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Nashville Predators 4, Columbus Blue Jackets 3 (SO): Preds Win Shootout for Two Big Points

Posted on by Shaun Smith

The Nashville Predators took on the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night in Nashville. The Predators returned from an overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks the night before while the Blue Jackets enjoyed an evening in Downtown Nashville (probably). Both teams are right at the tail end of the playoff hunt with Nashville searching for a Wild Card berth and Columbus clinging to one while dealing with a plethora of injuries. Ryan Ellis returned last night and will play again tonight. Nick Bonino, who was out sick for the Chicago game, is still sick tonight and will not play. Juuse Saros (or “one of those Finnish guys” according to Head Coach John Hynes) will get the start. This is the last game for the Predators before the trade deadline. One thing is for sure, regardless of tonight’s outcome, it will have major implications for David Poile’s decision-making process in regards to the deadline.

What Happened

  • Columbus sent Calvin Thurkauf out for his solo lap as this is his first NHL appearance.
  • Huge cheers as the Predators Injury Report is listed as “none”. Welcome back to Nashville, Ryan Ellis.
  • Just want to make a note that the lines appear to be drawn out of a hat. /

  • The Predators’ pregame hype video features extreme slow motion shots of the players lacing up skates. During the Kyle Turris shot, his chain swings in slow motion. This shot, by itself, should be nominated for an Academy Award.
  • Early score by Ryan Johansen off a pass from Colin Blackwell as a Ryan Ellis slapshot rebounds off of Elvis Merzlikins. Predators are up 1-0 thirty-three seconds into the game!/

  • Some of these chances are crazy. Huge gasps from the crowd.
  • Just realized that the return of Ryan Ellis means Yannick Weber is on the 3rd pairing with Jarred Tinordi. Dante Fabbro is back with Ekholm on the 2nd.
  • Matt Duchene had a chance at the goal after he got into the zone with defenders behind him, but they were able to break it up before he got his shot off.  /

  • The ice crew was just whistled angrily off the ice.
  • Jarred Tinordi keeps firing blue line shots into the crease and the redirect are just a hair off each time. One of these is going to go in.
  • WOW! Breakaway by Filip Forsberg who pulls two Blue Jackets with him to the netfront and quickly makes a nasty pass to Mikael Granlund, who was waiting the backdoor for some top cheese! Predators up 2-0!/

  • Juuse Saros is making some incredible saves out there.
  • Forsberg nearly connected with Colton Sissons for another one…wow.
  • Matt Duchene caught a puck on his blade, took a shot, then tried to score off the rebound. It’s like watching a highlight reel tonight.
  • Predators head to the power play due to a slashing call against Pierre-Luc Dubois.
  • Well, the power play has shown no improvement since last night.
  • Second period is starting.
  • Austin Watson had a chance on the doorstep, but couldn’t put it away.
  • The Columbus Blue Jackets score as Boone Jenner gets the puck in front of the net off the faceoff. The Predators were all busy in the circle and Roman Josi dropped down to one knee to try to block the initial pass. This left Jenner point blank in front of Saros. Saros blocked the first and second shot, but the third got lifted up and into the net. Predators are up 2-1.
  • In typical up-and-down Predators fashion, Jakob Lilja passed the puck from behind the net to Eric Robinson in front of the net who easily tied the game at 2 for the Blue Jackets.
  • After playing incredibly hard for 20 minutes, the Predators have become sloppy again and have let this game get tied up in just a few minutes.
  • It’s been about 6 minutes since the second Blue Jackets goal and there’s nothing positive to report.
  • Well, I mean, Saros has stopped a lot of shots and not all of the passes are sloppy.
  • Oh, Craig Smith had a nice little shot there. It didn’t go in, but I’ll take what I can get right now.
  • Great offense from Forsberg and Granlund on that last series. Elvis had to drop and cover the puck or it was going in.
  • Not sure what message the coaching staff relayed during that stoppage, but it appears to have lit a fire under the Predators.
  • Wrong kind of fire as Viktor Arvidsson is called for delay of game, sending the Blue Jackets to the power play.
  • BUT YOU KNOW WHAT WASN’T DELAYED? THE PENALTY KILLED BEING TERRIBLE!
  • Emil Bemstrom immediately gets the puck into the net behind Saros, putting the Blue Jackets up 3-2 with less than 3 minutes remaining in the second period.
  • In the vein of journalistic integrity, I will not delete my statements about fires being lit.
  • WOW! Colton Sissons redirects a puck out of the air and into the net, tying things up at 3 with one minute left. Forsberg had the initial shot. /

  • Teams will head in for the second intermission tied up at 3.
  • Huge saves from Saros.
  • Craig Smith was thiiiiiiiiis close to putting the Predators up.
  • Colton Sissons with a little trip the penalty box over some hooking. Time to kill a penalty.
  • You may have noticed there aren’t many tweets after a certain point in this recap…that’s because the only thing people are tweeting about is the emergency backup goalie situation in Toronto tonight.
  • Oh, hey, a killed penalty. Nice.
  • Unfortunate off-sides there for the Turris line. Which is normally the Bonino line. And the third line. But tonight, it’s the first line. Or something.
  • Rocco Grimaldi is leading the forwards in ice time…that’s something.
  • Near fight between Dubois and Craig Smith.
  • Feels like the officials are letting some things go late in the third.
  • Still seems like they’re letting some things go.
  • Headed to OT. See you on the other side.
  • Apparently, the whistles are still broken.
  • Elvis had to leave the building (crease) to stop that puck.
  • Arvidsson blocked that last shot with everything he had…did the splits.
  • Shootout time.
  • First up, Pierre-Luc Dubois. He scores.
  • Next, Filip Forsberg. He scores.
  • Tied.
  • Next up, Stefan Matteau. He’s stopped by Saros!
  • Next, Matt Duchene. He’s stopped…by Elvis.
  • Next up, Emil Bemstrom. He’s stopped by Saros.
  • Preds send Kyle Turris out to seal it up. He does not.
  • Round 4.
  • Columbus sends Gustav Nyquist, who makes it look easy.
  • Predators have to score here. They send Ryan Ellis. He scores!
  • Round 5.
  • Nathan Gerbe is next. He goofs up and gets a bad shot off. He’s stopped.
  • Roman Josi comes out to try for the win. Too much juggling.
  • Round 6.
  • Kevin Stenlund misses.
  • Predators send Ryan Johansen to go for the win. He misses. (he also didn’t try any trick shots)
  • Round 7.
  • Boone Jenner misses.
  • Calle Jarnkrok…also misses.
  • Round 8.
  • Riley Nash. Stopped by Saros.
  • Rocco Grimaldi is out there…FOR THE WIN!/

Shaun’s Three Golden Heroes of the Evening

3. Filip Forsberg – Fil was making plays all night and that pass to Granlund for that goal was sick.

2. Ryan Ellis – he’s back and he’s generating offense. And also playing solid defense.

  1. Rocco Grimaldi – with the shootout win!

Game Highlights

Talking Points