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Preds 2, Stars 4 – Dallas Stars Win In A Physical Winter Classic Punctuated by Another Nashville Collapse

Posted on by Bryan Bastin

Recap

A lot of wonderful pregame festivities started the afternoon, and with the ceremonial puck drop(s) by Troy Aikman and Ricky Williams, the game would start.  Early on, neither team could get much going at five on five, and just after Nashville finally started to get possession, Corey Perry hit Ryan Ellis in the head with his elbow, sending Ellis out of the game and Perry out on a misconduct.

Shortly into the five-minute major, a delay of game was taken by the Dallas Stars, and Nashville would get the 5 on 3.  Matt Duchene opened the scoring for Nashville, and then a couple of minutes later, Duchene wired a great cross-ice pass to Dante Fabbro to send the score to 2-0 Nashville.

Nashville would finally manage some shots on goal at the end of a dominant first period.  The pace of the game would continue in Nashville’s favor from the start of the second, however, it was announced that Ellis would not return.  The tide turned with about eight minutes left in the second, and back-to-back penalties by the Predators resulted in a Tyler Seguin goal shortly after the first penalty.

The third period began with 1:42 left on the Colin Blackwell delay of game penalty, and Mattias Janmark would get a goal shortly after, tying up the game.  The score was even, but Nashville was clearly on their heels, prompting a Nashville timeout to try and slow things down.  It wouldn’t matter, however, as Ryan Johansen takes a holding penalty and Alexander Radulov scores the go-ahead goal to make the score 3-2 – the Dallas Stars have scored 3 goals in 6:24 and the Predators couldn’t manage a single shot on goal the entire time.

Hoping to take back SOME of the momentum back, Nashville starts pushing but Dallas, again, scored on a Radulov goal and the Predators could feel the game slipping away, as it has so many times this season.

Attendance announced at over 85,000, but with under 10 minutes to go, Nashville couldn’t afford to focus on the crowd.  With time running out, Nashville was able to finally get some quality offensive zone time, but they crossed into the 5 minute mark and stoppage still down 2 goals.

Pekka Rinne headed to the bench with 2:22 left, and the Predators with the extra man had to make SOMETHING happen.  But more of the same.  Standing around, perimeter passing and several shots at the Nashville empty net.  There were a handful of chances, but nothing coming close.  The horn sounds, and the home crowd went home happy.

Observations

  • What a great way to start – looks about 70-30 Dallas fans in the stands, but Nashville fans are LOUD
  • Not much going early at 5 on 5
  • Unbelievable dirty elbow from Corey Perry (who else) on Ryan Ellis and Ellis has to be helped off the ice
  • Perry is gone for the day.  Good riddance, you idiot
  • Preds get a 5 minute major power play, can they do it?
  • Dallas gets an iffy delay of game (in my opinion) and Nashville has a chance now at 5 on 3
  • AND THERE’S MATT DUCHENE!  1-0 Preds!
  • Back to 5 on 4, still on the major from Perry
  • THAT PASS FROM DUCHENE CROSS-ICE TO FABBRO OH MY STARS, uh, I mean, GOODNESS
  • 2-0 Nashville, can they keep it up
  • Nashville still has just a single shot at even strength, which feels off, but we’ve had a lot of penalty time
  • Penalty shot – oh man.  And Pekka Rinne calmly makes the stop.  That’s our man
  • Colin Blackwell gets into it and he and Radek Faksa head off for fighting majors
  • On the other side of the ice, Austin Watson with a pretty clean hit on Blake Comeau, but Comeau’s head hit the ice and he’s heading into the locker room.  Let’s hope he’s ok
  • Nashville finishes the period with a flurry of chances, especially by Craig Smith
  • More Pig Races at Intermission
  • Ryan Elllis is out to start the second
  • This game is still ridiculously chippy
  • Shots are swinging this game Nashville’s way, and now another penalty for the Stars
  • Seguin comes out of the box on the stretch pass and gets a chance, but the Predators get good defense from behind by Mattias Ekholm, and Rinne makes a ton of amazing saves
  • Pekka Rinne is on another level today – unbelievable saves all day
  • Smith takes a far shot, and Rocco Grimaldi missed an amazing rebound chance on an empty net
  • Joe Pavelski draws and penalty, big time PK for Nashville
  • Great PK, and Bonino get an odd man rush short handed that gets turned aside, and the penalty is killed
  • But Dallas gets the chance on a rush as the PP expires, and Blake Comeau gets the goal on a crazy wraparound pass from Dickinson.  Pekka Rinne was without his stick, alas
  • Faksa and Ekholm collide on an uncalled penalty that should’ve been on Faksa, and Blackwell hits a puck that LOOKS like it hit the glass, but is a penalty, and ANOTHER PK
  • The Predators just BARELY hold on to end the second.  Give me a few minutes to breathe.
  • Gary Bettman (BOOOOOO) announces at intermission that the 2021 Winter Classic will be held at Target Field with the Minnesota Wild, with opponent TBA
  • Dallas starts the third with 1:42 left on the Blackwell penalty.  The Preds HAVE to kill this, or the momentum is all the Stars.
  • Sigh, Janmark goal and the momentum on this goes all Dallas’ way.
  • Thank god Peter Laviolette takes a timeout after what seems like 20 Dallas shots on goal just 3 minutes into the third period.
  • And Ryan Johansen takes a penalty – oh no.
  • Of course it’s Radulov.  I need to take a walk.
  • Colin Blackwell and Austin Watson shouldn’t be on the ice for the rest of the game.
  • 4-2 Dallas.  Guess who was on the ice?
  • 13 minutes left, and who is going to step up and stop this collapse?
  • They mention that there’s more Preds fans here than can fit into Bridgestone Arena, and suddenly things make sense
  • Nashville starting to get good offensive zone time, for once, but they need to hurry.  Only six minutes to go.
  • The wave is happening.  Bad sign of things to come.
  • They stand there.  They pass in the perimeter.  They don’t shoot.  It’s over.  What a waste./

Winter Classic Stars of the Day

  1. Nashville Predators fans – you all traveled extremely well.  Could hear y’all well on TV, the chanting in the first was great, and it’s wonderful to see our team represented well.
  2. Matt Duchene – Had the first goal and a SLICK pass on the second to Fabbro.  Unfortunately he disappeared after that first period.
  3. Ro-Ham Josi – the racing pig won the first pig race of the game.

Tweets of the Day

This isn’t from today, but an eternal reminder:

Game Videos

Talking Points