"Predator Down" Doesn't Have Same Ring As "Blackhawk Down", But Chicago Still Wins 4-1

Readership,

The good news: tonight was the first sell-out w/ 17,113 in attendance.  We need more nights like tonight, nights with the lobby being a pain in the butt to walk through due to numerous "excuses me"s and "get outta my way, ya friggin' 'Hawks fan"s.  Perhaps the fact that San Diego put the final nail in the Titans' coffin might sway some folks Sommet's way.

The bad news: the Preds team we saw tonight was the same team we saw in Vancouver, despite a handful of line-up changes due to Smithson's injury, as well as Toots'.  Thuresson is the latest addition to the line-up, Spaling prior to that, and the chemistry has yet to be made. Turn-over after turn-over, and if it weren't for the folks in the Toronto War Room deciding to be nice to us for Boxing Day, the game would've ended in a shut-out, what with the refs not calling at least 5 off-sides against Chicago and a handful of questionable-at-best calls against us.

Like Vancouver, we seemed to match their play by the end of the 1st aaaaaaand SCENE! That's a wrap! Pack up and mail the rest in.  Where #71 went, I've got no idea.  I recall seeing Erat actually stealing the puck away from Klein at the blue line, and with reason (#8's shots were either picked away or were way off net or playing the puck in front of Rinne) - though it's a bad sign when your team can only forecheck against themselves.  I'm morbidly curious to see how much time was spent in our zone.

I thought we tend to play superb against the best Western Conference teams.  We seem to play well in their barn, so let's take it to them in front of their sold out arena, eh? Split the season series in half. Please? A belated Xmas present? A "Sorry, didn't know what Boxing Day Was" belated Boxing Day present?

FOCUS - and cram for that Chem test.  You've got 40+ of them coming up, so you better get your learn on.  Get Smithson to tutor you for the PK quiz, and get Tootoo to let you copy his crib notes.

Off to sleep.  A wave of tired hit me like a sack of Hossa's pride.

Cheers.