Predators vs. Blackhawks - Game 4 - 4/22 - 7:30 PM CST "Primal Scream" edition
 

Big game for the Hawks, they can't let us go up 3-1 because if we do, we are set, I really want us to bring it just as we did 2 days ago, but my inner self is telling me we aren't going to be that good today, in the regular season it seemed that if we played really good one night, the next night we kinda sucked, Prove me wrong Preds :)

Although the game starts at really sick time, i don't have any school tomorrow so I'm staying up and giving some good mojo 5-0-1 :nod:

I'm hoping for a good showing from our vets as we have seen in these playoff's and Niemi to let in a few softies to crush their hearts :laugh:

Go Preds :handclap:


On a side note, anyone else impressed with Spaling? i think he has played really good only his 32nd game in the nhl, he is a good defensive forward in my mind, hope to see him have a full season next year and get some goals under his belt aswell

Spaling is a solid fourth line center with a pretty good eye for setting up his teammates. He's quick, and he plays well positionally. The kid will help our penalty kill tremendously in the future. I'm enjoying watching him play with Boyd. Now if only Dustin can get the puck off the ice and into the net.

The Blackhawks came out in game 1 with the weight of the world, or at least the weight of Chicago and NHL analysts, on their shoulders. They ended up playing a good game, but couldn't get past our smothering defense. In game 2 they were angry. They came out hard, couldn't get anything going in the first (crossbar and a quick whistle helped), but ended up winning 2-0. Game 3 was obviously a dominate performance by the Predators. I think it's the first game either team has really stepped up to take the reigns throughout an entire game.

That win puts a ton of pressure back on the Hawks. They HAVE to take back home ice advantage tonight. Not just to have it, but to avoid being pressed against the wall. If we go up 3-1 we have three games to win one. They have three games they have to sweep. If we can start out like we did Tuesday night I think we can rattle the kids. Presence around the crease will help. Make Niemi sweat and not only can we make him second guess himself, but we can make the team start to question their backstop, too. Make the Hawks start to force plays and we are in a good position. Get an early lead and force Chicago to activate their D lower in the offensive zone and we have a good shot at odd-man rushes.

I'm not sure if they tore the ice up last night for the concert, but I would imagine they did. If so the ice is going to be terrible tonight. We have to let soft ice help us in that case. Let it slow the Hawks speed. Let it make their passes more difficult. Keep our game simple in both zones. Stay out of the freakin' box.

Game on, ladies and gentlemen!

Major props to all our fans that will stay up late to watch the game. It's an 8:30am start time here in Taiwan.

Hoping for a big win. At work at the moment and need to ahem, get back to work, will post more later.

The Keys to the game: 1) Play strong; Our physical presence was a notable difference maker in the last game I think. It was not present in game 2 at any rate. Don't let them push us around in our house. 2) Play our system; In game 3 Chicago was a speeding monster. They got the puck, they were full speed. When we got the puck there was a noticable slow down. If we try to keep up with them they will make us look like kids out there. Stick to our system and play our game and I think we will be just fine.

I had a third "S", but I forget it. Those two are good ones and what I noticed between Games 2 and 3. It wasn't "Shots" but that is a good idea too. Niemi seems to be the kind of goalie that can be rattled with a couple of goals. Take it to him.

I was thinking about the first playoff series and this one. Vokoun made a comment after winning game 3 or 4 to the media that the Wings took to heart as an insult to their talent level. They came out in game 5 like demons and we didn't stand a chance. Erat made a similar comment I think later in a different series and it had the same effect: made the other team play harder and better and we lost. The only comments from the players I've heard in the media (Suter, Legwand, and Smithson to be specific) to date have had nothing by respect for the 'Hawks and I think this helps us. They seem to have a healthy understanding of where they are in this situation and they are not cocky, but cautious. I feel good about this series. We can win this game and if we do, I think we will win the series in the end.

They only melt the ice for the circus. They cover the ice with foam, plywood, and another layer of temp flooring that actually makes it look like concrete. The ice crew has been working their butts off to get the ice ready for the morning skate though.

Huge huge huge game tonight!

Predators better come ready to play. Hawks have changed their lines and will have likely made adjustments.

Do the Predators come out timid and play a crap game like game 2 or do we see a dominating effort like on Tuesday?

Predators need to stay out of the box, play physical, and play simple hockey. Don't give up turnovers and make it easy for the Hawks. Make them beat you with outstanding plays in the defensive zone.

As stated, this is obviously the most important game in franchise history. A win here, and I think we'll take the series...maybe even in five. A loss...and I don't like our chances as much, if at all.

I think setting the tone early is important. In game 3, I think the two biggest pacesetters were the Weber hit on Kane and the Bouillon hit on Fraser. Ward getting the early goal was nice, but I think coming out and asserting ourselves physically was key. Similarly, I think we need to come out banging again tonight. We need to make sure there's no letdown, as we've sometimes seen after a big, emotional win. I thought it interesting that some of the Hawks players said that they came into the game with a gameplan to counteract our neutral zone play, and instead we opened it up and played a more offensive forecheck. That will, again, be key. Don't give them the time to build up a head of steam from the redline in. Limit their time, space, speed....play the body whenever possible...and hopefully get on the board early to keep the crowd in it, and we should be fine. When the Hawks tied the game up at 1, a lot of the life was instantly sucked out of the building. It'll be important on our part to keep up the energy, even if things don't go our way early.

Okay guys, we'll be loud tonight.Listen to us roar...:handclap:

Hammer, how about a hipcheck tonight? Suter gave us one to laugh about last game, you give us one to roar about..:nod:

Klein, your turn to smash someone in front of me.... who you gonna nail?;)

Weber, oh my Shea Freakin Weber....:D

Leggy , you did us proud.... more, Leggy more..:)

Cube , what can we say.....:handclap:

Sully, what a lion you are.... GO PREDS GO

all of you did so good. Let us roar...:handclap:

Even if we are as good, I can't help but feel that the Hawks aren't going to sit back and play tame and timid hockey again tonight. They know it's a must-win game tonight, they'll be tough.

Boy I love that feeling you get the afternoon before a playoff game. Knowing that anything could happen, that the Preds could wake up Friday morning with a 3-1 stranglehold on the series and finally be in a great position to make it to the 2nd round. But at the same time, if the Hawks tie it up we're right back where we started at the beginning of the series, and I'm not to keen on our prospects if that happens. If we can somehow manage to play every single remaining game exactly like we did on Tuesday night, I like our chances a lot. I'd like our chances against any team in the West. When the Preds bring their A game this becomes a hell of a dangerous team.

I will enjoy this game tonight with the aid of cold brew. Go Preds.

i am worried about burish comments about running pekka. according to mcann, he said that they have to break momentum, even if it meant running the goalie.

Got pumped up listening to one of my favorites and it worked in the last GDT, hoping for the same in game 4. This time an Audiosurf version.



High time we tell not only the Hawks but the rest of the league, this playoffs at the Bridgestone they HAVE NO CHANCE TO WIN!!!!!! :yo::yo:

No excuses. Hit 'em hard, hit 'em often, forecheck and shoot the puck. Get the win.

This playoffs I don't have the sense of hatred for the Hawks I've had for the Sharks and Wings. That said, we manage to play as well as we did in game 3 I wouldn't be surprised if they ran Rinne.

Last Predators goalie fight I remember is this one:

If he does that he will need a tube to eat from for a while courtesy of Francis Boullion. Boullion has been awesome at protecting Rinne and I think hes dropped the gloves each game but the refs broke it up Im not worried about that.

If Burish has said this openly and then actually does it he should be suspended from the league for as long as possible. And then we need to send toots full speed into niemi with his stick like a frigging jousting lance

You know I'm not a comic book guy but I can think of one scene in the Marvel comics where Colossus picks up Wolverine and tosses him at the bad guys. I was thinking more along the lines of Shea imagining Tootoo as a puck and slap shotting him right into Niemi.

WTF?! What a loser. I guess he has to say tough things like that since the rest of his team plays like a bunch of high school girls. Screw him.

Or just let Toots beat the crap out of Burish!

As annoying as Melrose can be, I liked his comments to Glennon...that the Hawks seem to not wanna get their noses dirty, don't wanna pay the price...we know our guys have no problem doing either. If we keep pummeling them physically and Pekka stays on his game, we've got this! If the Hawks have any heart at all they're gonna come out flying tonight...I'd LOVE to see Weber or Boullion or whoever absolutely crush somebody on the very first shift. Set the tone boys!!!!!

the link. comment toward the end

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/morri...ssey22.article

If he does, he won't be. He plays for the Blackhawks. No way he gets suspended

I hope Chase, Swampy, and Michael from section 333 are watching over the boys tonight. We need some divine intervention.

This is OUR time.

The question becomes, does Trotz take the bait? Burish could be trying to play a mind game on the team. Is there a player on this team right now who is expendable? Can the Preds afford to lose Tootoo? They sure as hell can't afford to play Belak. Right now, most of the actions and words coming from Chicago are in the tone of panic. They believed in their hype. Pure and simple, the Preds need to put their skate on Chicago's throat and win this thing.

Frankly, if Chicago does take a run at Rinne, the Preds need to get a hold of the scoreboard and hurt them when it hurts the most.

When you do things the Chicago way you lose. "If they put on of your boys in the hospital, you put one of them in the morgue." That's a reactionary attitude when you should be the one on attack.

Totally agree with this being the biggest game in franchise history. History will be made!!!

Absolutely, if a Hawk player was to take a run at Rinne doing nothing and scoring a PP goal that eventually helped win the game to put us up 3-1 in the series would hurt the Hawks a lot more than taking the bait and getting a retaliatory penalty. Now on the other hand, if they injure Peks I have no problem with them busting heads.