(Newton continues his beachside posting bonanza with a observations from last night’s game)
- Both teams had ample chances in this game, and Pekka Rinne is clearly a better goaltender than Dan Ellis. I really wish that the Preds had a few more quality chances on Emery, either to get into his head, or to shake the Ducks’ confidence in him.
- Corey Perry has less balls than a trailer full of geldings. The Preds need to ignore his goalie spearing and trash talking antics and focus on keeping him pinned against the glass and disrupting his line’s low cycle.
- Speaking of Perry’s line, they were NOT the best Duck’s line last night. That distinction belongs to the line of Teemu Selanne. It seemed like every time I was holding my breath, Selanne was on the ice. I hope that this is just a one game phenomenon and that the Preds’ D corps can limit this line’s chances.
- Randy Carlyle’s decision to keep the Getzlaf/Perry/Ryan line away from Shea “my beard can beat up your beard” Weber and Ryan Suter doesn’t seem like a strategic decision as much as it seems like an admission that his top line can’t beat Nashville’s top D pair.
- Lastly, Nashville’s ability to (mostly) maintain their composure when things started getting nasty last night is encouraging. It would’ve been easy for the fellas to lose their focus, and just as easy for Anaheim to gain some momentum, but neither happened. Hopefully Anaheim will continue to get frustrated and the Preds will continue to let that work against them.
If the even numbered goals are the most important goals in a hockey game, I think the even numbered games are the most important in a playoff series. Anaheim wins and we’re down to a best of 5 series. Nashville wins, and they have a stranglehold on the series with 2 games in the loudest arena in the NHL. I expect a better game from the Ducks on Friday, and hopefully a better game from Nashville as well.
Remember kids, Ducks can’t quack if you have your fingers wrapped around their throat…
Loved the “less balls than a trailer full of geldings” line. Beautiful.
But I will take umbrage with the “Shea ‘my beard can beat up your beard’ Weber” It should read, “Shea ‘my beard can beat you up’ Weber.”
See you Sunday, I hope.