The Predators now have a franchise-record 10 game win streak courtesy of their 4-2 win over Anaheim last night. It is fair to say that the Predators gave as good as they got and took the Ducks best punch… and it didn’t faze them a bit. I think the fun part of last night’s game was watching how far into Ryan Kesler’s head Ryan Johansen has gotten as last night was the first time the two met since the Predators beat the Ducks for the Western Conference crown last May.
How far is Johansen into Kesler’s head? Well… Joey is so far into Kesler’s kitchen that he has his feet up, drinking a cup of coffee and having a donut. Kesler was so distracted last night with exacting his “revenge” on Johansen that he forgot there was a hockey game to play. The rugged forward was non-existent on the scoreboard and ineffective on the ice and the silly fight he started late in the second period along with his idiotic “turtling” mime act after the officials broke it up was supposed to help… It didn’t. Kesler's selfish actions hurt his team last night… and they needed him.
Kesler’s antics were so ineffective that Ryan Johansen only ended up with a goal to put the Preds up 2-0 in the first, the silly wrestling match that gave the two of them fighting majors, an assist on the insurance goal to quell a comeback completing the Gordie Howe Hattie and first star honors for the big center…
Game… set… match Joey.
Nashville’s offense was clicking from the start with Craig Smith potting his 21st of the season a little over five minutes into the game, then Johansen’s goal ten minutes later put Nashville up 2-0. The score stayed there until Austin Watson delivered a dagger, poking home a rebound from a Colton Sissons breakaway for a shortie to put the Preds up by three with a little less than two minutes remaining in the second. On the ensuing faceoff, Kesler jumped Johansen to try and get a fight going. Joey lost an edge and went to the ice before any real blows could be exchanged and Kesler being Kesler… he continued to throw punches at his opponent on the ice, then skated away holding his head trying to imply that Johansen somehow turtled.
Through it all, Johansen just laughed at him… which enraged and distracted Kesler even more.
Anaheim tried to summon up some of it’s former bluster with two spectacular goals from Rickard Rakell in the third period. The first one ended a amazing stretch of shutout goaltending at home for Pekka Rinne. When Rakell scored six minutes in to the third period last night, that was the first goal Pekka Rinne gave up at home since February 22nd. A home shutout streak of 197:37… Rinne continues to show his bon fides for the Vezina. But Rakell wasn’t enough to bring Anaheim all the way back and Nashville landed the final blow in this street fight and Johansen got the last laugh as the JoFA line combined to land the knockout blow with Viktor Arvidsson's 25th of the season. The crowd got Big Macs from Watson's goal and Frosty’s from Arvy's and the Preds got a 4-2 margin of victory.
The Predators continue their homestand on Saturday night with an intriguing matchup with the New Jersey Devils. Game time is 7pm with very limited tickets remaining.
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“Where We Stand” update… a daily tracking of where the Preds are in the standings and the games that impact them most, brought to you by Mark Lonsway - THE real estate professional for hockey fans!
After last night’s play the Predators remain first in the Central Division with 97 points, leading Winnipeg (0 GIH) by 6 points and 14 points ahead of Minnesota (0 GIH) … The Predators lead the Western Conference, holding a six point lead over Vegas (0 GIH.) The Predators trail Tampa Bay (1 GIH) by one point in the race for the Presidents’ Trophy.
Impact games tonight (all times Central) – 6pm – WPG @ NJD. 6:30pm – VGK @ DET, NYR @ TBL.
Playoff Odds Courtesy SportsClubStats.com - The Predators playoff chances are at 99.9995%, even though it is not official, for all intents and purposes, the Predators are in the playoffs. I believe that two more points will clinch their playoff spot… but don’t hold me to it… :-)
The Current Opponent - If the playoffs began today, the Predators would draw the number 8 seed in the second wild card position… currently the LA Kings.
Playoff odds and playoff point line courtesy of SportsClubStats.com
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Random Notes
- You gotta love an unscripted quote. During Johansen’s postgame interview with Kara Hammer from the bench he quipped to the crowd assembled… “I just love beating those guys, don’t you?” It brought the house down.
- What a special pregame, honoring David Poile’s 1320th win last night… that’s one I will remember forever!
- Eeli Watch – Eeli Tolvanen’s Jokerit team leads their best of seven against HC Sochi 3-1 and can close out the series today at the Bolsoi Ice Dome in Sochi.
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SlapShot Radio’s tenth anniversary season is on. As the longest running hockey show in the region, SSR feeds hockey fans what they crave… intelligent, fun, entertaining talk about their favorite sport and we do it from the opening of training camp all the way through UFA day… the only local hockey show that does that.
We are on every Wednesday night at 7pm on the Predators flagship station, 102.5 the Game. Our co-hosts, Dan Keczmer and JP Dumont bring a true insiders perspective to the show. Our next show tomorrow morning at 8am with guests Matt Laughlin, the radio voice of the New Jersey Devils and our annual “Trades that almost happened – but didn’t” feature with Eklund.
We have been delivering great hockey talk to the most energetic and engaged fans in radio and advertising with us drives results at a reasonable price. Just ask our sponsors… including day one sponsor
Dr. Jane Bacon at Hermitage Family and Cosmetic Dentistry … make your appointment at (615) 872-7762, Mark Lonsway at ReMax Fine Homes, call him for all your real estate needs at (615) 207-7799, and TurfMasters… check out their great service at
TurfMasters.com.
We are also happy to welcome our latest sponsor… Patrick Brown’s Farmer Insurance Agency in Mt. Juliet… I switched to them a few years back and their service has been incredible! Give Pat and his team a call at 615-288-2086.
Advertisers… reach out to me in order to access our activated listener base though great preseason advertising deals available for our tenth season when you email me at paul(@)slapshotradio(dot)com
You can also keep up with all the goings on with SlapShot Radio by following the show on Twitter @SlapShotRadio1 … Also... make sure to "like" SlapShot Radio on Facebook... here's the
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If you are outside of the listening area, listen live online at
The Game website or check out the podcast about two hours after the show at
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