Nashville Predators 3, Dallas Stars 2: The Power Play Awakens

The Dallas Stars had not won against a Central division opponent all season. There aren’t really such things as “must-win” games in November, but the Stars wanted to stop circling the drain and end their five-game skid. On the other hand, the Predators needed to respond from their embarrassing showing in Winnipeg on Tuesday night.

Even though the game looked to be in danger at some points, the power play(!) and some stellar play of a certain Finnish goaltender bailed the team out. Overall, the Predators were able to come away with a win, and set themselves up for a grand finish to the road trip on Saturday.

Random Observations

• Do not adjust your television sets. The Preds converted on the power play. After some awesome movement up on the point, and some great looks by Colin Wilson, Smith (the dude in the slot) fired home a wicked one-timer to put his team on the board. Maybe, just maybe, there can be more looks like that in the future.

• I think the Preds heard your complaints, because not only did they score a power play goal, they scored ANOTHER one after that. Not kidding. Two pee pee gees. In one game. In case you weren’t aware, that is totally allowed. I checked.
• And who else to score it other than Filip Forsberg? It was an incredible shot (reminiscent of his goal against Winnipeg) on some great movement with the extra man. That was his fifth goal on the campaign and his 13th point so far. He’s a point per game player, and I think we should start aiming higher than the Calder. #FORSBERGFORHART
• Pekka Rinne kept the team in the game for the first two periods. It’s not like they were playing bad, but there was just enough back-and-forth to make fans get a little nervous. Fortunately, Pekka was on his game while it took a little bit for his team to get on his level.
• But even he couldn’t help the them when the team decided that playing in their offensive end wasn’t cool anymore in the third period. Nashville was playing with fire through most of the final frame, not able to clear pucks and letting the Stars run circles around them. Rinne did all he could, but Dallas’ pressure finally came to a head when former Predator Patrick Eaves tied the game at two.
• Momentum. What a cruel mistress. Stars had all of it as the third period was waning, but Old No. 7 decided he had had enough of the malarky and put the kids to bed. His first of the year stood as the game winner, and it only took him four games. Keep that second line, Lavy.
• Did I mention how awesome Rinne was? Well, he was, and I’m going to do it again by the end of this recap

END GRAPH

OTF’s Super Duper Stars of the Game

• Pekka Rinne – There’s no other way to put it. The team worked in fits and spurts tonight, but Rinne was the best player. If it weren’t for him, the game could have been lost early, and multiple times after that.
• Filip Forsberg – He’s ours, National Media. We had him first. You back off.
• The Power Play – THEY SCORED! THEY SCORED! IT HAPPENED!/

Tweets of the Night

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

Roll the video highlights…