#4 Nashville Predators vs. #3 Phoenix Coyotes

[esteef 2,679]

The refs just refuse to call penalties against the Preds here in the 3rd.

Boils my f***in blood. The team that's down gets the help no matter if it's fair or not.

esteef

[puckloo39 5,686]

preds aren't playing to win this series,now,i wish that they had lost to the wings

We wish they had, too.

Just kidding, kiddo. I know how you feel, when your team doesn't show up. They will do better at home, the series isn't over.

[BigWillieStyle 662]

Up 2 games to 0. Let's go team Gary. #Miracle on Sand

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Guys lets calm more down I see two possibilities

A. Preds thought they had it after beating us in only 5 games and underestimated Phönix

B. Phönix this year is just that much better than a stacked Predsteam

A wouldn't make us look bad but if B than everyone should see, that this team is not going in the right direction. We got embarrassed by a team which is now getting outmatched by Phönix after all thats pathetic for both franchises Preds + Wings but way more for us.

As a new member I think its cool to have a Predsfan here sharing his opinions with us sadly now you see how it feels if your team just doesn't show up, its just 2 games though if you win both at home its equal again.

goaltending: Rinne >>>>> Smith

defense: Weber & Suter >>>>> everything

offense: thats the only thing where Phönix should have the edge

I think you guys should try to McGrattan the next game though Weber isn't a ***** either so I simple cant understand why he didn't try to send a message this time? He is big strong like a gorilla just send a message and set the tone for game three. Not going to cheer for Bettmans team.

Edited April 30, 2012 by frankgrimes

[b.shanafan14 733]

Wish the Wings had played like the 'Yotes, and the Preds had played like... well... the Preds

[LidsFan 68]

I like Phoenix and I am so happy that they are doing so well. Hopefully if they continue to play well they will get more fans to come out and support the team and the franchise will continue to grow.

[joshy207 156]

Don't agree. Al these guys used toplay with more aggression and smarts, especially using the middle of the ice more. As for passing too damn much, that's indeed been an ongoing problem.

Key words bolded. They don't anymore.

[Guest Crymson]

[Icesurfer 75]

The Yotes are beating the Preds with their speed.....great speed on all 4 lines. Boedker is as fast as Helm. When you can roll 4 lines with speed you can activate the defense and because of the speed you don't have to worry about getting back on defense.... especially with Smith in goal. And everyone thought Nashville was fast. That just goes to show you how slow Detroit really is..... especially when the Yotes do it for 60 minutes.

[e_prime 1,936]

"Ehhh, I'm just gonna lay here..."

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Of course Radulov s***s the bed after they beat us, whateva, keep it going Phoenix! Mike Smith is a gem.

[Drake_Marcus 890]

Of course Radulov s***s the bed after they beat us, whateva, keep it going Phoenix! Mike Smith is a gem.

Smith is definitely playing well but Tip's system is making him look even better. The 'yotes are extremely well coached.

[puckbags 863]

Series dont mean a thing until both teams have played a game at home. As much as home ice doesn't seem to matter anymore its still up to the Preds to win their two games on home ice.

[b.shanafan14 733]

That is priceless! So great to see Mr. All KHL, All World Everything sucking ass. Could tell in the Wings series he gets frustrated easily and has a tendency for the tantrum. Plays like a diva and upset he can't dominate the big boys league. He'll be back in the K next season. Adios.

[Hiei 192]

The Coyotes are doing something the Wings failed to do. Nashville is playing the same.

One Problem.

When we go to the net, it's one shot then Nashville gets Pekkerhead's awful rebounds and gets out of the zone.

When Phoenix goes to the net, they get one shot, then at least 1-2 other guys trailing in to get those rebounds. LOOK AT ALL THE REBOUNDS PEKKERHEAD'S BEEN GIVING UP.

Or since it's the south, maybe it should be PeKKKerhead.

[Vladifan 680]

Key words bolded. They don't anymore.

I'm assuming by your original post, since you singled out Holland, you think the onus is on him. I don't. I know this is a running topic in some of these threads and I have some thoughts on all that after reading most of the input. Yes, these guys used to play well, and not all that long ago. Even this year, after the big string of wins they inevitably went back to the same old s***, over and over and OVER. Not getting traffic at the net; passing incessantly in the offensive zone; keeping the puck to the edges and not fighting for the middle of the ice; not moving enough on power plays to open lanes...How is that kind of "teamwork" Holland's fault? I'm saying most of them still HAVE the talent. They haven't all lost it at once. Nobody pushed a button and all of a sudden they all got old and slow. So why do they keep doing the "insanity" thing? Doing the same things over and over and expecting different results? I say that's mainly on Babcock and the assistant coaches who either think they're doing the right things with their boyz, or they do not know how to reach the players to make them see how they're screwing up and how bad they really look. And how to make them a TEAM again. That to me is outrageous - that Babcock can't come up with a way to hold a mirror up to them to make them see how embarrassing their play became. Injuries can't explain most of what happened with the Wings.

Yeah, Holland could make changes. But there's no way in hell there can be dramatic changes. There's a whole lot of teams out there with lots of cap space and not that many good players coming up for grabs. Parity is now the name of the game and the Wings are going to be one of many players trying to bring on some players that can really help.

I think whether we like it or not, improvement is going to be slow in coming, unless Babcock and his boyz gain a new perspective. And right now I'm just trying to balance my perspective with remembrances of the Good Old Days, when the Detroit Red Wings pretty much had it all. I don't think it's gonna happen again in any team's lifetime for some time to come.

Edited April 30, 2012 by Vladifan

[Guest Crymson]

The Coyotes have been playing the center of offensive zone well. The Wings were unable to do so, for whatever reasons.

"Ehhh, I'm just gonna lay here..."

"Look at this effort! Outstanding! I'm amazed he can stay up this late at night."

Edited April 30, 2012 by Crymson

[Salviaman 104]

Or since it's the south, maybe it should be PeKKKerhead.

that's not very nice to say. Not everyone in the south is in the KKK. There are just as many racist people in the south as there is in Boston.

[Guest irishock]

Watching these playoffs, we had quite easily the worst offense of any playoff team this year.

[Kass 7]

I don't think it's a personnel problem as much as it is a strategic one. The Wings built up too slowly along the boards going through the neutral zone, allowing the Preds to set up an effective backcheck and choke them off at the line. This meant that they had to dump the puck in or risk giving up a turnover trying to lug it in under heavy pressure. Naturally, they chose to dump it just about always, and the time it took to recover gave Nashville ample opportunity to set up their tight defensive scheme. Once they wrested control of the puck, the Wings would then spend most of their time cycling it along the boards and the blueline before finding that the Preds were in most of the best shooting and passing lanes and that they'd be checked if they tried to push into the interior of the zone but would remain mostly untouched if they stayed in those areas. Because of this, attacking plays would usually end in shots from low-percentage that got blocked or smothered and passes that got knocked away or stripped. Nashville's discipline (and the predictability of the Wing's offense) meant that their defensive play hardly ever broke down, which is where the Wings scored most of their goals in the series regardless.

Phoenix, on the other hand, counter-attacks fast enough through the center of the neutral zone to be able to carry the puck in over the line instead of dumping it in (imo the most important factor in their success), and when they get into the offensive zone they do it with such speed that the Predators can't effectively set up their scheme and pressure out the guys who are trying to push deeper into the zone. The Coyotes crash the net almost as soon as the puck is in and make quick passes and shots to the front of the net, creating scrambles that give the Coyotes a pretty good chance of finding Rinne out of position and getting a goal while Nashville's defense is broken down. That's the kind of thing that the Red Wings almost never produced, and it's really the only way to defeat Nashville considering that their defense is pretty much designed to be an insurmountable object for slow, methodical defenses like ours. The same lesson applies to Phoenix when they attempt to set up in a similar fashion on the PP and end up being snuffed out immediately.

Edited April 30, 2012 by Kass

[GoalieManPat 1,007]

Phoenix has already gotten as many pucks past Rinne as the Wings did and its all because they work there butts off every shift.

[xtrememachine1 795]

Phoenix has already gotten as many pucks past Rinne as the Wings did and its all because they work there butts off every shift.

Yeah, that is pretty sickening. 9 goals for us in the entire series and the Coyotes match that with 9 goals in less than two games. Phoenix scored more goals in a little over 2 periods than we did in the last three games combined. Ridiculous. I know there's talk about us not being deep enough and Babcock even mentioned that and I do agree that our 3rd and 4th lines need to be better, but to see a team like Phoenix score 9 goals in 2 games when it took us, a team with many talented stars, 5 games to score that many, that's on the coach. Whether it be preparation or motivation, coaching was a contributing factor to our early exit.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

So far, Rinne's goaltending makes Nashville look like Pittsburgh South.

Where did they get all the "fans" in Glendale?

[evilzyme 769]

Yeah, that is pretty sickening. 9 goals for us in the entire series and the Coyotes match that with 9 goals in less than two games. Phoenix scored more goals in a little over 2 periods than we did in the last three games combined. Ridiculous. I know there's talk about us not being deep enough and Babcock even mentioned that and I do agree that our 3rd and 4th lines need to be better, but to see a team like Phoenix score 9 goals in 2 games when it took us, a team with many talented stars, 5 games to score that many, that's on the coach. Whether it be preparation or motivation, coaching was a contributing factor to our early exit.

You can't coach something that isn't there. Face it, they weren't playing with their hearts near the end. Morale was down and confidence was lacking. Players were floating and some were already on their way out. Could it be that Babcock had given up hope for the season too? Maybe, but I highly doubt it. He just lacked having a team to coach near the end there. It could be the new side guys Bashill and Peters though.

So far, Rinne's goaltending makes Nashville look like Pittsburgh South.

Where did they get all the "fans" in Glendale?

They've always "had" the fans, it's just when they play the Red Wings they have to deal with our bat s*** crazy fans who will buy tickets faster than them. They have had campaigns in the past to keep the red out, I atleast remember the previous two post-seasons they've had them against us. With the threat of losing their team, their fans have shown up to show their support in hopes of keeping their team. I've just heard that it's a horrible location and people don't personally want to travel to that area to go see a game. I've never been there personally myself though.

[wingslogo19 281]

So far, Rinne's goaltending makes Nashville look like Pittsburgh South.

Where did they get all the "fans" in Glendale?

There just seat fillers not "fans"