Predators Update, April 1 2009

They're still in playoff position after last night's loss in Columbus, so let's have a little optimism as we take a look around at Predators news and notes:

• MC79Hockey has a fascinating table showing Shots For/Against ratios, by team, broken down by goal differential at the time (i.e. when down by a goal, or up by two goals). While most teams "play to the score", firing pucks on net when behind, and getting conservative with the lead, one team stands out as a glaring exception.
  
• Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch breaks down the clutch performance of the Blue Jackets last night; to give them credit, they played a sound game and drove the net hard repeatedly. Saturday's rematch in Nashville will be even more pressure-packed than last night's game.
• After losing a key game to Anaheim last night, Eric Duhatschek of the Globe & Mail prepares to bury the Edmonton Oilers.
• Slink on Hockey, a relatively new hockey blog out of London, Ontario, breaks down the Steve Mason/Pekka Rinne debate and favors Nashville's netminder.