We all knew going in that this game was critical. A must win in every sense of the word. Things would just be way too difficult if the Preds woke up on Tuesday down 3-0. Although they just never seem to do things the easy way, the Preds erased a 3-2 Wings lead with 4 minutes to go by scoring two goals just 9 seconds apart.
Just when things look in doubt, the Preds pull it out. The sold out Sommet Center rallied with the team and watched the Preds win 5-3 in comeback fashion.
Felder’s Fantastic Five:
1. David Legwand – Well, we now know just how important he can be. The switch to the top line was just what the doctor ordered and helped rally the team back into this game in the 2nd period. More impressive to me is just how good his line looked when he got moved to the top line with Dumont and Hlavac. Don’t forget that Legwand has not practiced with that line in the limited amount of practice he has had this past week. Leggy finished the night with 1 goal, a +3 rating, had 5 shots on goal in 16:16 of TOI, 1 takeaway, and won 8 of 18 faceoffs.
2. Desperation – It was very evident tonight that the Preds just would not go quietly into the night. The more desperate team won, and did it in style. That time of emotional hockey is what is needed in the playoffs and was missing in the 3rd period on Saturday.
3. Jason Arnott – No better way to score your 1st goal in the series than to make it a game winner. The whipping boy of Games 1 and 2, Arny stepped up early with a couple big hits, then lifted the crowd to their feet on his game winner. The captain had 1 goal, was even on the +/-, had 4 shots on goal, 3 hits and 1 takeaway. The area of improvement that still needs to be seen is in the faceoff dot. Tonight Arnott won just 4 of the 14 he took.
4. Ryan Suter – Although his pairing with Zidlicky still draws the ire of many a Pred fan, Suter stepped up in a big way tonight with 1 goal, 1 assist, a +2 rating, had 2 shots on goal, 2 hits, 1 takeaway, and 1 blocked shot.
5. The Fans – We all knew just how loud the building could get but the TV timeout in the 2nd period was filled with crowd noise and inspired a goal. Once again you’ll find more than one complimentary comment from the players in the Quotes section. Let’s just say you guys topped yourselves again…
Other Notes:
• Bochenski out, Legwand in. Let’s hope that sparks something. The other scratches for Nashville were Villi Koistinen, Kevin Klein, and Scott Nichol.
• The fans start things off right by dropping not one, but FOUR catfish on the ice before the start.
• Trotz decides to pit Fiddler, Smithson, and Tootoo vs Detroit’s top line. They started the game.
• So where does Leggy go? Try centering Peverley and Hordichuk.
• Early on here it would appear that the Red Wing players whose jersey number starts with 9 are now targets to hit.
• Jason Arnott throwing the body around a bit so far. At least 2 hits with some rattle to them. Nice to see him at least get angry if he is not shooting.
• 14:51 to go in the 1st and we have our first Pred man advantage. Unit 1 consists of Weber, Hamhuis, Legwand, Hlavac, and Dumont. We never go to see unit 2 as Hammer gets pegged for interference while staving off a Detroit shorthanded 2v2. There was still 1 minute left on the man advantage till the penalty call.
• Detroit tallies first as Kris Draper beats Ellis high glove. Dan came a little too far out to stop Draper and paid. Zids and Suter on the play. Zids was the one man back for the 2v1. Suter made a kicking attempt at the puck in the neutral zone to prevent the break but missed. Detroit 1-0 lead.
• Fids is sent into the net by Mark Hartigan and Haritgan gets tabbed for interference. 2nd man advantage of the game for Nashville with 2:45 to go in the 1st. With 1:22 left on their advantage an all too familiar theme at this point. This time Erat gets pegged with interference. Marty did bump Hasek a bit, but interference I’m not so sure. I’ll give Hasek credit for selling it a bit.
• The bug is spreading as Zetterberg gets called for tripping in the middle of the 4v4 giving the Preds the man advantage once again…
• Well, the period ends in a 1-0 Detroit lead. My only thought is that the Preds have to stop doing the passes like they tried in Game 1. Those passes are not gifts, it is not the thought that counts. You have to execute and be crisp otherwise you just give the puck away.
• Kronwall with another big hit, this time on Bonk. He left his feet once again, however not as early as his hit in Game 1. Just after that occurred Rudy gets called for interference. I’m sure you can imagine the displeasure of the crowd.
• On the ensuing Detroit powerplay the Wings tally with just 12 seconds left on the advantage. Kronwall lets off a shot from the blueline that gets knocked down by Cleary. The puck jumps to Jiri Hudler who takes the puck just to the left of Ellis and buries it in the net for the PP tally. Detroit 2-0 lead.
• Another emotional penalty taken by the Preds. Captain Jason Arnott gets called for high sticking while trying to clear Tomas Holmstrom from the side of the net. Emotion is good, but not when it gives the other team another powerplay.
• The Preds begin to rally after Ryan Suter ropes one from the blueline high stick side past Dominik Hasek. Arnott was moving across the crease in front of Hasek screening. Just a real accurate slap shot from Ryan Suter which we later find was tipped by Radulov. The crowd is lifted and the energy returns to the Preds bench.
• 5:39 to go in the 2nd and after a big hit by Zids, we head to a TV timeout. The fans, inspired by the play of their team, stand, and scream through the whole timeout.
• If you don’t think fans can affect a game use this as the prime example. Right after the timeout is over the Preds come out on fire and David Legwand tallies on a 2v1 with J.P. Dumont. The play started from a scrum on the boards in the neutral zone where Jan Hlavac (who is always good at getting the puck along the boards) sent the puck across the blueline to spring J.P. and Leggy. Tied at 2!
• The crowd is fully into the game now after seeing their efforts inspire the team. Many are standing throughout the play. The beast has awoken.
• Legwand and Arnott have switched centering roles. Arny is now centering Erat and Radulov. A nice adjustment by Trotz that paid dividends with the Legwand goal.
• A much better end to a period. Things are tied up, and it is anyone’s game headed into the 3rd. Preds have out-shot and out-hit the Wings thus far. 20 to 18 for shots, and 23 to 16 in the hit department.
• The Preds start the 3rd on a bad note as Radulov can’t keep a puck in the Red Wings end at their blueline, this spring Pavel Datsyuk who streaks in with a trailing Radulov behind. Rudy couldn’t catch Datsyuk and Pavel did what a player of his caliber does, you score on miscues like that. Wings up 3-2 just 40 seconds into the 3rd.
• Arny is angry. After returning to the bench after a shift he took his stick and broke it in two on the boards at the bench. Then taking the two pieces and throwing them behind the players.
• 10:25 to go and a nice little back door play with Erat and Rudy almost ties things up. Radulov missed the open right side of the net.
• 3:57 to go and the cardiac kids do it again. On a 3v2 break Jan Hlavac makes a nifty move just across the blueline, dishes to Suter. Suter lifts the puck just over Hasek’s left leg pad and ties the game at 3. Hasek was just a bit too far to the right.
• Right after the faceoff, Jason Arnott saves his first goal for one theatrical goal. Hasek came out of the net too far and Arny makes Hasek pay by taking him high glove. Radulov in his exuberance knocks Jason Arnott down when going to hug him after the goal at the boards. He actually may have hurt Arnott in the pile up. A very wild moment here at the Sommet Center as the Preds rally back again and lead 4-3.
• With just a minute to go after a stoppage the Red Wings call timeout. The Pred fans made sure it was loud for them.
• Hasek is pulled for the extra man with 48 seconds to go.
• Erat ices it with 20 seconds to go. TACO TIME in TENNESSEE. What a comeback. The Arnott goal could be the moment Barry Trotz talked about in John Glennon’s article…… 5-3, Preds win.
My Three Stars:
1. Ryan Suter
2. Jason Arnott
3. David Legwand
Goalie Grade:
B – The starting goaltender tonight was Dan Ellis. Danny has played consistently thus far which is all you can ask for. Dan was the victim of poor defensive play again, however he withstood the Red Wings and stopped 23 of 26 Red Wing shots.
Ref Review:
A – The crew tonight was Kevin Pollack, Dennis LaRue, Brad Lazarowich, and Derek Nansen. Not too many complaints from me on this night. I thought the crew did a good job and made the call when necessary, but didn’t get in the way thank god.
Quotes:
Dan Ellis on the 2nd Preds goal – “They were outstanding tonight (the fans). You listen to that building and you can’t hear a thing. You can’t hear whistles, you can’t hear guys communicating or anything. It was nothing but the fans giving us that little boost. They were outstanding tonight and it is the loudest building I’ve ever played in by far and that win goes straight to them as it does to us.”
Dan Ellis on the odd man rushes against him – “That happens. They have a great transition game ant that is something we have to guard against. They are able to get their chances by feasting on turnovers so that’s going to happen.”
Dan Ellis on the team never making things easy for themselves – “The easy way is not our way I guess. We like the hard way. That’s the way it has been for this team this entire season. It is something that we are used to now. If our backs are up against the wall then we are comfortable there.”
Ryan Suter – “It was the loudest building I’ve every played in, and at the end of the game it was just as loud as it has ever been.”
Alexander Radulov – “It was a great game. We were working hard all game. We can’t give Detroit 2 goal leads. That just can’t happen.”
Radulov on his exuberance when celebrating Arnott’s goal - “He said, “Rads, take it easy buddy”, but I said sorry, but I was just excited. Hopefully he’s ok though.”
Jason Arnott on making things hard on themselves – “I don’t know what it is. When we get down it seems we just push that much harder. The crowd tonight really gave us that extra push and that extra guy out there, that extra burst of energy we needed to come back in this game and we did and it was great.”
Jason Arnott on whether or not the pressure on him is gone now - “It was frustrating. I had a bunch of opportunities to score tonight. I was fortunate to get the game winner which is nice, a good confidence booster, I just hope it continues.”
Barry Trotz on switching Arnott and Legwand – “I had a couple plans all game. I knew that Datsyuk and Zetterberg would be on and off together. I had a couple plans, and just felt that at that point in time it was time to move the centermen around. Won a big draw, got it back, went D to D and went hard to the net. Suter got it to the net and got us some momentum so that was a huge goal for us.”
Trotz on whether or not he was hesitant to give Legwand increased ice time – “I was hesitant before the game because you really don’t know how well he could be in terms of the pace of the game. He’s such a great skater and his wind seemed to be fine. He worked really hard to do what he could to be in shape for the series. I’m sure there is an adrenaline factor coming in. He didn’t want to let anybody down and I talked to him before the game and told him that it might be my decision and you have to let me know where you are and where you are and he said “I’m in” and soon as he said that I said “Your in” and I thought he did a really good job. The 1st period we really monitored him a little bit. After that, I just said we have to go for it here.”
Final Thoughts:
They never make it easy on themselves, but sometimes that brings inspired play. It’s probably not good on the hearts of Pred fans, but the team did come back from near impossible odds and gained huge momentum heading into Game 4. If you as a fan didn’t enjoy tonight’s game, then you just don’t love hockey. This game alone was worth all the trouble in this past offseason.
The Predators next game will be right back in the friendly confines of the Sommet Center. This time the start time will be 8 PM CST. Another sellout is expected however at the moment 1,500 tickets remain. Be sure to come out and support this great team and game. Till the next blog, take care everyone.
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