Lame Ducks Fall To Preds 3-1; Not Really Hiller's Fault

Readership,

That's the kind of result we Preds fans like for the new year, 2010: wins.

AJ, from Pull My Fang Finger, wrote a 3-part opus regarding what the team has become (quite good, actually) and what it needs to do to continue their march in turning Nashville into a "hockey town" in the eyes of everyone outside of the southeast - and that's winning. And win we did, though not easily.

Hiller, as a member of Section 303, I didn't really mean that it was your fault. If it weren't for you doing your job (you bastard!), the first two periods would've shown a different score on the board (I'm gonna go out on a limb and say 4-1).  We came at you with everything (including a few kitchen sinks), and we just couldn't get it past you.  Kudos, Hiller! You saved your team from further embarrassment for 2 periods of play.  The last period was ours, however,  in the "Benny Hill Dept. of Production" - we wasted an opportune powerplay, didn't even dump and chase (more like "drop and skate from"),  and acted as if we were up 4-1 in the last few minutes in terms of energy (I'm looking at you, Belak, and your dinky-ass "checking".  Listen to something heavier than Metallica and it will do you wonders - try Absu for a change...or if that's too fast for you, earlier Isis...perhaps old Ministry...or, from Vancouver, Front Line Assembly).

But even with a 6-on-4 in favor of the Ducks with 8 seconds left, it was too late for a comeback.  Legwand cemented the 3-1 win with no time left on the board (awarded at 20:00 in the 3rd) and the first (hopefully of many) win of the year was won - thanks to Weber's many attempts from the blue-line and Arnott's multitude of set-ups and Leggy's keen sense of timing.  That's not to say that the young'uns haven't been kicking ass and chewing bubblegum - it's their fire in the first half of this season (and in Legwand's case, I'm including his newborn son in the group) that warmed up the vets, melting off their shackles of ancient apathy, reminding them why they play the game in the first place - the fire...and the win.

Speaking of fire, we've got the Flames coming up next (then Carolina...which we can't assume we will win...cos we've done THAT too many times, then Anaheim looking for revenge for tonight).  We've got the injuries filled with that youthful fire doing a good job finding the team chemistry - we just need to.......dammit......it's turning into a coaching cliche here at SPC - I was about to say what I've said countless times...play a full 60-minute game.  Tonight we played 40...perhaps 45.  Our PK was successful tonight, which is saying something, but the 3rd period was sloppier than an interview with Sean Avery.  Let's hope Trotz has forced a New Year's resolution on the boys to never "assume" they've got the win in the bag.  Let's.

Cheers.