Predators Battle Avalanche, Seek Revenge From November Beatdown
By Chad Minton
Maybe you erased it from your memory, but the Nashville Predators have a score to settle with the Colorado Avalanche from way back in November.
There’s not many on the 82-game schedule that weigh on your mind and are difficult to move on from, but the 9-4 beating that the Avalanche gave to the Nashville Predators back in the first week of November is one of them.
That game saw the Avalanche score five goals in less than five minutes, and six goals total in a wild 2nd period where the Predators also score two goals of their own.
It was a nightmare of a game that helped send the Predators into their tailspin that they’re just now starting to climb out of as they’re officially back in a playoff spot.
This game can really show us what the Predators are truly made of as we go down the home stretch. The Avalanche are lethal with scorers and are one of the stingiest teams in the league only giving up 2.68 goals per game.
Mikael Granlund can’t be stopped
What a recent trajectory that Mikael Granlund is one lately. Since John Hynes took over as head coach nearly two months ago, Granlund has 11 goals and looks like a completely different player.
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He looks more like the player the Predators thought they were originally trading for last year.
Now we have to hope he can keep that trend going in a positive direction as the Predators really need the stars of their team to carry them down the home stretch.
The Predators have been fortunate enough to get a lot of help from bottom-six players like Nick Bonino, Rocco Grimaldi and others. But this is about seeing your top talent deliver under pressure when needed most.
Granlund is living up to that challenge, and we need other to follow suit tonight against the Avalanche.
Homestand continues
The Predators are on a current five-game homestand, and have won all three against Columbus, Ottawa and Calgary.
Their most recent win on Thursday night against Calgary was absolutely insane as Granlund tied the game with 0.1 seconds left on the clock, and then proceeded to score the game-winner in overtime.
The Predators still have to play the Avalanche twice more after tonight, so we’re going to be getting to know this dangerous team quite a lot in this next month.
No starting goaltender has been announced at the time of this writing, but I’d expect to possibly see Pekka Rinne return to the starter’s crease for some spot duty and give Juuse Saros some rest.
Rinne has been ill and hasn’t appeared in a game since February 21st against Chicago where he made 36 saves on 38 shots faced. He actually has a save percentage above 94 percent in three of his last four outings.
Of course the Avalanche are loaded at the top with the likes of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Gabriel Landeskog and young phenom Cale Makar.
All four of these players have double-digit goals and 30-plus points, with MacKinnon leading the way with 85 points. They have plenty of others who can burn you as well. It’s a very stacked team from top to bottom.
Tonight will be a true test to see how for real the Predators are. It’s not necessarily a must-win type of game, but you definitely want to keep the momentum going and not lay out a dud performance.
Puck drop is a little earlier than normal at 6 P.M. CDT from Bridgestone Arena. Downtown will be packed with Nashville SC playing their inaugural game in the MLS, so give yourself plenty of time to get downtown and into the arena!