Nashville Predators : Extinguishing The Flames
Physical Nashville Predators carry 13 game point streak into Calgary
The Nashville Predators pushed their point streak to 13 games Tuesday night against the always physical divisional foe Winnipeg Jets winning 4-2 and winning the season series 4-1-1.
Tonight the Nashville Predators will be on the ice once again this time in Calgary, Alberta against the struggling Flames. Last year the Flames had the Predators number beating us in all three tilts. This year it has been better for the Predators as they have split the season series at 1-0-1.
More predators: Warning:Preds Are Streaking!
Nashville Predators (34-21-12)
Nashville comes into the game riding high after a very physical battle against the Jets. The 2nd line continued the hot hand as Craig Smith tallied 2 goals and Filip Forsberg and Mike Ribeiro grabbed one assist
each. Pekka Rinne stopped 21 out of 23 shots versus the Jets and is almost guaranteed to rest against the Flames while Carter Hutton (7-2-2) is in net. The Preds physical play needs to carry over against a depleted Flames team to help make 13 a lucky number and keep the streak alive.
The Predators have a lot riding on this game as well as every game remaining this season as we fight for the best playoff seed available. The Predators are now five points away from the St. Louis Blues who have been mediocre at best lately. The only problem I can see for the Preds is that they are 3-4-1 this season in the second game of a back to back. Now Karri Ramo is on the IR so the Predators will either face Niklas Backstrom or Jonas Hiller, I see this resulting in a very favorable outcome for the Predators.
Calgary Flames (27-34-5)
Oh, where do I begin on the Flames? Last season the Flames finished with a 45-30-7 record and 3rd in the Pacific. The Flames were riding high with great goaltending and magnificent offense by Jiri Hudler and Johnny Hockey. Now the Flames have shipped Kris Russell to Dallas, Hudler to Florida and the poor goaltending has resulted in a 2-6-2 in the last 10 games. A lot of people had picked this team to go far this season but it’s not going happen this year.
The Flames have nothing else to play for this year except their dignity. The Flames would love nothing more in this world to be the team that stops the Predators streak. This game has trap game written all over it but solid play by Hutton this year and the hot offensive hand of late looks to give Nashville a sizeable advantage.
Prediction
I personally believe that even though the Predators have played the night before this game will keep the streak alive. Our goaltending is better and our offense is one of the best in the NHL right now. The Nashville Predators will walk into the Saddledome Wednesday night and walk out victorious with a 3-1 victory as Hutton locks up his 8th win of the season and the streak survives and moves to 14 games.
Next: The Predators Playoff Push
The next game is Saturday night at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia as the Predators take on the Canucks. That will be the third game of the five-game road trip.