OTF’s Series Preview Round-Up
The staff here at OTF has been working round the clock to bring you everything you need to know before the Nashville Predators face off against the Dallas Stars in Game 1 tonight at Bridgestone Arena. Here’s everything you might have missed in the past 24 hours:
The OTF Staff Predicts the 2019 Playoffs | On the Forecheck
As always these are 100% accurate and should not at all be taken with a grain of salt.
Nashville Predators vs. Dallas Stars Series Preview: Matchup Overview | On the Forecheck
How will the Predators look facing off against the Stars for the first time in the playoffs? Kate has your series overview.
Meanwhile I actually can’t remember the last time I watched Dallas play in a playoff game, so tonight should be an experience all around.
Nashville Predators vs. Dallas Stars Series Preview: Special Teams | On the Forecheck
Bobby put in work to break down the Stars’ special teams…he even broke out the whiteboard. No, seriously…there’s a whiteboard.
Welcome to Smashville: An OTF Guide to Nashville, Food, and Fun | On the Forecheck
If you’re making the trek to Nashville tonight for the game or for the very first time, here’s last year’s list of all the things to take in. This will be especially handy if you need to kill time before that late puck drop tonight.
Your Definitive Visitor’s Guide To Dallas Is Here! | Defending Big D
And looking ahead to Games 3 and 4, our friends over at Defending Big D have a list of everything you need to know if you’re heading to Dallas.
Playoff Hockey News & Rants
Nashville Predators fans have thrown catfish since 2003 | The Tennessean
Ahh yes, the catfish throwing heard round the league. A time-honored tradition that should not be taken lightly.
And just in time to make PETA angry again…
PETA discourages catfish, pushes foam fish ahead of Preds-Stars playoff series | The Tennessean
I will accept all unwanted “squeezies” although I can’t promise you won’t see me running around somewhere downtown bouncing them off of people.
2019 Stanley Cup playoffs – Nashville Predators vs. Dallas Stars series preview, pick | ESPN
Not to sound dramatic, but I will refuse to acknowledge a world where the Nashville Predators get ousted in the first round by the Dallas Stars.
REFUSE.
Peter Laviolette on “what will matter most” for the Predators to beat the Stars | AtoZSports
“Our team is in a good spot both mentally and physically. They really pushed hard down the stretch to win the Central Division. And we had to fight inside of those games to get that done.”
I think there’s really something to be said about the Preds finding their stride at just the right time. I’m a firm believer in not peaking too early during a season.
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year – Especially in Music City | NHL
Music & Hockey City. They go hand and hand.
I’ve been trying to tell y’all!
Ellis Talks Playoff Experience, Home-Ice Advantage for Preds | NHL
“They didn’t panic,” Ellis said. “A lot of teams, I think younger teams, like us for instance, get up 3-0 and are like ‘Oh, we’ve got this one.’ And an experienced team didn’t panic, stuck to their system and stuck to their team concept and then came back.”
In my experience it’s never ever in the bag until it’s in the bag.
Predators know power play must improve once playoffs begin | NHL
If I have to take a positive stance (as I do), they’ve taken the power play from an i24 tire fire to a relatively contained dumpster fire.
It’s on the mend, and when it does finally click some of you are going to be sorry you laughed at my playoff prediction.
Game of Thrones — NHL Playoffs edition: A song of ice and Stanley | CBC
This just gave me new life.
Reasons to believe Sharks can defeat Golden Knights in NHL Playoffs | NBC Sports
“It’s one for the dagger and another for the one you believe…”
…wait…what?
NHL to celebrate start of the playoffs with Cage the Elephant concert | NHL
I mean…sure.
It could have been worse.
It could always be worse.
Superstitious minds: The ‘rituals’ that obsess NHL stars | CNN
Game 1 is delayed indefinitely as P.K. Subban and Tyler Seguin refused to go to the locker room after warm-ups in what becomes the hockey world’s longest staring contest on record.
NHL playoffs 2019: Pete Blackburn’s wildest, boldest postseason guarantees | CBS Sports
“The Capitals and Penguins will meet in the second round”
That’s going to be really hard to do when the Penguins lose to the Islanders in the first round.
I said what I said.
Barry Trotz avenging Nashville’s Cup Final loss by coaching up teams specifically to knock the Penguins out of the playoffs for the foreseeable future: I’m telling you, it’s going to be a thing.
If you aren’t already buzzing with early morning caffeine or playoff anticipation, this video will make your Spidey Senses tingle. Puck drops at the Bridge at 8:30 PM CST.