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It's Over: Preds lose finale in Minnesota, 8-4

The Nashville Predators' desperate drive towards the playoffs came to a cataclysmic end in Minnesota tonight, in an 8-4 loss that bore all the hallmarks of a team simply running out of gas. Combined with St. Louis' victory over Columbus this evening, the Preds have been eliminated from the playoffs for the first time since 2003.

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below, the rest of the game recap will follow shortly.

Star-divide

Outside of the goaltending (Pekka Rinne giving up 6 goals on 35 shots), the penalty kill (Minnesota went 3-for-5 on the PP), and the referees (a number of mystifying calls), things went pretty well for Nashville. Jason Arnott scored twice to tie his career-best with 33 goals this season, and Steve Sullivan chipped in with a goal and two assists.

The bottom line, however, is that this team simply looked tired tonight. Rinne had trouble controlling the puck, some of the penalties (Dumont's hook and Hamhuis' hi-stick in particular) were the result of guys losing position and not skating to keep up.

Every time the Preds seemed to get a spark, Minnesota came right back to take it away. Arnott gave Nashville a 1-0 lead in the 1st, but by the end of the period the Wild scored twice to pull ahead just seconds before the intermission. After the deficit widened to 4-1, Arnott scored again to pull within 4-2, but less than two minutes later another PP goal for the Wild pushed the score to 5-2.

Perhaps the most brutal blow came in the 3rd, after a Shea Weber goal on a 5-on-3 power play. Nashville still had more than a minute of power play time remaining, but 19 seconds later Mikko Koivu scored shorthanded to make the score 6-3, wiping out hopes of one more Predators comeback.

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Great season,

but next year will be better!

Welcome to Smashville, Tennessee.

by Aditya T (smashville) on Apr 10, 2009 11:04 PM EDT reply actions  

I should think so, there will be time in the days ahead to talk about personnel, but this is a roster on the rise, not the decline.

More fun than a stick to the face!
On the Forecheck is SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators.

by Dirk Hoag on Apr 10, 2009 11:26 PM EDT up reply actions  

it was fun while it lasted

I have to believe with a simple trade we’d be in the playoffs, but that’s neither here or there I guess

by Great Paperclip on Apr 10, 2009 11:46 PM EDT reply actions  

Well..

Go Blues.

Whatever it takes?

by JoMilla on Apr 11, 2009 12:06 AM EDT reply actions  

I thought Predators dominated the first 15 minutes and then poof, suddenly it was all over.

by The Falconer on Apr 11, 2009 2:59 AM EDT reply actions  

Nice season guys....

As a hockey fan first and a huge Blues fan a close second, I sure enjoyed watching your team this year. Rinne is the real deal and Arnott is a freakin’ stud. You have lots of really good young players with more on the way. You guys scared the crap out of me everytime our two teams matched up.

It should be a lot of fun battling back and forth the next couple of years.

My in-laws live in Mt. Juliet and I always love to come down for a visit and to talk hockey with the local crazies over a beer or 5.

Take care and Go Blues!

by DenverCardsFan on Apr 11, 2009 11:14 AM EDT reply actions  

Let's see...

A huge Blues fan, and very familiar with the Preds…

If I had to live in Denver, I’d probably watch the out-of-town teams, too! Boy, the Avalanche took a tumble this season.

Thanks for the note and enjoy the playoffs, I know lots of folks here will be pulling for Chris Mason to do well.

More fun than a stick to the face!
On the Forecheck is SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators.

by Dirk Hoag on Apr 11, 2009 1:39 PM EDT up reply actions  

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