Predators Game Day Preview: Nashville @ Phoenix

by Chris Burton on Jan 21, 2010 1:00 AM EST Comment 8 comments

Ilya Bryzgalov has stood tall in net for the Coyotes this year.

The Nashville Predators are in Phoenix today for an all-important conference matchup against the Coyotes, who trail the Predators in the standings by the slightest of margins. Tonight marks the first time since December 12th that Nashville will have their full complement of players, with Jordin Tootoo returning from a broken foot after Jerred Smithson and Jason Arnott returned Monday against Toronto.

The Coyotes and Predators have are two of the league's biggest surprises this season. Follow below where we break down a game where the result could loom large come playoff time...

Nashville coming in

The Predators, 7-3-0 in their last ten, sitting in 4th place in the Western Conference with 61 points, are coming off a bit of a demoralizing loss to the Maple Leafs on Monday. They returned players from injury, but it wasn't enough as Pekka Rinne was extremely poor in goal and got pulled in favor of Dan Ellis. The penalty kill continues improving, though, with a perfect performance in the 4-3 loss. Tonight's game should be a good barometer of where the Preds stand in regards to the other Western surprises like Colorado and Phoenix. The Predators have 7 guys over 25 points (3 with 30+) and will need that phenomenal balance to continue.

Phoenix coming in

The 'Yotes, 4-4-2 in their last ten, have tailed off somewhat and are currently residing in the 5th spot in the West with a 28-17-5 record and 61 points. They recently got hammered by Buffalo, and will certainly be looking to rebound well on home ice. They have, like Nashville, a below-average power play which is 22nd in the NHL. The penalty kill is much better (10th), though, and is something that the Preds will need to solve for a better chance at two points. Captain Shane Doan is their top point producer with 31, while former Predator Vernon Fiddler has 17 in his first season after leaving Nashville. For some Coyotes beat, check out Five for Howling, and for an interview I had with 'Yotes blogger Travis Hair, go here.

Who's hot:

For the Preds, free agent acquisition Marcel Goc has vastly outperformed expectations, especially of late (check out those penalty minutes!):

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Marcel Goc	47	10	9	19	8	8	0	0	0	0	78	12.8

For Phoenix, Radim Vrbata leads the team in goals and recently had a nice point streak:

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Radim Vrbata	50	16	14	30	12	16	4	0	2	0	171	9.4

Who's not

I'm afraid I have to slot Martin Erat here again, as he went pointless again against Toronto and had an awful turnover that lead directly to a goal.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Martin Erat	42	15	13	28	-7	30	4	0	2	0	81	18.5

For the 'Yotes, I honestly don't know, so I'll just leave it blank.

The Guys in Goal

For Nashville, I'd assume that Barry Trotz continues his rotation which would mean Dan Ellis gets the call.

Dan Ellis

#39 / Goalie / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-0

Weight: 188

Born: Jun 19, 1980

	GP	MIN	W	L	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Dan Ellis	23	1240	11	9		52	2.52	611	559	.915	1

Phoenix has a strong Vezina Trophy candidate in net and in an important game such as tonight's I doubt they'd go with anyone else.

Ilya Bryzgalov

#30 / Goalie / Phoenix Coyotes

Height: 6-3

Weight: 199

Born: Jun 22, 1980

	GP	MIN	W	L	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Ilya Bryzgalov	43	2508	25	13		97	2.32	1172	1075	.917	5

Projected Lineups:

As mentioned, Jordin Tootoo returns tonight, and J.P. Dumont is out with the flu, leaving us with these likely lines:

Forwards

Sullivan - Arnott - Hornqvist

Ward - Legwand -Smithson

Jones - Goc - Erat

Tootoo - Spaling - Belak

Defense

Suter - Weber

Hamhuis - Klein

Bouillon - Franson

For the Coyotes, what I've researched reveals these somewhat probable and totally subject to change lines:

Forwards

Upshall - Lombardi - Doan

Prucha - Hanzal - Vrbata

Pyatt - Lang - Mueller

Bissonnette - Fiddler - Korpikoski

Defense

Jovanovski - Michalek

Aucoin - Vandermeer

Lepisto - Yandle

Fearless Prediction

These Coyotes are a completely different animal (sorry, couldn't resist) than last year's squad. A lot of it has to do with some all-world goaltending from Bryzgalov, but more of it has to do with a fantastic coaching job by Dave Tippett. I think that the Predators, angry about a horrible loss to Toronto, will come out hot and bothered. They've been great on the road so far and I look for that to continue in a less-than-intimidating venue in the desert. Lets mark this one down for a 3-2 shootout victory for the good guys.

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Comments

Just FYI

Fiddler and Winnik are typically lined up together, but he’ll likely be out for this game with the dreaded “Upper Body injury” Peter Mueller will be in.

Support Your Local Coyotes Blog - Five For Howling
JaredFromLondon: ...Odin, he's cool.

by Travis Hair on Jan 21, 2010 1:15 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

And by him I mean Winnik.

Support Your Local Coyotes Blog - Five For Howling
JaredFromLondon: ...Odin, he's cool.

by Travis Hair on Jan 21, 2010 1:24 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks, Odin

BTW, are those lines even close to correct?

On the Forecheck is SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators.
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by Chris Burton on Jan 21, 2010 9:11 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd say this would be closer

Upshall – Lombardi – Korpikoski
Vrbata – Hanzal – Prucha
Winnik – Fiddler – Doan
Pyatt – Lang – Mueller

Italics are the guys that have been switching lines a bit recently, so it’ll be whatever worked in practice.

D looks good, but Eriksson and Lepisto switch places as the guy in the press box so much you never know…

Support Your Local Coyotes Blog - Five For Howling
JaredFromLondon: ...Odin, he's cool.

by Travis Hair on Jan 21, 2010 12:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I’m curious as to why Trotz has not gone with the Sully-Arny-Erat line after he returned from injury (Erat). It was obviously clicking well, and Erat was starting to tear things up. Since returning to injury, I haven’t noticed him much.

It makes sense if he’s trying to spread the scoring throughout, and I know the top line has been producing well with Horny up there.

by Milly79 on Jan 21, 2010 1:29 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I can’t think of a reason why he was removed from a spot where his production was noticeable and consistent. Patrick has produced in this position, however the spark that was expected from Sullivan has been missing – something that I did not expect. Sullivan and Arnott seem to have been cemented in that line, with just a few shifts being the exception. Erat does not seem to click with legwand centering but has produced with goc.

by EXPECTATIONS on Jan 21, 2010 8:27 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Jones-Goc-Erat

It seems lately that Jones and Goc have really been hitting the right strides and have setting themselves up very well. How many times has Jones been robbed by an outstanding move by the goalie these past couple of weeks?

I think we all know Erat’s problem. He seems to hold the puck a little bit longer because he lacks the confidence in the ability of those he’s skating with. Maybe that’s too harsh, maybe it’s just that he feels he needs to carry his line. I think a good session of watching game video of his other two line mates would get him back into the team oriented Erat we saw on the 1st line.

Tell me what you think! I’m curious if anyone else feels the same way.

by Poiju on Jan 21, 2010 4:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If what you’re saying about Erat were true, I’d smack him upside the head and tell him to let the other players worry about living up to expectations… No more giveaways like that one against Toronto!

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

by Dirk Hoag on Jan 21, 2010 8:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs