12/8/08: Nashville @ St. Louis
 

:nashville @ :blues

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http://www.shop-amgram.com/emAlbum/a...is%20MO/09.jpg

Previous Meetings:
October 10, 2008: St. Louis 5 vs. Nashville 2
November 25, 2008: St. Louis 1 vs. Nashville 0 (Shootout)

Nashville Predators (14-10-2, 30pts, 2nd Central, 8th West)

Last Game: Last Game: Nashville 1 vs. Minnesota 0
Last Ten Games: 6-3-1
Away Record: 7-7-1
OT/Shootout Record: 5-2
Record vs. St. Louis: 0-1-1
Goals For: 71
Goals Against: 77
Power Play Ranking: 13.6%, 27th
Away Power Play Ranking: 12.7%, 27th
Penalty Kill Ranking: 80.4%, 20th
Away Penalty Kill Ranking: 79.3%, 21st

Nashville Team Leaders
Goals: Jason Arnott, 13
Assists: Jean-Pierre DUmont, 19
Points: Dumont, 26 (6g+20a)
Power Play Goals: Shea Weber, Arnott, 4
Power Play Scoring: Dumont, 8 (1g+7a)
Short-Handed Goals: Five Tied at 1
Short-Handed Scoring: Scott Nichol, 3 (0g+3a)
Shots: Weber, 90
Shooting Percentage: Arnott, 17.6%
Plus-Minus: Weber, +12
Penalty Minutes: Jordin Tootoo, 54
Hits: Weber, 57
Blocked Shots: Zanon, 74
Giveaways: Dumont, 20
Takeaways: Hamhuis, 16
Turnover Differential: Joel Ward, +10
Faceoffs Won: Radek Bonk, 161-98
Faceoff Percentage: Bonk, 62.2%
Time On Ice: Weber, 24:05
Wins: Dan Ellis, 8-10-2
Minutes Played: Ellis, 1177
Goals Against Average: Pekka Rinne, 2.24
Save Percentage: Rinne, .917
Shutouts: Rinne, 2

Nashville Fun Fact: The Predators are one of just three teams in the NHL who are undefeated (7-0-0) when leading after the first period. The other two are Ottawa (7-0-0) and Dallas (5-0-0).

Nashville Player to Watch: Left Wing Antti Pihlström has been buzzing all over the place and had 5 shots against Minnesota on Saturday. He'll be looking to bury one and ditch that goose-egg against the Blues.

Nashville Reason to Worry: Forward Martin Erat has now gone 10 games without a goal.

Nashville Injury Report
Dan Ellis (Bruised Knee, Doubtful)
Ville Koistinen (Cranial-Rectal Inversion, Out)
Martin Erat (Radim Vrbata Syndrome, Probable)

Nashville Projected Lineup
Ward-Arnott-Dumont
Pihlström-Legwand-Erat
Smithson-Bonk-Tootoo
Fiddler-Nichol-Belak

Weber-Suter
Hamhuis-Zanon
De Vries-Klein

Rinne


St. Louis Blues (11-11-3, 25pts, 4th Central, 13th West)

Last Game: St. Louis 4 vs. Phoenix 3
Last Ten Games: 5-3-2
Home Record: 6-5-2
OT/Shootout Record: 5-3
Record vs. Nashville: 2-0-0
Goals For: 70
Goals Against: 78
Power Play Ranking: 23.8%, 3rd
Home Power Play Ranking: 25.4%, 6th
Penalty Kill Ranking: 83.5%, 10th
Home Penalty Ranking: 83.6%, 13th

St. Louis Team Leaders
Goals: Brad Boyes, 13
Assists: David Perron, Paul Kariya, 13
Points: Boyes, 25 (13g+12a)
Power Play Goals: Keith Tkachuk, 8
Power Play Scoring: Boyes, 13 (7g+6a)
Short-Handed Goals: Andy McDonald, BJ Crombeen, 1
Shots: Boyes, 62
Shooting Percentage: Boyes, 21.0%
Plus-Minus: Patrik Berglund, +3
Penalty Minutes: David Backes, 79
Hits: Backes, 65
Blocked Shots: Jay McKee, 61
Giveaways: Boyes, 21
Takeaways: Eric Brewer, 14
Turnover Differential: T.J. Oshie, +8
Faceoffs Won: Jay McClement, 242-192
Faceoff Percentage: McDonald, 61.4%
Time On Ice: Brewer, 25:17
Wins: Manny Legace, 7-5-1
Minutes Played: Legace, 365
Goals Against Average: Chris Mason, 2.53
Save Percentage: Mason, .921
Shutouts: Mason, 1

St. Louis Fun Fact: The Blues are one of four teams in the NHL with a top ten power play AND a top ten penalty kill. The other three teams: Minnesota, Philadelphia, and San Jose.

St. LouisSt Player to Watch: St. Louis sniper Brad Boyes is just one goal shy of the century mark for his career.

St. Louis Reason to Worry: The Blues' defense has conceded an average of 3.8 goals in their last five games.

St. Louis Injuries
Paul Kariya (Hip, IR)
Keith Tkachuk* (Probable)
T.J. Oshie (Ankle, Out)

St. Louis Projected Lineup
Backes-Tkachuk-Boyes
Steen-Berglund-Perron
Crombeen-McClement-Stastny
Janssen-Paddock-Winchester

Brewer-Jackman
McKee-Wagner
Polak-Colaiacovo

Legace


Media Coverage: Tonight's game will be broadcast on FSN-Midwest (in HD) and KMOX 1120 AM in St. Louis. In Nashville, the game will be on FSN-South (in HD) and 104.5 "The Zone."


*Tkachuk is not currently with the team. Reports were that Tkachuk left the team for "personal fitness training." He was spotted by fans with defenseman Barrett Jackman at the McDonald's on N 24th Street on the east side of the river on Sunday afternoon. He is expected to re-join the team in time for tonight's game, but might not be able to suit up.

TJ Oshie was injured in his first game back Saturday...don't think he is in the lineup, but could be wrong honestly...too late to research that.

Ernh, wrong-o:

St. Louis Yahoo! Team Report

As I said, too late to research. I just remember hearing that he was hurt Saturday and had to leave the game. Thanks for doing the legwork.

Any word on which ankle...:sarcasm:

Have to think we're seeing Mason tonight.

Another shutout? :)

Hey, we know how it goes with Mase.

One game a shutout, the next--3 goals in the first period. We'll play the law of averages ;)

PS...shouldn't you be changing your name to Oshsteeniacovo?

Not to be *****ing or anything.. but Berglund has +11 on the Blues.. :P

Can someone fill me in on what happened?

I think it is pretty self-explanatory to be honest.... :help:

So he is just being a little *****? Any specific disturbances he has caused?

No... he just sucks.

Told ya...;)

I think it is best for us to face Legace over Mason tonight

Finally Pihlstrom gets what he deserves.

Ah man lovely goal by Klein.

Another game or two like this from Klein and Koistenen may not see the ice much, if at all, barring injuries.

6 on 3 powerplay goal essentially. Zanon breaks up a pass, but the officials didn't deem it possession. Weak call on Hamhuis to get the 6th guy on (goalie left). A weak call on Fiddler, but a great play by the Blues player to draw the penalty by latching on to his stick and masquerading like he was being held (Fiddler lets the stick go and the BLues player carries it under his arm for 2-3 seconds). I can't blame the officials for making the Fiddler call, but Tkachuk and Hamhuis were both battling for position...neither should have been called, and calling Hamhuis alone in an already a 5 on 3 situation seems very questionable to me.

EDIT: And the Blues bury another one in the 5 on 4, but it was essentially a 5 on 3 goal.

EDIT 2: Dumont with a laser - 3-3! EAT YOUR HEART OUT BLUES FANS :P

God damn

How's the game going? I turned it off after the second power play goal to avoid destroying my computer in frustration...

In two words BAD PENALTIES.

That extended 5 on 3 PP for STL really turned the tide...

Hamhuis gets caught staring at the puck, Legwand not picking up his man, and Steen gets Crombeen his second goal of the game.

Now of course it's 5-3 as Boyes is allowed to stand there in the slot and tip it past Rinne.

Penalties costing us again tonight...

Empty net...STL trying hard to get Crombeen a hatty...and they do

I've watched a fair amount of hockey-- I've never seen such a weak call during an extended 5 on 3 to grant in essence a 6 on 3. I really don't get that. What the....??

Why is Fiddler and Smithson out there at the end? We are not trying to kill a penalty, are we?

Man this sucks! Pathetic.