On the Forecheck: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
New Blog: Once A Metro covering Red Bull New York!

2/2 Power Rankings Roundup: Preds break losing streak, but still fall in polls

Shown celebrating with Marty Erat and Steve Sullivan, Jason Arnott scored the slump-busting goal (team and personal) against the Thrashers on Saturday.

More photos » Frederick Breedon - AP

Shown celebrating with Marty Erat and Steve Sullivan, Jason Arnott scored the slump-busting goal (team and personal) against the Thrashers on Saturday.

While the Nashville Predators recently broke an awful losing streak, work remains yet to do. Tonight the Predators will field a complete, healthy roster, which means it'll be important to finish this homestand well. Marcel Goc returns to boost the bottom two lines, and Jason Arnott will look to continue his progress made on Saturday. The losses to the Blue Jackets and Red Wings led hockey journalists to once again drop Nashville further in their rankings, and justifiably so. 

Follow below where the Preds average out at 13th and the Washington Capitals duke it out with the Blackhawks for tops in the NHL...

Star-divide

ESPN.com's Scott Burnside drops Nashville five spots to 16th:

The Preds had lost five in a row before beating Atlanta on Saturday, but these are the kinds of stretches that cost you a playoff spot. Again.

CBS Sports and Wes Goldstein only move the Preds two spots down to 16th:

Special teams are hurting a team that plays more one-goal games than anyone. Nashville's penalty kill is 29th, the power play 26th.

Craig Custance, an underrated writer, has Nashville in 12th, down 1:

Ryan Suter is excited about playing in the Olympics, but not the idea of stepping in front of a shot by Nashville teammate Shea Weber. "No, it would not be fun," he said.

Robert Picarello from FoxSports.com places the Preds in 12th, down from 10th:

By losing two of the three games they played in Week 18, the Preds dropped out of the top 10 in the rankings. Nashville's only win of the week put an end to a five-game losing streak.

Ryan Dixon of the Hockey News moves the Predators down two to 14th:

Tough call on whether to keep Dan Ellis or Pekka Rinne at season's end; both are UFAs and neither is getting wins right now.

TSN.ca surprisingly leaves Nashville unmoved, but in 18th:

Saturday's win over Atlanta snapped a five-game losing streak, but the Preds power play is still firing blanks, going 1-for-24 (4.2%) in the last eight.

Finally, SI.com's Allan Muir slides the Preds down five to 15th:

They aren't having trouble getting the puck on the net, outshooting foes 213-130 in the last six games. The emptiness of that stat is reflected in a five-game losing skid snapped in Saturday's 4-3 win over Atlanta. They were outscored 7-1 on special teams in the six games. "You can't be 29th in the league on both sides of penalties and expect to win," said goalie Dan Ellis

0 recs  |  Comment 0 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to the SB Nation blog about the Nashville Predators.
Start posting about the Predators »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

Connect_with_facebook

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Predators_licenseplate_small
A statistical analysis: Dustin Boyd vs. Cal O'Reilly
Small
SB Nation Survey + Chance to donate $500 to a charity of this community's choice

Recent FanPosts

Smashville2_small
Playoffs? Preds need 13 points.
Lebowski-time_small
Pacific Pride
N6245252557_232860_1419_small
cut and pasted from Wings' game thread
Smashville2_small
What people are saying
Small
Olympic Hockey should be played on Olympic Hockey Rinks!
Orr_small
Olympic Rules
Orr_small
Barry Trotz bobblehead...
Saab_logo_small
NHL Point System - Good, Bad, Ugly?

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

About Me

Dirk Hoag is the Forechecker, churner of NHL stats and analysis.

Me_medium_medium

Got a question or a suggestion? Feel free to email the.forechecker@gmail.com.

Follow Forechecker on Twitter

Named by Sports Media Challenge as a Top 10 NHL Blog


On The Forecheck Apparel!

SBNation.com Recent Stories

Carolina Hurricanes left wing Erik Cole, left, celebrates with Bryan Rodney and Jamie McBain (28) after McBain scored the game-winning goal in overtime against the Pittsburgh Penguins in an  NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh Saturday, March 20, 2010.  Carolina won 3-2 in overtime.(AP Photo/Don Wright)

Insert Obvious March Madness Comparison Here: Canes Beat Pens On OT Buzzer-Beater

Photo link

An Interview With Blue Jackets' Prospect Matt Calvert

Eric Nystrom, left, and Mikael Backlund of the Calgary Flames celebrate a goal in the second period of a NHL hockey game March 19, 2010, in Calgary, Alberta. (AP)

Sharks Fizzle Out Again, Lose To Flames, 4-3

More from SBNation.com >


Managers

Forechecker_35_small Dirk Hoag

Muckers & Grinders

Smashville2_small Aditya T (smashville)

Predsalternate_small Chris Burton