I honestly don't think my brain is going to stay intact, until the trade deadline. The delusions of grandeur are just stupid, and every "Tom, Dick, and Harry" thinks they are an NHL GM. This isn't even entertaining. Anyhow, the Hawks had more immediate problems to deal with, in Music City. Eight losses in a row, and a tough Preds defense didn't exactly spell "slump buster". While the Preds were 1-2-2 in their previous 5 games, they haven't been as bad as the Hawks. If you remember correctly, the Avalanche were just as cold before THEY beat the Hawks. Nothing is a sure thing, as things sit, and the opening two losses of this streak were against Nashville. Would the third time be a charm for the Hawks?
The Hawks opened up the game at a fever pitch, which was nice to see after such mediocre efforts, lately. The game was tied at one after the first period, but the Hawks out shot Nashville 10-4. A bad turnover ended up in the Hawks net, but they rebounded and tied the game back up just a few moments later. As the Hawks luck would have it, even though they out shot the Preds after two periods, they were still outscored 1-0 in the second frame, to go into the third down by a goal, on the road. The Hawks tied the game in the third period, but, once again, the Hawks were on that wrong end of some luck, as the Preds scored a late deflected game winning goal. Third time was, in fact, a charm; for Nashville.
- MegaMayers made a smart shorthanded play to open the first Preds powerplay of the night. He rushed up on a 2-on-2 with Lurch, and sent a laser beam at the Preds goaltender. He didn't score, but it took time off the clock and he didn't force a bad pass, which is the Hawks M.O. as of late.
- One Trick Bick tied the game up shortly after Suter put the Preds ahead, and continued his slight resurgence. Ryan Suter allowed him to get off his "worlds longest set up", and backed his ass right into his own goalie. So not only to do let BRYAN BICKELL get his three day long shot off, but you screen your goalie. Major fail by Suter, after scoring the first Preds goal, he truly dicked-the-dog on that one, but finally something promising for the Hawks.
- The Hawks defense looked extremely aggressive through the first half of the game, pinching early and often, to keep the plays alive. I can't say I wasn't enjoying it either. Nashville didn't know quite how to handle the pressure.
- Boss 81 answered my pick to click by scoring a huge third period goal to tied the game back up at 2. Deuce threw him a chest high grenade, at the Preds blue line, and he was able to cradle the puck in his body, spin, and drop it on his stick while keeping it away from the Preds defender. He headed for the net and snapped it past Rinne's stick side.
- The Hawks didn't score any powerplay goals, but they DID have serious pressure. They also didn't give up and power play goals against, so those are both promising.
- El Capitan cost his team the first goal of the game, late in the first period. He had possession of the puck at the red line, and couldn't control it. The Preds knocked it free and carried it into the Hawks zone, clowning the Hawks defense in the process. You could just feel the panic when the Preds took possession of the puck. I'm not really sure just what Razor was doing, but he was shuffling around the crease on his knees, and just wasn't in great position to make the stop. Id I question any of the three goals, this is the one. He had a good look and wasn't in position.
- Nick Spaling put the Preds up 2-1, with two and a half minutes left in the second period, on a redirect of a Ryan Ellis point shot. Again, not a whole lot a goalie can do when an 85mph shot is redirected 10 feet in front of you. As usual, the play started with the Hawks not controlling the puck after a Bolland faceoff loss.
- Ryan Ellis got another deflection goal, but this time it was off a Hawks defenseman, with 5 minutes left to go in the third period. What originally looked like a bad long range goal turned out to be another deflection. The Hawks couldn't clear the puck when they had possession with Dylan Olsen blindly backhanding it up the boards. The puck worked its way around and across the zone to Ellis, who played the carom off the boards and one timed it towards the net. About half way to the net, Deuce's stick got a piece of the puck, and ever so slightly, changed the direction and speed of the shot. More bad luck, and that kind of stuff isn't helping your already shaky goalies. 3-2 Preds.
- When you out shoot a team 32-19 in their own rink, you win that game 98% of the time. This was one of those games in the 2%.
- El Capitan was the only Hawks Center with a faceoff percentage over 50%, and the second goal was as a result of a faceoff loss in the Hawks zone. They need to get better in this area, too.
- The usually level headed El Capitan took a questionable penalty in the first period, running over Pekka Rinne to negate the first Hawks powerplay of the game. While he was pushed a little, I fail to understand just what he was doing. He looked confused. I'm dumbfounded on that one.
