The Nashville Predators (12-8-6) are in Detroit (17-5-3) to face the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena tonight where they hope to overcome the odds and grab a couple of points in a venue where they have not had success over the years, going 9-20- 7.
The Predators only other meeting with Detroit this year was also at Joe Louis Arena on October 30th when they lost 5-2 and were incredibly short staffed. The Preds were without Francis Bouillon, Jordin Tootoo, Marcel Goc, Ryan Suter, and Matthew Lombardi. Wade Belak dressed as the sixth D-man and never saw the ice.
Detroit is the league leader in offense, scoring 3.44 goals per game while the Preds average less than a goal a game less at 2.35. The Preds actually have the upper hand on allowed goals with a 2.54 average to the Wing's 2.64. In the last ten games, the Preds have only allowed 1.74 goals per game.
If the Preds are to have success tonight they must try to contain the Wings offense and keep scoring chances to a minimum. Over the years, Detroit has rung up impressive numbers in the shot category and I'm sure Barry Trotz has made clearing the ice of second chances a priority.
It is possible that David Legwand could return to the ice for the Predators. He has had success against the Wings in his career and could be a difference make. Oddly enough, J.P. Dumont has his best career statistics against Detroit with 23 points in 29 games with the Wings as a Predator.
Anders Lindback will get his first career start against Wings as he gets his third start in a row since Pekka Rinne's injury. Jimmy Howard is expected to go for Detroit
The Predators will return home after the game and Face the Florida Panthers at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday.
Other previews of tonight's game come from Amanda DiPaolo, Chris Burton, and The Tennessean. Josh Cooper also has an "if Legwand plays piece."
For news from the Motor City, check out MLive, the Detroit Free Press, Winging It in Motown, and the Detroit News.
In Pred Nation...
David Boclair has a story on Sergei Kostitsyn starting to become the player that the Preds were hoping for. Josh Cooper has more on Sergei.
Jpsh Cooper has the story on the scary signs around Joe Louis Arena and a notes column about the bonding of the Euro line.
Colin Wilson says it's fun to play with Sully and Cal in his weekly blog piece.
Josh Cooper has a few leftover quotes from Monday night's locker room.
Jeremy has the final wrap of the 303 bus trip to Atlanta. The first was such a success, a follow-up is planned to St. Louis on April 9th.
Hockey Tonk Angels also has their view of the trip where they suggest that Phillips Arena needs a Cellblock.
FS TN has Pete and Terry's wrap-up from Monday's game.
Ex-Pred Jonas Andersson will make his debut with Vancouver tonight against the Anaheim Ducks. It has been a long road back to the NHL since he was with the Preds in 2002. He had hoped to return with the Preds but was traded to the Canucks as part of the Shane O'Brien trade.
Around the NHL...
Anyone that stayed up for the Duck-Oilers game were treated to a ten round shoot out where Cam Fowler gave the Ducks a 3-2 win to end their losing streak.
When your focus is on the Islanders, you always have the draft to look forward to. Chris Botta catches up with E.J. McGuire for the latest insight in to the 2011 crop of prospects.
3D Link has a great new project looking at NHL uniform colors at Puck and Punk. He starts with shades of blue and has plans for more later this week.
Team USA announced its preliminary roster for the Junior World Championships. No Pred prospects were included. Austin Watson probably had the best shot.
Mike Chen has a look at the Western Conference log jam at From The Rink.
Adrian Dater looks at the issue of the rise in next year's cap floor to about $46 million.
Drew Doughty tells his story from age three at the Kings Website. It was a life long dream of his to play for the Kings.
Patrick Hoffman discusses the Penguins and their success at RLD Hockey.
For what it's worth, here are the latest vote totals for the NHL All-Star game. Ovechkin's stock continues to fall.
On the injury front, Patrick Kane is out for three weeks with a leg injury in Chicago and Andy McDonald is out indefinitely in St. Louis with a concussion.
Odds and Ends...
If things go as planned, the Space X Falcon 9 could lift off this morning as early as 8:03 Central. Follow the progress at The Flame Trench.
Interesting figures on which television channels cord cutters can't do without.
Dalia Kurtz says New is the New Old at Facebook. "Facebook is a country that runs on three moving parts: Ego, boredom, and technology."
The Bret Farve-Jenn Sterger matter rages on and now the NFL is not returning phone calls. How does anyone actually get a "win" here.
More Later...
Buddy Oakes for PredsOnTheGlass
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment