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Nashville Predators 1, Philadelphia Flyers 0: Bring Out The Regular Season Brooms

Posted on by Nick Frias

The Nashville Predators opened their two game road trip with a 1-0 win against the Philadelphia Flyers, spoiling the Flyer’s 50th anniversary of their first ever home game. After four straight games played in the City of Brotherly Love between these two teams headed to overtime, Nashville pulled out a regulation victory.

The game began with both teams struggling to hold possession, although the Flyers controlled the puck more early on. There were 10 shots on goal through the first half of an extremely fast-paced first period, and many of those scoring chances came off of breakaways. The Predators sent the first player to the penalty box, as Colton Sissons was whistled for roughing just as the Preds were starting to gain momentum. Despite going up against a top ten powerplay unit, the shorthanded Preds were able to hold the Flyers down, and the first period ended scoreless, with the Preds out-shooting the Flyers 7-6.

The second period picked up where the first period left off. After a few minutes of free flowing hockey, Mattias Ekholm nearly took the puck for a coast-to-coast goal, losing control right before he would’ve taken a shot. After a few minutes of traded forechecks, breakaways, and scoring chances, Anthony Bitetto found his way to the penalty box by tripping Wayne Simmonds just as he was potentially going to put the puck into the net. The Predators killed off the Flyers powerplay, and finally, 27 minutes and 56 seconds into the game, we saw the first offsides call of the night.

A few minutes later, the Predators forced a turnover, and Colton Sissons led the charge on a 4-on-2, dropping the puck off to Matt Irwin who shot it off the post and out. A few minutes later, Scott Hartnell drew a high sticking penalty on Gudas, who went to the penalty box for two minutes. The Predators got some good movement on the powerplay, but they were unfortunately not able to put it past Neuvirth. The Flyers headed to the powerplay a few minutes later after Forsberg was whistled for interference. The Predators killed off 1:59 of that penalty before the period ended.

The third period began the same way the other two did: quick, breakaway scoring chances for both teams, with neither team finding too much success holding on to the puck for extended periods of time. 3 minutes into the period, Kevin Fiala stole the puck, and on the ensuing breakaway dished a gorgeous pass to Colton Sissons, who found the back of the net with a shot over Neuvirth’s pad side. The Preds nearly struck again, but none of their scoring chances for the ensuing 9 minutes found the back of the net.

With just over seven minutes left, Miika Salomaki headed to the box after being whistled for slashing. 30 seconds later, a Wayne Simmonds interference call evened the ice at 4-on-4. Neither team scored on the 4-on-4 or the Preds power play, and shot chances continued to fill up the stats sheet before Viktor Arvidsson was whistled for slashing with 1:06 remaining.

The Flyers came close multiple times during the final 66 seconds, but the Preds were one step ahead of them the entire time, leading to an errant pass with five seconds left that secured the game for the Predators.

Random Observations

  • The Flyers are getting some movement early, but Rinne and the defensemen look to be up to the challenge so far.
  • Hard to believe this game has gone 6 minutes without a whistle
  • Hartsy set a nice screen on that shot, if he keeps that up then he’ll get a deflection goal or block Neuvirth’s view well enough for the puck to find the net.
  • Aaaand just like that, 3 whistles in a minute.
  • What do you know, another Eastern Conference opponent, another crowd booing P.K. every time he touches the puck.
  • The Preds really need to tighten up in the NZ. The Flyers will find a way to score on one of these forechecks or breakaways.
  • McLeod follows up a big hit by completely missing a scoring chance
  • Roman “Gandalf” Josi stopping Voracek in his tracks there
  • First penalty kill of the night…c’mon guys
  • Doing alright through the first half of the Flyers PP to keep them from possessing the puck in the OZ for too long
  • Penalty = killed
  • Scoreless first, and the Preds are looking like a team who wants to win this game. Unfortunately, so do the Flyers.
  • HOLY HELL MATTIAS EKHOLM, WHAT A PLAY TO ALMOST OPEN THE SCORING
  • Earlier first whistle than we saw last period, but still a very fast-paced, free-flowing game
  • Bitetto with a desperation penalty there, but it saved a goal
  • O Captain, My Captain, we missed your defensive skills
  • Penalty = killed (again)
  • Nice play by Salo, now let’s get some good OZ time
  • IRWIN OFF THE POST ON A 4-ON-2, WE’RE SO CLOSE TO OPENING THE SCORING
  • Way to draw the penalty Hartsy, now let’s do something boys
  • Well that wasn’t awful, but it didn’t see a goal so it wasn’t great either
  • We’re starting to get scoring chances which is nice
  • Penalty = killed (I’m enjoying typing this so often)
  • COLTON SISSONS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOALLLL
  • How about we don’t do that after the whistle guys
  • Looking good closing out the game so far, let’s hold on for the next 8 minutes
  • Penalty = killed (That’s four straight)
  • I’d feel much better if just one of these shots of ours went in
  • Here comes PK #5
  • PENALTY = KILT (HANDS GO UP)/

Super Duper Stars of the Game

  1. Pekka “Gandalf” Rinne: 28 SOG for the Flyers. 0 Goals. YOU. SHALL. NOT. PASS.
  2. Kevin “Wolverine” Fiala: An assist after a great hustle play. Fiala hustled almost as much as Viktor Arvidsson tonight, and the kid broke his leg in April.
  3. Goalton Sissons: He found the back of the net on a gorgeous shot, negating the negative impact his roughing could have had early in the game.

Tweets of the Night

Game Extras

Game Video

Talking Points