Predators vs Canucks preview: Everybody Loves Raymond
by Dirk Hoag on Dec 1, 2011 11:17 AM EST
in Nashville Predators Game Previews
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The Nashville Predators have a chance to salvage something significant out of their current 1-3-0 road trip tonight in Vancouver (9:00 p.m. Central on FS-TN), where the Canucks present a daunting challenge. After stumbling out of the gate, Vancouver has looked much more like last year's Presidents Trophy winner in recent weeks, so the Predators will need to bring a solid team effort if they hope to steal a point or two out of this one.
The big news in Vancouver, however, is the return of Mason Raymond to the lineup...
Tale Of The Tape
| Nashville (11-9-4) at Vancouver (14-9-1) | |||||||
| NSH Offense vs. VAN Defense | VAN Offense vs. NSH Defense | ||||||
| 5-on-5 | |||||||
| GF/60 | SF/60 | Shoot % | GA/60 | SA/60 | Save % | ||
| NSH Offense | 2.2 (22nd) | 25.5 (27th) | 8.6 (12th) | 2.2 (9th) | 31.8 (29th) | 929 (8th) | NSH Defense |
| VAN Defense | 2.3 (10th) | 29.0 (12th) | 919 (15th) | 2.6 (9th) | 31.2 (8th) | 8.2 (14th) | VAN Offense |
| GA/60 | SA/60 | Save % | GF/60 | SF/60 | Shoot % | ||
| Special Teams | |||||||
| NSH PP vs. VAN PK | VAN PP vs. NSH PK | ||||||
| GF/60 | SF/60 | Shoot % | GA/60 | SA/60 | Save % | ||
| NSH 5-on-4 | 5.2 (19th) | 48.0 (15th) | 10.9 (19th) | 5.6 (15th) | 55.1 (26th) | 898 (11th) | NSH 4-on-5 |
| VAN 4-on-5 | 4.6 (6th) | 55.2 (27th) | 917 (4th) | 9.1 (1st) | 62.4 (2nd) | 14.7 (6th) | VAN 5-on-4 |
| GA/60 | SA/60 | Save % | GF/60 | SF/60 | Shoot % | ||
*gulp*
The Canucks are a superior 5-on-5 team, and boast a terrifying power play. Nashville needs to stay out of the box, hope for a low-scoring game, and make the most of the opportunities they get.
Vancouver Canucks
Tonight, the Canucks welcome back Mason Raymond into the lineup, the speedy forward who broke vertebrae in his back on an awkward hit during the Stanley Cup Final against Boston:
It's been a long road back for Raymond, and now he adds even more depth to a stacked lineup. Per Nucks Misconduct, here's what the lines may look like:
FORWARDS
Burrows-H. Sedin-D. Sedin
Higgins-Kesler-Raymond
Booth-Hodgson-Hansen
Volpatti-Malhotra-Lapierre
DEFENCE
Hamhuis-Bieksa
Edler-Salo
Alberts-Ballard
In goal, it's already been announced that Cory Schneider gets the nod tonight, as the continuing drama around Roberto Luongo continues. Can you imagine that? A team signing a goalie to a huge long-term contract, then facing a conundrum when a young goalie also develops and performs well?
The Canucks are riding a 5-game winning streak into this game, after having struggled early in the season. That was likely due to the fact that head coach Alain Vignault rested his veterans as much as possible during the preseason, in order to give them a little more recovery time after their long playoff run.
Nashville Predators
The only lineup change I'd expect to see for the Preds is whether or not Kyle Wilson gets in the lineup at the expense of Brian McGrattan, since the Canucks don't really play the enforcer game.
UPDATE: The word now is that Sergei Kostitsyn is out for tonight's game, so scratch that idea!
With so many forwards riding cold streaks offensively, might Barry Trotz completely blow up the lines tonight? I'm a big fan of occasionally doing so even under better circumstances, as players can sometimes slip into some bad habits when they get used to a linemate always doing something a particular way. When you're playing alongside new guys, it forces players to remember the basics and focus on the game plan.
No matter what, Nashville will need a strong effort out of the man in goal tonight to avoid a 5-1 thumping like the one they took on their last visit to Vancouver, but that's the least of my worries. As we recall from the playoffs, he knows how to put on a show in Vancouver as well as anyone...
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wish list for this game
Smith replaces HornQ (9 game pointless streak, -5 in that time) on the first line.
Josi sees real ice time, with Klien, and against Kessel. I want to see if he can be the 2nd line Dman the team needs, and this is as good a time as any to see what he can do.
Keys to the game: GA<GF
gah i always do that!!!
way to similar. My dyslexia loves to screw me over when trying to type, or talk, about those 2 names.
Keys to the game: GA<GF
Haha. I remember there was a game (many years back) where Pete Weber had to do play-by-play while Timonen, Peltonen, AND Numminen were all on the ice at the same time. That must have been a nightmare…
Hands go uuppp..... AND THEY STAY THERE!
-nashvillepredators-
That’s nothing, check out the Finnish Olympic team from Turino in 2006.
Numminen & Nummelin on defense… a whole host of names up front that are so similar. A broadcaster’s nightmare.
Managing Editor of On the Forecheck, SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators, and founder of Hockey Gear HQ, a site devoted to helping you save on hockey equipment, accessories, and NHL apparel.
Questions for you advances stat types
might Barry Trotz completely blow up the lines tonight
Is Trotz the only coach notorious for mixing the lines up so much?
And is there any reference that tracks players’ points by line combination? Something like this
Fantasy Pool Look: Hottest lines,
but more a complete table of +/- , CORSI, etc. I would think that would be interesting on a team to team basis, but maybe impossible with the Preds.
Online 24/7 at
www.chas-e.net
Try the FrozenPool stuff at Dobberhockey.com
I believe it requires a registration, but I think you can do a lot there.
Managing Editor of On the Forecheck, SB Nation's blog covering the Nashville Predators, and founder of Hockey Gear HQ, a site devoted to helping you save on hockey equipment, accessories, and NHL apparel.
That's a fanTAStic question (yes, that emphasis is necessary lol)
If you find anything out, let us know!! I’m sure I’m not the only one who would love to read about that.
Hands go uuppp..... AND THEY STAY THERE!
-nashvillepredators-
We have enough talent to beat anyone on any given day. What we don’t have right now are players who want to do that. Hopefully, they will get their mojo back. Every game we are losing more ground. There are more good teams than last season-imo-and a losing streak is not helping the cause.
"I am you, you are me, and we are all together" Beatles
Put the Badger with Horny and his pointless streak will end.
Horny- Badger- wilson
Erat- Fisher- Tits
let the chips fall where they may.
My hockey team is better than your hockey team
I like the comedic possibilities
You have the Horny Badger line and the Fish and Tits line.
by RemoWilliams84 on Dec 1, 2011 3:50 PM EST up reply actions
his current streak started with badger.
He was scoring every game with legwand. Legwand got hurt. Then he only scored in the anaheim game on the line with smith. Then his pointless streak started, with Smith at center.
Keys to the game: GA<GF
That’s when Leggy was playing well. He really hasn’t played the same since. The Horny, Honey and Smith line showed some jump. We need energy from another line, other than the Toots line.
My hockey team is better than your hockey team
possible Van line update :)
as far as we can tell MayRay will come in on the 3rd line tonight bumping Manny to the 4th and Volpatti out – things are always subject to change of course but we think the lines will look like:
sedin-sedin-burrows
higgins-booth-kesler
hansen-hodgson-raymond
weise-lapierre-malhotra
Go Canucks Go!
Guess who I want to win
Hint: Not the Canucks.
Please get a big W, Preds :)
I'm that ''ignorant dumbass'' who writes with the ''whiny idiot homer'' over at Hockey Wilderness.
Twitter: BubbleWild48
Btw, looks like I'm going to have to place a bet:
According to Vegasinsider.com, the Wild opened the season with 60-to-1 odds to win the Stanley Cup. And now that they are atop the N.H.L.? They are still 60-1 to win the Cup.
Bodog had them for 82.5 points this year
I truly hope a lot of people chose the over for this one. That was crazy even before the season started. Hell, it was a little crazy before the offseason trades!
I'm that ''ignorant dumbass'' who writes with the ''whiny idiot homer'' over at Hockey Wilderness.
Twitter: BubbleWild48
Like I said earlier this week
The Wild are the Rodney Dangerfield of hockey.
I'm that ''ignorant dumbass'' who writes with the ''whiny idiot homer'' over at Hockey Wilderness.
Twitter: BubbleWild48
WIN NEEDED BADLY!
Tonight would be a great time to turn this train around! We have played pretty good the last couple of games in my opinion. If we can control that biscuit tonight, I think we can pull a win!
Trotz, please put Smith back on the second line!
"I had all my own teeth and I wanted to keep it that way." - Tom Glavine
All hockey players are bilingual. They know English and profanity.
Gordie Howe
Oh, C’mon now, let’s keep the lines we’ve been using that have produced little to no offense together! :D
Of course we should make some line changes, moving Smith back up on the 2nd line being one of them.
Defense keeps you in games........offense wins them!
by Grizzledbear on Dec 1, 2011 7:07 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
As in, they suck with the best of them?
Hands go uuppp..... AND THEY STAY THERE!
-nashvillepredators-
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Dirk Hoag is the Forechecker, churner of NHL stats & analysis, and managing editor of On the Forecheck.
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