can the Predators upet the Red Wings?

[Elshupacabra 0]

Anyone can beat anyone, I am more worried about Tootoo purposely injuring someone essential to our run like Pavel.

x2

[OsGOD 3]

can the blackwawks win a season series against us???

the answer to yours and mine is YES

will they? we will have to wait and see

[58Miles2Joe 12]

We're doomed !

er, wait, they're doomed!

[IceMunkee 15]

Nashville has playoff experience : losing.

Had this been last years Preds I would be nervous. But Vokoun is gone, Forsberg is gone, Kariya is gone. Whew. Their goaltender may be on a "hot" streak right now but that doesnt make up for being that damn good to win a cup or not choking on the big stage.

I like what someone said earlier... sweep or win in 5? I'll say 5... let the preds steal one at their home.

Oh yes, my response.

Wings by a landslide. Sorry Preds, just not in the cards for you tihs year. But hey, at least you made it to the playoffs when nobody thought you would do anything and almost moved. That is something you can be happy about.

Not sure why you put the "hot" in qoutation marks but past shows a good or even mediocre goalie on a "hot" streak can win the playoff's for a team. I am just saying don't count them out. Choking on the big stage? Well Cam Ward sure did not a few years back and he is not great by any means. I suppose that I will just choose to be cuatious that way if something bad does happen I won't feel so nieve or embarressed.

it's all up to hasek. will he only give up 1 soft goal a game, or two?

Unfortunatly it is not all up to Hasek. It is up to a whole lot more. You know the other key points in the game, offense, defense, power play and lastly the penalty kill.

Oh and I forgot, if Dom can't hang we have the Wonderful Wizard...

Edited April 5, 2008 by IceMunkee

[OsGOD 3]

Their scorers will be ready.... will ours?

[Jwo 7]

Nashville has goalie issues.

Nashville has never made it out of the first round.

Nashville players are undisciplined (Last year a Pred player I think speared a Shark player in the 3rd period that helped San Jose win the series.)

Nashville struggles at the Joe.

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Detroit will shut them down at the blue line.

Detroit’s has some goalie issues but these goalies are true veterans who will find their playoff mode on button.

Detroit has Johan Franzen.

I say no upset at all.

Edited April 5, 2008 by Jwo

[OsGOD 3]

Nashville has goalie issues.

Hey they should call up their new signee... I heard Smitty is a very dependable playoff goalie...in fact so dependable he has nothing to do right now with all of his free time.

I think the Whalers would be most grateful if they made Smith their new goalie, effective immediately!

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

Nashville has goalie issues.

Nashville has never made it out of the first round.

Nashville players are undisciplined (Last year a Pred player I think speared a Shark player in the 3rd period that helped San Jose win the series.)

Nashville struggles at the Joe.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Detroit will shut them down at the blue line.

Detroit’s has some goalie issues but these goalies are true veterans who will find their playoff mode on button.

Detroit has Johan Franzen.

I say no upset at all.

Yeah I believe that was Radulov.

Anyways, nice post! Way to be positive.

[Earthhuman 8]

Detroit has Johan Franzen.

[IceMunkee 15]

Yeah I believe that was Radulov.

Anyways, nice post! Way to be positive.

I am positive, just realistic as well. If every series was a walk in the park, would it be the playoff's???

I think the wings can win but they need to come with the spirit of a winner. I truly hope we see it!

[juice71285 2]

Of all the teams that could possibly have finished 8th in the Western Conference, this is the team I wanted to face the least. This is for a few reasons:

1. Their goaltending of late has been good. Ellis has played relatively well of late and we all know that a hot goaltender can beat the best of offensive teams in a best of 7 series. While he isn't a Luongo or a Kiprusoff, doesn't mean he still can't beat us. Look back to Edmonton and Roloson for a good example of this.

2. Other than possibly Chicago and Edmonton, Nashville has been the hottest team in the Western Conference that was trying to get in. (San Jose is without a doubt the hottest team in the league right now, but they had their playoff ticket punched for a little while now, so they don't count). The Predators have had to play playoff style hockey for over the last month just to try and get in so they will be prepared for them. Vancouver slumped themselves right out of the playoffs, and we all know Calgary is a day and night team. Haven't really seen Colorado of late, but they seemed to have done well.

3. Of all the divisions in the NHL, the Central has been the one that has given us the most problems this year. We pretty much took care of the Northwest Division (could have played Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, or Colorado), and the Pacific Division we did well against too.

As for the other teams we could have played, the one I wanted to face was Vancouver. As mentioned before they were slumping coming down the stretch. The team couldn't produce any offense, even though they have the Sedin twins and Naslund, and Luongo was not playing like the Luongo of norm the last two weeks or so.

EDIT: (Forgot to put prediction) I say this will be one of, if not the toughest test for our team in the playoffs this year. It will be a hard fought series, but in the end I will say Detroit wins in 6 games.

Edited April 5, 2008 by juice71285

[hulldatzet 0]

hey folks, now i know that it's still not set in stone that the Red Wings are playing the Predators in the 1st round, but it's most likely.

and id like to ask a few things to everyone on the board here, and please, for my sake at the very least, be as unbiased as you possibly can.

do you think that the Predators have any chance of upsetting Detroit and stealing a series?

i really do not think so myself, but i also didn't think so in 06 when the Oil trounced us.

good tendencies of the Nashville team:

+young defense

+solid goaltending

+cinderella story

bad tendencies of the Nashville team:

-suspect offense?

-unexperienced goaltending, maybe the entire team overall

-has never won a playoff series

to be totally honest though im a bit scared even with all of this considered because of the Oilers upset a few years ago, i understand we are much different, but if Hasek can't hold it together, Nashville may be able to do some real damage.

and please, none of this "any team can beat any team" rhetoric, i understand this of course. its just a bit dry and redundant

your thoughts?

of course they have a decent shot at beating us, just like every series. i would give the wings like 75-25 odds though so its lookin good for detroit in my made up odds.

[Cruiser008 37]

Anyone can beat anyone, I am more worried about Tootoo purposely injuring someone essential to our run like Pavel.

x2

x3

As for the matchup itself, less travel (which is HUGE in the long run) and a team that isn't super-physical but plays hard make an ideal first round opponent.

I know that Detroit has had problems in the 1st round in the past but IMO this team is gritty and passionate enough to avoid any notion of an upset. Babcock said this is the best team he's ever coached and I believe him.

[OsGOD 3]

I think we just need to give D-mac like 10 seconds of the first game and knock tootoo out for the playoffs... then after a suspension we can get d-mac back for the finals.... after all he will probably just be benched or limited ice time starting thursday.

[HockeyCrazy3033 168]

I am positive, just realistic as well. If every series was a walk in the park, would it be the playoff's???

I think the wings can win but they need to come with the spirit of a winner. I truly hope we see it!

Oh I know and I 100% agree.

It's very possible that the Preds upset the Wings, but if the Wings play their game then I do believe the Preds don't have a chance. That's me being realistic. lol

[DatsyukRules 0]

To be honest, I'm a bit worried. Nashville was the team I didn't want to face in the 1st round.

Ellis scares me with his potential to break out with a Bryzgalov-like or Toskala-like performance of a couple of years ago. I feel the stars aligning for us to make another goalie famous like we did with Giguere.

And IF their goalie plays well, they have a decent enough offense to put points on the board.

I really hope the wings go in at 100%, I know they can beat the Preds...but its not going to be easy.

...just my $0.02

[IceMunkee 15]

I think we just need to give D-mac like 10 seconds of the first game and knock tootoo out for the playoffs... then after a suspension we can get d-mac back for the finals.... after all he will probably just be benched or limited ice time starting thursday.

You know that is the best idea I have heard in a long time!!!! Seriously that could work. Mac could retain his hero of hockeytown title and do little to keep it!!!!

Oh I know and I 100% agree.

It's very possible that the Preds upset the Wings, but if the Wings play their game then I do believe the Preds don't have a chance. That's me being realistic. lol

Could not have said it better myself!!!!

[55fan 5,133]

"Pride cometh before the fall, and a haughty spirit..." something. I can't remember how it ends, but it could easily be "before a playoff upset."

As long as the Wings give it their best, we will kick some butt. If they look too far ahead and don't treat Nashville as a legitimate threat, they may be upset. This is where the veteran presence in the locker room will be a huge asset for our team.

The Red Wings can not underestimate Nashville. We, on the other hand, can confidently say that they will rout them, fillet them, saute them, wrap them in yesterday's newspapers, and throw them into the dustbin with a flourish.

[Barrie 900]

I am more worried about Tootoo purposely injuring someone essential to our run like Pavel.

We have enough big bodies to scare Tootoo.

Wings in 5.

[Third Man In 2,091]

Yes.

Except for Chicago, this is the best matchup for Detroit. Nashville is much closer than the alternatives, has a less-than-intimidating arena, has unproven goaltending, and a lack of difference makers up front. If Detroit plays their game, they will be fine.

That being said, Nashville will work their tail off and could be pesky. Ellis has been playing really well in net. He's not good enough, even at the top of his game, to beat the Wings in a seven game series if the Wings drive to the net, screen him and tip shots. But if Detroit's effort is iffy, we'll hear complaints about Detroit's bad luck to run into another "hot" goaltender in the first round.

[Hiei 192]

To answer this thread's question: No. Simply No. Red Wings will PLAY. Not to mention that Ellis can be lit up (Other night in St Louis) and we have a proven track record of beating Mason. Nashville's less-than-admirable Arena Atmosphere will ensure it.

[Reds4Life 51]

We have better team. If Wings play their game, Predators won't be hard to beat. First thing Babs should do is to send Downey or Mac to beat that little punk Tootoo.

[jim3033 1]

Honestly, the injury situation is horrible. Maltby, Draper, Holmstrom and Samuelsson are out. Those are big playoff players. Stuart will be back but not 100%. Cleary needs to shine again.

Nashville is the best team we could choose to play though. They are missing players and a focused Redwings team can beat these guys in 4.

Hopefully, we make quick work of them and Malts, Drapes and Samuelsson are back to 100%. Who knows with Holmstrom. His injury is lingering pretty bad. Stuart should be close to 100% by round 2. The other nights game against Columbus looked really bad.

[Nero 20]

Detroit broke Ellis after ending his shutout streak in overtime. The next game he played, he let in 3 goals in the first couple of minutes in the period. I don't know how much confidence he'll be playing with. If Detroit plays their game (as said earlier), doesn't underestimate the opposition (as said earlier as well), then we shouldn't have anything to worry about.

[Gordie Howe hat trick 110]

I know my old lady is just wating for the playoffs to be over for the Wings...she hates the beard.