It’s very easy to call every game at this point in the season a “big game.” In a pitched battle for the top eight, every point matters. Well... tonight’s Preds / Stars game is a big one, no question about it as Nashville has the chance to put some real distance between them and a couple of the teams chasing them. A win in regulation tonight gives Nashville a six point cushion over the 9th spot. Any way you slice it, that’s big.
Nashville has traditionally struggled against the Stars, they are 1-2-0 this season so far. The return of Brad Richards should’ve given Dallas a boost, but the team is 1-2-2 in their last five, with Richards on a point per game pace. This is the start of a critical five game road trip for Dallas in which all of their opponents currently hold spots in the playoffs… a tough road to be sure.
Dallas lists Adam Burish and Nickl Grossman as out for tonight’s game, Brian Southerby and former Pred Karlis Skrastins are listed as questionable. The Predators will miss their five on IR (Goc, Lombardi, Sullivan, Bouillon and O’Reilly) but some good news in that both O’Reilly and Sullivan have begun skating. Joel Ward was given a “maintenance day” yesterday but is expected to play tonight.
Another sellout is expected, the 15th of the season, puck drop is at 7:08. Coverage on 102.9 the Buzz and Fox Sports Tennessee.
--------------------------------------
The last fifteen…
Games 13-15 – Minnesota (W), Colorado (W), Los Angeles (L) – 2-1-0
Games 10-12 – Boston (W), Detroit (W), @Buffalo (W) – 3-0-0
Games 7-9 – Edmonton (W), Anaheim (W), Dallas (Tonight) – 2-0-0
Games 4-6 – Vancouver (3/29), @Colorado (3/31), Detroit (4/2)
Games 1-3 – Atlanta (4/5), Columbus (4/8), @ St. Louis (4/9)
----------------------------------------
Random Notes
- The standings update… the Predators are in 6th, they have 90 points tied with 5th place Los Angeles . They trail 4th place Phoenix by three. The Preds lead 7th place Chicago by two points, 8th place Anaheim by three points, and 9th place Dallas by four. The Ducks have a game in hand, the Stars and Blackhawks have two games in hand on Nashville
- Tonight’s impact games – Colorado is at Los Angeles for a matinee, Toronto visits Detroit, Anaheim is in Chicago, San Jose visits Phoenix and Calgary is in Edmonton.
- The Predator’s playoff chances stand at 91.4% (according to SportsClubStats.com) after last night’s action. Who to root for tonight? Chicago, Colorado, Edmonton, San Jose and Toronto... obviously, all in regulation.
- Reports from practice yesterday indicate that much attention was being paid to details in an effort to correct some areas that were exposed on Thursday night.
- Thursday’s win was Nashville’s 40th of the season, the sixth consecutive year of 40 or more wins for the franchise, only Detroit and San Jose have done the same over the past six seasons.
- The win streak that the Predators are on right now has had another benefit, it has pumped up their ROW (Regulation/Overtime Wins) stat to 34, good for 7th in the conference and good for tie breaker advantage over LA and Dallas.
- Almost all the action in the East last night as the battle for the last two playoff spots is intensifying. Buffalo has won two straight since their collapse against Nashville, Carolina is on a three game win streak and those pesky Maple Leafs won’t go away as they are on their own three game streak as well.
- The most interesting story in the East right now may be the Tampa Bay Lightning who appear to be in free fall, going 2-4-4 in their last ten and dropping their second straight game last night to Buffalo.
- The Road to the NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Championship got started last night as Colorado College smoked the top seeded Eagles of Boston College 8-4 and Michigan won a controversial overtime decision over Nebraska-Omaha 3-2 on a very questionable goal review. Colorado College and Michigan play for a spot in the Frozen Four tonight at 8pm central on ESPNU.
- In other NCAA action, Minnesota-Duluth advanced on the strength of a 2-0 decision over Union and Yale defeated Air Force 2-1. These winners play today at 5:30pm central on ESPNU.
- The rest of today’s action in the NCAA has the other eight teams in action, RPI plays North Dakota at 12:30 (all times central), New Hampshire tangles with the Miami Redhawks at 3pm (coverage on ESPNU), Western Michigan and Denver at 4pm and the marquee matchup of the day features Notre Dame vs. the Merrimack College Warriors at 6:30. You may recall that Merrimack visited Nashville for a pair of games against Alabama-Huntsville back in January.
--------------------------------------------
You are invited to follow me on Twitter. Search for @PredPAPaul… Not only will I be updating when I get news or updates, but we are having a bit of fun by getting your input on Gnash introductions, weigh in on Twitter and who knows, we may use your introduction for the best mascot in the NHL at the next Preds game!
--------------------------------------
COMING UP ON THE NEXT SLAPSHOT RADIO…
This week’s podcast is posted… the show featured Comcast’s Bill Clement and ESPN.com’s EJ Hradek. Check it out at
the SlapShot Radio website.
Next week’s guest list is being finalized.
Nashville Predators Blogger •Predators Radio Network • 
Join the Discussion:
»