SB Nation - J.P. Dumont

Game 33 Preview: Jackets in tough against the Preds

Mike MacLean — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:08:16 -0000

by Carlos Osorio - ASSOCIATED PRESS

Every year I always seem to say this: those damned Preds! Nashville comes to town for the first time this season, after going 2-0 so far against the Jackets in Nashville. The Jackets have dug themselves in a hole whereby they have to win games from here out, plain and simple. They play in the best division in hockey so intra-division games are crucial.

Some lineup changes of note- Chimmer moves up with Vermmy and Nasher, and there's a new line of Modin, Brass and Torres. That one sounds interesting, a little bit of everything. With Dorsett out with a broken hand, Murray goes back into the lineup on the checking unit with Sammy and Boller. Mase gets the start against Rinne.

I can't stress the importance of these games. The Jackets desperately need to go on a winning streak, why not start tonight?

Fearless Prediction: A win, please.

Game Time: 7:00pm ET

Opponent's Blog: On the Forecheck

Game Page: Predators vs Blue Jackets Coverage

TSN Preview: Predators vs Blue Jackets Preview

TV: FSN Ohio

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

More after the jump...

From the Columbus Dispatch:

A meeting of polar opposites: The Blue Jackets are a skilled club that lacks resiliency and on-ice cohesion; the Predators make up for a lack of high-end talent with immense resolve. The previous two meetings, both in Nashville, ended in 4-3 shootout wins for the Predators. The Blue Jackets won all three meetings in Nationwide Arena last season.

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

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

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

Steve Mason

Mathieu Garon

EXTRA: Michael Blunden, Mathieu Roy

INJURED: Rostislav Klesla, Derek Dorsett

Nashville Predators

Steve Sullivan	Jason Arnott	Martin Erat
Jerred Smithson	David Legwand	Joel Ward
Patric Hornqvist	Marcel Goc	J.P. Dumont
Wade Belak	Dave Scatchard	Ryan Jones

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

Pekka Rinne

Dan Ellis

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

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

23 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)

Browse more photos »

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

Nashville Predators beat Colorado 4-3 in overtime, stretch winning streak to seven games

Dirk Hoag — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:57:19 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

26 days ago: Nashville Predators center David Legwand, front, digs the puck out of the corner while holding off Colorado Avalanche left winger Wojtek Wolski, of Poland, in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Denver on Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2009. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Browse more photos »

In an oddly back-and-forth contest that saw Nashville dominate the first period and Colorado the second, David Legwand scored the winner in overtime for the Predators, giving them seven wins in a row and continuing the team's rise through the Western Conference standings.

After the jump you can view the video highlights...

J.P. Dumont and Marcel Goc scored in the first period to put Nashville up 2-0, with Dumont's coming on the power play. During the opening period, the Preds held a 10-3 shooting advantage. That got turned around in the 2nd, as Colorado answered back with three straight goals by Wilon, Hejduk (on the PP) and Svatos.

Nashville tied it back up at 3-3 on a Shea Weber power play goal late in the 2nd, and the teams were scoreless in the third before heading to overtime. In fact, they weren't just scoreless, but until the final minutes of the period, Colorado had only two shots on goal to Nashville's one.

The power play has now scored in six straight games for the Preds, and their record is now 12-0-0 when they score a PP goal. Interestingly, after rolling all four lines for many recent games, the Thuresson-Santorelli-Hornqvist trio all got less than six minutes tonight.

Pekka Rinne stopped 19 of 22 Colorado shots for his 11th win of the season.

The Predators return home for three games in four nights after Thanksgiving - Friday against St. Louis, Saturday vs. Florida, and Monday against Calgary. For discounted tickets to these or any other Nashville Predators home game, you can use this link and the special offer code "PREDS".

No advanced stats for you tonight, folks - have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Poll

Who is your Predator of the Game?

Jason Arnott, 2 assists, 4 SOG

4 votes

David Legwand, GWG in OT

37 votes

Shea Weber, PP goal, 1 assist

29 votes

70 votes | Poll has closed

It's time to vote: Nashville Predators MVP, 1st Quarter

Dirk Hoag — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:36:09 -0000

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

The Nashville Predators have gotten significant contributions from a number of players so far - but which of them deserves to be named the team MVP for the first quarter of the season?

Browse more photos »

The nominations are in, so it's time to vote, Predators fans - who is your team MVP for the 1st Quarter of this 2009-10 season? Follow after the jump for the nominations, then log your vote below...

Francis Bouillon

#51 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 5-8

Weight: 196

Born: Oct 17, 1975

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Francis Bouillon	21	1	2	3	-8	12	1	0	0	0	25	4.0

HartnellsMop: "without him, our D as a whole is nowhere near what it is now. JP’s play-making is certainly missed when he’s out, but i shutter to think how terrible our blueline would be if Klein and Hammer had to still be paired up."

J.P. Dumont

#71 / Right Wing / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 219

Born: Apr 01, 1978

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - J.P. Dumont	14	3	12	15	2	6	0	0	0	0	34	8.8

Gover: "as JP Dumont goes, this team goes. Not only is he the points leader, but when he was out, they looked lost. He may not wear a C or an A on his chest but, more than anyone else, this is HIS team."

Lil cutie: "We are 9-3-1 in games that he has participated in, 8-0-1 when he has scored a point. He has averaged over a point per game; no one else on the team comes close to that scoring rate. There is no way that the goal-starved Predators would be over .500 without his offensive contribution."

KentS: "No doubt he’s the playmaker. Take a look at how hard other teams go after him and try to check him relentlessly."

Hockey Hillbilly: "At the start of a season of surprising performances (Smithson, Bouillon and Hornqvist among them), steady but inventive J.P. Dumont stands tall. Joel Ward embodies Predator grit but Dumont gets the job done."

Cody Franson

#32 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-5

Weight: 214

Born: Aug 08, 1987

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Cody Franson	15	2	3	5	3	6	0	0	1	0	28	7.1

Preds On The Glass: "He has steadily laid claim to the 6th D spot to the point that Sulzer is going to receive a charity start from Trotz. Franson’s offense was not questioned in the preseason but his defense was and now he is logging important minutes and not looking out of place in tough situations. I think he is probably here to stay."

Pekka Rinne

#35 / Goalie / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-5

Weight: 206

Born: Nov 03, 1982

	GP	MIN	W	L			GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Pekka Rinne	14	780	9	4			31	2.38	361	330	.914	2

Gover: "Rinne has finally provided stability in net and the #’s in his past 8 games are astounding."

Sam Page: "The team has a negative goal differential, and the positive record seems to be the product of Rinne keeping the game close late. He’s clutch."

Jerred Smithson

#25 / Left Wing / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-3

Weight: 204

Born: Feb 04, 1979

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Jerred Smithson	21	4	0	4	3	18	0	2	1	0	15	26.7

whatthepuck: "He has scored four goals in 20 games, which already matches his total goals scored for the entire 08-09 season. He’s still great on the penalty kill, especially when paired with Joel Ward. And I honestly think the fact that he’s playing on the second line has given him a huge mental boost, helping his overall game. I have seen no one that compares to him in terms of off-season improvement. He used his summer wisely and is now standing out, at age 30, among a team with many younger players. This speaks volumes to his work ethic and dedication to the team and the sport."

Ryan Suter

#20 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 194

Born: Jan 21, 1985

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Ryan Suter	21	2	8	10	1	14	1	0	0	0	22	9.1

Space Weed Says: "He’s played well, he’s contributed offensively and has worn an A on his jersey during Jason Arnott and Shea Weber’s abscences from the lineup."

Joel Ward

#29 / Right Wing / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-1

Weight: 220

Born: Dec 02, 1980

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Joel Ward	19	3	6	9	-1	6	2	0	1	0	37	8.1

Poiju: "For being one of the most consistent and motivated players throughout the first quarter."

Shea Weber

#6 / Defenseman / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-4

Weight: 230

Born: Aug 14, 1985

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Shea Weber	19	5	7	12	0	4	3	0	1	0	53	9.4

Sam Page: "plays significantly more ice time than any of the other players above... Webs has played good defense as usual and is tied for the team’s goal lead as a defenseman!"

Poll

Who is the Nashville Predators MVP for the 1st Quarter of the season?

Francis Bouillon

8 votes

J.P. Dumont

20 votes

Cody Franson

1 votes

Pekka Rinne

44 votes

Jerred Smithson

10 votes

Ryan Suter

3 votes

Joel Ward

5 votes

Shea Weber

14 votes

105 votes | Poll has closed

Martin Erat's shootout goal gives Nashville 3-2 win over New Jersey

Dirk Hoag — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:46:45 -0000

More photos » by Mark Humphrey - AP

about 1 month ago: Nashville Predators right wing Martin Erat (10), of the Czech Republic, scores on New Jersey Devils goalie Martin Brodeur (30) in the shootout of the Panthers' 3-2 win in an NHL hockey game in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

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Having come under heavy criticism for a lack of offensive production, Nashville Predators winger Martin Erat picked a fine time to score his first critical goal of the season, a shootout winner over Martin Brodeur that lifted the Preds to a 3-2 victory at the Sommet Center. The win, which was Nashville's fourth in a row, is their eighth in the last ten games and vaulted them over Vancouver into a tie with Detroit for 9th place in the Western Conference standings.

You can click the picture above for a photo gallery from tonight's contest, and after the jump, we've got the video highlights, a recap, and advanced even strength statistics...

This was a very encouraging game in that Nashville once again went toe-to-toe with an elite team, and not only hung with them, but came out victorious in the end. Pekka Rinne was outstanding in goal for the Preds, turning aside 26 of 28 shots in regular play and 2 of 3 shootout attempts. Rinne has now won 8 of his last 9 decisions. Martin Brodeur was equally sharp at the opposite end of the rink, with 26 saves as well, but making only 1 of 3 stops in the shootout.

Jason Arnott put the Predators in front early in the 1st on a clever play, knocking the stick of a Devils defenseman away and taking a quick swipe at the puck, slipping it through Brodeur who was clearly caught by surprise (interestingly, later in the game Arnott almost fell victim to the same trick in the Nashville end). New Jersey answered back just a few minutes later, however, as Colin White's long shot was tipped by Zach Parise for the goal. Parise was a constant menace all night, logging 24:03 of ice time and firing 7 shots on net.

The first period also saw Nashville take an uncharacteristic 3 penalties, all of which were killed off successfully. Jordin Tootoo was intent on getting under the skin of his opponents, and other than a flop to the ice when Patrik Elias shoved him (which resulted in coincidental minors), he did a good job of getting the Devils agitated, without comprising his team's effort at the same time.

After a scoreless second period (which did include Dainius Zubrus getting injured while blocking a Kevin Klein slap shot), the Predators took another lead on a power play goal, their third in two games. Arnott got the tally again, setting up in the slot and redirecting a feed from J.P. Dumont for the score. That lead lasted just 3:30, however, as Parise kept pace with Arnott, scoring his second goal of the game to tie it back up.

While both teams got dangerous chances down the stretch, they would head to overtime. The scariest moment for Nashville came when Dan Hamhuis, carrying the puck through the neutral zone, had to peel back to allow a teammate to avoid going offside. When he turned, he slammed right into his defense partner Cody Franson, and gave up a golden scoring chance to the Devils, but Rinne was able to make the save as Erat hustled hard to help break up the play.

In the shootout, Mike Santorelli went first for Nashville and scored (his second in two attempts this season), while David Legwand tried the infamous "Fiddler move" and missed wide of the goal. New Jerseys' Travis Zajac scored on a spin move (which was questionable, considering that shooters are supposed to keep moving forward for a valid attempt), setting up Erat for the decisive attempt. He deked, then roofed a shot over Brodeur for the winning tally, the first time all season that the Predators' highest-paid player directed a puck into an opponent's net off his own stick.

He couldn't have picked a more decisive moment to do so.

The Preds resume their home stand Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and conclude it Monday against Detroit (with a special 6:00 start). For discounted seats to those or any other home games, you can follow this link and use the special offer code "PREDS". Also, Monday's game features a special fund-raiser for the military charity Not Alone - be sure to read up on that worthy cause, and please consider making a donation.

Looking at the even-strength stats from tonight, what jumps out is that the Langenbrunner line did a pretty good job against Sullivan-Arnott-Dumont, and that the shutdown line of Ward-Legwand-Smithson did very well against Parise for New Jersey (Parise's first goal came against the Arnott line, his second came against Legwand's). Tootoo and Marcel Goc also fared well defensively. Joel Ward's six shots also bode well for a shutdown line taking the opportunity to chip in offensively as well.

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	15:30	0	0	0	0	7	10	-3	11	14	-3
Steve Sullivan	L	15:24	2	0	1	0	7	8	-1	11	13	-2
J P Dumont	R	13:48	3	0	0	0	6	11	-5	8	15	-7
David Legwand	C	17:49	2	0	2	0	8	5	3	21	9	12
Jerred Smithson	R	14:11	0	1	3	0	5	3	2	16	7	9
Joel Ward	R	17:41	6	0	2	2	8	4	4	21	9	12
Martin Erat	R	15:05	2	1	0	1	6	6	0	15	11	4
Michael Santorelli	C	9:22	0	0	0	0	4	4	0	8	8	0
Patric Hornqvist	R	8:58	3	0	0	0	4	4	0	8	7	1
Marcel Goc	C	14:18	0	0	1	2	3	2	1	10	5	5
Andreas Thuresson	R	9:33	1	0	0	0	5	4	1	8	5	3
Jordin Tootoo	R	14:21	2	2	1	0	6	4	2	14	7	7
Shea Weber	D	19:53	1	1	2	2	10	9	1	23	15	8
Ryan Suter	D	19:59	0	0	2	0	11	8	3	24	14	10
Kevin Klein	D	20:19	1	2	0	2	8	6	2	18	13	5
Francis Bouillon	D	17:22	2	0	1	1	9	5	4	16	12	4
Dan Hamhuis	D	20:43	0	2	1	0	6	10	-4	14	13	1
Cody Franson	D	17:04	0	1	2	0	8	10	-2	13	13	0

Poll

Who is your Predator of the Game?

Jason Arnott, 2 goals

49 votes

J.P. Dumont, 2 assists

1 votes

Martin Erat, GW shootout goal

14 votes

Pekka Rinne, 26 saves

20 votes

84 votes | Poll has closed

Nashville Predators Fantasy Hockey Update - November 15, 2009

Dirk Hoag — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:26:04 -0000

More photos » by Gus Ruelas - AP

With his linemates Jason Arnott and J.P. Dumont back in the lineup, Nashville Predators winger Steve Sullivan makes a fine fantasy hockey option these days.

Browse more photos »

Now that healthy players are finally returning to fill out the lineup, it's worth taking a look at the Nashville Predators and how they'll impact your fantasy hockey team over the next week.

After the jump, let's see who you should start or bench...

Start 'Em

Steve Sullivan, Jason Arnott, and J.P. Dumont have finally gotten a couple games together on the top line after a variety of injuries kept them apart early on, and the results have been impressive so far. Over the next two weeks the Preds play a heavy home-ice schedule that should allow Barry Trotz to get them favorable matchups, and when combined with all the power play opportunities they can handle, those three should all be considered solid options for your fantasy lineup.

On defense, Shea Weber has successfully returned from a foot injury that caused him to miss a week earlier this month. He's making a strong case for a spot on Team Canada's roster at the Winter Olympics, and is on pace to meet or exceed his 23 goals from last season.

Pekka Rinne appears to be establishing himself as the dominant presence in goal, having earned his second shutout of the season last night and having given up 2 goals or less in 5 of his last 6 games. Just as importantly, Nashville's overall team defense has tightened up

Bench 'Em

Martin Erat, despite earning 3 assists during the last week, is still struggling to make a consistent impact offensively, and has seen his ice time drop considerably. In each of the first 9 games of the season he played at least 17 minutes, a mark he has exceed only once in the last six. He's currently playing on the 3rd line, and during Saturday night's win over Montreal, he played only 12:46, his lowest ice time of the season.

Until he produces regularly enough to earn his way back into the Top Six, he's not someone you want taking up a roster spot.

Martin Erat

#10 / Left Wing / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-0

Weight: 203

Born: Aug 29, 1981

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2009 - Martin Erat	15	1	3	4	-8	10	0	0	0	0	31	3.2

On the Fence

David Legwand, while still under-performing offensively, has at least shown signs of life (1 goal and 3 assists in his last 8 games), and continues to get healthy amounts of ice time.

Patric Hornqvist leads the team in Shots On Goal, but could get pushed down the depth chart now that the top line is reunited. Once Colin Wilson returns to action (hopefully last this week) he might get on a more favorable line, but in the short term his production might take a hit.

Ryan Suter remains paired with Shea Weber on Nashville's top unit, but doesn't assert himself offensively as much in 5-on-5 situations, nor does he look to shoot from the point with Weber at the opposite corner. Unless the Predators power play starts producing on a consistent basis, Suter's numbers will likely lag well behind his partner's.

Dan Ellis is capable of beating good teams on any given night, but is only likely to get a minority of the starts based on Rinne's play of late. You'll need to check on the day of a game to see if he's going to get in there.

Carey Price's Record Tying Performance Under The Microscope

Robert L — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:14:40 -0000

Seven days ago, Chris Boyle's in depth analysis of the Canadiens goaltenders was a true eye opener on several fronts. Following Carey Price's record tying performance last night in Nashville, I asked Chris if he would put this one game under his microscope so we could all have a similar analysis on how good a game Price played. Down below, the graphs illustrate the story of Saturday's game quite clearly. Following Chris' take, there is a historical recap on where Price's marks fit in with other great one game performances in the team's history.

WHO FIRED WHAT:

In the order of shots on goal, shots blocked and missed shots.

Forwards Shots: 11 (0-0) - Steve Sullivan, 5 (0-0) - Martin Erat, 4 (1-1) - David Legwand, 4 (2-0) - Andreas Thuresson, 3 (0-0) - Michael Santorelli, 3 (1-1) - Jason Arnott, 2 (1-0) - Marcel Goc, 2 (0-3) - Jordin Tootoo, 1 (0-1) - Jerred Smithson, 1 (2-1) - Patrick Hornqvist, 1 (1-2) - Joel Ward, 1 (0-0) - J.P. Dumont

On goal: 38 / Blocked: 8 / Misses: 9

Total directed from forwards: 57

Defense Shots: 5 (0-1) - Dan Hamhuis, 4 (1-2) - Shea Weber, 4 (1-1) - Cody Franzen, 3 (0-0) - Kevin Klein, 1 (0-0) - Francis Bouillon, 0 (0-0) - Ryan Suter

On goal: 17 / Blocked: 2 / Misses: 4

Total directed by defense: 23

Team Totals:

On goal: 55 / Blocked: 10 / Misses: 13

Total directed shots by Nashville: 78

SHOT RANGE

Chris notes that of the 55 shots faced by Price, 22 were fired from a distance of 40 feet or more, another 19 came from within the 20 to 40 foot range, and 14 (including Steve Sullivan's 2 goals) came from up close, within 20 feet of the goal.

SAVE %

Price stopped all 41 shots directed at him from a distance of more than 20 feet out. Of 14 chances within the 20 foot parameter, Sullivan beat Price in close at the crease's lip and from 15 feet out on a rebound, uncovered both times.

Price faced 6 shots registered from less than 10 feet, which according to NHL.com gamelogs, is a total that Tim Thomas took 6 games to register.

Prior to Saturday's game against Montreal, Steve Sullivan had 2 goals and 3 assists in 17 games for the NHL's lowest scoring team. His 11 shots in this game bring his season total to 41.

Chris Notes:

I was reminded of Dryden while watching this game. Not because of Price's goaltending, but because I thought I saw the 6'5" Pekka Rinne engaged in his classic pose watching all the action.

In regards to the Nashville game, I found the following article at Puck Prospects.com very interesting.

In the "more shots" category, I was not surprised to find Nashville and Florida. I’ve always found something fishy about Florida’s inflated shot totals, both during the old Luongo days and more recently with Vokoun. Likewise, Nashville always seems to have a goaltender with a 0.920 save percentage (Tomas Vokoun, Chris Mason, Dan Ellis and Pekka Rinne). Though the most remarkable bias comes on the "less shots" side and is found, unsurprisingly, in New Jersey.

As soon as I saw the first period shot totals I thought of this article from Tom Awad that discussed that Nashville has a tendency to overreport shot totals. Also, Boone referenced it in his live game log when he said NHL.com had registered 17 shots, while RDS was reporting 21. It is an interesting tidbit considering the circumstance.

Also the game in question in which Price almost broke the record for shots faced was March 10, 1974. Wayne Thomas was in goal and faced 57 shots against the Penguins in a 5-4 Win (23 in the first period, 15 in the second, 19 in the third) 2 goals in the first, 1 in the next 2 periods. Gary Innes was in goal for the Pens and gave up 5 goals on 18 shots! 1st period the Habs had 8 shots and 3 goals, followed by 5 shots and 1 goal in each of the next 2 periods.

A look at Price's saves against Nashville from Chris' You Tube compilation.

HISTORY AND PRICE'S RECORD

Previous Canadiens Goalie Records:

For a historical point of view, here is a look back on other noteworthy performances by Canadiens goaltenders. For time and perspective, make use of the hyperlinks provided.

Most Shots On Goal Against - One Game: 57

March 10, 1974, Wayne Thomas in goal, in a 5-4 win against Pittsburgh.

Canadiens lineup / Penguins lineup

Most Saves - One Game: 53

November 14, 2009, Carey Price in goal, in a 2-0 Nashville win

Canadiens lineup / Predators lineup / Game Summary

March 10, 1974, Wayne Thomas in goal, in a 5-4 win against Pittsburgh.

Canadiens lineup / Penguins lineup

Most Shots On Goal - One Period: 24 (3 times)

2009 - November 14: Carey Price vs Nashville (1st), 2-0 Nashville (stopped 23 of 24)

Canadiens lineup / Predators lineup / Game Summary

1976 - March 19: Ken Dryden vs California (1st), 4-1 Montreal (stopped 23 of 24)

Canadiens lineup / Seals lineup Game Summary

1970 - March 15: Rogie Vachon vs Toronto (3rd) 3-3 tie (stopped 23 of 24)

Canadiens lineup / Maple Leafs lineup/ Game Summary

Most Saves - One Period: 23 (5 times)

2009 - November 14: Carey Price vs Nashville (1st), 2-0 Nashville (stopped 23 of 24)

Canadiens lineup / Predators lineup / Game Summary

2002 - October 26: Jeff Hackett vs Ottawa (1st), 5-3 Ottawa (stopped 23 of 23)

Canadiens lineup / Senators lineup

1993 - March 10: Andre Racicot vs Islanders (2nd), 5-1 Montreal (stopped 23 of 23)

Canadiens lineup / Islanders lineup

1976 - March 19: Ken Dryden vs California (1st), 4-1 Montreal (stopped 23 of 24)

Canadiens lineup / Seals lineup / Game Summary

1970 - March 15: Rogie Vachon vs Toronto (3rd) 3-3 tie (stopped 23 of 24)

Canadiens lineup / Maple Leafs lineup/ Game Summary

With the performance against Nashville, Carey Price now owns or shares six Canadiens goaltending records including the two listed above.

CAREY PRICE CANADIENS' GOALTENDING RECORDS

Most Shots Faced In One Shootout: 8

October 27, 2008 vs Pittsburgh, Canadiens 4 Penguins 3 / Game Summary

Most Saves In One Shootout: 8

October 27, 2008 vs Pittsburgh, Canadiens 4 Penguins

Most Shootout Shots Faced In One Season:

22: October 27, 2008 vs Pittsburgh, Canadiens 4 Penguins

Most Shootout Saves In One Season:

18: October 27, 2008 vs Pittsburgh, Canadiens 4 Penguins

For more on this game from the Nashville Predators angle, check out On the Forecheck.

Game Day Preview: Nashville Predators @ St. Louis Blues

Dirk Hoag — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:29:06 -0000

More photos » by Tom Gannam - AP

The Nashville Predators meet former goaltender Chris Mason and the Blues for the first time this season in St. Louis.

Browse more photos »

The Nashville Predators (7-8-1) get their first crack at Central Division rival St. Louis tonight, and they'll do so with their top line intact for the first time since the opening minutes of Game One. J.P. Dumont will join Jason Arnott and Steve Sullivan on Nashville's top unit, and hopefully add life to an offense that has held the team back so far. One Predators fan down the road in Memphis certainly hopes so.

You have to love the way the Blues feature Miss Missouri in their team logos, don't you?

After the jump, let's break down the matchup...

Meet the Enemy

At 6-6-4, the Blues have sputtered after opening the season with back-to-back victories over Detroit in the games played in Stockholm, Sweden. Since then, they've been inconsistent and injury-riddled. They did top Vancouver 6-1 Tuesday night on home ice, the opener of a lengthy home stand,and Brad over at St. Louis Game Time wonders if some extra fisticuffs might have provided the inspiration. That win came on the heels of a 5-game losing streak.

David Perron (who raand Andy MacDonald are doing most of the damage up front, while young defenseman Erik Johnson has 10 assists already.

There is concern, however, that head coach Andy Murray's intense style may be wearing thin in the Blues' locker room. The players eventually tuned him out in Los Angeles, and the same could happen in St. Louis.

Per Jeremy Rutherford at STLtoday.com, the forward lines will be:

David Perron-Andy McDonald-Brad Boyes

Lars Eller-Patrik Berglund-T.J. Oshie

Paul Kariya-Jay McClement-B.J. Crombeen

Cam Janssen- Keith Tkachuk-David Backes

Meet the Good Guys

Getting Dumont back is huge for a Predators team that needs every goal it can get. We'll finally see the Sullivan-Arnott-Dumont line reunited, which also allows the 2nd and 3rd lines to be filled out a little more as well. With Dave Scatchard headed back to Milwaukee, it will be interesting to see how Andreas Thuresson is going to be used. Could a Thuresson-Santorelli-Hornqvist line provide some punch?

If not, the lines might look like this:

Forwards

Sullivan - Arnott - Dumont

Erat - Santorelli - Thuresson

Ward - Legwand - Hornqvist

Smithson - Goc - Tootoo

Defense

Suter - Weber

Bouillon - Klein

Hamhuis - Franson

Even Strength Play

	5-on-5 Team Data from Behind the Net
Team	GP	GF	GA	GF/60	Shots For/60	Sht %	GA/60	Shots Ag/60	Save %	+/- per 60
Nashville	16	22	29	1.7	26.4	6.5	2.3	29.2	.922	-0.5
St. Louis	16	27	25	2.3	28.5	7.9	2.1	30.7	.932	0.2

The Preds have crept back towards parity in 5-on-5 action over the last several games, and have a chance here against a Blues team that is in the middle of the NHL pack. Both sides have been getting superior goaltending, so expect a good duel in the nets tonight.

St. Louis PP vs. Nashville PK

At 15.9%, the Blues power play certainly has room to improve, but is taking Paul Kariya off the unit a real solution, or an attempted motivational kick in the pants to the aging winger? Just re-read the note about Andy Murray above, and you'll see why the speculation is starting to swirl around his future this team.

The Preds are slowly building off of a slow start and sit currently in 24th on the PK, having killed off the lone penalty they faced against San Jose Tuesday night.

Nashville PP vs. St. Louis PK

Might the return of Dumont tonight, and Shea Weber earlier this week, provide a spark to the Nashville power play? It couldn't hurt, that's for sure. With an 11.9% success rate, the Preds are still mired in 30th with the man advantage.

St. Louis is quite solid on the PK, 7th in the NHL at 84.5%, with Jay McClement getting most of the work up front, supported by Eric Brewer and Mike Weaver on defense. The Blues do take more penalties than the Predators do, so Nashville's best hope is to to get lots of PP time and keep plugging away until something works.

Goaltending

Pekka Rinne is your starter for Nashville. He's been generally solid over the last two weeks:

Pekka Rinne

#35 / Goalie / Nashville Predators

Height: 6-5

Weight: 206

Born: Nov 03, 1982

	GP	MIN	W	L			GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Pekka Rinne	9	470	4	4			22	2.81	230	208	.904	1

For St. Louis, it's likely to be the one-time Predator Chris Mason. You know he gets pumped up to play his former mates, as he went 2-0-2 last season against Nashville:

Chris Mason

#50 / Goalie / St. Louis Blues

Height: 6-0

Weight: 195

Born: Apr 20, 1976

	GP	MIN	W	L			GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2009 - Chris Mason	11	648	4	4			25	2.31	323	298	.923	0

Summary

This is an important game for both teams, which are likely to be in the race for the final playoff spots in the spring; not only will each team want the 2 points that come from victory, but they'll want to deny their opponent the chance at the OTL point for just making it to overtime.

For the Preds, a victory tonight would see them finish off a road-heavy early schedule with a .500 record; not great, but manageable given all the injuries they've had to deal with. They'll need to

Oh, and don't be surprised to see a scrap or two tonight; as division rivals each team would like to establish some dominance over the other, ahead of a rematch in Nashville later this month on the 27th.

Thursday thoughts: Nashville Predators welcome J.P. Dumont back to the ice

Dirk Hoag — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:36:24 -0000

More photos » by Frederick Breedon - AP

The Nashville Predators are hoping for an offensive boost when J.P. Dumont returns to action tonight.

Browse more photos »

As the Predators prepare to conclude their road trip this evening in St. Louis, you can get ready with your morning sampling of NHL news and notes.

After the jump, we have word that J.P. Dumont is expected back in the lineup this evening, and in honor of last night's CMA's, an interview with Carrie Underwood in which she talks about her boyfriend, Ottawa Senators forward Mike Fisher.

Predators News

J.P. Dumont to rejoin Predators tonight - The Tennessean
While J.P. Dumont's return is good news for the team, it will likely result in another forward heading back to the AHL.

Preds On The Glass: Thursday Morning Predators Update
Buddy's got plenty of updates, including an amusing Twitter faux pas.

Forbes ranks Predators 27th in NHL in value, just ignore the magical data - Nashville Predators Examiner
Jim Diamond also takes a whack at Forbes' assessment of the Predators. It should be noted that since the Preds are a private enterprise, most of the numbers Forbes cites are estimates, at best.

HockeyBuzz Radio - Podcasts
Last night's show featured Stephen Brunt, author of "Gretzky's Tears", and frequent critic of the NHL's southern expansion.

Around the NHL

Game No. 17 (Puck-rakers)
Wow, did the Blue Jackets ever get stomped by the Red Wings last night. Read this one just for Steve Mason's reaction to getting razzed by the home fans.

Moneypuck - Forbes.com
The San Jose Sharks are on the advanced statistics path, and this article makes one wonder how many other teams are. Anyone looking to hire a Hockey Operations Analyst, by chance? Please, pretty please?

Byron Bitz wishes he was Suri Cruise and other fun facts from the Bruins Media Guide - Stanley Cup of Chowder
Here's a great mission for an intrepid OtF reader - take a look through the Predators Media Guide, and write up your favorite bits in a FanPost.

New measurements will bring goalies down to size - NHL.com
Beginning next season, new restrictions on the size of goaltender equipment will be in force, calibrated to the size of the goalie. I'm hopeful that this can help reverse the upward trend in save percentages over the years.

5 Pitches For Shows The NHL Network Needs to Develop " Puck The Media
Some solid ideas from Steve Lepore as to how the NHL Network could round out its offerings.

The Purpose of Hitting - Hockey Or Die!
Jonathan Willis tries to go back to the basics as to the value of hitting within the game of hockey, to better police the game. I'm not sure I agree with his reasoning, but it's a very good read.

Danton says prison stint saved his life - The Globe and Mail
The strange saga of former St. Louis Blue Mike Danton takes another turn, as he opens up in an interview with Nick Kypreos about the murder plot that landed him in prison for five years.

Lastly, in light of last night's CMA show, here's an interview with Carrie Underwood, in which she discusses her relationship with Ottawa Senators forward Mike Fisher around the 6:30 mark (hat tip to Hockey Beat):