GDT: Predators @ Coyotes - 12/4/2006 - 8:30pm CST

[PredDave]

•Who: Predators at Coyotes.

•Where: Glendale Arena.

•When: 8:30 p.m.

•TV: Fox Sports Net.

•Radio: 104.5-FM.

•Season series: Predators lead 1-0.

•Coyotes story line: Phoenix sits at the bottom of the Pacific Conference with a record of 9-15 but has won five of its last eight games, including four in a row at home. They are 7-6 at Glendale Arena. … Left wing Ladislav Nagy leads Phoenix with 20 points. … The Coyotes have scored 39 goals and allowed 39 in 13 home games.

•Predators story line: Barry Trotz will coach his 600th NHL game when the Predators take the ice tonight. … Left wing Scott Hartnell has five goals and three assists in Nashville's last five games. … The Predators are 4-0-1 in their last five games and 8-1-2 in their last 11. … Nashville penalty killers were 5-for-5 on Saturday against the Blackhawks and have now killed off 28 of 29 man advantages in the last seven games.

•Blackhawks injuries: D Nick Boynton (foot), C Mike Comrie (foot) and C Steve Reinprecht (clavicle) are out.

•Predators injuries: RW Scottie Upshall (groin), C Jason Arnott (knee) and G Tomas Vokoun (thumb) are out.

[PredDave]

Perreault has Coyotes fans howlin' for him
Phoenix a good fit for ex-Preds star

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....612040350/1028

"One of these years, Yanic Perreault hopes to sign a contract before the month of October.

It would be nice to know where one is going to play a few months before the season actually begins, nice to have that feeling of job security instead of wondering what lies ahead.

But until that happens, Perreault will continue making the most of every opportunity.

He took that route with the Predators last season and is doing so once again this year in Phoenix, where Perreault and the Coyotes will play host to Nashville at 8:30 tonight.

Signed as a free agent at the end of October, Perreault has produced 10 points (seven goals, three assists) in 12 games, won 62.2 percent of his face-offs and helped the struggling Coyotes to a 6-6 mark over their last 12 games."

[PredDave]

Tellqvist set to make debut

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyo...yotesnb04.html

David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 4, 2006 12:00 AM

Mikael Tellqvist is going to make his debut with the Coyotes tonight vs. Nashville and become the fourth goaltender to start for Phoenix in its first 25 games.

Coach Wayne Gretzky named Tellqvist, whom Phoenix acquired via trade from Toronto last week, tonight's starter before Sunday's practice and said Tellqvist also would start either Wednesday's game in Dallas or Thursday's game in Chicago.

Curtis Joseph has started the past five games and is getting over the flu.

Tellqvist has played just one NHL game this season and lost it 2-1 to New Jersey on Nov. 18. He stopped 17 of 19 shots.

Rust may be a factor tonight.

"I won't put too much pressure on myself because it's probably going to take a little while to get back into a groove," Tellqvist said. "You can only practice so much. You need to be in game situations."

Tellqvist is Joseph's third backup this season.

Mike Morrison and then David LeNeveu failed to keep that job, and Gretzky shipped them to the minor leagues.

Tellqvist said playing in hockey hotbed Toronto and the Olympic Games - he helped Sweden win a gold medal earlier this year - has prepared him for pressure situations like this one.

"You have to perform every game," Tellqvist said. "The pressure I put on myself is more than the pressure from anybody else. I'm playing for a contract for next year, too."

Tellqvist, 27, is set to become a restricted free agent on July 1, 2007.

[PredDave]

Perreault helps 'Yotes stay afloat

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyo...yotes1203.html

David Vest
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 3, 2006 12:00 AM

"Savior is a powerful word.

Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky has been using it lately to describe center Yanic Perreault, whose polished skills and on-ice presence have helped prevent Phoenix from tumbling entirely out of playoff contention.

The Coyotes started the season 3-9-0-0 but have won six of 12 games since signing Perreault as an unrestricted free agent on Oct. 30. "

[PredDave]

*Predators start four-game road trip in Phoenix*
------------------------------------------------

Nashville (17-5-3) at Phoenix (9-15-0) 9:00 pm EST

GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) -- The Nashville Predators open a
four-game road trip against the Phoenix Coyotes on Monday.

The Predators failed to extend their winning streak to five in a
row after enduring a 4-3 overtime setback to the Chicago
Blackhawks on Saturday. Goaltender Chris Mason, who had 26
saves, surrendered the game-tying goal to Jeff Hamilton with 34
seconds left in regulation.

Making matters worse, Hamilton tallied barely a minute into the
extra session, sealing the Blackhawks late rally.

Shea Weber and defenseman Kimmo Timonen both scored their fifth
goal of the season for Nashville, which went 1-for-5 on the
power play.

The Coyotes won their second straight contest, a 7-4 victory
over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday. Mike Zigomanis tallied
twice and added an assist and Ladislav Nagy finished with three
assists.

Rookie Patrick Fischer, Georges Laraque and blue-liner Zbynek
Michalek all had two assists and netminder Curtis Joseph made 31
saves for Phoenix, which has won its last four home games.

The Predators have won seven of their last eight meetings with
the Coyotes, including a 4-1 decision on October 14.

[PredDave]

Yahoo Sports preview of Predators/Coyotes game

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/preview;...gid=2006120424

"If the Nashville Predators plan on becoming part of the NHL's elite, they have one glaring weakness that must be corrected.

The Predators hope to rebound from a disappointing loss when they open a four-game road trip against the Phoenix Coyotes on Monday.

Nashville (17-5-3) was headed toward a fifth straight victory with a one-goal lead in the final minute against visiting Chicago on Saturday, but the Blackhawks scored with 34 seconds left in regulation and again 59 seconds into overtime, sending the Predators to a 4-3 loss.

"We should have stayed harder on the puck," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "We sort of backed off and gave Chicago a little bit of space. If we had stayed on the puck we could have created a bit more havoc by getting in the shot lanes a little stronger."

The defeat was only the Predators' fifth in the last 22 games (17-2-3), but it continued a trend of poor third periods. They have been outscored 32-18 in the final period this season. "

==============================================
Crossing my fingers for the Preds to have a great road trip!

[PredDave]

is this a good night for a battle of the backups? I know that Tellqvist is getting the start for Phoenix, but I wonder if Leighton will start for the Preds?

[PredDave]

The Nashville Predators hit the road once again to take on the Phoenix Coyotes tonight in the second of four meetings between the two clubs this season. Jason Arnott registered three assists,Martin Erat scored the eventual game-winner at 12:53 of the first period and Ryan Suter scored his first goal of 2006-07 when the Predators downed the Coyotes 4-1 back on Oct. 14 at theGaylord Entertainment Center. Nashville is 13-12-3 all-time vs. Phoenix.

Tonight is the first of a four-game road trip for Nashville. The Predators have played a league-low 10 home games and are 11-4-0 on the road for 22 points, tied with Buffalo for most road points in NHL. After this week’s games, Nashville will have played 19 of its first 29 games on the road. The Predators are now 4-0-1 in their last five games, 8-1-2 in the last 11 and 17-2-3 in the last 23 contests.

The Coyotes come into tonight’s game with two straight wins and three victories in their last four contests.Ladislav Nagy collected a season-high four points (1g-3a) and Mike Zigomanis scored twice in the third period as the Coyotes beat the Los Angeles Kings 7-4 at Jobing.com Arena on Thursday night.

[PredDave]

Well, the Coyotes totally outplayed the Preds in that one...

What a waste!

I wish I could have that 2 hours 45 minutes of my life back...

[PredDave]

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....612050381/1028

Third period is Preds’ undoing
Up 2-1, Nashville allows two goals in last 20 minutes

"PHOENIX – Whatever it is the Predators are eating, drinking or smoking in between the second and third periods of games, it's not getting the job done.

That was made all too clear once again Monday, as the Predators surrendered a third-period lead for the second straight game before falling 3-2 to Phoenix in front of an announced crowd of 11,735 at Jobing.com Arena.

Opponents have now outscored the Predators 34-18 in third periods this season. No team has allowed more third-period scores than Nashville."


No excuses for the way they have been playing.... they have been stinking it up the past few games!

[LemaireisGOD]

Perreault has been a total coup for that team. I don't know why people are always so hesitant to take him. Even though Nashville scratched him in the playoffs regularily...he still gave the team a lot of points and I believe 20 goals as well. For the money you pay him; he gives you a pretty good amount of production IMO. It sucks to hear your team lapsed against the lowly Coyotes. We had a game like that too...stupid Gretzky!