A Pred fan here - looking forward to this game a lot (hopefully the wife won't mind me watching it instead of CSI with her!!). I've really enjoyed watching a few NYR games this season and you've got a couple of good to great youngsters going in Lundqvist and Prucha (hope he doesn't do too well, because I'm hoping to sneek him on my roster in a fantasy league with a late round draft pick).
Got to love 2 top goalies (hopefully Lundqvist is in goal) going at it in a battle of top ranked teams.
With Preds having Upshall, Stevenson and Hordichuk, I suspect same lineup as last night. Orr vs Hordichuk should be fun if it happens. Hollweg vs Upshall
I think Hossa should play, but I don't know if I would sit Rucchin.
I agree. In a game like this I want Rucchin, he has been solid on faceoffs and more responsible defensively than Hossa. I'm all in favor of playing kids, but against the preds (who have Perrault at pivot) I'd want Rucchin in the lineup.
On D I say scratch Strudwick and play Drats. The preds are a fast team, and I'm not sure Strudwick will be able to keep up. I also think there might be more of an opportunity for Drats' offensive upside to come out, as Nashville is not as solid in their own end as stats would suggest, IMO. I think their superior GA ranking is due more to Vokoun than the skill of their defensemen.
I agree. In a game like this I want Rucchin, he has been solid on faceoffs and more responsible defensively than Hossa. I'm all in favor of playing kids, but against the preds (who have Perrault at pivot) I'd want Rucchin in the lineup.
On D I say scratch Strudwick and play Drats. The preds are a fast team, and I'm not sure Strudwick will be able to keep up. I also think there might be more of an opportunity for Drats' offensive upside to come out, as Nashville is not as solid in their own end as stats would suggest, IMO. I think their superior GA ranking is due more to Vokoun than the skill of their defensemen.
Call me crazy but I think Strudwick is faster than Kondratiev.
you're crazy (for saying Strudwick's faster than Kondratiev).
Edit: We look forward to the game too, AL. I watched some of the Preds game last night and they're dangerous. I think you're going to se Weekes in goal, not Lundqvist.
hehe, ok i'm crazy. maybe i feel this way because strudwick is better positionally and doesn't get caught chasing people around like drats often does (not so much lately though, he's been much better)
I agree that Hollweg or Orr should be in over Hossa against this team. Although I didn't see much of Hollweg in any action last night. Did he have much ice time? I don't recall seeing him that much. I guess Renney is looking for the slightly more offensive side that Hossa brings?
I think Niemenen is a good choice in the lineup tonight. He can get under the skin of the smaller guys like Kariya and Sullivan and try to take them off their games.
Well, that blows...No need for Orr, I agree, but with Hollweg I guess it must be the stupid penalty he took last night (why we need Nieminin instead!) and that he threw too many checks in his 5 minutes of ice time..WOuld have liked to see another game or two of Prucha-Nylaner-Ward instead of rushing Hossa back but maybe Renney feels uneasy breaking up Betts-Ward and wants to see a few games of Prucha-Nylander-Hossa.....can't say I agree, but he's been doing a good job so far...
Yeah, definitely would've liked to see Hollweg instead of Hossa, but you can't argue with Renney's track record on such matters. Also, really looking forward to this game tonight, Zidlicky and Kariya are two of my favorite guys to watch, I'd be rooting for the Preds if they were playing anybody else besides my Blueshirts.
but he was getting almost 3 times the amount of minutes he was getting with the Bruins. So for him, it's a lot, and I don't think you'll see too many games in which he'll get more than 5 or 6 minutes.
maybe i feel this way because strudwick is better positionally and doesn't get caught chasing people around like drats often does (not so much lately though, he's been much better)
) are out.
