Monday's notes: Preds need to kick it into overdrive

It's going to be a busy week for the Nashville Predators, with four games on tap including two with division rivals Columbus & St. Louis. Considering how jam-packed the Western Conference standings are at the moment, and the games in hand that the Preds hold compared to teams like Anaheim, Vancouver & Chicago, this week represents an opportunity to make a significant step forward. Like many of us who will travel to celebrate Thanksgiving this week, there's a lot of traffic on the road, but there's a chance to move over into the passing lane...

The St. Louis Blues come to Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday followed by Sean Avery & the New York Rangers on Saturday the 28th. Take advantage of the OtF discount to save money on Nashville Predators tickets for these, or any other home game.

Nashville Predators News

Hockey Night in Nashville: A Classy Game
Robby's glad that the Predators don't have to put up with any Vince Young-like headaches, although you could perhaps draw a comparison between VY and Alexander Radulov.

Paul McCann - SlapShot Radio Road Trip - Day Two
Paul provides the scoop on the big road trip he led to Carolina to see Saturday night's shootout victory.

Paul McCann - Game Night in C-Bus
...and then he looks ahead to tonight's game.

Preds On The Glass: Preds Hope To Finish Trip with a Win Tonight and Weekend Round-Up
Buddy went on the road to Carolina, and lived to tell the tale...

Game Preview #19: Predators Face Rival Jackets For First Of Six Meetings - Predlines
Amanda notes that the Preds are doing a good job so far battling their divisional foes.

Predators compare favorably to NHL's other most recent additions | Nashville City Paper
David Boclair measures the Preds against the Wild, Blue Jackets, and Thrashers. Outside of Minnesota's one run to the Western Conference Finals, the Predators stand head & shoulders above the rest.

Get started on your holiday shopping at the OtF Store, where all prices now include free shipping. We've got the "Me So Hornqvist" and "Pass it to Shea..." t-shirts, and a whole lot more.

Around the NHL

Leave It Behind (Puck-Rakers Blog)
Aaron Portzline guesses that Columbus will go with Mathieu Garon in goal tonight.

Arniel Not Pleased With Perry (Puck-Rakers Blog)
Another entry on Corey Perry's resume of douchebaggery.

Video: As Colin Campbell remains oblivious, Ron MacLean nails it - Puck Daddy
Colin Campbell still doesn't get it, but Ron MacLean does.

Fired Referee to Press Favoritism Allegation Against Campbell - NYTimes.com
It sounds like Dean Warren, the referee who was fired two years ago and whose lawsuit exposed the controversial Colin Campbell emails, may revive his case. Why, I have no idea. These emails were already used as evidence in that first failed lawsuit.

Is short term the right term for Drew Doughty's deal with LA Kings? - Puck Daddy
Should L.A.'s young superstar taking a shorter contract and hope for bigger dollars in his next one, or lock up for the long run? One option allows for more money later on, while the other provides a guarantee against injury. Shea Weber will face a similar decision.

Morning Line - KuklasKorner
BREAKING NEWS: Jay Bouwmeester actually said something with conviction.

Mike Mottau Takes A Puck To The Face - KuklasKorner
This is nasty... the Islanders suffer another big injury (includes video).

Howie Rose Gets Candid About the Islanders During TV Timeout -- NHL FanHouse
Hockey's supposed to be fun, isn't it? It just seems like there's nothing fun about the Islanders these days.

Chris Botta and the Changing Media Landscape - Houses of the Hockey
Kent Wilson ponders the price traditional media members pay for their access to teams; all too often, they blunt any criticism in order to maintain cozy relationships.

The Decline of Chris Drury - Blueshirt Banter
Let this serve as an object lesson for those who get hung up on "clutch" goal scorers.

Why Sergei Bobrovsky's workload can't be compared to other NHL goalies - Broad Street Hockey
An interesting analysis as to whether Philly fans should be concerned about the durability of their rookie goaltender. For the record, Pekka Rinne has a track record playing lots and lots of games each season at the AHL level before he earned the top job in Nashville.

And lastly, courtesy of Puck Daddy, here's a sneak preview of that HBO 24/7 "Road to the Winter Classic" mini-series featuring the Penguins & Capitals: