I’m not sure how the Nashville Predators spent their extra hour today, but whatever they did, it helped. Although they had to overcome a bit of a slow start, the Predators out-shot and out-scored the Vancouver Canucks tonight in a 3-1 win. Filip Forsberg had 2 goals and assisted on Colin Wilson’s laser “nail in the coffin” goal in the 3rd. It was a nice road win over a balanced Canucks team that should compete for a playoff spot in the Pacific Division. Too bad the Canucks fans were too busy doing the wave to notice their team lost.
Random Observations
- Early on, it looks like the 3rd Period @ Calgary again. Too much time in the defensive zone and an early penalty kill is needed. Pekka’s first 6-7 saves were clutch. It could have easily been 2-0 or 3-0 Canucks about 5 minutes into this game.
- Shea Weber’s double minor for sticking up for Taylor Beck is an interesting counter argument to the “We don’t need enforcers anymore” mantra. Yes, Weber lost his cool in the moment, but he doesn’t have to throw down with Luca Sbisa if Rich Clune can do it for him.
- Preds had two wide open slap shots (by Ribeiro and Ellis) that were sent right into Lack’s chest protector. I guess they were just a little too wide open?
- Only being down 1-0 after the 1st was a small victory.
- That was a strange goal for Filip Forsberg, who scored via Dan Hamhuis’s skate, but give him credit for sending the puck to the net. Tie game!
- Much better 2nd Period from the Preds, who had an 11-3 shot advantage to go along with the tying goal.
- David Poile announced today that the power-play threat level indicator has been upgraded from “Pitiful” to “Embarrassing”
- The Anton Volchenkov suspension clearly affected Seth Jones, who struggled tonight. Victor Bartley wasn’t bad, but Jones has clearly grown accustomed to Volchenkov’s reliability and physicality in the defensive zone.
- #PrinceFilip with his 2nd! No need from Hamhuis’s skate this time. Excellent job by James Neal to get wide, creating room in front of the net for Forsberg, who sent it up and over Lack’s glove.
- Saw a lot of “old-school” Predators play tonight… forwards playing solid defensively, #Grit lines giving it their all, lucky bounce goals, etc.
- Welcome back, Colin. Nice to see you again!
- Another round of applause please, for Pekka Rinne, who had 26 impressive saves.
OTF’s Super Duper Stars of the Game
- Filip “Calder” Forsberg
- Dan Hamhuis, who scored his 33rd career goal for the Predators tonight. Congrats Dan!
- Shea Weber, who showed us that bullying is not to be tolerated. /
Tweet Of The Night
Hamhuis knocked Forsberg’s pass into the net. Not a tweet from 2007
— Kristopher Martel (@ThePredatorial) November 3, 2014
Boxscore – Game Summary – Event Summary – War-on-Ice – HockeyStats – Natural Stat Trick
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