Nashville Predators 2, Chicago Blackhawks 5: Ouch

After a poor showing against the Florida Panthers and missing some of their key players, the Predators had their work cut out for them against the Chicago Blackhawks.

With James Neal joining P.K. Subban and Mikka Salomaki on injured reserve Nashville would take another hit missing Viktor Arvidsson and Colin Wilson going into Sunday’s contest.

This one didn’t start off great. Mid-way through the first and the team converges on Patrick Kane leaving Artemi Panarin wide up for a quick one-timer right past Pekka Rinne. Luckily Mattias Ekholm answered right back to tie this one up quickly. However after the Predators wasted their second power play opportunity the Blackhawks took back the lead with a goal from Niklas Hjalmarsson.

The second period wasn’t much to write home about. Nashville generated some chances but couldn’t finish. Rinne kept the team alive by absolutely denying Panarin late in the period.

The Predators would go on the penalty kill with Kevin Fiala in the box with less than two minutes left in the period. Panarin would take a seat not much later for charging. The Predators gained some life and managed to hold Chicago to the one goal lead.

The four on four would carry over into the third period before the Predators would have just over a minute on the power play. Austin Watson tied it up at even strength and Chicago started to rally to get the lead again.

Things were looking okay until an absolute garbage goal from Chicago later in the third that just made this game laughable in the saddest way possible. The Predators spent a good amount of time testing their post hitting skills after that. Chicago sealed the deal with two empty netters and that was all she wrote for Nashville.

Get well soon Subban, Neal, Wilson, and Arvidsson, Nashville needs you.

Random Observations

• Is it just me or do the Blackhawks get called for too many men on the ice more than any other team we face?
• That power player was a snoozer.
• You can’t leave Artemi Panarin open like that, you just can’t. That was a sick one-timer.
• Ohh but that answer was fun! Good looking out Ekholm!
• Fiala mastering the art of drawing penalties. I ain’t mad at him.
• And the Hawks take back the lead...oy.
• I actually lost all memory of the entire first half of the second period...but nothing happened so that’s good.
• I miss Arvy.
• Pekka just denying Jordan Tootoo everything so far tonight.
• Ryan Johansen is doing a great job of getting in front of Crawford. Now if they could just make it count.
• Pekka Rinne just ROBBED Panarin. Robbed.
• Oh a penalty kill, joy.
• Oh 4 on 4 that’s cool too.
• Austin Watson with the equalizer! Watty! My dude!
• Chicago finding some life trying to get the lead back.
• Mike Fisher looks like he’s in complete agony on the bench. Hopefully Nashville won’t be adding the captain to the IR list.
• Rinne is just denying everyone since the Hawks second goal.
• Fisher still playing though he looks like he’d rather be without his foot right now. Ouch. Stay strong Cap!
• That’s a tough one for Rinne.
• After review the goal stands. Ugh.
• Ryan Ellis hit the post so hard the entire UC went silent for a second.
• Another post. Will the Predators ever score again?
• The empty net goal makes me cringe more than anything else in hockey.
• Oh look another one. Are we done here? This is getting hard to watch.

OTF’s Super Duper Stars of the Game

1. Mattias Ekholm: Nashville has a tendency to lose all momentum when they give up the first goal, Ekholm tying it up quickly definitely kept Nashville from giving up too early.
2. Austin Watson: Watson has really been outstanding this season. Again another game tying goal to keep Nashville’s momentum going in this one.
3. Mike Fisher: Two assists for the captain tonight even playing though some terrible pain towards the end.

Tweets of the Night

Game Extras

• Game Stats
• NaturalStatTrick
• HockeyStats