SB Nation - Jordin Tootoo

Predators @ Oilers, 12/17/09 - Talking to On The Forecheck

Derek Zona — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:48:13 -0000

I caught up with Dirk Hoag from On the Forecheck to talk about where things stand in Nashville.

C&B: The Nashville papers are positing that the Predators are in an extremely perilous financial situation, and the underlying tone is that they may eventually be on the move. What's the validity of this?

Dirk: When it comes to on-ice reporting on the Preds, the local papers do a fine job. When it turns to off-ice issues, however, it's an entirely different story. Unfortunately the Tennessean feels the need to run with half-truths and innuendo at the behest of anyone looking to run down the team, whether it's Richard Rodier working for Jim Balsillie, or the Sommet Group, which had stopped paying its arena rights fees.

The bottom line is that by keeping their salary around the 33% mark between the salary cap and floor, and achieving the targets required to get full NHL revenue sharing, the Preds are basically a break-even business at this point. A playoff run would be the best thing for this team both financially and in terms of building the fan base, and that's the one thing they've failed to achieve so far. In a nutshell, I'd say the team is doing OK, but that they've got little margin for error. They can't throw out a lousy team for a decade and expect the team to stay put, like in Chicago or Toronto.

What we're waiting for off the ice is for the Boots Del Biaggio bankruptcy to complete, which would clear the way for Calgary's Brett Wilson to join the ownership group, which should help provide stability.

C&B: The Preds have two 1st-tier goaltenders in Pekka Rinne and Dan Ellis, yet both are unrestricted free agents at the end of the year. Will the Preds try to sign one of these guys soon?

Dirk: It sounds like that's something that's going to be looked at after the holidays. The Preds have a history of locking up their core players, and I'm sure they'd at least want to get Pekka Rinne locked up, not just to avoid free agency, but to get rid of the distraction as the team goes through the playoff chase.

C&B: Everybody hates Jordin Tootoo except Preds fans. What does he bring to the team that will be missing while he's out with an injury?

Dirk: Toots has done a good job this season hustling On the Forecheck (smooth plug, no?) and creating turnovers, while being disciplined about it and not taking too many penalties. Besides playing at a 40-point pace (which would have been a career high), he has helped create some goals that he didn't even get an assist on.

C&B: Lastly, Nashville keeps trying these terrible mustard-yellow colors in their uniforms. As you know, we here at The Copper & Blue are big proponents of yellow in uniforms, just not awful mustard-yellow. Is there a chance that Nashville could right the ship and give us some nice non-mustard uniforms that feature yellow?

Dirk: I think you're SOL there for a while. The new 3rd jerseys were noteworthy for not including any yellow (as part of a "Black & Blue" marketing campaign). There are some rumblings that yet another new jersey might be in store for next season, but we'll have to see.

Nashville Predators Injuries

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Jordin Tootoo	foot	12/13/2009

Nashville Predators battle back before falling to Detroit in OT, 3-2

Dirk Hoag — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 06:06:14 -0000

More photos » by Kate Humphrey - AP

Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber, right, checks Detroit Red Wings center Kris Draper off the puck in the second period.

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Tonight's game had all the drama of a roller coaster for the Nashville Predators; lots of ups and downs, and unfortunately the excitement ended all too early, as Todd Bertuzzi scored his second goal of the night, the game winner, just 24 seconds into the overtime period in a 3-2 loss.

It wasn't all bad news, however, as the biggest crowd of the season (16,673) saw the home team fight back from a 2-0 deficit to force the OT. Follow after the jump for video highlights, the recap, and advanced even-strength statistics...

This was an odd game for a number of reasons. Sometimes, the officials called things by the book, while at other times they let a lot of back & forth stuff go. We had Dan Hamhuis swiping a puck off the goal line that got behind Pekka Rinne, and Jordin Tootoo limping off the ice after taking a Shea Weber shot off the foot.

You have to love the NHL's non-disclosure rules about injuries, by the way. In the post-game press conference, all Barry Trotz would say about Tootoo was "somewhere on the body, hopefully not broken." Way to narrow it down, coach!

Anyways, the story of the game was that the Red Wings, even though they played an overtime game the night before, came out blazing, outshooting the Preds 14-5 in the first period, but miraculously not scoring. Early in the second they took the lead on spinning backhander by Todd Bertuzzi, then followed it up later when Drew Miller batted in a puck that bounced off the crossbar, and made it 2-0.

From that point on, however, the Preds battled back. A power play goal by Ryan Jones (his first of the season, in what was by far his best game) got Nashville on the board a couple minutes later, and they ended up outshooting Detroit 19-8 in the second period. Early in the 3rd David Legwand tied it up by gathering in a loose puck as J.P. Dumont carried it through the slot and created havoc for the Red Wings defense.

That was good enough to get Nashville to overtime, but a bad turnover by Leggy just inside the Detroit blueline gave Bertuzzi a rush the other way, and Kevin Klein never could catch up well enough to stop his shot. Before folks even had time to settle in for the OT, it was all over, just 24 seconds in.

All in all, though, the Preds should consider themselves fortunate to get the single point in the standings for the OT loss. Over the course of the season, a team needs to eke out a few points on nights when they don't play their best, and tonight they just dug themselves too deep a hole in what was often an emotional game between bitter rivals.

Shea Weber, in particular, seemed especially charged up for Detroit, perhaps a bit too much so. He took 3 penalties on the night, which may not sound unusual for such a physical defenseman. Those were his first penalties, however, since October 22nd at Ottawa, a span of 20 games without sitting in the box. That's a remarkable achievement for a guy who consistently plays anywhere from 22 to 25 minutes a night against elite opponents. A hallmark of the Predators' success in recent weeks has been their ability to avoid needless penalties, and tip the special teams balance in their favor.

Despite taking the loss, Rinne was excellent in stopping 26 Detroit shots. The first Bertuzzi goal looked bad but the shot clearly caught both he and defenseman Ryan Suter off-guard, and he stopped several other dangerous chances for Detroit to make up for it.

Looking at the stats from tonight, Patric Hornqvist and Ryan Jones jumped out as having excellent nights. Not only did they create a number of good scoring chances, but their pure hustle created 3 of Nashville's 4 power plays as Jones drew two calls, and Hornqvist one. Dumont also had a good night helping to set teammates up for shots as he drew the attention of the Red Wing defense constantly.

The Preds' next game is in Columbus on Monday, before returning home to face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.

Even Strength		Individual Totals					Team Totals While Player Is On Ice
Player	Pos	EV TOI	Shots	Shts Blkd	Missed Shts	Blocks	SOG For	SOG Ag	SOG +/-	Tot SF	Tot SA	Corsi
Martin Erat	R	14:37	1	0	1	0	10	8	2	15	17	-2
Jason Arnott	C	15:11	3	2	1	0	12	10	2	18	18	0
Steve Sullivan	L	14:51	4	0	0	0	12	9	3	16	16	0
David Legwand	C	12:58	1	0	0	0	8	5	3	11	9	2
Jerred Smithson	R	11:29	0	0	0	0	2	4	-2	3	10	-7
Joel Ward	R	12:38	0	0	0	1	2	4	-2	2	12	-10
Marcel Goc	C	11:52	2	0	1	1	6	4	2	7	12	-5
Jordin Tootoo	R	1:19	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	1	2	-1
J P Dumont	R	11:06	1	2	0	0	11	5	6	14	9	5
Patric Hornqvist	R	9:06	3	0	0	0	9	4	5	13	5	8
Ryan Jones	L	12:16	2	1	0	0	12	5	7	15	9	6
Dave Scatchard	C	6:13	0	0	0	0	5	1	4	6	3	3
Shea Weber	D	17:15	3	0	0	2	15	6	9	21	16	5
Ryan Suter	D	16:57	4	1	0	0	15	6	9	21	15	6
Dan Hamhuis	D	18:15	1	1	0	1	7	9	-2	11	18	-7
Kevin Klein	D	17:57	1	0	0	6	5	9	-4	9	18	-9
Cody Franson	D	8:43	2	0	0	1	8	5	3	8	8	0
Francis Bouillon	D	10:42	1	0	0	0	11	5	6	11	8	3

Poll

Who is your Predator of the Game?

Ryan Jones, 1 G, 1 A, 2 penalties drawn

42 votes

Pekka Rinne, 26 saves

17 votes

59 votes | Poll has closed

Game 31: Jackets take on the Preds in Nashville

Mike MacLean — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:01:17 -0000

by Jay LaPrete - AP

View full size photo »

This is a good day. I just had a fantastic day at work, the Jackets are coming off a huge win last night, where they looked like the team they should be. Mase was stellar, let's see if Garon can turn his game around tonight against those damned Predators. The Preds definitely have the Jackets number, especially in Nashville. I look for a typical Jackets/Preds game tonight, one with tight checking, maybe a scrap or two (if our guys have the green light to do so) and some timely goals. A score of 1-0 or 2-1 could happen.

The Preds are one of those teams that always gets it done, no matter who is on the ice. I credit GM David Poile and coach Barry Trotz for that. I would love for the kind of long-term consistency from Howson and Hitch that those two gentleman have supplied. Pekka Rinne is the straw that stirs the drink in Nashville. In my opinion he is the future of Finnish goaltending. Backstrom and Kipper are the top dogs now, but Rinne will be a great goaltender for a long time. Add to that a fun rivalry with Steve Mason, and we could be seeing a genuine goaltending battle year-in and year-out between these clubs.

The Jackets aren't making any major lineup changes with the exception of Garon getting the start. The line of Chimmer, Umby and Jake looked dangerous on almost every shift last night, and I look for them to continue that tonight. One guy who really needs to step it up is Rick Nash. Even last night, to me he was the guy who looked the worst. He was committing turnovers, and I think he is really pressing. Seemingly every time he had the puck in the offensive zone he was going with the slapper, very unlike the Captain. I would like to see he and Brass play together for a bit to see if that will spark him. Vermmy doesn't seem to be the right fit for Nasher.

Fearless Prediction: The run of bad play in Nashville has to end sometime right? Jackets win, Chimmer continues his hot streak.

Game Time: 8:00pm ET

Opponent's Blog: On the Forecheck

Game Page: Blue Jackets vs Predators coverage

TSN Preview: Blue Jackets vs Predators Preview

TV: FSN Ohio

Radio: WBNS-AM (1460); WWCD-FM (101.1)

More after the jump...

From the Columbus Dispatch:

Gaylord Entertainment Center. Sommet Center. Nashville Arena. Doesn't matter what it's named, it's a house of horrors for the Blue Jackets, who are 0-10-2 in Nashville since April 3, 2006. The Jackets blew leads of 1-0 and 2-1 and lost 4-3 in a shootout Nov. 21 in Nashville.

Jackets Links:

Columbus Blue Jackets / Columbus Blue Jackets Schedule

Columbus Blue Jackets Roster / Columbus Blue Jackets Stats

Here are the lineups for tonight's tilt:

Columbus Blue Jackets

Kristian Huselius	Antoine Vermette	Rick Nash
Jason Chimera	R.J. Umberger	Jakub Voracek
Andrew Murray	Samuel Pahlsson	Jared Boll
Raffi Torres	Derick Brassard	Derek Dorsett

Fedor Tyutin	Anton Stralman
Mike Commodore	Jan Hejda
Kris Russell	Marc Methot

Mathieu Garon

Steve Mason

EXTRA: Mike Blunden, Mathieu Roy, Derek MacKenzie

INJURED: Fredrik Modin, Rostislav Klesla

Nashville Predators

Steve Sullivan	Jason Arnott	Martin Erat
Jerred Smithson	David Legwand	Joel Ward
Jordin Tootoo	Marcel Goc	J.P. Dumont
Ryan Jones	Cal O'Reilly	Patric Hornqvist

Shea Weber	Ryan Suter
Francis Bouillon	Alexander Sulzer
Kevin Klein	Dan Hamhuis

Pekka Rinne

Dan Ellis

Minnesota Wild @ Nashville Predators: Game Recap

nathaneide — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 05:29:52 -0000

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

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Minnesota Wild 5-3 Nashville Predators

Fifteen goals in three games. First time in franchise history they have scored five or more goals in three consecutive games. Points in seven straight games. Five straight wins. 10-3-3 in their last 16. One might say it looks like this team is getting the system, working hard to get back into games, opening up the offense and turning things around. Granted, it could all come crashing down around them, but many experts figured it would take until December for the team to really get comfortable in the system, and lord knows the injuries haven't helped things at all. But, all that said, things are looking awfully good for the Wild at the moment.

Tonight's win was fantastic to witness because it didn't require the efforts of one line carrying the team. They didn't need an unhuman effort by their goaltender. They weren't scraping to get back into the game. Heck, they scored five goals, and didn't even get a multi-goal game from anyone. It was 5-1 before things got sloppy for the Wild halfway through the third period, and at that point, everyone was even or better on the +/-. Minnesota amassed 39 shots on goal, had points from 10 different guys and, on the second night of a back to back, were able to give breaks to some of the guys who had heavy workloads on Friday against Anaheim.

Martin Havlat finally had his first multi-point game since October 6, and did so by working hard and making great passes down low. Antti Miettinen scored on a pretty powerplay goal, and now has six goals in his last six games. James Sheppard finally notched his first goal of the season, and Derek Boogaard even got an assist on a fantastic breakout pass to Martin Havlat, who then fed Andrew Ebbett (who has been a wonderful acquisition).

Tonight was the kind of game the Wild fanbase has been expecting and waiting for all season. Minnesota skated hard, forechecked aggressively, forced the opposition to make mistakes in their own end, found the open man and peppered the net. If this is the new system, I'll take it.

Please read the game recap over at On the Forecheck

Hockey Wilderness Three Stars

Andrew Brunette (1 G, 1 A)
Martin Havlat (2 A)
James Sheppard (1 G)

Questions to Answer

Can the Wild get points in their 7th straight? Indeed they did. Wild are now over .500!
Something tells me being at home will cause Jordin Tootoo's chest to puff out and he'll try to pull his crap again. Will I be seen as the prescient one? I guess I'm really confused, but Tootoo behaved again.
With five goals in his last five games, can Antti Miettinen continue to put goals on the board? Six goals in six games. Not half bad.
Does playing 30 minutes last night affect Zidlicky and Zanon? Zanon got sloppy late in the game, giving up two goals and ended up a -2, but got a nice break only having 18:58 TOI and Zidlicky went back to his typical 22:34.
Are we in store for another Nashville vs. Minnesota shootout (not the game deciding kind)? It shouldn't have been. Wild were dominant, but got sloppy after the game was in hand.

Nashville Predators pull away in the 3rd, beat Chicago 4-1

Dirk Hoag — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 04:33:01 -0000

More photos » by Charles Cherney - AP

19 days ago: Nashville Predators' Jordin Tootoo, center, celebrates after he scores the Predators' third goal late in the game as the Nashville Predators beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-1 in an NHL hockey game, on Friday, Dec. 4, 2009. (AP Photo/Charles Cherney)

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Late goals by Jordin Tootoo and Joel Ward sealed the victory tonight for the Nashville Predators as they won in Chicago tonight, 4-1. Dan Ellis made 34 saves for his second strong effort in a row, on a night when 9 different Preds hit the scoresheet.

You can click above for the photo gallery, and after the jump we've got video highlights, the recap, and advanced even-strength statistics...

Early on, it appeared that the Preds would be doing well just to hang around in this game. Jonathan Toews put on a clinic giving the Blackhawks the 1-0 lead, deking through Dan Hamhuis for the score. Hamhuis earned his redemption just minutes later, however, firing a puck that came up the boards past Cristobal Huet to even the game at 1-1 heading into the first intermission. Chicago carried most of the play, however, with a Shots on Goal advantage of 15-6 after the first period.

In the second, the Preds established good pressure early on, despite losing Kevin Klein for a time after he took an awkward tumble into the endboards. As part of several strong shifts by the line of Martin Erat, Marcel Goc and Jordin Tootoo, Toots gathered in a loose puck and fired it towards the front of the net, where it deflected off Erat's skate for the goal (which stood after a brief video review). The Blackhawks poured it on from there, constantly backing the Nashville defense in and getting several good chances which Dan Ellis turned aside.

In the third, that momentum was still largely in Chicago's favor as the Preds kept backing in and defending the core of their zone, trying to keep the Blackhawks to the outside. Ellis made several excellent stops while not allowing any rebound opportunities, something he's been prone to in the past.

On a rare rush the other way in the final minutes, Tootoo scored just his second goal of the season, blasting a shot by Huet, who looked shaky when the Preds did get their chances. Preds fans didn't even have much time to breathe a sigh of relief, however, as Joel Ward banged home a pass from David Legwand just 35 seconds later to push the lead to 4-1, and a surprising runaway victory for Nashville.

Team discipline once again played a critical role; despite playing a division rival and having to deal with speedy, skilled players buzzing around the offensive zone, the Predators only had to kill off one penalty all night, which they did successfully.

Hamhuis, Erat and Tootoo all ended the night with a goal and an assist each, with six other players nabbing a point including Cal O'Reilly getting his first assist of the season on the Hamhuis goal.

Looking at the even-strength stats, it's no surprise to see lots of negative numbers; Chicago is an excellent skating team that tips the shot totals heavily in their favor on a consistent basis (tonight the shots were 35-23 for the Hawks). What jumps out to me is the performance of that Tootoo-Goc-Erat line, which clearly had a great night.

Even Strength		Individual Totals					Team Totals While Player Is On Ice
Player	Pos	EV TOI	Shots	Shts Blkd	Missed Shts	Blocks	SOG For	SOG Ag	SOG +/-	Tot SF	Tot SA	Corsi
Jason Arnott	C	14:52	2	0	0	0	5	8	-3	9	14	-5
Steve Sullivan	L	14:22	0	0	0	0	4	8	-4	7	13	-6
J P Dumont	R	13:26	0	0	0	1	1	7	-6	3	12	-9
David Legwand	C	16:21	1	0	0	0	4	11	-7	7	14	-7
Jerred Smithson	R	16:34	1	1	0	0	4	9	-5	7	14	-7
Joel Ward	R	16:40	1	0	1	0	5	10	-5	8	14	-6
Marcel Goc	C	14:11	2	1	0	2	10	8	2	12	15	-3
Martin Erat	R	14:06	1	2	0	0	13	10	3	17	16	1
Jordin Tootoo	R	14:01	4	0	1	0	11	8	3	13	15	-2
Cal O'Reilly	C	8:49	0	0	0	0	2	4	-2	4	7	-3
Patric Hornqvist	R	8:24	2	0	0	0	4	2	2	6	5	1
Ryan Jones	L	7:42	0	0	0	1	2	4	-2	4	7	-3
Shea Weber	D	19:37	0	1	0	2	10	11	-1	14	20	-6
Ryan Suter	D	23:02	2	0	1	1	11	12	-1	15	22	-7
Kevin Klein	D	17:19	0	0	1	2	4	12	-8	9	18	-9
Francis Bouillon	D	18:22	0	1	0	0	1	12	-11	6	18	-12
Dan Hamhuis	D	17:46	1	0	0	1	10	11	-1	12	16	-4
Cody Franson	D	12:26	0	0	1	0	6	6	0	8	8	0

Poll

Who is your Predator of the Game?

Dan Ellis, 34 saves

44 votes

Martin Erat, GWG goal, 1 assist

7 votes

Jordin Tootoo, 1 goal, 1 assist, 5 Shots on Goal

18 votes

69 votes | Poll has closed

Monday's news: A nifty Nashville November

Dirk Hoag — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:46:05 -0000

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

The Nashville Predators have done plenty of celebrating on home ice this month, with a 6-1 record in front of their fans.

Browse more photos »

Tonight the Nashville Predators try to wrap up an outstanding November (9-3-0) at home against the Calgary Flames, but until then, let's get you started with some morning hockey news.

After the jump, we've got word that Jordin Tootoo's dad is lighting up the local rec hockey scene, a deal available to those of you who have a ticket stub from Saturday's night's 4-1 win over Florida, reaction to Brian Burke's 1st anniversary as GM of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and word that another young Russian is leaving the NHL to play in the KHL. There's also the Nashville Predators 2010 Winter Olympic preview, posted earlier today.

And don't forget, today is Cyber Monday, so get that holiday shopping started!

Predators News

Twitter / Dierks Bentley: Mad cows iceholes lost 4 - ...
Looks like I picked the wrong year to sit out playing in the adult hockey league downtown. Country music star Dierks Bentley plays, and last night lost to a team that featured a bit of a ringer - Jordin Tootoo's dad!

Twitter / cragcoolsprings: and because we LOVE the pr ...
The Crag at Cool Springs, an indoor rock climbing facility, is offering a free guest pass to fans who bring their ticket stub from Saturday night's Predators/Panthers game. The offer stands all week.

This Time Other ‘Cats’ Had the (Black and)Blues " Pull My (Fang)Finger
AJ provides his take on Saturday's win over Florida.

Preds On The Glass: Preds Rebound with 4-1 Win Over Panthers
Buddy covers a number of angles from Saturday's game, and includes his usual post-game audio from the dressing rooms and Barry Trotz's press conference.

Predators use abbreviated attacks to take down Florida - Nashville City Paper
David Boclair points out that Saturday's 4-1 win boasted the first time Nashville had won by three or more goals since the famous 8-0 rout of Detroit last February.

Jason Arnott consistently finds net for Predators - The Tennessean
John Glennon points out that the Predators captain and Calgary's Jarome Iginla stand alone in terms of long-term goal scoring in the NHL. Each are going for their 11th-straight season with at least 20 goals.

Casey Wellman putting up strong numbers for UMass - Nashville Predators Examiner
Jim Diamonds checks in on Casey Wellman, who is an undrafted collegiate player who attended Nashville's development camp as a free agent over the summer.

Road Trip Reality Check - Admirals Short Shifts
Ryan Miller sums up the Admirals' recent 8-game road trip, and finds reason for both optimism and concern. Interestingly, it sounds like Ryan Jones is finally starting to produce, and Cal O'Reilly is leading the way offensively. Colin Wilson, however, "has been pretty much a non-factor."

Foreigner to Perform at Ads Game March 13 - Milwaukee Admirals
That's all we need is more Euros taking jobs from North American hockey players... huh? What's that? Oh, Foreigner the band is playing at an Admirals game? Neat!

Around the NHL

"Unique" hockey gifts for everyone on your Christmas list... - Hockey Gal
Stephanie shares some decidedly different hockey-themed gifts for the holiday season, as opposed to my more conventional list featured here last week.

UPDATE: Tikhonov "loaned" to KHL, will play for Red Army - Five For Howling
As Scooby Doo might say, "Ruh Ro..." Another young Russian player heads back to play in the KHL, this time skipping out on the Phoenix Coyotes.

Oilers Roundtable Discussion, 1/3 of the way through the season - Part I - The Copper & Blue
A gathering of the Oilogosphere ruminates over Edmonton's awful campaign so far. With Ales Hemsky out for basically the rest of the season, all hope is lost.

Jury still out on Burke - The Globe and Mail
With Brian Burke having passed the one-year mark as Toronto GM over the weekend, the reviews are coming in; Maple Leafs fans are getting restless over a lousy team that doesn't even have a high 1st-round draft pick to look forward to.

Down Goes Brown: One year of Brian Burke: A look back
DGB brings the funny in its retrospective on Year One of the Burke Era: "Burke delivers his infamous quote about "proper levels of pugnacity, testosterone, truculence and belligerence". Confused Leaf fans rush to their dictionaries, and are disappointed to discover that every one of those words means "terrible goaltending"."

Are the Rangers lacking heart? A picture is worth a thousand words - Blueshirt Banter
That headline's right - the picture on this post says it all...

Time working against Canucks Vigneault - Faceoff.com
After seeing that most teams that win the Stanley Cup have a relatively new coach, Jason Botchford stands ready to dispatch Alain Vigneault if the Canucks don't win it all this year.

Top 5: Best Shootout Snipers | Hockey From the Cheap Seats
Matt Reitz reviews the best shooters in the short history of the shootout; is Mike Santorelli on his way onto this list?

Minnesota Wild lost in mediocrity, Mike Green no Olympic hopeful - SI.com
Michael Farber writes about Minnesota decrepit state of hockey, along with assorted other topics. Hat tip to @leonwolf on Twitter for this one.

Top ten games in Ottawa Senators history - Silver Seven
The Senators have certainly enjoyed a wild ride in their 11-year run in the modern NHL, and Peter brings you their ten best games.

Pens' Cooke suspended for two games - NHL.com
The Penguins' agitator will sit out two games for a head shot directed at Artem Anisimov of the New York Rangers. Here's video of the shot in question; a clearly targeted, blind-side hit to the head:

Jordin Tootoo dominates Kenndal McArdle in 2nd fight of the night

Dirk Hoag — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 05:52:30 -0000

In case you didn't catch it earlier, here's the video (from HockeyFights.com) from tonight's 4-1 victory of that second fight between Nashville Predator Jordin Tootoo and Kenndal McArdle of the Florida Panthers. You'll have to forgive the homer announcers from Florida calling it a dirty play by Tootoo, McArdle pretty much begged and pleaded for this fight and then got much more than he could handle:

What do you think, did Toots cross any boundaries here? The guys were standing toe to toe when the first blows got thrown, so I don't see it...

Added note: this fight pushed Tootoo ahead of Scott Hartnell as Nashville's all-time penalty minutes leader, with 548.

Predators get back to their winning ways in 4-1 victory over Florida

Dirk Hoag — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 05:03:23 -0000

More photos » by Kate Humphrey - AP

25 days ago: Nashville Predators players congratulate Dan Hamhuis after Hamhuis scored a goal against the Florida Panthers in the first period of an NHL hockey game on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009, in Nashville, Tenn. From left are Jerred Smithson, Marcel Goc, of Germany, Jordin Tootoo, Hamhuis and Kevin Klein. (AP Photo/Kate Humphrey)

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Dan Hamhuis led all scorers with his first goal of the season along with an assist as the Nashville Predators beat the Florida Panthers in front of 14,120 tonight at the Sommet Center Smashville Arena. Wearing their new 3rd jerseys, the Preds struggled through the first two periods tied 1-1 before finally pulling away in the third in a penalty-filled affair for both teams.

After the jump we've got the video highlights, recap, and advanced even-strength statistics...

This was a fun one to enjoy, not just due to the play on the ice, but because I brought my father-in-law to the game. Since he lives in Indiana he doesn't catch NHL action often. In fact, he told me the last live game he saw pitted the Boston Bruins against the St. Louis Blues... back in 1971! As Buddy Oakes observed during the first intermission, the look of the game (especially in terms of advertisements on the boards and ice) sure has changed since those days...

On the ice, the Predators got off to a sluggish start; three power play opportunities came and went with lackluster results, and the crowd started getting restless, anticipating the worst after last night's loss to St. Louis. Late in the period, however, a point shot from Hamhuis with traffic in front from Joel Ward and Jerred Smithson got through Florida goalie Scott Clemmensen to put Nashville up 1-0 heading into the 1st intermission.

The second period saw a steady stream into the penalty box, as Jordin Tootoo squared off for a short fight with Kenndal McArdle immediately after the opening faceoff. Besides three other minor penalties to the Predators during that period (all successfully killed off, by what is looking once again like a typically strong Nashville PK unit), Tootoo got a rematch with McArdle midway through the period. Tootoo didn't want to go, but McArdle wouldn't let go and basically begged for a fight - so Toots basically pounded the stuffing out of him and ended his evening early.

Amidst all those festivities, however, Florida tied the game. Jordan Leopold was the trailer in a 3-on-2 and fired a shot high stick side by Dan Ellis, who was outstanding in his first game action in 3 weeks. Despite his play, however, fans were nervous about a tied game heading into the third, with not much offense to show so far.

Things certainly turned during the final 20 minutes, however. The Preds poured it on with a 12-5 shooting advantage down the stretch, and took a 2-1 lead early on. Steve Sullivan got the puck all alone in front of the Florida net and took his shot, which led to a rebound at the side of the goal for J.P. Dumont. He took the time to lift a backhand over a prone Clemmensen for the goal, his fifth of the season.

David Legwand continued his hot play by adding an insurance goal a few minutes later, powering his way past a Panthers defender to chase a puck into the offensive end and stuff a shot through the 5-hole for his fifth goal as well. Joel Ward added an empty netter in the final minute to ice the game for Nashville.

The Preds conclude this home stand with a game Monday against the Calgary Flames, who boast a 9-1-3 road record after winning in Columbus tonight.

For the Florida perspective on the game, check out Litter Box Cats, SB Nation's Florida Panthers blog.

For discounted tickets to any Nashville Predators home game, you can follow this link and use the special offer code "PREDS".

Looking at tonight's even-strength statistics, note that the overall SOG +/- and Corsi numbers are mostly positive; even the worst results on the team, mostly concentrated on the 4th-liners, are only mildly negative. Up front, the Legwand line had an excellent night, and consistently seemed to have the most jump.

Once again, however, that name down at the bottom of the list, Cody Franson, continues to put up positive results in relatively limited action.

Even Strength		Individual Totals					Team Totals While Player Is On Ice
Player	Pos	EV TOI	Shots	Shts Blkd	Missed Shts	Blocks	SOG For	SOG Ag	SOG +/-	Tot SF	Tot SA	Corsi
Jason Arnott	C	11:31	2	2	0	2	8	4	4	17	12	5
Steve Sullivan	L	11:24	2	2	2	0	8	4	4	17	13	4
J P Dumont	R	9:55	2	0	0	0	7	3	4	16	10	6
David Legwand	C	12:01	2	0	1	0	12	5	7	19	13	6
Jerred Smithson	R	12:33	2	2	0	1	10	6	4	18	12	6
Joel Ward	R	11:46	3	1	0	1	10	3	7	17	11	6
Marcel Goc	C	12:57	1	1	1	0	4	6	-2	13	9	4
Martin Erat	R	10:39	0	0	1	0	5	7	-2	11	11	0
Jordin Tootoo	R	11:31	0	2	0	0	4	4	0	13	7	6
Michael Santorelli	C	5:57	1	0	0	0	2	4	-2	4	5	-1
Patric Hornqvist	R	8:51	1	0	0	0	4	6	-2	7	8	-1
Dave Scatchard	C	6:56	0	1	0	0	2	5	-3	5	6	-1
Shea Weber	D	14:28	5	2	1	1	11	10	1	22	20	2
Ryan Suter	D	14:09	0	1	1	3	10	10	0	19	21	-2
Kevin Klein	D	13:50	0	0	2	2	7	6	1	17	13	4
Francis Bouillon	D	13:56	0	0	0	0	6	5	1	14	11	3
Dan Hamhuis	D	15:48	0	1	2	0	9	4	5	20	8	12
Cody Franson	D	11:53	0	1	0	0	7	3	4	12	5	7

Poll

Who is your Predator of the Game?

Dan Ellis, 23 saves & 1 assist

22 votes

Dan Hamhuis, 1 goal, 1 assist, +3 in 21:16 TOI

31 votes

David Legwand, 1 goal in 21:14 TOI

12 votes

65 votes | Poll has closed

Predators, Ellis rip Panthers 4-1

Whale4ever — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:55:41 -0000

Jordan Leopold scored Florida's only goal. Not Nathan Horton. Not Stephen Weiss. Not Rostislav Olesz. Not Michael Frolik. Not...you get the point.

Nashville positively owned the Original Cats, leading in SOG (29-24) and just plain solid effort to get back in the win column. Goaltender Dan Ellis was superb when called upon - and that wasn't often - and given support with goals by Dan Hamhuis, David Legwand, Joel Ward, and JP Dumont.

Remember goal support? Neither do I, but it certainly sounds like a winning strategy. Works for Florida's opponents.

Another evening of chasing the plays and allowing the opposition to dictate terms. Sounds like U.S. foreign policy.

Why wasn't Clemmer in net for Toronto on Friday, paving the way for Tomas Vokoun to start this one, against a club he played eight seasons with.

Why was Kenndal McArdle allowed to risk injury - a second time - in another fight with Jordin Tootoo when Steve MacIntyre was standing by with zippo on his schedule?

Why - OH WHY - did defenseman Bryan McCabe lead his team in SOG? Where were the forwards? Oh, here they are: Horton: zero shots. Weiss: two. Frolik: two. Congratulations, Rusty Olesz...you led the forwards with three shots on goal. And a belated thanks to defenseman Bryan Allen and his three attempts.

Another complete and utter waste of time and cash by the Panthers (what does it cost to transport and house these guys for a night?).

A sick and terribly lacking performance.

New Jersey Devils Get a Point, Lose in a Shootout to the Nashville Predators, 3-2

John Fischer — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:28:28 -0000

The New Jersey Devils and the Nashville Predators played a fairly even game in Nashville. One team would begin to get momentum, start going forward in their attack, move the puck well, and get some strong shots on net. And then the other team would stop it and begin to do the same thing themselves. Regulation and overtime was not enough, and so the shootout was necessary. Ridiculously fortunate goal aside by Travis Zajac, Michael Santorelli and Martin Erat were able to beat Martin Brodeur in the shootout to give the home team two points.

And so the Devils didn't win their second straight game, 3-2 via the shootout. NHL.com has their recap up complete with the box score and

I felt both teams earned a point at least from the way things went, which were quite even. I'm sure Dirk Hoag of On the Forecheck will have a different take, seeing his team beat the top teams in each conference in each of their last two games. Continue after the jump my further thoughts on the game.

On the surface, tonight's game actually was even. Both teams put up 28 shots on net in 65 minutes. Both teams scored two goals each, as seen in the embedded highlight video from NHL.com. Both goals came from one player on each team: Zach Parise for the Devils, Jason Arnott for the Predators. Both Devils goals came within less than 5 minutes after Nashville's goals. Both Martin Brodeur and Pekka Rinne made multiple big saves, allowed one goal they had no real chance on due to a deflection, and allowed one goal where they just got fooled on and would have loved to have back.

There were some stark differences in this game. The moribund Nashville power play struck gold to start the third period with an impeccable deflection from Arnott. It wasn't just the goal that made it good, but Nashville set themselves up well in the zone, moved it around with ease, and had the Devils' PK just chasing them. A far cry from Nashville's power play in the second period where two Devils lost their sticks and they still took the puck away and cleared it. Nevertheless, the Devils' power play except for maybe their first one never looked as good as the one Nashville had to start the third period. Oh, and they scored on that power play (caused by a Tyler Eckford hook after a scoring chance where Brodeur robbed Jordin Tootoo - as an aside, Eckford didn't look so bad in his first game and got 3 blocks in less than 10 minutes; but that was an unfortunate penalty to take).

Another big difference was in shot efficiency. According to the Event Summary of the game, the Devils had 28 shots on net, had 11 attempts blocked, and missed the net 8 times. That's not bad, perhaps the Devils should have been more aggressive in putting rubber on Pekka Rinne. But it's far more efficient than Nashville. While they got 28 shots on net, they were blocked 16 times and missed the net 18 times. The Predators had 34 shot attempts that never got to the net and that's definitely not what you'd like to see. When the total of attempts blocked and missed shots outnumber shots on goal, that's not good at all. It speaks well to the Devils' team defense being able to at least recover/adjust/maintain their positioning and prevent Nashville players from getting clear shots at Brodeur.

A third difference was in the forecheck. The Devils didn't sit back tonight, only that I felt they weren't nearly as effective as the Predators at it. The big supporting example is how that surprising first goal was created by Nashville. Jason Arnott just made something happen by going after the puck regardless of who had it - exactly what you hope to happen when pressing an opposition in their own end. Overall, in terms of forecheckers, I was impressed with Nashville's Joel Ward. Ward was all over the place in going after Devils defenders, put up 6 shots on net (1 blocked, 2 missed), and came very, very close to ending it in overtime when he won the puck back in the Devils' end and took it near post (Brodeur was solid on the post, of course). While the forecheck didn't necessarily lead to more shots - as seen by the number of blocks and misses, good work by the Devils defense for making it difficult - they were able to sustain their offense more effectively.

Lastly in terms of differences, the Devils suffered an important injury whereas Nashville did not. Dainius Zubrus blocked a slap shot from the point in the second period with his leg and he went down right afterwards. He got up, blocked another shot inadvertantly, and went right to the bench. On the TV broadcast, Steve Cangelosi noted in between the second and third periods that he would not be returning. I felt he was missed on the ice. The Devils were pounded on faceoffs, winning only 43% of them; and it forced Lemaire to shorten his bench and double shift players far earlier than he's used to. Granted, the adjustment of moving Dean McAmmond into a center from a fourth line winger worked, as he earned his first point as a Devil. And, yes, Zubrus lost the 5 faceoffs he did take before his injury. Still, Big Z could have improved earlier and made an impact within the contest with his puck possession skills and his size in the corners and in the slot.

Hopefully, the injury will not be serious and he'll be back soon because I'm not exactly enthused about a center line up of Zajac, McAmmond, Sestito, Pelley. According to this Tom Gulitti post game post, Zubrus won't be going to Dallas and he'll have his right leg checked out further tomorrow. Gulitti noted in that same post that Zubrus while he was wearing a brace; but he was able to walk with it. I'm hoping that's a positive sign.

In any case, I think the Devils earned their point tonight and that isn't terrible. Given that they lost in the shootout, it wasn't as if they were played off the ice or looked terrible overall. Perhaps the shootout could have gone either way. They could have been more consistent with good shifts at a minimum. I get it, but again, I felt this was an even game overall between the two teams.

But to the team - and I'm confident Jacques Lemaire will make this point - the result isn't all that acceptable. Regardless of how, the fact is that the Devils didn't win. The Devils didn't respond to their first loss since the end of October with a proper result. They are now winless in two and so the pressure to win Saturday's game will likely be increased. The team will do well to not get down on themselves and work on being more consistent in their play. I don't think it's time to panic at all, but another loss would certainly starting creating concerns, regardless of how justified they may be.

Thanks for reading and I thank all the readers and commenters in Steve's GameThread. Please leave all your comments about tonight's game here.