It's a special 5:00 p.m. start time today at Bridgestone Arena as the Nashville Predators host the Calgary Flames, in a game which will be seen nationwide on NHL Network (FS-TN locally). Can the Preds continue their recent success on home ice (where they've won 5 of the last 6) against a Flames team which desperately wants to remain in the playoff hunt?
Follow after the jump for your preview...
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| Calgary (18-16-5) at Nashville (20-14-4) | |||||||
| CGY Offense vs. NSH Defense | NSH Offense vs. CGY Defense | ||||||
| 5-on-5 | |||||||
| GF/60 | SF/60 | Shoot % | GA/60 | SA/60 | Save % | ||
| CGY Offense | 2.3 (19th) | 28.8 (18th) | 7.8 (22nd) | 2.4 (9th) | 30.5 (23rd) | 921 (11th) | CGY Defense |
| NSH Defense | 2.4 (9th) | 31.1 (27th) | 923 (8th) | 2.1 (24th) | 26.3 (28th) | 8.0 (21st) | NSH Offense |
| GA/60 | SA/60 | Save % | GF/60 | SF/60 | Shoot % | ||
| Special Teams | |||||||
| CGY PP vs. NSH PK | NSH PP vs. CGY PK | ||||||
| GF/60 | SF/60 | Shoot % | GA/60 | SA/60 | Save % | ||
| CGY 5-on-4 | 6.3 (13th) | 44.5 (23rd) | 14.2 (6th) | 5.1 (10th) | 47.7 (7th) | 893 (12th) | CGY 4-on-5 |
| NSH 4-on-5 | 6.8 (22nd) | 53.4 (24th) | 873 (18th) | 6.9 (5th) | 51.7 (10th) | 13.5 (7th) | NSH 5-on-4 |
| GA/60 | SA/60 | Save % | GF/60 | SF/60 | Shoot % | ||
The man to keep an eye on is the Predator Killer himself, Jarome Iginla, who needs just two goals to become the 42nd NHL player to reach 500 career goals, and just the 15th to score them all with one team. In 47 career games against Nashville, Iginla has 28 goals and 25 assists, a pace which, over the course of an 82 game season, would yield 92 points.
So yeah, there's a possibility you could witness some serious history this evening:
It's always interesting to see injury reports from other teams... can you guess why?
The roster will get a bit of a tweak heading in to this game, as Shea Weber has been placed on Injured Reserve with his concussion, while Kevin Klein has been restored to the Active Roster. With Klein back in the lineup, which defenseman gets scratched? Ryan Ellis is lowest on the seniority list, but Jack Hillen has been a healthy scratch on occasion, and leaving him out would restore a 3-lefty, 3-righty lineup that Barry Trotz prefers.
Up front, Colin Wilson is expected to miss another game with his upper-body injury, so that removes the necessity of scratching anybody, but the interesting question will be where, and how much, Gabriel Bourque will play. In his 2nd NHL game Friday night, he received 13:51 of ice time playing alongside Nick Spaling and Jordin Tootoo, in Wilson's recent spot. Might Trotz shuffle things up and bring his energy and hustle to either the Legwand or Fisher line instead? Kostitsyn-Fisher-Hornqvist seems like a trio which has really fallen flat, as those three have all gone scoreless over the last four games.
0 recs | 17 comments
Nationwide...
for what is always an exciting and high scoring affair between two powerful and skilled opponents.
3DLink - January 1, 2012
yeah, very odd and unfortunate that they chose this matchup to air nationwide...hopefully nashville's offense heats up tonight, or kipper plays bad.
JBoogie22 - January 1, 2012
I have a hard time watching Preds v Flames games as a huge Preds fan. I can’t imagine someone with no tie to either team will be psyched about this one
Stu0624 - January 1, 2012 via mobile
If the NHL network wishes to show a New Years Day game, how many choices do they have? I mean this game is probably the highest profile being played today. So they did not really have a choice DId they?
Wendy H - January 1, 2012
Uh, it’s the ONLY game being played today. Period.
DonBorvio - January 1, 2012
We've had a great string of sellouts this year...
Anyone have any numbers on what today’s game looks like?
turd-ferguson - January 1, 2012
It'll be close
Looking at Ticketmaster right now, it looks like there are maybe a few hundreds seats left.
Dirk Hoag - January 1, 2012
According to Josh Cooper Klein is back and Blum will be the healthy scratch
I love this move. Josi and Ellis have looked really solid in their first few games. Blum on the other hand is clearly going through a rough patch.
Russell Freda - January 1, 2012
Blum’s been playing way better since his return from Milwaukee. I’d like to seem him keep playing so he doesn’t lose any of this new found confidence.
Stormyt - January 1, 2012
i agree
I dont know what some of these people have been watching but he has been playing great since the call up. He has 1g 2a in the last 3 i believe how is that playing terrible?
Shadow23 - January 1, 2012 via iPhone app
sorry
Its in the last 4 games not 3
Shadow23 - January 1, 2012 via iPhone app
I think he’s just had some bad turn-overs and bad passes and stuff like that… that’s what I’ve seen at least.
davisca - January 1, 2012 via Android app
the Media response
to today’s game may be very interesting. If is is the usual low scoring affair with the chances mostly being held to the outside, we could hear a lot of complaining.
Only Fan In J.C. ? - January 1, 2012
Whos going tonight? I know i am with my brother and friend
Shadow23 - January 1, 2012 via iPhone app
not tonight
but I will be there Thursday with 9 or 10 other people, siblings, friends, maybe a cousin from michigan who will pull for the Preds against the Flames.
Only Fan In J.C. ? - January 1, 2012
It’s one of those odd start time games, which always seem to be problematic for the home team. Something to keep an eye on………
Grizzledbear - January 1, 2012 via mobile
are we watching the same game?
ellis has played what? 11 power plays zero assists . josi has been playing well but to say blum is anything but being held back is totally wrong . pay a little more attention blum has been playing well . is this how trotz developes talent?
Mamie France - January 1, 2012
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