Preds Off to Best Start since 2005 and Friday Findings

Before you do anything else this morning, take a quick look at the NHL Standings, where you will find the Predators ties with Dallas for the lead in the Western Conference.

The Predators' 3-0 start is the best since the year after the lockout in 2005-06 when the team started 8-0. Barry Trotz admitted last night that an 82-0 season was out of the realm of possibilities, so at least he got that out of the way.

If you take a look at the three Predator wins, the outcome is the only thing that is a commonality. Against the Ducks, in the opener, the Preds played wire to wire against a team that was unprepared.

Against Chicago, they held on for two periods and then played the best third period that we have seen in a while.

Last night, the Predators played as well as they could for the first sixteen minutes of the game and then gutted one out with a ton of heart, (AKA Predator hockey), to hang on for a win. It wasn't very pretty at times, but they brought home a W.

This team seemed to have meshed much quicker than teams in recent years. On the first day of camp, you could sense the common purpose and they planned to play all 82 games with a sense of urgency, and they have for the first three games.

Injuries have taken their toll, but the team knows that it will take at least 30 players contributing before the season is over.

After last year's slow start to the season, the Preds planned to hit the ground running. The power play, is improving, with four goals in three games. The penalty kill needs some work.

Will Anders Lindback take away Pekka's job? Probably not this year, but it looks like Lindy will be able to handle his projected 20-25 starts.

As they say, things are never as good or bad as they seem at a given time. That is true, but I like where the Predators are right now.

Preds-Blues Round Up...

Here is our game story from last night with video from Barry Trotz.

Josh Cooper had his game story and and postgame ponderings where he's starting a conspiracy theory about Matt Lombardi's "upper body injury." Bryan Mullen has the notes column featuring Steve Sullivan.

Jim Diamond touches on Steve Sullivan's personal milestone in the Predators win.

David Boclair has his story at The City Paper where he talks about winning games and losing players.

From the blog world reports come from Ryan Porth, Amanda DiPaolo, Mark Willoughby, Chris Burton, PredsBlog, and Hockey Night in Canada.

Hockey Fights has the Shane O'Brien - B.J. Crombeen match from early in the game last night.

The other side of the story comes from the St Louis Post Dispatch and St. Louis Gametime.

In Preds Nation...

Before last night's game, the Predators activated Sergei Kostitsyn and placed Marty Erat on the injured reserve list.

Ryan Porth talked with Cody Franson and has the interview here. He's another player that likes living in Nashville and having the locals be cool about things.

Jay Levin caught up with the new CEO for the Preds, Jeff Cogen, for an interview. Things are looking up on the business side of the operation too.

Bryan Mullen had the news of Lindback getting a second start and Sergei Kostitsyn getting closer to playing. He also spoke with David Legwand about his quick start.

Sam at BredsBlog claims that he Predators are creating their own narrative. That is indeed the Predator Way.

Hands like Cement waxes eloquent about Jerred Smithson's mustache.

Steph Muraro checks in from Milwaukee on the Lindback debut.

Several folks have been asking about the Predators version of 'Questions Will Be Answered."
Here you go.




Around the NHL...

Mike Modano returned to Dallas as a Detroit Red Wing last night. D'Ann Faught had her thoughts and perspective at Inside Hockey. Dallas had no mercy on Modano and the Wings as they handed them a 4-1 loss.

Chris Botta talked to Jon Sim about the art of agitation. So where is the line and when does it get crossed.

Adrian Dater thinks the NHL acted irresponsibly in its two-game suspension to Niklas Hjalmarsson. Let's hope for the best and we don't see something really bad on Saturday as a result.

B.D. Gallof looks at attendance issues on the Island and possible causes.

Matt Reitz and Jennifer Shaw are back in full swing with another season of VFMS Radio.

Also from the left coast, Kingscast returns to Staples Center. I enjoyed the King's home opener win over Atlanta as much as any non-Preds game I've seen this year. I have about decided that the Kings are my second favorite team this year.

Is there a curse on the new CONSOL Energy Center where the Pens have yet to win? The Hockey Writers tries to keep the situation in perspective.

Odds and Ends...

We are under attack by small asteroids and experts at MIT don't seem to be concerned. One that was 33 feet wide came within 28,000 miles of earth on Tuesday. It wasn't discovered until last Saturday. I think we should be worried, especially since they are shutting down the space shuttle program and we won't be able to send Bruce Willis out to intercept one and save the planet like in Armageddon.

The Nashville RollerGirls received the award for the best venue move from the Nashville Scene as they moved from the Fairgrounds to the Municipal Auditorium.

The Atlanta Braves named Fredi Gonzalez as the new manager to replace the retiring Bobby Cox. I still am having a hard time coming to grips that Cox will no longer be the manager.

More Later...

Buddy Oakes for PredsOnTheGlass