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Detroit Red Wings 3, Nashville Predators 2: Small mistakes cost Predators

Posted on by Kristopher Martel

Fresh off a nice holiday break and carrying a two-game winning streak, the Predators could have kept it rolling against an Eastern Conference opponent in a Red Wings team who they rightfully owed after blowing their previous outing and wasting a Shea Weber hat trick.

Filip Forsberg nearly had a hat trick of his own tonight, however Nashville couldn’t muster the three goals they need to win and ultimately lost the season series to the Red Wings and ending its short winning streak at two.

Random Observations

  • I really haven’t been a fan of Eric Nystrom’s play on the fourth line as of late, as I fully believe that Austin Watson should have earned a place in the lineup by now — especially in that type of position. Nystrom guarded the wrong man and left Brendan Smith alone who rifled one past Rinne. That’s not a mistake you need to make
  • Man alive, though. Forsberg? That man has a filthy, filthy shot.
  • The second power play unit is flat-out garbage. First power play unit? Great. Does great work. De-pair Ryan Ellis and Seth Jones and put out three different forwards than Craig Smith, Colin Wilson and Mike Ribeiro
  • Never really understood why back-to-back penalties aren’t called more. Henrik Zetterberg absolutely got away with a trip on Roman Josi during a delayed high-sticking penalty late in the first.
  • What a lucky goal by Riley Sheahan on Detroit’s power play during the second period. That, however, is what I’ve been saying about a lot of goals by the opposition lately.
  • Nashville could play with a bit more fire during the second period. Detroit absolutely owned them and that never happens for a full 20 minutes.
  • Ribeiro winning an offensive zone face-off and Smith Forsberg rifling a shot past a blinking Mrazec was a real highlight. If you were watching at home, the slow-mo replay of Mrazek not even flinching when the puck skimmed past his noodle was a thing of beauty.
  • That Forsberg penalty? I’m not even mad. I’m actually pretty impressed. Hitting a puck mid-air out of play like you’re swinging a baseball bat? Alright.
  • Luke Glendening’s goal was just the same. Horrid for the Preds to fail clearing the zone, but Glendening had some fantastic hand-eye coordination to smack that puck down to the ice and past Rinne.
  • Nashville seemed enthusiastic to start the third, lackluster halfway through it — which led to Glendening’s goal — and came back to finish strong in the last minute, but too much time spent watching Detroit during this game than participating.
  • That last minute of regulation was extremely nerve-racking.

OTF’s Super Duper Stars of the Game

  • Catfish Man – Man sneaks two catfish in to throw on the ice and did in during two separate periods. I don’t know how these people do it, but kudos to you, sir.
  • Filip Forsberg – Should’ve had the hat trick, but two goals — and a four-game point streak — is good enough for me
  • Mike Ribeiro – Two apples for the veteran third-line second-line first-line center, but his offensive zone draw to set-up the second Predators goal was extremely timely
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Tweets of the Game

Boxscore – Game Summary – Event Summary – War-on-Ice – HockeyStats – Natural Stat Trick

Roll the video highlights…


Talking Points