Predators @ Rangers Preview: Nashville Faces NHL's Top Team

by Dirk Hoag on Jan 17, 2012 9:52 AM EST in Nashville Predators Game Previews

Fresh off a convincing 3-1 win on Long Island, the Nashville Predators head into the heart of Manhattan for a game tonight against the New York Rangers, to be seen on NBC Sports at 6:30 p.m. Central. In front of a national audience, the Preds will have the chance to show how far they've come lately by taking on the #1 team in the NHL.

So how do our Predators stack up against the Blueshirts? Find out after the jump...

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Tale Of The Tape

Nashville (26-15-4) at NY Rangers (28-11-4)
NSH Offense vs. NYR Defense				NYR Offense vs. NSH Defense
5-on-5
	GF/60	SF/60	Shoot %	GA/60	SA/60	Save %
NSH Offense	2.2 (20th)	26.7 (27th)	8.4 (14th)	2.4 (9th)	30.9 (26th)	922 (10th)	NSH Defense
NYR Defense	1.9 (4th)	29.2 (9th)	935 (3rd)	2.6 (8th)	27.4 (25th)	9.4 (3rd)	NYR Offense
	GA/60	SA/60	Save %	GF/60	SF/60	Shoot %
Special Teams
NSH PP vs. NYR PK				NYR PP vs. NSH PK
	GF/60	SF/60	Shoot %	GA/60	SA/60	Save %
NSH 5-on-4	7.4 (3rd)	50.2 (14th)	14.8 (5th)	6.5 (21st)	53.1 (22nd)	877 (17th)	NSH 4-on-5
NYR 4-on-5	4.5 (4th)	47.9 (9th)	906 (6th)	5.1 (21st)	41.7 (29th)	12.3 (13th)	NYR 5-on-4
	GA/60	SA/60	Save %	GF/60	SF/60	Shoot %

This matchup features a number of strength-on-strength contests, such as Nashville's power play against New York's penalty kill. The one area that jumps out as a possible advantage is the Rangers' 5-on-5 play.

New York Rangers

The Rangers have gone through a transformation in the salary cap era, getting on-board with the draft & develop model for the bulk of their roster, while dipping into free agency on occasion to get the star power they need. One such example is Marian Gaborik, who is on pace to hit the 40-goal mark for the second time in his three Rangers seasons:

Marian Gaborik

#10 / Right Wing / New York Rangers

Height: 6-1

Weight: 204

Born: Feb 14, 1982

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG		SOG	PCT
2011 - Marian Gaborik	43	23	12	35	10	16	5	0	5		140	16.4

You know the expectations have been raised in New York when two losses in three games is looked at as a slide which needs to be turned around quickly:

The Rangers' next three games aren't exactly cakewalks either. New York will be taking on the Nashville Predators, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Boston Bruins -- three good teams who can easily turn this two losses in three games stretch into five losses in six games if the team does't find a way to snap out of it.

- Blueshirt Banter

New York Rangers Last 5 Games

@ Montreal	Sun 01/15	L 1 - 4
@ Toronto	Sat 01/14	W 3 - 0
Ottawa	Thu 01/12	L 0 - 3
Phoenix	Tue 01/10	SO - W 2 - 1
@ Pittsburgh	Fri 01/06	W 3 - 1

Nashville Predators

The big news around the Preds these days is the upper-body injury to Ryan Suter, which will keep him out of tonight's game. He tried to give it a go yesterday, but left after the 1st period, and fortunately the team already had a 3-0 lead they could focus on protecting the rest of the way. Shea Weber worked alongside Francis Bouillon mostly in Suter's absence, a pairing I'm guessing we'll see more of today against New York's top offensive line.

The man of the hour, of course, is Sergei Kostitsyn, who has ridden a recent hot streak to score 6 goals in the last 7 games. Has something substantially changed in SK74's approach, or are the hockey gods simply bestowing a bit of good fortune upon him lately?

Sergei Kostitsyn

#74 / Left Wing / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-0

Weight: 207

Born: Mar 20, 1987

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG		SOG	PCT
2011 - Sergei Kostitsyn	39	11	12	23	3	20	1	0	1		42	26.2

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Comments

I'll be there

Sitting behind the Ranger’s goal, watching Weber pepper Lundqvist.

"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass............and I'm all out of bubblegum."

by Dumont'sShorts on Jan 17, 2012 10:16 AM EST via mobile reply actions

Hats off to ya!

Be careful wearing Bold Gold up there. Don’t what no crazy activities post game to happen. Ii hope the Preds take it to them. With the global eye on that game it would be nice to win against them especially since we beat the Flyers. I think that would make a great impression on who Detroit should play in the winter classic :P

by TN Zac on Jan 17, 2012 10:23 AM EST up reply actions

I* Hope typo

by TN Zac on Jan 17, 2012 10:24 AM EST up reply actions

God no!!

I love Cube but please for the sake of Crying Baby Jesus do not put him against the Rangers top line. MOAR Josi!!! . Weber needs a puck mover with him…in other words JOSI. Leave Cube down on the "World’s shortest defensive pairing " with Ellis. I kinda like the overall symmetry that pairing brings to the NHL’s “Tallest Goalie Tandem”. Remember grasshopper " In all things there must be balance…" – TitanPredBearFan (oh…and some other famous guy)

by TitanPredBearFan on Jan 17, 2012 10:23 AM EST reply actions

I didn’t look at the toi sheet from yesterday but Imo the games Thursday, Saturday, and Monday are more important than this game so keep 6,8,59 and maybe 51’s minutes down tonight.

by wrandsw on Jan 17, 2012 10:44 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

I don’t get the hate for SK74. Yes he could shoot the puck more but the guy is scoring goals and creating chances. Why is everything that involves him have a negative twist to it when Dirk writes the piece? Toots and maybe hustlechuk are the only 2 guys that you can’t really say need to shoot the puck more.

by wrandsw on Jan 17, 2012 10:40 AM EST via mobile reply actions

Hate?

I thought I phrased this as neutrally as I could, asking for your take on what’s behind his hot streak:

Has something substantially changed in SK74’s approach, or are the hockey gods simply bestowing a bit of good fortune upon him lately?

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by Dirk Hoag on Jan 17, 2012 10:42 AM EST up reply actions

Fair enough

I read it that you felt it was predominantly luck that the shots were finding the back of the net.
I guess I just assumed based on previous pieces that was the side you leaned to.

by wrandsw on Jan 17, 2012 10:50 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

hate? no. Frustration? yes.

what was much more frustrating than his lack of shots during the months of November and December was SK74’s invisible play. He didn’t seem interested in skating, didn’t seem interested in battling along the boards, and the only time he made an appearance was when he passed the puck to the other team.

It seems he’s changed a lot of that in the last two weeks.

by Only Fan In J.C. ? on Jan 17, 2012 11:05 AM EST up reply actions

LOL

Get em!!!

Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is where the Stanley Cup can be found.

by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Jan 17, 2012 12:18 PM EST up reply actions

Kostitsyn

More than the hockey gods or good fortune, is SK74 just a second-half guy? Remember that last year he came on in December after “adjusting to the system.” Maybe he just doesn’t like playing in October and November.

by WINB on Jan 17, 2012 11:04 AM EST reply actions

Maybe those are Balurussian months of rest!

or laziness!

Either way, 2nd half Tits is far preferred over 1st half Tits.

We'll miss you Belak...

Go Predators!

by Poiju on Jan 17, 2012 1:26 PM EST up reply actions

Halischuk...

10 goals at $715,500…none too shabby. I am so digging halischuk scoring on the fourth line.
Keep rolling four lines, Trotz, the boys will need short shifts tonight already.

GO PREDS!!!!!!!!!!

by HardCorePredFan316 on Jan 17, 2012 11:58 AM EST reply actions

Correction in the title:

Predators @ Rangers Preview: Nashville Faces ~~NHL’s~~ Eastern Conference’s Top Team

Fixed. We gonna whoop dem boys.

Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is where the Stanley Cup can be found.

by Pekka for Predator Pontiff on Jan 17, 2012 12:20 PM EST reply actions

Crazy.

The Preds are eighth in the league standings, but fourth in the division.

Contributor at Music City Miracles. and On The Forecheck.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.

Follow @thawardasa.

by Aditya T (smashville) on Jan 17, 2012 1:09 PM EST reply actions

That is just insane!

by TitanPredBearFan on Jan 17, 2012 2:03 PM EST up reply actions

I'm hoping for a great, hotly contested game.

Predators are always my team, first and fore(check)most.

The Rangers, though, have been my Eastern team for a few years now. They’re a very hardworking, hard battling team. They boost equally scary goal tending and a propensity to hit you hard from any line. Sound familiar? Difference is they have a true top line, but we have a better blue line.

It’s going to be an awesome game, Go Preds!

We'll miss you Belak...

Go Predators!

by Poiju on Jan 17, 2012 1:34 PM EST reply actions

Lindy in net...

Showcase, anyone?

I have to think that’s at least part of the decision, or maybe it’s a reverse psychology thing where the team (eh ,hm,… Poile cough, cough) can still convince themselves that if they lose (god forbid) it was because Pekka wasn’t in net and Suter didn’t play, not because they didn’t need some trade deadline help.

by TitanPredBearFan on Jan 17, 2012 2:08 PM EST reply actions

Not sure I worded that last part quite right, but I’m sure you can decipher my conspiracytheory-tinfoilhatwearing sarcasm. Damned SB “no edit” feature.

by TitanPredBearFan on Jan 17, 2012 2:12 PM EST up reply actions

has anyone heard if Smith will be well enough to play tonight?

I’m ok with Lindy starting….he’s had a rough start but he’s a good goalie. Worried about Suter being out but at the same time they survived without weber so i’m sure we’ll find a way to manage.

by Herzausstein on Jan 17, 2012 2:16 PM EST up reply actions