Monday notes: Preds look ahead, not back

by Dirk Hoag on Apr 26, 2010 10:18 AM EDT

The Nashville Predators have their backs against the wall tonight against the Blackhawks, so jump into the Game Day Preview and try not to spend all day counting down the hours and minutes until faceoff.

OK, I know you will anyway, but try not to.

After the jump, we have reaction to the Marian Hossa non-suspension, two local bloggers calling for Nashville fans to bring the noise tonight, and a look at how the rest of the playoffs are shaping up as three teams have now moved on to the second round...

Remember, if you haven't gotten your tickets yet for Game 6 (tonight at 8:00, Bridgestone Arena) there's a way to save a few bucks along the way, so check it out. First, let's take in Pete Weber's segment last night on WKRN with Cory Curtis talking about tonight's game:

Elsewhere in the Playoffs

San Jose finished off Colorado four games to two, recovering nicely after the Dan Boyle "own goal" had folks wondering if the Sharks were headed for another early playoff exit.

The Vancouver Canucks also wrapped up their series with Los Angeles thanks to a big 3rd period and a stellar performance by Roberto Luongo.

Phoenix forced a Game 7 with Detroit by winning 5-2 at Joe Louis Arena yesterday. The Coyotes head back to their desert home for a chance to move on.

Predators News

Preds On The Glass: A Challenge to Predator Fans and Weekend Round-Up
Buddy is right on the mark, here - Nashville Predators fans have to bring their best effort and energy tonight, just like the players do.

The View from 111: 7th Man- Are You In?
Mark sounds the rallying call as well. Let's make home-ice advantage really count for something, and not wait for the team to provide the spark - let's give it to them.

Predators have their backs to the wall entering Monday’s Game Six - Nashville Predators Examiner
Jim Diamond's preview includes the note that the Preds have yet to win a game when facing playoff elimination. It's time to make some history...

Column: Predators made more errors than referee - The Tennessean
Truth from David Climer - the Hossa-Hamhuis affair was frustrating, but the Preds have to take care of business on their own.

Nashville Predators insist confidence remains high against Chicago Blackhawks - The Tennessean
The guys are saying all the right things; and you have to admit, they have a remarkable ability to put bad losses behind them.

Around the NHL

Chicago Blackhawks forward Marian Hossa should have been suspended - ESPN
Even Scott Burnside sides with Nashville on this one.

An interview with legendary coach Scotty Bowman - Winging It In Motown
SB Nation's Red Wings blog got the chance to speak with the man, the myth, the legend...

Return of Savard to Bruins would be just what doctor ordered - The Boston Globe
The Bruins might get a huge boost with the return of their top playmaker Marc Savard.

Canucks lick chops at thought of Chicago Blackhawks rematch - The Province
Vancouver wants a playoff rematch with Chicago, so they're already throwing dirt on the Predators.

Chris Higgins - a closer look - Matchsticks and Gasoline
Robert wonders what the future holds in Calgary for the winger who came over from New York.

The 15 Goals Martin Brodeur Gave Up in the 2010 NHL Playoffs: An Analysis - In Lou We Trust
Defending Martin Brodeur from criticism that he cost the Devils in their series loss to Philadelphia.

Chad Moreau responds to Edmonton Oilers coach Pat Quinn | Hockey Independent
Interesting stuff here about the physical training of NHL players, which has become part of the organizational turnover in Edmonton.

In With The New… In With The Old? | Hockey Independent
As the Maple Leafs continue retooling their organization, Ron Guillet wonders if a few greybeards might help get them back into the playoffs.

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Comments

From the Burnside Article...

In both cases, the offending players seemed to hold up slightly just as contact was made, but the defensemen were off balance enough to be sent hurtling into the boards.

This is not true at all. He’s rewriting history.

I don’t really care whether or not you think Hossa should be suspended. That’s something we can debate until the cows come home, and frankly as a Preds fan you make an argument and move on. Too much protesting about and you appear to undermine your the confidence you have in your team.

But this nonsense about Ovy and Dat Horsa Guy both pulling up is rubbish. Ovy didn’t pull up. At all. When Ovy hit Campbell, the puck wasn’t within 10 feet of either player. Let’s stop with the comparisons because the situation’s don’t compare. Even the circumstances in which the hits were made are completely and totally different.

The only reason people are making the comparison is because the Hawks are involved in both cases and that’s as far as the similarities go. Period.

Looking forward to another nail biter tonight. Good luck Pred fans!

by Skags on Apr 26, 2010 11:32 AM EDT reply actions

sorry

But I just don’t trust a hawks fan to not be biased in both situations.

by flyalder on Apr 26, 2010 12:19 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I agree with you, it’s very difficult for a Hawks fan to be unbiased when comparing the two hits. But I also don’t think these hits should be compared at all as the only real similarity between them is that the D man went hard into the boards. Other than that they are different hits and should be treated as such. Bottom line though is that it’s spilled milk now and there’s a game to play tonight.

by Hawkfan08 on Apr 26, 2010 2:23 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

The only reason people are making the comparison is because the Hawks are involved in both cases and that’s as far as the similarities go. Period.

- Did you see the side by side shot of these hits Mike Milbury showed on NBC , you know, that little channel people watch? That might have had something to do with why people are making comparisons. To most everyone that’s seen it, they look very similar, Milbury thought so too, and I think he knows a thing or two about hockey. I don’t think it’s because they are both plays that involved CHI.

by hockeydekefreak on Apr 26, 2010 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions

To be fair, "NBC said!" with anything pertaining to hockey

isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement.

Time for some thrillin' heroics!

by shinkicker on Apr 26, 2010 3:00 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Are you saying that Doc Emerick, Eddie-O, Pierre Mcguire, and Mike Milbury don’t know what they are talking about? Those guys are gushing with hockey knowledge.

by hockeydekefreak on Apr 26, 2010 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Gushing is a spectacular choice in verbs

I loved them during Sunday’s Scum-Yotes game, talking about how Detroit was totally dominating and should’ve been winning the game.

Time for some thrillin' heroics!

by shinkicker on Apr 26, 2010 3:14 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

no-one gets it right all the time (least of all me). But I don’t think anyone can argue about those guys’ depth of knowledge.

by hockeydekefreak on Apr 26, 2010 3:17 PM EDT up reply actions

im confused now

are we still being sarcastic

by istolethekishka on Apr 26, 2010 3:52 PM EDT up reply actions

no sarcasm here

I genuinely think those guys know their hockey, have never understood why so many people dis-like them.

by hockeydekefreak on Apr 26, 2010 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions

no comment

by istolethekishka on Apr 26, 2010 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions

me being able to reply to this

says otherwise

by Great Paperclip on Apr 26, 2010 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions

not trying to be rude

but I feel he’s entitled to his opinion

by Great Paperclip on Apr 26, 2010 5:12 PM EDT up reply actions

I believe you may have misunderstood istolethekishka's "no comment"?

Also, I don’t mean to insult hockeydekefreak at all, but I’m sure if I went on any hockey blog and backed my position with

I don’t think anyone can argue about those guys’ depth of knowledge

I’d get run out of town! McGuire and Milbury are hardly considered to be the voices of higher intelligence. “Hockey for Dummies” is more on the level of their discourse IMO.

Well, folks, I want to thank you for being here for the recording of my live comedy album. Funny material and laughter will be dubbed in later.

by ChicagoNativeSon on Apr 26, 2010 6:32 PM EDT up reply actions

I didn't really misunderstand it...

I just felt the context pointed to the fact that hdf was not being sarcastic.

by Great Paperclip on Apr 26, 2010 6:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Obviously true

But I think the context of the statement may have also temporarily suspended reality for ISK and shinkicker in a Unfrozen Cavemen Attorney sort of way.

I’m just a caveman. Your world ~~frightens and~~ confuses me …

Obligatory “good luck tonight” but not really. I personally won’t feel confident if this goes 7.

Well, folks, I want to thank you for being here for the recording of my live comedy album. Funny material and laughter will be dubbed in later.

by ChicagoNativeSon on Apr 26, 2010 7:26 PM EDT up reply actions

valid points

And it’s really my bad. As I said, I really wasn’t trying to be rude or cause conflict, which is how I could’ve easily been taken. I’m just typing fast because I am only taking breaks from a hectic last week of school, so not much thought is going into posts

by Great Paperclip on Apr 26, 2010 9:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Man, Hossa this Hossa that.

I just don’t care about him, maybe he should’ve been suspended, or thrown out. The Preds had that game and lost it. Hossa is a nice scapegoat, but it doesn’t make up for sucking on the power play.

That being said, the Preds are going to win tonight. I have no doubt in this; they’re going to be pissed. Final score: 5-2.

by DonBorvio on Apr 26, 2010 12:37 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Amen

Tired of Hossa talk. Whatever happens tonight will happen regardless of Hossa’s presence.

"Get to the Choppa!"

by PredHead on Apr 26, 2010 4:46 PM EDT up reply actions

I’m also tired of acting like this is the most painful loss in history. Yes, we lost it in the last seconds. But as Dirk rightly pointed out, we had NO business being up in the first place. We had a spectacular comeback that came out of NOWHERE. I much prefer this headline to the alternative: “Preds get Destroyed on National TV”

"Get to the Choppa!"

by PredHead on Apr 26, 2010 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah, but you still gotta put those games away

This is a team that CAN come back from this. It’ll be interesting to see if they can manage it

by Great Paperclip on Apr 26, 2010 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Hawks close it out tonight in dominating fashion.

Rinne let’s up his first soft one of the series early. It’s due to happen, as he’s been stellar all series. He’s due for a bad one, and unfortunately for Pred fans, it comes tonight. Final Hawks win 5 – 1

by HawksWin on Apr 26, 2010 3:21 PM EDT reply actions

Umm… I think you forgot about the 3rd period when you got the score from the Coyotes-Blackhawks game, the final score was 5-2, not 4-1.

by Elliotte on Apr 26, 2010 3:22 PM EDT reply actions

Thanks for the correction, that’ll teach me to type before having my morning coffee!

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 26, 2010 3:55 PM EDT up reply actions

No problems, I see you have the same affliction J.P. has over at Japer’s Rink. Every couple of days there will be a mixup/typo/etc in the morning links

by Elliotte on Apr 27, 2010 7:46 AM EDT up reply actions

just curious

what do you guys think of Hornqvist saying he’ll only play if he’s 100%?

by istolethekishka on Apr 26, 2010 3:49 PM EDT reply actions

Obviously it’s Hornqvist’s decision since it is his career. The Preds won’t force him to play if he’s not ready. That being said, it’s the playoffs and it’s an elimination game, if he’s ok to go he should go. As Campbell demonstrated with the Hawks, you don’t need to be 100% to go. But ultimately, only Hornqvist knows how he really feels and he’s the one putting his health on the line. I can’t really criticize a guy who is looking out or his health.

by Hawkfan08 on Apr 26, 2010 4:03 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Hornqvist saying he’ll only play if he’s 100%?

Depends on the type of injury doesn’t it? If you can do further damage to it by playing then you shouldn’t play until the injury is 100%.

If you can’t do anymore damage by playing then you have to ask yourself a question. Can you honestly help the team playing at the level you would with this particular injury?

It was great that “45 stitches guy” came back and played the next game. But he only played a couple of shifts. Does that really help the team?

by DaleHalas on Apr 26, 2010 5:46 PM EDT up reply actions