44% of OTF voters guessed correctly that the Nashville Predators would earn two points last week, as they stretched their losing streak to five games before posting a dramatic victory on home ice against Los Angeles. What does the week ahead hold, however?
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Monday vs Detroit Red Wings
Now that the Red Wings are no longer division rivals for the Predators, and are falling off the pace in the Atlantic Division, will this matchup have anywhere near the juice that it did in previous seasons? Usually games against Detroit were guaranteed sellouts that fans and players alike looked forward to, but it remains to be seen whether the magic is still there.
Regardless of the rivalry aspect, a visit by the Red Wings gives local fans the chance to watch one of the premier talents of this or any other generation in Pavel Datsyuk, who continues to make opposing defenders look foolish at times:
Thursday at Boston Bruins
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Fresh off the 6-2 stomping that the Bruins put on the Predators last Monday at Bridgestone Arena, Nashville pays its only visit to Boston this season, where the Bruins sport a 16-3-2 record, 2nd best on home ice only behind Pittsburgh.
Do the Predators have it in them to pull off a big road upset to begin a 3-game trip against Eastern Conference opponents?
Saturday at Florida Panthers
The week wraps up with a reunion of sorts, as the Preds play at Florida against head coach Peter Horachek’s Panthers, who got off to a fine start under the new bench boss but have faltered of late, dropping their last three games.
This game will prove an interesting test for the Predators, as Florida has proven vulnerable on home ice so far, with but a 7-9-3 record in front of some of the smallest crowds in the NHL. And hey, they’re one of the few teams in the league that scores less often than Nashville!
So how does the week shape up? Vote in the poll, and sound off in the comments below!
How many points will the Preds earn this week?
| 6 | 18 |
| 5 | 8 |
| 4 | 49 |
| 3 | 38 |
| 2 | 38 |
| 1 | 10 |
| 0 | 11 |