Nashville Predators: February Awards For Predators
By Steve Cook
Most Demoralized Predators Opponent: St. Louis Blues
Things looked good for the Blues on February 13. They were in the middle of the group on top of the Central Division. They were within striking distance of the top spot and a division championship. A win in Nashville would have helped their cause. With eleven minutes left in the game and a three-goal lead, it seemed likely. Some of us had even given up on the evening after two periods.
Just over nine minutes into the third, Calle Jarnkrok scored and gave the Predators hope. Austin Watson scored two times in a minute, and somehow the game was tied with just over four minutes left. A Filip Forsberg penalty shot ended things in overtime as the Predators completed their latest improbable comeback.
The Blues were on a two-game losing streak at that point. The bad times continued through their next trip to Nashville on February 25. The Predators didn’t need to overcome adversity this time. They dismantled the Blues 4-0, showing an NBC television audience their intentions for dominance. The Blues fell out of the last wildcard spot. The next day, they traded Paul Stastny to Winnipeg. Seven straight losses, including two in Nashville, turned them from trade deadline buyers to sellers.
The St. Louis Blues are only two points out of the final wildcard spot. They made a run last season to make the playoffs and advance to the second round. They could do the same thing this season. Their fans aren’t optimistic, and they’re not playing like a team planning on making a run. The Nashville Predators demoralized them.