Predators 4, Blues 2: It's The Craig Smith Experience

Hillen has got to go.

O’reilly couldn’t keep up the good performance from Friday’s game.

Tootoo drew that penalty, but I was kinda hoping for a better start to his game this season. He was so good last year in the playoffs. Hopefully, he starts to create plays like we know he can.

Of course, Erat is hurt again. The glass man. I guess he will be able to blame his crappy performance on injuries once again.

Forgot how slow Blum is.

Klein and O’reilly were in no man’s land on the 1st goal. Klein also got overpowered big time on the goal Oshie almost scored and Pekka made the save of the night on. Nice snipe though. Where the hell did that come from?

Horny looked better.

Wilson looked awesome.

Smith is so quick at getting to that puck in the offensive zone. It is his puck, he owns it.

Congrats to Leggy for tying the franchise record for empty net goals. So many milestones.

Sk and Spaling as line mates is as underwhelming as can be imagined.

Stortini is out of his mind. He really scares me.

The Captain America line did it all tonight.

Kostitsyn had two chances at scoring an ENG and he still decided to PASS to Legwand. Is he crazy!? I just don’t understand the guy.

That’s a big 2 points on the road, down Fisher and Erat, and on the second half of a back to back. Thanks Pekka.

This Blues team scares me quite a bit, i think they’re going to be pretty nasty when they have time to gel and start clicking. A little weak on the back end, but Oshie and McDonald bring so much speed to their lines, with quality finishers around them. They’ll be even better when Perron gets back. I like the 3rd line of Arnott and Langenbrunner too, Arnott might not work hard to get the puck, but he’s still got a hell of a shot when he does get it and Langenbrunner brings some grit and work ethic. Sobotka surprised me in his limited ice time, he was busting it when he was out there and won his fair share of faceoffs too.

On the road for back-to-back home openers in the division, and come back with four points (and none for them)? I’ll take it, however they did it. That Captain America line and Pekka are two big reasons, and I thought Klein played very well this weekend. Face-offs were better last night, but Cal’s line was worse. Much worse. Really excited about Mr. Smith. Probably my biggest takeaway from the weekend. He’s ready.

…..since we’re still 4th in our Conference, second in our Division…..and among several other undefeated teams.

We need to OWN Detroit and Chicago………..beat them DOWN………..raise our goal-differential even higher………..so that we can beat any/all tie-breakers.

Next weekend will speak volumes !!

WE NEED TO SELL OUTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT !!!!!!

WE NEED NOISE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Trotz, Poile and the whole staff will remain uneasy with winning games by scoring PP goals, mainly………………..look at last years Ducks.

We need to pile-up these wins, become more and more efficient……..keep pressure on the opposing goalies…….clean-up our blue line inadequacies………keep both of our goalies working and alert/healthy.

A few years back, we won about 9 of our first 11 games……..and then began faltering.

It’s a long and painful season.

I’ve seen it every year that we’ve had a team……….if we don’t improve CONSTANTLY, we lag behind.

ANY/all fence-sitters on THIS year’s team will face some serious disappointment.

PRODUCE, GET BETTER or sit down……..that should be the “Preds’ Way”..

Now……..go out there at TAKE IT !!

;-)

  We won last night because Rinne was way better than the other teams goalie. Period. Pay Rinne whatever he wants, cuz without him we’re an also ran team. (How ’ya like that, CAustin!). ;)

  Sure, we won and got the 2pts against one of the two teams (the Jackets being the other) that if we run up the point totals against will propel us into the playoffs again. But it’s the goalie who is winning these games for us despite getting outshot 33-16 by a division rival! Play like this against the top teams in our conference once you get into the playoffs and you’ll be one and done.

 Trotz said we “played a little rope-a-dope” during that game. Why are we playing rope-a-dope against a team with a similiar talent level as us? That Rinne is superior to a lot of other teams goalies is great, but it’s blurring the weaknesses of the rest of the team and I’m not sure Trotz or Poile cares as long as Rinne keeps pulling wins out of what should be defeats. This is not a gameplan to make the team a legit Cup contender, only enough to drag the team into the playoffs. This mentality is my #1 gripe with this organization (in case you wondered)!

  Now that I’ve got that out of the way, Smith is clearly here to stay. He’s got something that you either have at this level or not: goal scoring instincts. It’s a great credit to him that he’s a clearly a top 6 forward on this team, not so great a credit to the rest of the forward group that a kid right out of college is outplaying them.

  Interesting comments from the Blues radio announcers last night. They very confidently said that the Blues should beat the Preds because the Blues were the more talented team. That maybe so, but until the Blues actually find a way to beat the Preds, a more humble assessment is in order there.

  Stortini getting dropped (again) in an NHL fight brought back memories of, IIRC, Hartnell dropping Stortini a few years ago as well. Storts is a gamer, but cover your face, kid!

  And where hath Poile’s great under the radar signing of this off-season (Bergfors) gone? Why, he was the bigtime goal scorer we’ve all been waiting for (sarcasm intended)! Me thinks we’ve got the next Svatos with NB, not the next SK74.

  But we’re 2-0, so shut up you miserable bear! :)