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Nashville Predators 2, Colorado Avalanche 3: Questionable Call Costs Nashville A Win

Posted on by Shaun Smith

The Nashville Predators met up with the Colorado Avalanche Saturday night. Both teams were riding win streaks (Nashville with 3, Colorado with 5) and while it certainly seemed foolish to say that this game meant more to the Predators, they definitely had more on the line. The Avalanche continue to sit very comfortably in a playoff spot behind the St. Louis Blues and ahead of the Dallas Stars. Going into the game, the Predators were precariously located in the 2nd Wild Card spot, 1 point behind Calgary, who fell to the Predators in overtime on Thursday night. The Predators were also tied with the Winnipeg Jets and had the Minnesota Wild knocking on the door 1 point behind both.

What Happened

  • After all the excitement of Thursday, this barn seems empty…but it may be due to the historic soccer game going on at the same time./

  • Colin Blackwell and Filip Forsberg have had excellent chances so far.
  • Predators got lucky…that was close. However, transitional play looks good so far.
  • Ryan Ellis hooked and will head to the box. The Predators are on the penalty kill. This is not a good place for the Predators to be.
  • Juuse Saros has no stick on the penalty kill.
  • Aggressive forechecking after that clear gave Kyle Turris a great shot on goal. #transitions
  • Ryan Ellis is out of the box. I’d take penalty killing like that all day./

  • Valeri Nichushkin decided to interfere and now he will have a seat in the penalty box.
  • Roman Josi send one from the blueline and the crowd in front of the net nearly put the Predators up! Sadly, he did not. Additionally, the Predators were unable to convert and the power play expired.
  • Juuse Saros is saving everything.
  • Really, that last save by Saros was incredible. He was lying on his stomach and the puck dribbled out. One of the Avalanche had a chance and tried to lift it over his pad…Saros got his pad up and made the save while under all kinds of duress.
  • Roman Josi just tried to out-juke all five guys at once. He was unsuccessful, but everybody got to change behind him.
  • The Predators are really forcing the Avalanche to dump the puck.
  • Quite the flurry of shots at the end of the first for the Predators. If they can play like this all night, they’ve got a solid chance. Let’s all hope the second period bug doesn’t bite.
  • Let’s get the second period party started.
  • Nathan MacKinnon is FAST. Good thing Saros was on his toes.
  • A little post save may have saved the Preds there.
  • Kyle Turris almost got one past Pavel Francouz…would have been a great start to the second.
  • Matt Duchene commits holding and J.T. Kompher goes down easy, sending the Predators back to the penalty kill.
  • COLTON SISSONS is a penalty kill monster. That penalty is dead.
  • Lots of excitement as Viktor Arvidsson almost finds the net. The crowd celebrated a little too early. /

  • Solid defensive play from Kyle Turris leads to a great chance for Filip Forsberg.
  • Tenacity is what I’m seeing right now. The Predators look like a pain to play against tonight. This is a good look.
  • I’ll point out that the arena has filled in quite nicely.
  • Gabriel Landeskog got the puck in too close for my liking, but the Predators were able to get it out of there. Can’t let some of these guys have any chances or they’ll capitalize on them.
  • Pierre-Edouard Bellemare had a chance, but Ryan Ellis did a great job of stopping it.
  • Man, this team missed Ryan Ellis while he was out. Corey Perry can kick rocks.
  • As I mentioend earlier, you can’t let guys like Landeskog get in too close and he did exactly that. The puck seemed to barely bounce behind the goal line, but the crowd ain’t buying it.
  • Bit of a stall before dropping the puck, but the goal stands and the Colorado Avalanche draw first blood and are up 1-0./

  • And now, the second period scaries are spooking the Predators and Martin Kaut has his second NHL goal…and the Avalanche are up 2-0./

  • Erik Johnson is called for hooking Mikael Granlund. It looks more like interference, but what do I know? He’s headed to the box and the third period will start with the Predators on the power play.
  • The third period is underway and under the power play.
  • Predators have maintained a sustained attack in the offensive zone under this power play. Not a ton of chances, but better than letting a short-handed goal sneak in there.
  • Matt Duchene tried to some highlight reel stuff and it almost worked. Not enough room left to put any “oomph” on his shot, but they’ve accused Gabriel Landeskog of hooking.
  • Gabriel Landeskog was on trial for hooking and was found GUILTY…to the box with big GL and to the power play for the Predators.
  • Some nice chances on the first power play unit.
  • Alas, no goals.
  • Dante Fabbro has been called for high-sticking and the Predators are back on the penalty kill. They need a stellar kill and then build off of that energy and find a way to come back and get some points on the board.
  • Saros just got the stop they needed to get motivated…and Arvidsson just sacrificed his body to get the clear.
  • Penalty killed. Go time.
  • I guess that wasn’t tripping?
  • There are ten minutes left and Nashville is down by 2. This is when they need to flip the switch.
  • Known pugilist Kyle Turris starts a little rough stuff with Valeri Nichushkin.
  • Viktor Arvidsson, chased by two Avalanche, breaks away for a goal, putting the Predators back within 1 at 2-1./

  • Colin Blackwell, pushed into Pavel Francouz (who was out of the crease) by his teammate Nikita Zadorov, is called for goaltender interference. The shot from Dante Fabbro entered the net cleanly and should have, in my opinion, been called a goal. I’m unsure if this can be challenged.
  • Instead of a tied game, the Avalance have been gifted a power play. No one is happy. Especially not Ann./

  • Empty net goal by Erik Johnson. Avalanche up 3-1.
  • Calle Jarnkrok scores with 1.7 seconds left. Avalanche still lead 3-2.
  • …and, the Avalanche win what should have been a 3-2 victory for the Predators with a score of 3-2.
  • Big mad. /

Shaun’s Three Golden Heroes of the Night

1. Calle Jarnkrok – too little too late.

2. Viktor Arvidsson – big time energy goal.

3. The Fans – For booing the refs, who clearly deserved it, with fervor.

Talking Points