lead
#2: Shawn Horcoff – 3 assists on the night, wow
#3: Taylor Hall – Hall cashes in on a wide open empty net to tie the game at 1 early in the third period
Well, Nashville only got 12 shots on the net and I mis-tweeted that the Predators has a new franchise record for fewest shots on goal in a game, so just an overall bad night for everyone. Jerred Smithson may have summed it up best with the following quote given to Josh Cooper tonight after the game:
“We don’t work, we don’t skate, we don’t forecheck, we have a hardworking team that doesn’t work hard.”
That has to change if Nashville wants to break out of the current 3 game losing streak they are currently in. With Vancouver and Calgary still on the slate for this week and San Jose/Tampa Bay/Anaheim next week, things aren’t looking ANY easier for the Predators over the next few weeks.
Although I continue to preach that optimism is the best course of action being only 5 games into the season so far this year, here is the reality of the situation:
In the next 4 weeks: Nashville has 2 games against Anaheim, 2 against San Jose, Montreal, LA, Phoenix, Chicago, Tampa Bay, Calgary, and Vancouver
If that doesn’t look like a tough schedule to you, then I don’t know what does (besides throwing Detroit in there)
Nashville needs to find a solution soon and I’m confident Barry Trotz will pull that rabbit out of his hat with what the Predators need to succeed.
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Check back with us Thursday morning for our Vancouver/Nashville preview!
Stay frosty, friends.
I swear to God, Kristopher Martel, if you stop being optimistic about this team, I’m going to quit the internet. How about a little balance, people? The reactions to this week have been so far overboard. People are talking about returning their season tickets and marching on Bridgestone. Good grief. This is Nashville, y’all. We invented the TV timeout standing ovation when the team seemed all but out of it. We cheer loud and proud for 60 minutes. That’s in our DNA, to borrow a phrase. Please, don’t go over to the dark side. Don’t give up. Yeah it’s been ugly, but there are 77 more games to be played. These are our boys and they _will_ fight.
HAHA! You know that of all people, I’ll be the last one to give up being optimistic about this team, however at the same time even us optimists need a dose of realism.
This team will be fine, however they can’t have another 12 shot night, that’s for sure.
5 games into the season, that’s all I’ll say
BTW, after sleeping and not writing anything too defamatory last night, I wake up feeling much better and calmer…I’ll stay positive, but the Predators do need to show positive signs of life and last night wasn’t it…
I couldn’t bring myself to go to bed immediately after watching the loss. That last power play the Preds had in the third period last night was their big chance. They never got set up in the zone. Oilers did a great job of not allowing them to penetrate or get away with the dump and chase. Worst power play I can remember from the Preds. They miss have Erat carry in.
Stay positive folks! Fisher, Erat, and Bouillon are sidelined. Also, Bergfors holds possibility. He just needs to learn the Predator way. We all know Ellis will be coming in at some point too. It’s gonna be okay.
I’m all for improving things, and I’ve been worried about being outshot for a number of games. Yes, there are areas that need improvement. But we have two choices as fans. We can either assume all is lost and that the writing is on the wall here, in which case why even bother messing with the rest of the season? Or–and this is where I am–we can hope and believe that things can get better. I have hope and I believe. There’s a difference between guaranteeing a victory and believing in the possibility of improvement.
I’ve been through this before with the Preds. In the last three season I reach a point early in the season when I begin thinking, “Maybe a few key players will get injured, the season will go completely down the tubes, and we can get the top overall pick.” Just about that time, the Preds figure it out and begin playing up to their potential.
The same will happen this year. It won’t be long. My only doubt is the absence of Brent Peterson. Obviously, Lambert has done a great job with the power play, but I think Peterson was the guru on defense.
Ultimately, from what I can see on the TV it’s the wingers who need to get their heads out of their butts, start hustling, playing their position, etc. Their play is too laxidazical. It’s like they’re waiting for the game to come to them. It takes determination to gain and regain possession in the attack zone and defensive responisibility to back check. They’ll figure it out.
Also, they could hit a few people as well…we are getting beat down along the boards and in the puck battles…also, the Preds yet again are taking too long to make a decision with the puck and breakout. This allows the other team to build a wall or beat us to the puck when we dump and chase. I would’ve thought after multiple seasons where we continue to do this very thing we would realize that you have to evolve the game plan while in the game…This is Coaching 101 and although I adore the defensive first system Trotz employs…with our speedy forwards and youth movement, it’s time to shake things up and let offensive players play offensively.
I miss Paul Kariya.
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