shutoutking

Coupla clerical notes here for you guys. Your lines for us are correct, except that Wade Belak is out with what I believe is a deep bruise on his foot, so slide Andreas Thuresson in his spot. There is a small chance Joel Ward could play and if he does, Thuresson would be the scratch. Also, while we don't know who is going to get the call tonight, I'd be surprised if Pekka Rinne did. He looked pretty bad against Columbus. Jason Arnott is ice-cold right now, with no goals in (IIRC) 16 games. On the flip side, though, Patric Hornqvist is tearing it up. His ticket to success has been, among other things, watching video of Tomas Holmstrom, so thanks, lol. Cody Franson has really come on offensively this year and is a mainstay on the power play, which has improved since we last met. Most of the time the strategy is just drop it back to Weber or Franson and get the hell out of the way. Good luck tonight, not too much, of course. Its been a rough week after we destroyed Western Canada. It'd be great to get off the schneid but I'm skeptical. Wings 2, Preds 1. Rafalski, Bertuzzi - Dumont

Meant to ask this earlier, and this reminded me. Do y'all feel like the Preds are rivals now? Maybe we weren't in your eyes last year, but after the Music City Massacre and y'all dropping 4 in a row to us, is it a bit more bitter yet?

A few Nashville notes for your game day prep. Some of you may recall my presence around here some last year . I promise, I come not to flame but to inform and enjoy. Moving on, a small error in the GDT-- Cal O'Reilly isn't the 4th line center. He was assigned to Milwaukee yesterday to avoid having to clear waivers. Veteran center Dave Scatchard (2g, 2a) is the 4th-line center. He's pretty tough and scored last game against CBJ. Players to watch would be Jason Arnott and Marty Erat. They've scored something like 8 out of our last 11 goals, and Erat has 4 goals in two games. Erat ate y'all's lunch back in November, so it'll be interesting to see how the Wings' defense approaches him. Alexander Sulzer has taken Cody Franson's 3rd pair defense spot the last two games, and while not as potent offensively has looked good in that spot. No real way to tell who plays there tonight. Also, Jordin Tootoo has come around this season with a bit of a different style. He's not playing as much of an agitating role and its really helped his offensive game. Be warned, however, as he remains a threat to run somebody over. If the game gets to the shootout, you have to like Nashville's chances. IIRC, we've only lost once, partly due to Rinne and partly to some above average shooters (Erat and Legwand, namely) Finally, expect Pekka Rinne to get the go tonight. He's cemented the no. 1 position for now and has looked good lately, especially against the Canucks (34 saves). p.s. @mindfly, in the past we have been relatively boring. Lately, though, the scoring chances and heart stopping moments (i.e. turnovers, lol) have increased. So far as I can tell, these definitely aren't last years' Preds (I know, duh, but bear with the cliche...)

Just FYI, Koistenen isn't a rookie. And he has a 75% success rate in shootouts. Same move every freaking time and it almost always beats the tender because of the puck placement. Osgood couldn't stop it, Steve Mason couldn't stop it either. Arnott's shot, though, was kind of a dud. You could drive a car through Osgood's five-hole. Arnott has pulled the team up by their teeth this past week. I questioned his heart and leadership before but I don't think I ever will again. Five points in two games and the GWG in the SO, which he was 0-1 in his career before. Look, I don't know if we'll get in. Our clinching scenario is a win tonight and a Blues loss. I do know that this has been one freaking hell of a ride. Every game against the Wings this year was exhilarating and its crazy to think we are 6-6 against you in the last 12 games. If only this year's season series was last year's playoff series I'm sure the Wings have a different gear for the playoffs, in fact I know, because they are the champs. But this little hard working team from Nashville never, ever quits and for that even the haters have to give some props, eh? I want to play the Wings in the playoffs for two reasons: 1. We CAN beat you 2. time zone difference from SJ!!!

Those pesky Predators! :lol: Thats all I got. Too dumbfounded.

Well. We really only need one or two more miracles in a season full of them. Last time out I thought we were going to get pounded, and, we didn't. We won There's a lot of scenarios for us to make the dance, and none of them sound too pleasant. Here's what we have: Uh, yeah. Doesn't look good. The only reason that faint flicker of hope is still there is because the Blues are still the Blues, and well, every single time we've had our backs this far against the wall this year we've won. I doubt we will tonight, but we definitely have the heart. Last time out against the Wings, it was almost a must win. Today is an absolute must win. Arnott being back is really huge for us, he has 3 goals in two games to get him to 30. Cal O'Reilly has been very, very good in place of Legwand, but there is still a hole where Erat played. Pekka Rinne has fallen off his February form but can still make some spectacular saves. Our formula right now is Rinne, defense, and a whole boatload of smoke and mirrors. I don't know if the Wings rest players, or if they still get up for these last games, but I know for sure that Nashville is going to skate their ass off. Sullivan and Weber wouldn't have it any other way. As long as there's a chance, they'll play hard, and thats all I can ask for with this injury depleted squad. We'll likely line up tonight: Sullivan-Arnott-Dumont Fiddler-O'Reilly-Ward Tootoo-Bonk-Smithson Ortmeyer-Nichol-Jones Weber/Suter Zanon/Hamhuis DeVries(Koistenen)/Klein Rinne Good luck, but not too much. Can Zetterberg get a hattie in a Wings loss?

Gosh we need y'all to win tonight. Do your old pals the Preds a favor and win 8-0, eh?

Yeah, just trying to throw your guy in there so my homerism is diluted Weber could score 30 if someone's PK was having to watch Ovechkin. His shot is better than Green's. Its almost as hard as Chara's but probably more accurate.

There are two logical choices here. Zednik or Sullivan. If one of those wins I won't bat an eye. If they really judge on perserverance, then rehabbing for 600 days should make you a shoo-in, but I wouldn't be upset if Zednik won, dude almost died. Anyone else and it'll be tragic. Now, certainly, Chelios should be your nominee, but there are two really special candidates this year.

Lidstrom is the best defender. Green is the best offensively. Lidstrom, Chara, and Weber are the most well-rounded. Green at times might as well play wing. Over half his numbers are on the power play, and that because Ovechkin and Semin play on the same unit, and you gotta watch those guys of course so Green is left to play. Weber has 21 goals and 30 assists, it'd be interesting to see how many goals Weber or Lidstrom would have with at least an Ovechkin/Crosby type player on their PP. So, Green=slightly overrated/inflated stats

Well, thanks for the feedback...kinda what I expected, but you gotta know y'all's team is our "measuring stick". Not too bad so far this year!

OK, survey says. After the playoffs last year, and this year's season series, are any of you Wings fans closer to considering the Predators a rival? Not like the Avs, certainly, but still, what say you? Hope y'all whoop the Wild's ass.

Not trolling at all, but for the love of all things holy..... Damn.

*facepalm*

I just keep getting these visions of Zetterberg, Datsyuk, and Lidstrom being incredibly pissed off and prideful from this (and that isn't good for Nashville, although we've certainly overcome adversity before): And its at JLA... I'd still prefer to play DET in the playoffs, though, because when on our game, we can beat you. We've gone 4-6 in the last ten games against the Red Wings. Our main advantage is a sturdier goaltender, and our defensive pairs are arguably better. Rafalski/Lidstrom are fantastic, but Weber/Suter can keep up and Zanon/Hamhuis are quite a bit better than your second pair in my eyes anyway. Still don't know who's in net for us, and if Trotzy goes with Ellis, we're probably screwed.

Nothing about this game bodes well for Nashville. Detroit is angry in two ways--our last game against them, and getting shutout by the Isles, we're still without Arnott, Legwand, Jones, Belak, we're playing on a back-to-back set of afternoon games, so Ellis probably goes because Rinne has started 7 straight (4-0-3). We did get a huge win last night and sit in 7th with 82pts. Anyway, points tonight would be sweet, but I'm not overly optimistic. Good luck tonight, y'all, but not too much Wings 4 Preds 1

We got shafted on ours vs. the Stars, no surprise though. That was great.

I'm all for switching gears and hating on the Ducks. Damn I hate everything about that team and the Canucks. The Wings and Sharks I can appreciate because of skill and consistent success, but the Ducks and Nucks (which ironically both rhyme with something else) I can't stand. Getzlaf the whiny baby sucks, Parros and his facial hair sucks, the arena and the f-ing goal horn sucks, and just about anything else to do with Vancouver or Anaheim. Anyway, glad I got that off my chest

Thats what you said. Above, I was quoting RatBastard and then interjected a comment directed towards you at the end. The other I knew that RatBastard said, not you. Sorry for the misunderstanding. I take the quoted piece above to be a parting shot. Its the Sommet Center now and as several hockey journalists have documented, one of the best places in the NHL to take in a game. James Mirtle said he was impressed with our hockey knowledge in a Southern market. If you don't know anything about it, just keep quiet. Most everyone who watches hockey in our barn is impressed.

Before the fight Staubitz boarded Tootoo from behind. Before and during the faceoff Tootoo challenged him. If "he knew what was coming and ran from it", he wouldn't have challenged him. He's fought Staubitz earlier in the year and in the AHL with better results. He didn't have a reason to believe it would be so lopsided. If the only thing he was good at, as you say, is pissing people off, he wouldn't be on the team. He has a great shot, is our best hustler probably after Pihlstrom, and isn't afraid to go to the corners or the front of the net. He has a niche here and it isn't just protecting our guys, though that is part of it. I love how you show me two fights and reduce to namecalling to attempt to make your point. For those two there's five of him getting a decision in fair, good fashion. Again, I'm not here to prove that he isn't a cheap hitter sometimes and overagressive. He can be. But to say he can't fight, as a few of you continue to say, well, its uninformed and it makes you look like you know very little about our sport. The majority in the thread have said he wasn't running. Its kinda plain to see. BTW, GMR, nice parting shot at Preds fans...you should stop by the Sommet Center sometime to see how it is. I'll buy you a beer. Have y'all read James Mirtle's series on Hockey in Nashville? Head on over to "From the Rink" and check it out.

Well, that was such a great rebuttal I'm at a loss. "BS Post"? I knew you couldn't find me a fight with a visor on. Come on, man, when I get proven wrong I admit it but you backed away like Opie said Tootoo did. You did nothing to show me why my post was wrong other than saying it was bulls***.

OK, lets see...according to you he's fought "many times" in "the last few years" with a visor on. Find me one or two instances of him actually fighting with a visor on. I'll wait. And on top of that, in the last two seasons, he hasn't worn a visor. Do some research next time or watch our games. I already told you, I KNOW he hits cheap sometimes. The only thing I'm arguing is people seem to think he's an Avery or what have you. Most of the time he plays within the rules, but I acknowledge he is wrong in coming in after the play or long after the puck, etc. But to say he's a cheap fighter, well, sorry. He's beaten many good, solid NHL fighters fairly. Not to say there hasn't been a questionable one here or there, but some of you keep pulling isolated incidents like its the norm. Most of your credibility was lost when I read your sig anyway...Lilja, an enforcer? Hmmm...ask Shea Weber.

Here's guessing if you played NHL hockey with a broken nose you'd don the visor for a few games too smartass.

Yeah, Arnott is a 30 goal guy this year, Dumont will end up close to 70 points and Sullivan has been on fire since he got back, and they have awesome chemistry. Give them a full season next year and good things happen with Weber and Suter. Yeah, if they wanted to make a "true" top 10 my top two offensively would've been the Detroit top two lines. Datsyuk, Hossa, Franzen, Zetterberg, Holmstrom....s***!

nah, hockaholic, he didn't destroy Staubitz in November but I believe he got the decision.