3/11/10 - Nashville at San Jose: L 5-8

In Atlanta, the Predators played well for the first 20 minutes of the game.  In San Jose, they played really well for the first 40 minutes of the game.  So it only stands to reason that in Anaheim, they will play amazing for all 60 minutes of the game, right?  RIGHT?! PLEASE TELL ME I’M RIGHT?!  After last night, I need to stay positive so I am going to focus on what the team did well; only taking a brief moment or two to highlight what needs improvement.  With all the Chicken Little attitudes lurking around this morning, it might be good to note that this was just one game and the Predators have bounced back from worse before.

Positive takeaways:

1. Dan Hamhuis and Kevin Klein weren’t paired together!  And even better than that, they fared much better than Ryan Suter and Shea Weber overall.  Kevin actually ended the evening with a +2.
2. Colin Wilson continued to contribute.  Things are starting to click for the rookie…and I like it.
3.  JP Dumont came out of the shadows and found some offensive spark, scoring two goals.  His second of the night served as the game tying 5^th goal for just a bit in the third.  Good job, Jean Pierre.
4. The power play was on another level last night.  Five shots on goal (yes, you read correctly) F-I-V-E, were generated during the first man advantage of the night.  And the Predators were able to capitalize on two of the four power plays they were given.  Let’s see more of this, please!
5. Newcomer Dustin Boyd has seemingly found his place on the team.  Being somewhat non-existent in the past few outings, he played well enough last night for me to actually take notice.  He probably should have been credited with scoring the Predators 5^th goal of the game during the second period even though Toronto ruled otherwise.  Nonetheless, way to go Other New Guy!

Now to harp on a few people just a little.  As much as it pains me to say this, the Smithson-Legwand-Ward line was HORRIBLE last night.  Jerred and Joel ended up a -3 on the night and Leggy would have been right there with them if not for the assist he got on JP’s goal in the third.  Ward and Smithson were on the ice for the two Sharks power play goals as well.  They were just really having an off night.  Apparently, so were Ryan Suter and Shea Weber, who ended up with a -6 and -5 respectively. Ouch.  Dan Ellis could have had a better night also.  Not every goal was his fault but he could have stopped a couple more than he did.  Cue the “glad we signed Pekka and not Elly” rants again…though I still believe they have both struggled this season…and it’s really still anyone’s game until one of them clearly steps up their game.

As with other losses like this, it’s best not to dwell.  There isn’t much time for that anyway, since the boys face off against the Ducks tonight in Anaheim.  Last time they rolled into the Honda Center, things did not go so well.  I remember…I was there.  The Honda Center is just not nice to me.  Maybe there will be a different outcome this time around.  Please, please let there be a different outcome.

Get it together, boys!  You can do this.