Everything Else

Blah Blah Blah: Predators at Hawks Game 2 Preview/Rug Cleaning

By 1654

 vs. 

Preds lead 1-0

PUCK DROP: 7pm Central

TV: NBC 

WHY DID YOU KILL THAT BIRD, ASSHOLE?: On The Forecheck

Projected Lineups

It’s almost as if it’s scripted these days. We’ve seen it before. Whatever playoff game the opponent simply packs it in their zone, traps just outside the offensive blue line, crowds their own crease, and we hear all the same things from the Hawks and the media covering them. “Traffic.” “Take away his eyes.” “Be harder (PHRASING).” “Annette Frontpresence.”

And it’s not that all of this is wrong. It’s just that you wouldn’t hear any of it if Anisimov isn’t rusty and buries one or two of his chances, or a shot into that said traffic bounces onto someone’s stick or past Rinne. It’s not like the Hawks have to make massive changes, and we don’t know if the Predators will or not either.

Everything Else

Boots & Boys: Predators 1 – Hawks 0 (Preds lead series 1-0)

By 1662

Box Score

Natural Stat Trick

In the aftermath of this one, and even really during it, I saw a lot of citing of how much time the Hawks had off, combined with not even really trying in the last week, and how bad they are when they get a lot of rest. I don’t know that this is really a viable excuse. After all, the Preds had to keep trying throughout the season and they capped it off by losing to the fucking Jets. But we’ve been down this road with the Hawks before, including against this very team seven years ago. The Hawks are rarely totally sharp in a Game 1 in the first round, and couldn’t save this one tonight even though it was sitting there like a pig on a spit. The Preds almost certainly won’t be so lucky next time.

But we did learn some things tonight.

Everything Else

We R Who We R – Nashville Predators Playoff Preview: Goalies And Defense

By 1488

As is tradition here, we will break up our preview over two days. I’ll take the back end today, because most tend to think I’m a horse’s ass, and then Matt will be around tomorrow to take you through the forward group. So let’s dive right in before they drain the pool, shall we?

Goalies

Pekka Rinne: 31-19-9, 2.42 GAA, .918 SV%, .929 EV SV%, .862 SH SV%

Ah yes, this old thing. You remember this. The Hawks have only faced one other goalie three times in the playoffs, and that would be Roberto Luongo. He was able to turn the tables on the Hawks at the third time of asking, but the 2011 team is not this team and the Predators are not the ’11 Canucks. When we first did this dance in 2010 it was a little scary facing Rinne, but then the Hawks punted him to a .911 over six games and won. In 2015 Rinne’s limitations were already well known to everyone, and while Crawford and then Darling took their turns swallowing mouthwash, Rinne couldn’t take advantage and put up a .909 over six games and was once again sent home. There’s no reason to think this will go any differently.

Everything Else

The Playoff Buffet

By 1388

Much like the players themselves, or so it seems, it’s hard for Hawks fans to stay locked in for the last two and a half weeks of the season. We know where the Hawks are finishing, and other than the “IT’S ALIVE!” method of experimenting with his lineup that Quenneville sometimes delves into, there isn’t a lot of drama.

About the only thing left is for the Hawks to figure out who they’ll be opening the playoffs against, and thanks to how the West has shaped up over the past couple weeks, it could be any one of six teams. And if the Wild keep going the way they’re going, it could actually be one of seven.

As of right now, it would be the Blues again, for the third time in four years. But they’re one point behind the Predators for third in the division. And the Preds are only one point behind the Flames, who hold the first wild-card spot. Who themselves are only one point behind the Oilers and Sharks, who are only two points behind the Ducks, and the Wild are only two points ahead of that. So it could any of that.

What should you prefer?

Everything Else

Preds Spotlight: The Dreaded Sequencing?

By 1492

Sitting three points out of a wild card spot, behind the fucking Canucks, is not where the Predators thought they’d be halfway through this season. Nashville entered the year with expectations higher than they’ve ever been in Smashville, which makes this so far just about the most disappointing season they could have had. They thought they’d be tussling with the Hawks and Wild(?!) at the top of the division. It has not gone that way.

We’ve spent a lot of time trying to figure out why. Roman Josi backing up certainly hasn’t helped. We’ve pointed out their lack of front-line scoring, with really only Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen bonafide, NHL first-line talent. And Forsberg has had a miserably unlucky year until very recently. Subban, Neal, and Ellis missing time hasn’t helped either. We figured Pekka Rinne would be their downfall, but he’s been ok enough, especially in November.

When looking at Rinne though, you see a microcosm of the whole team. Because overall, everything suggests they should be higher than they are in the standings. They may have just fallen victim to the dreaded “sequencing.”

Everything Else

“Pred” Backwards Is “Derp”: Hawks at Predators Preview/Brake Alignment

By 1320

 vs. 

RECORDS: Hawks 22-10-5   Predators 15-13-6

PUCK DROP: 7pm Central

TV: CSN

GIMME GIMME THE HONKY TONK BLUES: On The Forecheck

PROJECTED LINEUPS

ADJUSTED TEAM CORSI %: Hawks – 49.8 (15th)  Preds – 52.2 (8th)

ADJUSTED TEAM xGF%: Hawks – 47.0 (25th)  Preds – 52.7 (9th)

POWER PLAY%: Hawks – 18.3 (15th)  Preds – 19.5 (13th)

PENALTY KILL%: Hawks – 74.7 (29th)  Preds – 81.5 (14th)

TRENDS: Johansen has two goals this month… Rinne has given up 30 goals in his last 10 appearances for a SV% of .867

The Hawks take their three-game losing streak, with one point gained, down south the next two nights to take on the Predators and then the Canes to close out the 2016 portion of the schedule. They’ll find a not quite floundering, not quite surging, just kind of quite there Predators team at the Bridgestone tonight. Why we haven’t been saying, “At that confounded Bridge!” every time the Hawks go to said arena, I don’t have any idea but it starts now, big boy!

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Preds Spotlight: RyJo Sen

By 1307

The Predators came into this season perhaps the most watched team in the West, if not the whole league. For the first time, it really appeared they could be one of the last four, or two, or even last team standing. They had a deep forward corps, though perhaps lacking star power. They had one of the deepest blue lines around, made only better by swapping out Shea Weber for He Who Should Be President Of The World. There were certainly questions about the goaltending, as Pekka Rinne has fallen off elite status. If it all went balls-up, that’s where it was most likely the arrows of blame (a great My Bloody Valentine album) would be pointed.

It hasn’t worked out that way, and it hasn’t worked out the way the Predators and their fans would have hoped either.

Everything Else

Take Me To Another Land: Hawks And Predators Weekend Preview/Iggy Pop Lookalike Contest

By 1119

Hawk Wrestler vs. predator

PUCK DROPS: 7pm Tonight, 7:30pm tomorrow

TV: CSN Tonight, WGN Tomorrow

YELLOW COLLARED TWEEKERS: On The Forecheck

Projected Lineups

blackhawks-lineup-card

predators-lineup-card

POWER PLAY (’15-’16): Hawks 22.6% (2nd)  Predators 19.7% (10th)

PENALTY KILL (’15-’16):  Hawks 80.3% (22nd)  Predators 81.2% (16th)

Predators Possession Stats

Hawks Possession Stats

Trends To Watch: James Neal has 14 goals in 23 career games against the Hawks, Jonathan Toews has 35 points in 41 games against Nashville

With some personal commitments for all of us and Game 1 taking most of our attention anyway tomorrow, let’s just set up this old school divisional home-and-home all at once. After a pretty stinging loss to open the season, it’ll get no easier for the Hawks as they’ll open the Predators season, perhaps the most anticipated in Music City in their entire history.

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Predators Spotlight: The One And Only

By 1288

This blog has never hidden its affection for Pernell Karl Subban. It’s just a shame that the rest of the hockey world, specifically the one that considers itself so polite and understanding (and cold), wouldn’t follow suit. That’s ok though. PK Subban can probably make a bigger impact on the sport on this side of the 49th, and we certainly won’t ever make him apologize for who he is.

We’ll get to the off the ice stuff that the Predators have gotten in what is going to be an absolute steal of a trade, no matter how much the crusty hockey media is going full force today to show how well Shea Weber fits in with the Canadiens after one fucking game (though you won’t see anyone writing “because he’s white” which is really what they’re saying). First it’s important how much of an improvement the Preds are getting on the ice.

Everything Else

The Revolutionary Nature Of The Nashville Predators

By 1304

There’s a few reasons I’m fascinated by the Nashville Predators this season. One, they have my favorite person in the league now in P.K. Subban. They were already one of the more entertaining teams to watch before Subban even arrived. Whether or not John Tortorella was right about Ryan Johansen is something to be studied as well. The idea of them finally breaking through to the later rounds of the playoffs for a fanbase that has become one of the best in the league as well is another reason to watch.

But what I’m really interested in seeing is that I’m not sure we’ve seen a blue line constructed like this before, and what it might mean for the future.