Preds Take Game 3 Against 'Hawks With A Familiar Score: 4-1

Readership,

4-1.  Seems like the Preds like that score.  They did it the first time around, tried something a lil different and decided that 0-2 wasn't all that it's cracked up to be, so they went back to 4-1.  That being said, the series stands at 2-1.  I feel our boys would very much like that to be 4-1 in the end of it all, and I feel that Pred Nation does too.

A crowd of 16,075 rallied in Nashville, making it look and sound more than "sold out" cos Preds fans are just that hardcore (it's a fact that 1 Preds fan is equal to that of 1.59 fans of other NHL teams - think British pounds to dollars and you've about got it).  The crowd didn't disappoint and neither did the boys in blue.  A 60 minute hockey game is what we've wanted out of the team during the regular season so many times, and finally a 60 minute game is what they gave us.  Everyone fought with vigor, but not carelessly so as seen in Game 2.  Power and patience was the name of the game, whether it was choosing between going in the zone alone or waiting for a full change to waiting for the referees to finally call one of the many tackles on Martin Erat in the 3rd (the third hit hooked him and resulted in a successful penalty shot - something we rarely get to see, especially in the playoffs).

SPC kudos go to Pred "vets" Legwand, Erat and Sullivan for stepping up to that level the organization dreams of becoming consistent because these fellas are capable of being just that.  More kudos go to...well...I was going to name names, but the whole Defensive corps was damn fine (with the exception of the brief moments in the 2nd where Hamhuis and Klein were out together - the fact that they both did quite well defensively when NOT pair together...is further proof that that is what works).  And of course, the most consistent kudos of them all goes to Pekka Rinne for once again being brilliant.

4-1.  Again(la) and again(la)! Man, I'm hoarse.

Go Preds!!!

Cheers.


PS. It has been brought to my attention that Otter's Chicken Tenders is adding a little something extra to their Preds Fan Appreciation deal thanks to the 2010 Playoffs!  If you didn't know already, if you wore a Preds jersey or Preds gear to Otter's (Demonbreun location) on game day, you'd get a free appetizer.  Now, add the option of 2-for-1 beer to that!  Sweet! Perhaps I'll see you there Thursday?