Preds Declaw Panthers 4-1 at the Nashville Arena; SPC Eats Hot Chicken In Space.

Readership,

I sent out a "tweet" tonight stating I was representing Section: Prince's Hot Chicken Shack.  Having not had the time to hang out with my gal in weeks - our work schedules never allowing more than an hour to see one another before sleep - and tonight being the last day off I have in awhile, I made the choice to forfeit my ticket for this evening's game...which ended up being rather amazing in the 3rd as I looked down at my Sportacular iPhone app a few moments ago.

The night consisted of Prince's Hot Chicken and watching 2001: A Space Odyssey for the first time and on Blu-Ray to boot. Needless to say, in retrospect I would have liked to have seen that 3rd period over 2001, but nothing in the arena can beat out a good piece of hot chicken and seasoned fries.  What?  I'm from the South.

I can't wait to read what PredsOnTheGlass or OnTheForecheck has to say about tonight's game, I just wish I could tell you as well.  Ah well - next time I'll sneak a piece of Prince's in with me and it'll be a match made in heaven: hot chicken and ice hockey.

Cheers.

Blues Break Streak: Preds Fall 1-3

Readership,

It's nights like these I don't like hearing about streaks.  Nights when the loudest, booze-ladened fans of the Central Division come to our house and leave gratified (though they for some reason feel gratified when the game begins, mainly due to their incredibly high blood-alcohol level).  Nights when new superstitions can be created when you unveil a new 3rd jersey to the fans (that is supposed to be saved for Saturday games only, so already you're creating unlucky hocus-pocus). Nights when the team goes back to the ol' Dump&Chase routine and the ol' Powder Play (not a typo, they might as well be playing in the snow).

I wonder was Coach Horachek is thinking right now.  Perhaps:

"Dammit, Erat, I said 'No more fancy dancing'! What do you call all those missed chances, bad passes and turnovers?"

"Fancy dancing? I thought you say, 'No more lancing dancers'!"

"What does that even mean?"

"I thought it was Young Buck song. My badness."

The Preds lost to the Blues, 1-3, and there was no real reason why other than laziness.  Did the streak go to their heads?  Did the Thanksgiving leftovers settle heavy in their tummies?  Did the air pressure (or high-grade dank) from Denver zone them out the past two days?  Did they want to give Mason a chance to look half-way decent again out of a feeling of lost brotherhood?  Did they not want to ruin their new jerseys cos they're just too damn pretty (seriously, buy one - you'll love it)?  I don't know, but any of those could be valid with the game we saw at the Sommet Center Nashville Arena this evening.

The refs were also in the lethargic "mailing it in" mood this evening, waiving off a goal that went in at about the time the whistle blew despite the puck not being covered.  Another goal nearly went in, popping off the side of Mason's glove, hitting the post and bouncing back out (many fans say this should've been a goal, though this is the one I'll disagree on - it didn't pass the line).  And later on in the 3rd, another goal waived due to an assisting "hand pass".  It's never a fun game when the refs are in Kariya's pocket not doing a fair and balanced job.

Wings fans might suck, but at least they've got a talented history to back up their yucks with.  Blues fans are the definition of "suck", plain and simple.  I have yet to meet a Blues fan in Nashville (this is excluding you, Edwin) that doesn't act like a drunken, obnoxious waste of sperm & eggs, and to top it off, it's a Friday night, so you know they've been topping it off since 3 o'clock this afternoon, waiting to trip up the stairs and stumble down the streets of our fair city (yours is apparently rather dangerous, I might add, St. Louis Boozers).  Here's to you, Blues fans (I'd say "Alpha Blues Fans", but you all consider yourselves "alpha" despite how very wrong most of you are), a giant Mad middle finger.

Preds face yet another former goalie tomorrow, Vokie and the Panthers at 7PM once again.  Perhaps we'll have better luck against Mr. Baptist Sports Medicine.


In unrelated news, my Kovi to Nashville rumor has been picking up steam as of today.  Good ol' Ek at Hockeybuzz.com has been "talking to a source" regarding the "ownership group in Nashville showing interest" in Kovalchuk.  As I stated before, it'd be a great move and one that would bring positive media attention to the Predators (regardless of the fact that there has been very little stated up until us winning the 7th game in a row - found a few tidbit articles here and there saying "Hey...they're doing better than we thought (ie. better than any team in the league this month)", but as I said, tonight's not a night for hearing about streaks.  Since Ek has taken notice as well, my Kovi to Nashville rumor is now at a Level SPC-Delta!!! Let's make it happen.  Either that, or Bobby Ryan.  Either one works.  Get those leftovers away from Poile - it's like he's been snacking on them since last year's Thanksgiving Dinner.

'Til then.

Cheers.

Ski Pred-trol: Preds Win Over Avalanche In OT 4-3

Readership,

I haven't moved very far since the fun name post a few hours ago, and alas, no cable, so I streamed 104.5 The Zone and caught back up on local news and worked on my fantasy team a bit (sorry Havlat, you kinda suck).

The Preds came out, swarming all over Colorado in the 1st, 2-0.  The 2nd had Colorado handing it back to us, making it 2-3, and then Weber came back near the end to tie it up at 3.  The 3rd was a stale-mate until the last few minutes when Legwand began chipping away like it was one of those lumberjack contests to no avail - went to overtime.

Legwand found a chip-away friend in Arnott and scored the OT goal to win the game.  Legrat and Ewand (nicknames I use thanks to an on-air radio tongue twist that I will always grin at, regardless of the fact that these two players have finally found their place this season) are working it game-per-game now.   Keep it coming, you two!!!  Erat, you got a new house to decorate!  Leggy, you got a new kid to start a Vanderbilt college fund for! Keep it coming!!!

I'm a lil superstitious, so I won't talk of records other than this one comment I'm typing right now.  You'll hear about that kind of thing from other less mystical hockey-god fearing folk.  Still excited though...but getting hopes up is never healthy for TN sports fans (see last year's Titans and Vandy fans) ;D

See ya Friday!

Cheers.

The Nashville Predators Int'l Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union 429 Arena? It's not out of the question.

Readership,

While we're waiting an extra hour to get the puck sliding when our Preds take on the Mile-High City Snowfall, we've been given news of yet another unexpected financial snafu: The Sommet Group hasn't been paying up for the arena naming rights and a suit is being filed.  The Sommet Group will continue to have rights until they are tried and lose.  What does this mean for the fans?  A guessing game, of course!  What will our 2nd home be called next?  Click here is a list of the present-day businesses that support the team.

What else can we do with our spare time whilst we wait for the game and this list of possibilities? Come up with slogans for our team just in case these "What If" scenarios become a reality!

Bradshaw Collision Center:  Get Smashed.
JD's British Cars Arena:  Where Central Division Rivals Can Sod Off.
CINTAS Center:  Cleaning Soiled Hockey Gear Since 1998.
Geriatrix Consulting Center:  Where Chelios Was Consulted Ages Ago.
Capitol Wholesale Fence Co. Arena:  Keeps Out Goals Against.
Smith, Seckman, Reid, Inc. Arena: Arnott, Dumont, Sullivan, Wow!
Team Construction Center:  We Do It Well.
Premier Door Arena: Where Wings Fans' Asses Are Hit On The Way Out.
Dirt Factory Arena (I just wanted to type this one out, really.)
Home Team Arena:  It Just Makes Sense. (or Home Team Arena: Really.)
Terminix Center:  Keeping the Pests Out
RazorGator Interactive Arena:  ExtremeAwesome Hockiness, Brah!(!!)
SESAC Center: What? You Already Called It "Gaylord".
Peoples State Bank Of Commerce Center: Home of the Peoples Team Of Hockey - the Nashville Predators
Pinnacle Center:  If We Buy The Naming Rights, Will You Forgive The Signs We Just Put On Our Tower?
Pillsbury Center:  Western Conference Rivals...YOU SUCK! Heeheeheeeee!
Pepsi Cola Arena (just so when we're finally put in the Eastern Conference, and Coke buys the Thrashers' naming rights...we can have an all-out...though it'd rock more as Royal Crown Arena)
Allied Waste Arena:  Garbage Goals All Night
Dixie Medical Center:  No Yanks Allowed
Southern Louisiana Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Center: We Fixed Legwand, We Can Fix You
Moo-TV Arena:  Opponent Tipping - We're Professionals
Southern Ice Arena Arena: The Second Arena Is Yours

The list can go on and on, but you get the picture. Why don't you join in the fun and comment some more?  These were all off the top of my head, so I'm sure you can do much better.  I just got home from driving from Atlanta in Thanksgiving traffic...took me 6 hours instead of 3 and a half...I'm braindead, I hate cars at the moment and I just ate some pizza I brought home from a delicious place in Little 5 called Savage Pizza (I recommend it).

More details will surely come out soon regarding this silliness, but until then, let's create some of our own.

And, just so the businesses know, thank you so much for supporting the team in ways we private individuals can't afford.  This post is in jest, and is meant to be taken lightly.  If you can't take puns or farcical nature without a grain of salt, you most likely aren't reading this blog anyway, but just in case...

'Til then!

Cheers.

"You've Got Red On You" - Preds Defeat Red Wings 3-1

Readership,

My apologies for no post in regards to the exhilarating over-time win against the Blue Jackets Saturday night.  As mentioned, Steph and I had planned a house party months in advance and couldn't make it out.  Instead, I had the game streaming on GameCenter and playing through a loud PA system while guests began to arrive.  In the shootout, none of than Marvin Elias Ecos joined me to bring forth his good Preds luck to the DJ booth.

Anyway - you know that story already.  Tonight is about the Predators solidifying their winning run through the leagues heaviest hitters, continuing tonight with the defeat of the Detroit Red Wings.  The team continues to look as complete as they have since Montreal.  Tootoo playing hungry, Pekka standing on his head or fifteen feet in front of the goal to stop mostly everything, Erat continuing his redemption by not just earning assists as in the last few games, but multiple goals as well, the PP unit coming together multiple times too, D playing strong in front of their goaltender, the top line growing [as one Twitter fan called it] "face pets" for cancer benefits...and to scare the living bejesus out of the goalie when they crash the net, the team is working as a team and is winning as a team.

Yes, folks, this team is real.

Yes, media, this team is real.

I love it when a team comes together.

The crowd was amazing tonight for the only nationally televised game on Versus.  Twitter fans mentioned being able to hear 303 loud and clear, with a possible conspiracy as to why "That's The Way I Like It" was played after Erat's first goal (the reason: VS didn't like hearing the "You Suck" chant...cos they could...loud and clear...that the Red Wings suck...and we were going to beatt the hell out of them...[Nogood, loser]), but that's just speculation (unless you've got the proof, then it'll be called "Versusgate" from here on out).

What else new? The 3rd jerseys of course! They're quite lovely, but I will let you in on this...I've got a 2007-2008 replica home jersey, Size L, so I pre-ordered a 2009 3rd size L.  The new 3rd jerseys are BIGGER than the current replica jerseys.  My 3rd jersey Size M is pretty much equal to my home Size L (I tried on the L and I could tandem skydive in that thing).  Steph wore an old XL Preds promotional long-sleeve shirt and her Size Small 3rd fit over it with maybe a half an inch of the bottom of her shirt showing.  Rumor has it they'll be available in the pro-shop on for the Nov. 27th game - Black Friday strikes the Sommet Center?? Nooooo!!!

'Til Colorado.

Cheers.

Devils Not Welcome In The Bible Belt: Preds Win In Shoot-Out 3-2

Readership,

Today was a good day.

The last day of work for a week and a half before Thanksgiving weekend...I was working closing shift and took my break for lunch around 2:30.  Out of nowhere, Stephanie appears at my workplace, having not yet visited my new workplace before, telling me of "good news":  Preds Marketing folk came into her workplace and noticed her Rinne shirt - conversations took place - free lower bowl tickets were given - score.  I told one of my superiors, a fan of hockey himself, if he wanted to buy my tix in 303, he could.  He then told me he was closing and we were overstaffed so he'd try to get me out early, and he did.

The seats in 101 were quite nice, though I will say this for the rest of the folks in that section...worthless.  No crowd participation, no chanting, no clapping, constant talking about un-hockey related topics and staff members by the name of "Ben" and "Allison" that hopped from seat to seat (including our seats...twice) to talk to their friends they most likely gave free tickets to.  The last time we were given free tix in 107, the folks at least clapped the team on.  101...puck bunnies and Ben and Allison's buddies - psh.  They don't deserve those seats.  Enough of the negative...

On to the positive!

Our boys just defeated the best in the West AND the East!  Arnott scoring twice against his former team, as well as the best goalie in the league (one of the best ever), Tootoo gets underneath the Devil's skin without dropping the gloves, while Rinne stones Parise and Langenbrunner, Santorelli notches the first shoot-out goal and Erat redeems himself by winning the shoot-out and the game! What a game, indeed!!!

Nashville: Where On-Fire Teams Go To Die.  Let's keep it going, fellas!!!

Have you voted for the Nashville/Ottawa game to be re-played?

Have you seen who just has to be Pedigree's Next Most Awesome Preda-dog In All Existence?

I won't be at the Columbus game this Saturday - a party has been in the works at Casa De SPC for months now, but I'll definitely be picking up that 3rd jersey - might even make it my party attire later that evening.  'Til then!

Cheers.

Shark Meat Tastes Like Chicken: Preds Win 4-3

Readership,

I was able to get out of work at 8:50 this evening, to catch the last 6 and a half minutes of regulation live at Sommet Center.  Stephanie took notes and I witnessed some rather awful off-ice officials essentially allow 3 minutes of timeouts to San Jose while they kept wading through the rough and tumble sea of shot-clock time.

4-2 soon became 4-3 as I sat in my seat in 303, cursing my bosses for using me as a replacement for some girl who got canned, some girl whose schedule involved closing every single evening, when I asked for as many day shifts as possible. Psh...unions - seniority rules who gets day-shifts. 

Seniority ruled tonight as well as Sullivan, Legwand, Smithson and (the exception) Ward tallied ho - Legwand finally stepping up to the doubt that similarly has been cast on his ole buddy Erat due to lack of production.  Whatever was said to these boys has finally made a difference.  I believe it was Asst. Coach Horachuck mentioning during 2-0 practice drills some thing to the effect of "no more fancy dancing".

The team we saw against Montreal showed up again to get revenge on San Jose and those points that should've been ours last week.  This is the team we've wanted from the get-go.  This is the team that will show the nay-sayers and northern doubters what we can do.  This is THE team - our team.

Lets hone in on this identity, realize the potential, and take out the competition.

Wilson to the Ads for conditioning?  If the team is playing as well as it is without Wilson, who has sadly missed the amazing transition we've got going on at the moment, then I hate to say it, but fine.  Let him destroy Chelios and the Wolves, the Rivermen and the rest of the AHL.  I'm sure he won't have an issue with that assignment.

I don't think I'll be able to make the New Jersey game as much as I'd like to (if tonight was any indication).  I'm putting my ticket up on Ticket Exchange - 303, H4 if you'd like to buy it and comment on how amazing my seat actually is.  Those silly folks on the glass don't know the half of what it is to be in 303.  Foolish folks indeed!

Cheers.

Hey, Kovalchuk...it's safer to park your car outside in Nashville!

Readership,

SPC Rumor Chart:

SPC-Alpha - I have on strict authority that this is totally happening.
SPC-Beta - I have on half-assed authority that this is "totally" happening.
SPC-Gamma - I've got a friend of a credible friend saying this is going to happen.
SPC-Delta - I've got a few folks with sources (ie. other bloggers) speculating moves in the works to make this happen.
SPC-Digamma - I've got a feeling based on tea leaves, standing up too fast, it coming to me in a dream or something similar to this that this is going to happen.

Kovalchuk to Nashville: SPC-Digamma

I know, I know - the talks with the KHL are still possibly going on and talks about being shopped around prolly won't even begin for a few weeks, but the possibility...the feeling that we might just be able to land Kovalchuk if the right buttons were pushed...

What do you think?  Poile bring Kovalchuk to Nashville?  That wouldn't be the first thing we've learned from the "Big Apple of the South",  one of the most dangerous metropolitan cities in the country, Atlanta - no, no...we've learned how to make rap music and how to perfect cola and how to steal architects with illusions of grandeur.  Now we just gotta learn how to make hockey players realize Nashville is on the up and up while Atlanta is MARTA a rotting pile of garbage. Sure, we don't have a rotting pile of garbage subway system, but we are the friendliest city in America! Howdy, Ilya - I'll buy ya a round down at Jack's and then we can go electric slide at the Wildhorse! See? Friendly!

In all fairness to my girlfriend Stephanie (who made the wise decision to move from ATL to BNA Nashville) and our many friends back down Georgia way...at least Decatur is nice.

Cheers.

Preds Drive 55 - Shut Out Habs 2-0

Readership,

I can't get Sammy Hagar out of my head at the moment thanks to my prideful attempts at being clever.

Preds drive a whopping 55 shots at Carey Price and bring home a 2-0 win after nearly two weeks out on the road, a much needed victory to provide the hometown crowd with proof that they are finally getting comfortable with themselves and with the way they need to play to return to the playoff run.

Note: I was able to get out of work a little early and made it just in time for the last minute of the 1st period, so I missed Sully's first goal, but to look at the shot clock after a period and see 24 shots to some single digit (was it 6 or 8, I forgot) put a smile on my face.  Hell, to see 1- 0 after the 1st is enough to put a smile on any face.

The 2nd period saw some great passing and more territorial domination.  It was only at some point in the at the end of the 2nd and beginning of the 3rd where we were really even semi-challenged (even by the refs with a questionable goalie interference goal waive-off).  Sully bagged one more and that cemented the win.

Some of the movement and puck acrobatics used to keep the puck in control was a welcome addition to what I see as an "evolution" of the team during the regular season.  The little things helped us keep the puck in this evening, helping the team dominate in the offensive zone.  Sure, we might've made Carey Price look amazing tonight, but it's better that we're the ones shooting in the end (it's that pesky scoring bit that we're still working on, but it's getting better!).

I won't be able to witness most of the next few home games due to the workplace's closing shifts getting me to the Sommet by 9ish, so we shall see - I may sell my tix, or try to make the 3rd and get an update via Stephanie.

Coming off tonight's dominance, I think we just may now have the trick to keep the Sharks at bay, and win back what we sorely deserved.   What say you?

Cheers.

Not Just In Terms Of BBQ: Nashville Tops St. Louis 3-1

Readership,

I know the idea has been dancing around in your collective heads for the past few weeks, but I do believe some of those new 3rd jerseys will soon see "Hornqvist" on the back of them!

Patric Hornqvist ended up as 1st star of the game [edit: radio used the term "first star", though that could've meant the "first star" given to a player...whatever...I'll use an excuse like that Dallas blogger fella...he was "first star" to the Preds fans], tying it up in the 2nd and providing a bit of chippyness and energy throughout.

A surprise Tootoo goal and an almost as much of a surprise at this point goal (empty-netter, but so what) from Legwand helped win the game 3-1 against a few former teammates and the rest of the St. Louis Blues, who seemed to just lose a clear plan of attack at the beginning of the 2nd.

A home game against Montreal on Saturday, the first home game in what seems like forever, should bring a stronger, more "together" team in front of our eyes.  Should.  We shall see soon! And we'll also soon be giving thanks, not only for the holidays, but for the Third Jerseys on the 27th and 28th.  I, for one, can't wait!  Gotta purchase another one in December and send it out to Ice Jerseys...get that #27 z-stitched (never heat-glued) on.

But seriously...Tennessee BBQ is boss.

Cheers.

Almost Only Counts In...: Preds Lose to Sharks 3-4

Readership,

Can't say much without being able to watch games these days - knocked cable off to save $40 a month and instead picked up GameCenter...big mistake.  And ATDHE.net doesn't work half of the time.  And with late games like these,  I don't feel like driving home from a bar...especially after a game like this.  A game like this would keep me in the bar.

We should've had this game with the last few minutes left, but we didn't buckle down and play the stubborn defense that we can play.  We pretty much kept up with, and even bested the Sharks' game just a lil bit, but in the end, we did what we've grown accustomed to - blowing it late.  There was great energy at the end, mucking and grinding, but not enough to get it done.

1 out of 3 in California: a complete break-down, an unbelievable victory, and then an "Almost Only Counts in Horseshoes and Hand-grenades".

Good thing I've got a well-stocked bar here at home.

Cheers.

Hail To The Preds, Baby: Guest Blogger

Readership,

Alas, I was at work and missed the entire game.  My roommate texted me the score, but even he didn't hear much of it.  Stephanie, my girlfriend of whom can be seen with lovely Admirals fans in one of the earlier posts, caught most of it as she will explain shortly.  Drum roll, please!

Introducing...from the depths of the internet, at the corner of 5th & Broad, straight from Puck City itself: Hockey Steph!!!


--------------------


Hello there all. I’m Stephanie, the occasionally referenced “girlfriend” of your normal See Puck City blogger J.K. & I’ll be writing today’s blog. The reason for my stunning guest blogger debut is, quite simply, that I was the only one in my house hold the catch most, if any at all, of today’s radio broadcast only game. Yes, yes I understand that The Staple Center is a busy place with basketball & all that, but it just drives me crazy that there just wasn’t any video feed at all. But enough time for that later, moving on. 

Hail to the Kings No More: Preds Beat LA 3-1

      10 minutes: nada.
      20 minutes: zilch.
      1^st period intermission.
      30 minutes: 0-0.
      35 minutes: on air recap.
      36 minutes & 38 seconds: Power play goal?!?!?! 

      And that’s about where I came in, at about 35 minutes or so in. Fresh out of work I hopped in my car ready to drive home & listen to the game. So I get settled in for my 30 minute drive, I adjust my sun visor and listen to Pete & Terry talk about numerous missed chances on both sides, bouncy pucks possibly due to soft ice, and what’s this??? A goal scored by Frances Bouillon!? And on the power play as well!? I was still in my parking space so I had at least 10 or 20 people within hearing distance as I started yelling celebratory chants inside my car, which just happened to have the windows down. I may have gotten some strange looks, but the taste of victory is never quite as sweet as right after a very bad loss, and I was ready to move on after the fiasco in Anaheim. The second intermission kicked in & I headed off toward home with no inkling of what kind of game was about to unfold. 


      I want to take a minute to talk about Frances Bouillon. He has I’ll admit, become a personal favorite of mine out of the new players that have joined the club this season. But that aside, I really do think we’ll see great things from him as we progress through the season. Maybe not so much in the goal scoring area per-se, he only scored 21goals in his almost 10 year career with the Canadians, but if Bouillon’s not the guy out there taking the shots it certainly looks like he’s the guy behind the scenes setting them up. While he may have only scored 21 goals, he assisted on a whopping 81 goals while with the Canadians, not too shabby if you ask me. And since joining us in late September he’s shown that he can play a good solid two way game & get a goal every once in a while too. Like his first goal of the season that he scored tonight, and during the power play at that. I feel that his timely goal had a positive effect on the team the rest of the game. It was just that boost of “Yes we can” that they needed right at that moment.  And that’s how it’s seemed a lot of the time lately, Bouillon may not be in the spot light, but during games I keep hearing his name pop up more and more, and that is a trend that I think is on the rise. 


      I commence my drive home; I listen to the stats and commentaries during the intermission, and then, game on! LA came at us like it was the last 60 seconds of the game. 5 shots counted on goal and a flurry of others that just didn’t get close enough, but there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that the Kings were on the attack. Ellis took 3 and a half minutes of abuse before we were able to dig it out, but then Bam! We’re on the attack, Erat’s feeding Franson the puck and we’ve got ourselves a 2-0 lead with 15:08 to go. I wonder what the other commuters on I-65 North though I was screaming about as I passed? Erat getting 2 assists that’s what. I can honestly say I’m shocked and pleased at the same time. Erat got 2 assists in one game, great, keep it up, I like it when you can actually see a player earning his salary.  


      4 minutes pass, we trade penalties with the Kings and play 2 minutes of 4 on 4 hockey. Then as we go back to full strength we get a penalty on Hammus and within 7 seconds the Kings score, at 11:35 in the third, the Kings finally get on the board. But not to fear, less that a minute and a half later we’re back up by 2 thanks to a sneak attack by Joel Ward with the help of David Legwand. In the last 10 we held our own & defended our 2 point lead to end the game at 3-1. 


      Am I happy we won the game? Oh yes, but what I’m even happier about is some of our new and lesser known players getting out there and showing what they’ve got. Big name players are great and all, but the Preds aren’t a team that can relay on just one or two guys to get them through. It’s got to be the entire team,  all game, every game, and I’m glad to see these guys stepping up to the challenge of making game winning moves with or with out the big names. I’m looking for big things from the likes of Mike Santorelli, Colin Wilson, Patrick Hornqvist, Frances Bouillon, Joel Ward, and all the rest of the young guns Nashville has this year. We’ve got a team of players who are looking to prove something. Now they just need to get out on the ice and prove it.


------------------------


Thanks again, Steph!  


Cheers.
       

Flat Out Ducked: Preds Duck It Up In Anaheim 0-4

Readership,

It feels like it's been so long since Halloween, and in fact, a lot can happen in six days:

- Jordan Tootoo can finally come back to play his first game.

- Capt'n. Arnott also returned from his injury to provide the offense we had actually been doing fairly well with over the last 3 games.

- Colin Wilson was hit with the injury-relapse bug.

- Shea Weber  trades places with Arnott and is now out for 1-2 weeks (reeking havoc on my fantasy team, I tell you).

- Erat is still out, but that could be good news still.

- Dumont, the man seemingly making it all happen in the past 3 games, is injured during practice.

What resulted last night was what resulted weeks ago: a team that had a few bright moments among certain players (Hornqvist was robbed by the refs, in my opinion) saw major changes within key players and that just threw off the strategical radar.

The Ducks' all-star guys were comfortable, they seemed to know how to push our buttons, or at least make the ref's seem like our buttons were pushed, bringing forth many penalties against the "least penalized team in the NHL".  And though we had 5 chances with the "man advantage", we still couldn't capitalize to save our skin.

If the team of three weeks ago is back and the team of two weeks ago was a fluke, I can only shudder to think what will happen with San Jose, and dare I say, even tomorrow with the Kings.  We shall gather around the radio like the did in olden days, and with the Christmas holiday looming around the corner, we'll be asking Santa for a gift we should've given thanks for last year, but sadly didn't.

Cheers.

Smashing Pumpki---Stars: Preds Defeat Dallas 4-2

Readership,

Warranted I wasn't actually in Sommet tonight because I was at The Pond in Franklin to see my old friends, The Protomen, take the stage for Halloween...

I did watch the first 1 and a half periods of play and caught the lovely final score right before the band took stage.  I just arrived home to reply with the following:

Trotz...don't know what you're doing, but keep doing it cos it's causing the focus to leave your general direction.  Admirals, I wish you were staying up here...I don't care to see Erat's WNBA Coach-esque face on the ice again after the wins you've helped us produce.  Arnott, Smithson is catching up to you!  Keep firing that laser, Shea!  I'm beginning to think Weber shot first (see Star Wars for reference).

My head aches due to the large amounts of "rawk" (see Booze).  We go on the road for a few weeks to kick ass and chew bubblegum - and I hope we lose the gum.

Cheers.