Predators media thread - Page 4

PredDave · 01-04-2007, 12:56 PM

Vokoun still Predators' No. 1 goalie - Nashville, Tennessee - Thursday, 01/04/07 - Tennessean.com

Vokoun still Predators' No. 1 goalie
Trotz: Hot Mason won't bump vet

Goalie controversy? What goalie controversy?

Predators Coach Barry Trotz set the record straight following practice on Wednesday:

Tomas Vokoun is the team's No. 1 goalie.

Trotz does expect to rotate Vokoun and Chris Mason for a few games as Vokoun works his way back from thumb surgery, but the eventual plan is for Vokoun to become the main man once again.

"With all due respect, Tomas is the guy,'' Trotz said. "But with all due respect, Tomas has missed a lot of time, so it's going to take him some time to get back. There's not a controversy … Tomas is going to be No. 1.''

The goaltending situation had grown more and more interesting over the past few weeks as Mason posted one strong performance after another following Vokoun's Nov. 23 injury.

In 20 appearances since then, Mason has produced a 12-6-1 record, .929 save percentage and 2.24 goals-against average. He's notched three shutouts and won two shootouts.

But Trotz said he doesn't believe an elite player like Vokoun, who was in the midst of an excellent season himself (11-4-1 record, 2.48 goals-against average, .920 save percentage), should lose his position to injury.

"He's been the No. 1 guy,'' Trotz said of Vokoun, who's been Nashville's starting keeper for more than three seasons. "If you're a top player like Tomas or (Paul) Kariya or (Steve) Sullivan, you never lose your spot.

"But you do have to be conscious of the 20 other guys, that you're not going to be on top of your game when you come back, so sometimes you ease yourself in a little. So my plan right now is to rotate the first couple games and then go from there.''

PredDave · 01-05-2007, 10:10 AM

Rotating goalies:

With the Predators still carrying three goaltenders, Tomas Vokoun, Chris Mason and Mike Leighton have been rotating in net during practice.

Trotz said that because goaltending coach Mitch Korn has been available before and after practice, there are no workload issues for the trio.

Vokoun, still working back from thumb surgery on
Nov. 27, said he welcomes the situation because it allows him some extra rest as he regains his strength.

"There is no choice. Obviously it's good for me coming back," Vokoun said. "It's not good for Mase and Leight, but there is no other way around it. We are trying to make it as best we can and go around so nobody gets cold or stands around for a long time period."

PredDave · 01-05-2007, 10:15 AM

Backup goalie steps up - Nashville, Tennessee - Friday, 01/05/07 - Tennessean.com

Heading into tonight's game against the Blackhawks, the Predators (26-11-3) still have one of the Western Conference's three best records and are tied for first with the Red Wings in the Central Division after Detroit lost 9-4 to San Jose on Thursday.

Clearly the entire team deserves recognition for maintaining status quo. But a huge chunk of credit has to go to backup goalie Chris Mason, who stepped into the void and put up numbers every bit as impressive as Vokoun's.

The same Mason who'd played only 44 NHL games coming into this season has started 19
consecutive games — the second-longest stretch in the league this season — and produced a record of 12-6-1, goals against average of 2.24 and save percentage of .929.

"To lose arguably one of the top two or three goalies in the league for that amount of time and keep right on going is pretty impressive,'' ESPN hockey analyst Barry Melrose said. "I'd say Chris Mason has definitely been a surprise, just because we didn't have much to measure him by in the past.

"I don't think it was a matter of underestimating him as much as it was a case of him not having that many chances. But that's one of the things you have to love about sports is that an injury to one player is an opportunity for another player to shine.''

PredDave · 01-06-2007, 11:38 AM

Vokoun may make return on Tuesday - Nashville, Tennessee - Saturday, 01/06/07 - Tennessean.com

Tonight or Tuesday.

Those are the options Predators Coach Barry Trotz is mulling regarding Tomas Vokoun's return to the net.

Trotz had initially sounded as if Vokoun would start tonight against St. Louis, but it now looks more likely that Vokoun will back up Chris Mason tonight and then start Tuesday against Anaheim.

In either case, Vokoun is looking forward to making his first appearance since he tore ligaments and fractured a bone in his left thumb Nov. 23.

"It'll be nice to get back because it's been about six weeks since it happened,'' Vokoun said. "But there are still a lot of games left and this is the most important part of the season. I'd like to get back to doing my job.''

Vokoun will be wearing a protective device that helps him grip the stick.

PredDave · 01-06-2007, 04:53 PM

Preds still leading division - Nashville, Tennessee - Saturday, 01/06/07 - Tennessean.com

The Predators are halfway home when it comes to reaching one of the team's foremost goals this season.

Nashville's 8-3 thumping of Chicago on Friday meant the Predators finished the first half of the season on top of the Central Division.

The Predators' 57 points are two more than Detroit, which has played one fewer game. But Nashville has two more wins than the Red Wings, and victories serve as the NHL's first tiebreaker.

A slight first-half edge may not necessarily mean much, but for an eighth-season franchise trying to knock off the team that's won five consecutive division crowns, it's a step in the right direction.

"I think you've got some defining moments in the season, such as where you stack up after 20 games and where you stack up after the first half,'' Predators Coach Barry Trotz said. "After 41 games, to see we're on track to reaching one of our goals is very important.''

The Predators can point to a variety of reasons for their first-place status.

There's the goaltending of Tomas Vokoun and Chris Mason, who've combined for the second-best team save percentage in the NHL.

And then there's the offense, which has been explosive at times.

PredDave · 01-08-2007, 01:54 PM

Arnott in groove for red-hot Preds - Nashville, Tennessee - Sunday, 01/07/07 - Tennessean.com

Predators center Jason Arnott is the owner of a scorching slapshot.

And he appears to be heating up.

Arnott crushed a one-timer past St. Louis goalie Manny Legace midway through Saturday's 3-2 win over the Blues. It was the big pivot's seventh score in the past nine contests.

He was quick to credit linemate Steve Sullivan, whose no-look, cross-ice pass allowed Arnott to blast away before Legace could move into position.

"Those passes from Sully and J.P. (Dumont) really help,'' Arnott said. "I just try to find some openings and let it go. But when you have great passers like that, it makes it a lot easier.''

PredDave · 01-08-2007, 01:59 PM

Preds: We're better than last year's squad - Nashville, Tennessee - Monday, 01/08/07 - Tennessean.com

Halfway through the season, the Predators' record is almost identical to that of Nashville's 2005-06 team, one that would go on to finish fourth in the Western Conference standings before getting knocked out of the playoffs in the first round.

But as the Predators ready for the final 40 games of their schedule, the prevailing atmosphere in the locker room is that this team is a better one than the squad that made only a brief postseason appearance last year.

Here are a few of the reasons why:

• Road record: The Predators did much of their early damage last season at home, where they eventually piled up the league's best record. Nashville was a .500 team on enemy ice.

The 2006-07 team played 19 of its first 29 games away from home and sports a road r ecord of 15-8. Only Buffalo has more road wins.

• Five-on-five play:The Predators' 88 goals scored during five-on-five play are second-best in the league behind only Buffalo. A year ago, the Predators were much more reliant on the power play, evidenced by the fact the team finished tied for 16th in five-on-five scoring.

• Less streaky: The Predators were at times all over the map in 2005-06.

They won eight straight games to start the season, and later put together stretches of nine and 10 games in which they gained at least a point. But Nashville also put together three regular-season losing streaks of at least four games, and lost four straight playoff games to San Jose.

On the plus side this season, the Predators have put together four separate steaks of at least four wins in a row.

But they've only twice lost as many as three straight games, and one of those streaks came at the very beginning of the season.

PredDave · 01-11-2007, 07:57 AM

Zidlicky is on ice at all right times - Nashville, Tennessee - Wednesday, 01/10/07 - Tennessean.com

Only 12 times this season had a Predator recorded a plus-three rating, a number that measures the even-strength and shorthanded goal differential for a skater.

In Tuesday night's 5-4 overtime win over Anaheim, Predators defenseman Marek Zidlicky was a plus-four, with three assists.

And he still ranked behind teammate Kimmo Timonen, who was on the ice for all five Nashville goals and registered a plus-5 along with a goal and an assist.

"It's not something you see very often," said forward Steve Sullivan, who scored the game-winner off Timonen's assist. "They were both good early and often. Those are our two best defensemen."

Forward Jason Arnott called Timonen's contribution "a big bonus" and Coach Barry Trotz rated his captain's game as "fantastic."

PredDave · 01-11-2007, 07:59 AM

Avoiding penalty box in third is big for Preds - Nashville, Tennessee - Wednesday, 01/10/07 - Tennessean.com

Against a powerful Anaheim power play, penalties nearly put an end to the Predators on Tuesday. But a staunch third-period showing, in which Nashville managed to stay out of the box, helped prevent a disheartening defeat.

"They were on a roll, and if we took another few penalties in the third it might have been a different story," Predators center Jason Arnott said after Nashville's 5-4 overtime victory. "I think the guys realized we had to go out and bear down and play a little more disciplined because that's what they were doing."

Coming into the game, Anaheim was third in the league on the power play, converting 21.8 percent of its attempts. Despite playing without Chris Pronger — the Ducks' leader with 22 power-play points, who is out with a broken foot — their power play was potent.

"They create seams, make high-skill passes and they launch rockets," Predators Coach Barry Trotz said. "They are a dynamic power play."

After being neutralized on its first two power-play opportunities and falling behind 3-1 in the first period, Anaheim struck twice on the man-advantage in second period, making the most of its three opportunities.

PredDave · 01-12-2007, 08:50 AM

The City Paper - Smart, Fast, Free

Save Award: Chris Mason of the Nashville Predators has taken the lead for the race to capture the 2006-07 Bank of America Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award. Mason has stopped 796 of 858 shots for a save percentage of .928, slipping past Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils (.927) and Cristobal Huet of the Montreal Canadiens (.927) in games through Jan. 7. Nashville goaltender Tomas Vokoun is fifth with a .920 percentage.

Scoring change: The NHL has made a scoring change on Nashville’s last goal (15:48 of period 3) from Saturday’s 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Originally scored by J.P. Dumont with assists going to Ryan Suter and Jason Arnott, the goal is now credited to Steve Sullivan from J.P. Dumont and Ryan Suter.

PredDave · 01-14-2007, 11:23 PM

Tennessean article - Nashville, Tennessee - Saturday, 01/13/07 - Tennessean.com

Looking ahead: Predators owner Craig Leipold said he likes what he sees on the team's roster but isn't ruling out making an upgrade before the Feb. 27 NHL trading deadline.

"We don't have many holes,'' said Leipold, who met Thursday with General Manager David Poile and Predators coaches regarding possible trades.

Leipold said he believes the price of acquisitions this season might be more difficult because the earlier-than-usual deadline will mean more teams will still be in the running for the playoffs.

"In usual years, there might be 10 or 12 teams who are saying, "OK, we're out, let's start to plan for next year,''' Leipold said. "There may be four teams among all 30 in that position. So the price to get a player will be higher and the number of players available on the market is much less.''

Leipold said if the Predators do make a deal, it would likely be for a stay-at-home kind of defenseman.

"The issue we have on defense is our experience, but the strength we have is our youth and speed,'' he said. "So many times what comes with experience is lack of speed. So we'll have to take a look at that and see who's available.''

Bad stretch: Defenseman Marek Zidlicky survived a tough stretch in the third period when he made two questionable plays that cold have turned the tide against the Predators.

Less than two minutes into the period, as he approached the Blue Jackets' zone, he let forward Jason Chimera take the puck away. Chimera waltzed to the other end, going at Vokoun on his own. But he missed the net after making a left to right move.

"That was not a real good play. If that turns into a goal, that turns the whole momentum of the game right there;, it's a 2-1 game," Trotz said.

Less than three minutes after the bad turnover, Zidlicky was whistled for a high stick well behind the play as Nashville threatened to score.

PredDave · 01-14-2007, 11:26 PM

Back-to-back no sweat for Preds - Nashville, Tennessee - Saturday, 01/13/07 - Tennessean.com

Having efficiently dispatched the Blue Jackets 2-0 on Friday night at Gaylord Entertainment Center, the Predators turn around to face them again tonight in Columbus.

Nashville has no fear of back-to-back games this season. It is 9-1-1 in them so far.

"It's a great sign for us," said Jason Arnott, who scored the Predators' first goal and is one of five Predators with four points in four games against the Blue Jackets this season. "… For the most part on back to back games, we've just kept it simple, played solid and our goaltending has been outstanding."

Forward Steve Sullivan said he thinks the success in the second of consecutive games shows the Predators to be both physically and mentally tough.

Nashville's first three wins against Columbus, however, had come before Ken Hitchcock took over as coach.

PredDave · 01-14-2007, 11:27 PM

Vokoun sharp in shutout win - Nashville, Tennessee - Saturday, 01/13/07 - Tennessean.com

So much for the theory that Tomas Vokoun's recovery would take awhile.

Thanks in part to their goalkeeper's quick improvement, the Predators managed to go from shootout to shutout in just three days, blanking the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-0 in front of 14,136 at Gaylord Entertainment Center on Friday.

Vokoun was making just his second start since suffering a thumb injury Nov. 23.

In Tuesday's return, Vokoun looked a little rusty in a wide-open 5-4 overtime win against Anaheim. But that wasn't the case Friday, as Vokoun turned away 10 first-period shots en route to a 22-save shutout.

"He was connecting the dots, seeing the puck and he really looked comfortable, whereas the last game he didn't look that comfortable,'' Coach Barry Trotz said. "I thought he looked really solid for game two.''

Vokoun's big saves came in the opening period, sliding across his crease to turn away Geoff Platt's early slapshot and showing quick reflexes to stop Dan Fritsche on a bang-bang play in front of the Nashville net four minutes later.

"I felt a lot better,'' Vokoun said. "The guys played a great game in front of me. It was pretty easy to be the goaltender tonight.''

PredDave · 01-16-2007, 08:18 AM

Lineup mixup puts Fiddler on ice - Nashville, Tennessee - Tuesday, 01/16/07 - Tennessean.com

The game was well under way and Vernon Fiddler had finished the workout routine for a healthy player not in the lineup — 20 minutes on a stationary bike.

But a mixup with Predators Coach Barry Trotz's lineup card meant Fiddler's next destination wasn't what he expected.

Instead of heading for some food, he was heading for the ice, where he recorded an assist on Nashville's third goal in a 5-3 win over Calgary.

Trotz intended to play rookie forward Alexander Radulov, who skated on an early third-line shift before officials became aware he shouldn't have been in uniform because he was designated as a scratch on the coach's official lineup card.

So Radulov walked down the tunnel into the locker room, and not long afterward, Fiddler was dressed and taking shifts.

"That's just totally my fault," Trotz said, pointing to a pregame dressing room distraction of which he declined to offer details. "We had two different lineups. I usually have a very good routine, I check the lineup pretty closely and (Monday) we had a little incident in our room that sort of threw me off the routine.

"I handed it in and no one gets the blame but me. I apologized to Rad and Fids for the mixup. That's my bad."

Radulov had no presence in the official game statistics, which track each player's time on the ice. The Predators said their belief was it was as if he never played, though there was still a degree of uncertainty.

Fiddler wound up with 8:38 of ice time to go with a third-period assist on a pass to Jerred Smithson that went to Ryan Suter for a goal that put the Predators ahead, 3-2.

PredDave · 01-17-2007, 07:58 AM

Dumont making point with streak - Nashville, Tennessee - Wednesday, 01/17/07 - Tennessean.com

The Predators hope forward J.P. Dumont can build on his streak of nine points in seven games tonight in Detroit.

Working with Steve Sullivan and Jason Arnott, Dumont is playing the most productive hockey of his first year with Nashville. Eight of the nine points are assists.

"Especially finding Arnie and Sully, he's just such an intelligent player," Coach Barry Trotz said. "When he's skating and has got a good two-way game going, he's quite productive. When he wants to slow it down too much and is not skating, he's not as productive."

Dumont said it's a matter of good defense producing good offense.

"Every time you play well and have a lot of scoring chances, that means you're doing something right," he said. "You've got the puck, and if you've got the puck, it means you're playing well defensively. And that's the first thing we want to do."

01-04-2007, 12:56 PM	#46 (permalink)
PredDave Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 832	Vokoun still Predators' No. 1 goalie - Nashville, Tennessee - Thursday, 01/04/07 - Tennessean.com Vokoun still Predators' No. 1 goalie Trotz: Hot Mason won't bump vet Goalie controversy? What goalie controversy? Predators Coach Barry Trotz set the record straight following practice on Wednesday: Tomas Vokoun is the team's No. 1 goalie. Trotz does expect to rotate Vokoun and Chris Mason for a few games as Vokoun works his way back from thumb surgery, but the eventual plan is for Vokoun to become the main man once again. "With all due respect, Tomas is the guy,'' Trotz said. "But with all due respect, Tomas has missed a lot of time, so it's going to take him some time to get back. There's not a controversy … Tomas is going to be No. 1.'' The goaltending situation had grown more and more interesting over the past few weeks as Mason posted one strong performance after another following Vokoun's Nov. 23 injury. In 20 appearances since then, Mason has produced a 12-6-1 record, .929 save percentage and 2.24 goals-against average. He's notched three shutouts and won two shootouts. But Trotz said he doesn't believe an elite player like Vokoun, who was in the midst of an excellent season himself (11-4-1 record, 2.48 goals-against average, .920 save percentage), should lose his position to injury. "He's been the No. 1 guy,'' Trotz said of Vokoun, who's been Nashville's starting keeper for more than three seasons. "If you're a top player like Tomas or (Paul) Kariya or (Steve) Sullivan, you never lose your spot. "But you do have to be conscious of the 20 other guys, that you're not going to be on top of your game when you come back, so sometimes you ease yourself in a little. So my plan right now is to rotate the first couple games and then go from there.''

01-05-2007, 10:10 AM	#47 (permalink)
PredDave Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 832	Rotating goalies: With the Predators still carrying three goaltenders, Tomas Vokoun, Chris Mason and Mike Leighton have been rotating in net during practice. Trotz said that because goaltending coach Mitch Korn has been available before and after practice, there are no workload issues for the trio. Vokoun, still working back from thumb surgery on Nov. 27, said he welcomes the situation because it allows him some extra rest as he regains his strength. "There is no choice. Obviously it's good for me coming back," Vokoun said. "It's not good for Mase and Leight, but there is no other way around it. We are trying to make it as best we can and go around so nobody gets cold or stands around for a long time period."

01-05-2007, 10:15 AM	#48 (permalink)
PredDave Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 832	Backup goalie steps up - Nashville, Tennessee - Friday, 01/05/07 - Tennessean.com Heading into tonight's game against the Blackhawks, the Predators (26-11-3) still have one of the Western Conference's three best records and are tied for first with the Red Wings in the Central Division after Detroit lost 9-4 to San Jose on Thursday. Clearly the entire team deserves recognition for maintaining status quo. But a huge chunk of credit has to go to backup goalie Chris Mason, who stepped into the void and put up numbers every bit as impressive as Vokoun's. The same Mason who'd played only 44 NHL games coming into this season has started 19 consecutive games — the second-longest stretch in the league this season — and produced a record of 12-6-1, goals against average of 2.24 and save percentage of .929. "To lose arguably one of the top two or three goalies in the league for that amount of time and keep right on going is pretty impressive,'' ESPN hockey analyst Barry Melrose said. "I'd say Chris Mason has definitely been a surprise, just because we didn't have much to measure him by in the past. "I don't think it was a matter of underestimating him as much as it was a case of him not having that many chances. But that's one of the things you have to love about sports is that an injury to one player is an opportunity for another player to shine.''

01-06-2007, 11:38 AM	#49 (permalink)
PredDave Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 832	Vokoun may make return on Tuesday - Nashville, Tennessee - Saturday, 01/06/07 - Tennessean.com Tonight or Tuesday. Those are the options Predators Coach Barry Trotz is mulling regarding Tomas Vokoun's return to the net. Trotz had initially sounded as if Vokoun would start tonight against St. Louis, but it now looks more likely that Vokoun will back up Chris Mason tonight and then start Tuesday against Anaheim. In either case, Vokoun is looking forward to making his first appearance since he tore ligaments and fractured a bone in his left thumb Nov. 23. "It'll be nice to get back because it's been about six weeks since it happened,'' Vokoun said. "But there are still a lot of games left and this is the most important part of the season. I'd like to get back to doing my job.'' Vokoun will be wearing a protective device that helps him grip the stick.

01-06-2007, 04:53 PM	#50 (permalink)
PredDave Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 832	Preds still leading division - Nashville, Tennessee - Saturday, 01/06/07 - Tennessean.com The Predators are halfway home when it comes to reaching one of the team's foremost goals this season. Nashville's 8-3 thumping of Chicago on Friday meant the Predators finished the first half of the season on top of the Central Division. The Predators' 57 points are two more than Detroit, which has played one fewer game. But Nashville has two more wins than the Red Wings, and victories serve as the NHL's first tiebreaker. A slight first-half edge may not necessarily mean much, but for an eighth-season franchise trying to knock off the team that's won five consecutive division crowns, it's a step in the right direction. "I think you've got some defining moments in the season, such as where you stack up after 20 games and where you stack up after the first half,'' Predators Coach Barry Trotz said. "After 41 games, to see we're on track to reaching one of our goals is very important.'' The Predators can point to a variety of reasons for their first-place status. There's the goaltending of Tomas Vokoun and Chris Mason, who've combined for the second-best team save percentage in the NHL. And then there's the offense, which has been explosive at times.

01-08-2007, 01:54 PM	#51 (permalink)
PredDave Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 832	Arnott in groove for red-hot Preds - Nashville, Tennessee - Sunday, 01/07/07 - Tennessean.com Predators center Jason Arnott is the owner of a scorching slapshot. And he appears to be heating up. Arnott crushed a one-timer past St. Louis goalie Manny Legace midway through Saturday's 3-2 win over the Blues. It was the big pivot's seventh score in the past nine contests. He was quick to credit linemate Steve Sullivan, whose no-look, cross-ice pass allowed Arnott to blast away before Legace could move into position. "Those passes from Sully and J.P. (Dumont) really help,'' Arnott said. "I just try to find some openings and let it go. But when you have great passers like that, it makes it a lot easier.''

01-08-2007, 01:59 PM	#52 (permalink)
PredDave Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 832	Preds: We're better than last year's squad - Nashville, Tennessee - Monday, 01/08/07 - Tennessean.com Halfway through the season, the Predators' record is almost identical to that of Nashville's 2005-06 team, one that would go on to finish fourth in the Western Conference standings before getting knocked out of the playoffs in the first round. But as the Predators ready for the final 40 games of their schedule, the prevailing atmosphere in the locker room is that this team is a better one than the squad that made only a brief postseason appearance last year. Here are a few of the reasons why: • Road record: The Predators did much of their early damage last season at home, where they eventually piled up the league's best record. Nashville was a .500 team on enemy ice. The 2006-07 team played 19 of its first 29 games away from home and sports a road r ecord of 15-8. Only Buffalo has more road wins. • Five-on-five play:The Predators' 88 goals scored during five-on-five play are second-best in the league behind only Buffalo. A year ago, the Predators were much more reliant on the power play, evidenced by the fact the team finished tied for 16th in five-on-five scoring. • Less streaky: The Predators were at times all over the map in 2005-06. They won eight straight games to start the season, and later put together stretches of nine and 10 games in which they gained at least a point. But Nashville also put together three regular-season losing streaks of at least four games, and lost four straight playoff games to San Jose. On the plus side this season, the Predators have put together four separate steaks of at least four wins in a row. But they've only twice lost as many as three straight games, and one of those streaks came at the very beginning of the season.

01-11-2007, 07:57 AM	#53 (permalink)
PredDave Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 832	Zidlicky is on ice at all right times - Nashville, Tennessee - Wednesday, 01/10/07 - Tennessean.com Only 12 times this season had a Predator recorded a plus-three rating, a number that measures the even-strength and shorthanded goal differential for a skater. In Tuesday night's 5-4 overtime win over Anaheim, Predators defenseman Marek Zidlicky was a plus-four, with three assists. And he still ranked behind teammate Kimmo Timonen, who was on the ice for all five Nashville goals and registered a plus-5 along with a goal and an assist. "It's not something you see very often," said forward Steve Sullivan, who scored the game-winner off Timonen's assist. "They were both good early and often. Those are our two best defensemen." Forward Jason Arnott called Timonen's contribution "a big bonus" and Coach Barry Trotz rated his captain's game as "fantastic."

01-11-2007, 07:59 AM	#54 (permalink)
PredDave Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 832	Avoiding penalty box in third is big for Preds - Nashville, Tennessee - Wednesday, 01/10/07 - Tennessean.com Against a powerful Anaheim power play, penalties nearly put an end to the Predators on Tuesday. But a staunch third-period showing, in which Nashville managed to stay out of the box, helped prevent a disheartening defeat. "They were on a roll, and if we took another few penalties in the third it might have been a different story," Predators center Jason Arnott said after Nashville's 5-4 overtime victory. "I think the guys realized we had to go out and bear down and play a little more disciplined because that's what they were doing." Coming into the game, Anaheim was third in the league on the power play, converting 21.8 percent of its attempts. Despite playing without Chris Pronger — the Ducks' leader with 22 power-play points, who is out with a broken foot — their power play was potent. "They create seams, make high-skill passes and they launch rockets," Predators Coach Barry Trotz said. "They are a dynamic power play." After being neutralized on its first two power-play opportunities and falling behind 3-1 in the first period, Anaheim struck twice on the man-advantage in second period, making the most of its three opportunities.

01-12-2007, 08:50 AM	#55 (permalink)
PredDave Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 832	The City Paper - Smart, Fast, Free Save Award: Chris Mason of the Nashville Predators has taken the lead for the race to capture the 2006-07 Bank of America Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award. Mason has stopped 796 of 858 shots for a save percentage of .928, slipping past Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils (.927) and Cristobal Huet of the Montreal Canadiens (.927) in games through Jan. 7. Nashville goaltender Tomas Vokoun is fifth with a .920 percentage. Scoring change: The NHL has made a scoring change on Nashville’s last goal (15:48 of period 3) from Saturday’s 3-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Originally scored by J.P. Dumont with assists going to Ryan Suter and Jason Arnott, the goal is now credited to Steve Sullivan from J.P. Dumont and Ryan Suter.

01-14-2007, 11:23 PM	#56 (permalink)
PredDave Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 832	Tennessean article - Nashville, Tennessee - Saturday, 01/13/07 - Tennessean.com Looking ahead: Predators owner Craig Leipold said he likes what he sees on the team's roster but isn't ruling out making an upgrade before the Feb. 27 NHL trading deadline. "We don't have many holes,'' said Leipold, who met Thursday with General Manager David Poile and Predators coaches regarding possible trades. Leipold said he believes the price of acquisitions this season might be more difficult because the earlier-than-usual deadline will mean more teams will still be in the running for the playoffs. "In usual years, there might be 10 or 12 teams who are saying, "OK, we're out, let's start to plan for next year,''' Leipold said. "There may be four teams among all 30 in that position. So the price to get a player will be higher and the number of players available on the market is much less.'' Leipold said if the Predators do make a deal, it would likely be for a stay-at-home kind of defenseman. "The issue we have on defense is our experience, but the strength we have is our youth and speed,'' he said. "So many times what comes with experience is lack of speed. So we'll have to take a look at that and see who's available.'' Bad stretch: Defenseman Marek Zidlicky survived a tough stretch in the third period when he made two questionable plays that cold have turned the tide against the Predators. Less than two minutes into the period, as he approached the Blue Jackets' zone, he let forward Jason Chimera take the puck away. Chimera waltzed to the other end, going at Vokoun on his own. But he missed the net after making a left to right move. "That was not a real good play. If that turns into a goal, that turns the whole momentum of the game right there;, it's a 2-1 game," Trotz said. Less than three minutes after the bad turnover, Zidlicky was whistled for a high stick well behind the play as Nashville threatened to score.

01-14-2007, 11:26 PM	#57 (permalink)
PredDave Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 832	Back-to-back no sweat for Preds - Nashville, Tennessee - Saturday, 01/13/07 - Tennessean.com Having efficiently dispatched the Blue Jackets 2-0 on Friday night at Gaylord Entertainment Center, the Predators turn around to face them again tonight in Columbus. Nashville has no fear of back-to-back games this season. It is 9-1-1 in them so far. "It's a great sign for us," said Jason Arnott, who scored the Predators' first goal and is one of five Predators with four points in four games against the Blue Jackets this season. "… For the most part on back to back games, we've just kept it simple, played solid and our goaltending has been outstanding." Forward Steve Sullivan said he thinks the success in the second of consecutive games shows the Predators to be both physically and mentally tough. Nashville's first three wins against Columbus, however, had come before Ken Hitchcock took over as coach.

01-14-2007, 11:27 PM	#58 (permalink)
PredDave Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 832	Vokoun sharp in shutout win - Nashville, Tennessee - Saturday, 01/13/07 - Tennessean.com So much for the theory that Tomas Vokoun's recovery would take awhile. Thanks in part to their goalkeeper's quick improvement, the Predators managed to go from shootout to shutout in just three days, blanking the Columbus Blue Jackets 2-0 in front of 14,136 at Gaylord Entertainment Center on Friday. Vokoun was making just his second start since suffering a thumb injury Nov. 23. In Tuesday's return, Vokoun looked a little rusty in a wide-open 5-4 overtime win against Anaheim. But that wasn't the case Friday, as Vokoun turned away 10 first-period shots en route to a 22-save shutout. "He was connecting the dots, seeing the puck and he really looked comfortable, whereas the last game he didn't look that comfortable,'' Coach Barry Trotz said. "I thought he looked really solid for game two.'' Vokoun's big saves came in the opening period, sliding across his crease to turn away Geoff Platt's early slapshot and showing quick reflexes to stop Dan Fritsche on a bang-bang play in front of the Nashville net four minutes later. "I felt a lot better,'' Vokoun said. "The guys played a great game in front of me. It was pretty easy to be the goaltender tonight.''

01-16-2007, 08:18 AM	#59 (permalink)
PredDave Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 832	Lineup mixup puts Fiddler on ice - Nashville, Tennessee - Tuesday, 01/16/07 - Tennessean.com The game was well under way and Vernon Fiddler had finished the workout routine for a healthy player not in the lineup — 20 minutes on a stationary bike. But a mixup with Predators Coach Barry Trotz's lineup card meant Fiddler's next destination wasn't what he expected. Instead of heading for some food, he was heading for the ice, where he recorded an assist on Nashville's third goal in a 5-3 win over Calgary. Trotz intended to play rookie forward Alexander Radulov, who skated on an early third-line shift before officials became aware he shouldn't have been in uniform because he was designated as a scratch on the coach's official lineup card. So Radulov walked down the tunnel into the locker room, and not long afterward, Fiddler was dressed and taking shifts. "That's just totally my fault," Trotz said, pointing to a pregame dressing room distraction of which he declined to offer details. "We had two different lineups. I usually have a very good routine, I check the lineup pretty closely and (Monday) we had a little incident in our room that sort of threw me off the routine. "I handed it in and no one gets the blame but me. I apologized to Rad and Fids for the mixup. That's my bad." Radulov had no presence in the official game statistics, which track each player's time on the ice. The Predators said their belief was it was as if he never played, though there was still a degree of uncertainty. Fiddler wound up with 8:38 of ice time to go with a third-period assist on a pass to Jerred Smithson that went to Ryan Suter for a goal that put the Predators ahead, 3-2.

01-17-2007, 07:58 AM	#60 (permalink)
PredDave Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 832	Dumont making point with streak - Nashville, Tennessee - Wednesday, 01/17/07 - Tennessean.com The Predators hope forward J.P. Dumont can build on his streak of nine points in seven games tonight in Detroit. Working with Steve Sullivan and Jason Arnott, Dumont is playing the most productive hockey of his first year with Nashville. Eight of the nine points are assists. "Especially finding Arnie and Sully, he's just such an intelligent player," Coach Barry Trotz said. "When he's skating and has got a good two-way game going, he's quite productive. When he wants to slow it down too much and is not skating, he's not as productive." Dumont said it's a matter of good defense producing good offense. "Every time you play well and have a lot of scoring chances, that means you're doing something right," he said. "You've got the puck, and if you've got the puck, it means you're playing well defensively. And that's the first thing we want to do."