The Week Ahead For The Nashville Predators

by Dirk Hoag on Jan 8, 2012 4:04 PM EST in Nashville Predators News

After going 2-1 in the week gone by, the level of competition takes a big step up for the Nashville Predators, as they face a home-and-home with one of the hottest teams in the Western Conference, and an Eastern Conference power which has Stanley Cup aspirations this spring.

Can the Preds keep the good times rolling, especially that sellout streak at Bridgestone Arena? Let's take a look...

Nashville Predators tickets are getting scarce, so make sure to take the OTF Discount!

Tuesday @ Colorado Avalanche

The week kicks off Tuesday night in Denver, where the Preds will take on an Avalanche team which looked for a while like they were going to fade out of the playoff hunt with a 13-16-1 record about a month ago, but since then they've gone 10-3-0 to storm right back into the mix. Currently in 10th place, they are just one point behind the Predators and Wild in 6th & 7th, so they will look at this week as an opportunity to pass one of the teams ahead of them.

Notably, the Preds have won five straight games against the Avalanche, dating back to February 4, 2010.

With star center Matt Duchene on the shelf for a month, it's Cal's brother leading the Avs in scoring:

Ryan O`Reilly

#37 / Center / Colorado Avalanche

Height: 6-0

Weight: 200

Born: Feb 07, 1991

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG		SOG	PCT
2011 - Ryan O`Reilly	43	10	19	29	-3	10	3	0	0		83	12.0

Thursday vs. Colorado Avalanche

At least they're not playing on back to back nights, but familiarity should definitely breed contempt as the Preds and Avs follow up Tuesday's game with a rematch at Bridgestone Arena, in what is hoped to be the team's 9th straight sellout (got your tickets yet?). The Predators will seek to continue their recent stretch of solid play on home ice, where they've won 8 of their last 10 games.

Saturday vs. Philadelphia Flyers

One of the NHL's marquis teams comes to Smashville on Saturday night, as they seek to get back on track and drive for an Atlantic Division championship. After a 7-game winning streak carried them in early December, the Flyers stumbled over the final weeks of the year and allowed the Rangers to come from behind to beat them in the Winter Classic. Since that time they've beaten the Blackhawks & Senators, but there are concerns that former Preds captain Kimmo Timonen is dinged up, so we'll keep an eye on his status over the course of the week.

Kimmo Timonen

#44 / Defenseman / Philadelphia Flyers

Height: 5-10

Weight: 194

Born: Mar 18, 1975

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG		SOG	PCT
2011 - Kimmo Timonen	39	1	24	25	12	24	1	0	0		57	1.7

So what are your expectations for the week ahead? This will certainly be no cake walk...

Poll

How many standings points will the Nashville Predators earn this week?

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54 votes

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Comments

We gonna gitter done this week.

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 8, 2012 5:14 PM EST reply actions

Excited for for the Philly game.

Great team, and the place should be rockin. I think it will be a physical affair. Hartnell and Kimmo returning will add to the fun.

by TootooReigns on Jan 8, 2012 6:27 PM EST reply actions

As far as Philly, I don’t know whether I would rather face Cliff Lee or Jose Contreras…

World Wide Weber.
There is no tenderness or humanity in fanaticism.
~Joe Strummer

by cisar on Jan 8, 2012 7:18 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

Get ready for some wide open hockey!

Trotzy may pass out from all the end to end rushes! :D

We should do whatever the Blues did last night to the Avs. The Avs only had 4 SOG thru the 1st 30mins of the game. :o

Defense keeps you in games........offense wins them!

by Grizzledbear on Jan 8, 2012 8:49 PM EST via mobile reply actions

My prediction:

Split with Colorado, win against Philly.

Predators normally do pretty good against teams from the East.

I would prefer to take both against COL though. Got to take the points from the Western team.

Beer... Now there's a temporary solution.-Homer Simpson

by Josiah2729 on Jan 8, 2012 9:27 PM EST reply actions

Detroit now tops in Central, but have same # of points as StL and CHI

by JBoogie22 on Jan 8, 2012 11:20 PM EST reply actions

Of course that game had to go to OT...

I still think the Blues drop out of the picture soon.

Beer... Now there's a temporary solution.-Homer Simpson

by Josiah2729 on Jan 8, 2012 11:35 PM EST up reply actions

i'd be awesome if the preds were comfortably atop the division

it’s so stressful to try to remain in those bottom playoffs spots, i’d be great to finally have some cushion…then again it wouldn’t be predator hockey if I wasn’t biting my nails the whole way thru…

by JBoogie22 on Jan 9, 2012 12:05 AM EST up reply actions

Tootoo on 2 on now.

He is talking about substance abuse.

Beer... Now there's a temporary solution.-Homer Simpson

by Josiah2729 on Jan 8, 2012 11:48 PM EST reply actions

It's fantastic to hear him come right out and talk about that stuff.

Definitely the best way to address that kind of stuff on a personal level is to address it publicly (whether that means on TV or with friends or whatever). Good for him.

Hands go uuppp..... AND THEY STAY THERE!
-nashvillepredators-

by davisca on Jan 9, 2012 5:13 PM EST up reply actions

Got tickets to the Preds@Avs game tomorrow!!!

Lower-bowl, Preds attack-twice, section just to the right of the goal (as you’re facing it). Look for me in my gold jersey!!

Hands go uuppp..... AND THEY STAY THERE!
-nashvillepredators-

by davisca on Jan 9, 2012 2:17 PM EST reply actions

Sweet- glad to know I’ll have some company. I’ll be sporting a blue Rinne jersey in the nosebleeds.

by xIke on Jan 9, 2012 2:49 PM EST up reply actions

Oh, very nice! I thought I might be one of a few, lone Preds fans, so it’s good to know someone else will be there!

Hands go uuppp..... AND THEY STAY THERE!
-nashvillepredators-

by davisca on Jan 9, 2012 5:12 PM EST up reply actions

Nope…I’m the poor Preds fan who moved out here and has to watch every game on NHL Gamecenter. I’m hoping there are a few of us…maybe we can teach the lackluster Avs fans a thing or two about chanting (they don’t know any chants).

by xIke on Jan 9, 2012 7:30 PM EST up reply actions

Ah, yes… how familiar. I’ve spent the last 4 1/2 years watching almost every Preds game on my computer. The only exceptions were when they played Chicago because then I could watch it on TV. Up in Boston now it’s pretty much the same thing, except no TV because they so rarely play each other. I’ve been debating buying GameCenter because it’s so expensive, but after rereading what I just read, it seems like it would be very, very worthwhile haha.

Hands go uuppp..... AND THEY STAY THERE!
-nashvillepredators-

by davisca on Jan 9, 2012 9:03 PM EST up reply actions