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Game Recaps

Nashville Predators 3, Tampa Bay Lightning 2 (OT): Thunderstruck

Goals, awesome saves, more goals, and overtime sums up how the night went.

It was a playoff atmosphere in Smashville tonight as we witnessed two of the best teams in the league go the distance in this thriller. Both teams were backed by some great goaltending and timely scoring tonight.

After a scoreless first (and some awesome saves), the Predators kicked off the scoring with a goal from Seth Jones in the second period. Taylor Beck followed up with a goal of his own to put the Preds up two goals to none. The Lightning got back in it with a goal from Brett Connolly. Then later on in the third, Nikita Kucherov scored to tie things up for Tampa Bay. James Neal iced the game away in OT with a game winning wrist shot.

Random Observations

  • How is it that the two best teams in the NHL are playing tonight, and it's not even on local television in Nashville. That is just a shame.
  • Holy Vasilevskly. Does he know he is supposed to be a backup? What are the chances that he can keep up that kind of play after this game?
  • This has been a really fast paced game. That is something that we aren't too used to seeing in Nashville. I, for one, love that high speed tempo. It just makes for all around quality hockey.
  • Wow! Just WOW! This game isn't scoreless because of lack of effort from the offense. It's scoreless because both goaltenders are playing out of their minds and making absurd saves right now.
  • 'Murica everyone! Seth Jones with a wicked shot to get one past the Bolts. And to top things off, Stalberg got an assist on the play.
  • Ladies and gentlemen, Taylor Beck! Talk about being in the right place at the right time. He had perfect positioning to get to the rebound and put into the back of the net.
  • Man, what a second period by the Preds. They stuck to their game plan and it paid off. All it takes is one to sneak in and get you going.
  • There is nothing that can swing momentum more than an early third period goal when you are down by two. Connolly took advantage of a rebound that came out in front of the net.
  • The Bolts were swarming after they got on the board. It was only a matter of time before they notched another one, and Kucherov supplied that goal for them.
  • What a horrible tripping call on Matt Cullen. That was just two players fighting hard for the puck. You can't make that kind of call, that late in the game. /

OTF's Super Duper Stars of the Game

  • Seth Jones: He got the Preds on the board first with a goal. America!
  • Anton Volchenkov: Notched an assist tonight, but more importantly, probably had one of his best games as a Predator.
  • James Neal: He had the game winner in OT. That will earn you a spot here every time.

Tweets Of The Night

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

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