Weekend notes: Preds fans are going to Carolina

This morning's hockey notes are fairly brief, so I'll save you the jump. As the Predators prepare to face off with the Carolina Hurricanes tonight in Raleigh, a bus-load of diehards is on the way to support them. The hockey world remembers the coaching career of Pat Burns, and here in Nashville, we start to wonder just how high the ceiling can go for Marcel Goc...

Our group of Nashville Predators fans has now raised over $600 for prostate cancer research and awareness during the month of Movember - please head over to my Mo-space and help us push towards $1000! Even if it's just $2, $5, whatever... every bit helps.

Nashville Predators News

Paul McCann - Bloggin’ from the bus…
Paul's leading the SlapShot Radio bus trip to Carolina for tonight's game. Give 'em hell, folks!

They’re the Same Team…Only Different " Pull My (Fang)Finger
It looks like we've got ourselves another up-and-down team on our hands, but it is a fun ride, isn't it?

Game Preview #18: Predators Face Hurricanes, Try To Get On A Roll - Predlines
While running through the options to replace David Legwand if he can't play, Amanda asks a sensible question - how much more can people expect from Marcel Goc?

Nashville Predators make use of Marcel Goc's versatility - The Tennessean
Barry Trotz says here that " I can use him on penalty killing. I can use him on the power-play," so why doesn't Goc get PP time? Last season he averaged a whopping 11 seconds a game on the PP, and so far this year that's up to 15 seconds. Given his faceoff skills and shiftiness, he really should get some time centering the 2nd PP unit after Cal O'Reilly.

Around the NHL

Farber's 1988 profile of Pat Burns | Habs Inside/Out
There are a host of tributes out there to Pat Burns, who passed away yesterday at the age of 58, but I'd recommend this profile of him from his earlier days coaching Montreal.

Remembering Pat Burns - Pension Plan Puppets
Personally my strongest memories of Burns come from his time as Maple Leafs coach in the 90's, because back then they were in the Norris Division and a huge rival of the Red Wings.

Setting the record straight for Pat Burns - TSN
I'd also recommend re-reading this column by Bob McKenzie from two months ago (when rumors circulated that Burns had passed), recollecting their personal friendship. It's a great read.

Canes Tie It Late But Lose In Shootout: Penguins 5, Hurricanes 4 - Canes Country
Before returning home to host the Predators tonight, the Hurricanes battled hard in Pittsburgh. Can the Preds take advantage of some tired legs?

Brodeur is a Fraud: The Wrong Numbers, Part 2
Arguing that Evgeni Malkin shouldn't have won the 2009 Conn Smythe Trophy, and that Sid the Kid deserved it more.