Observations, Part XI

[ILikeItILoveIt]

Dudes, we just won one of the greatest games in Pred history and we're entering another Game 7 with the chance to make history.

Ribs helped get us here and got a point on our tying goal using the playmaking skillset he owns. Lavy knows you play leaders in big games and challenge them. Could someone else have started the tic-tac-toe goal? Maybe, but Ribs did it.

He has his faults and he's been in a slump, but he 's our guy and we're in the playoffs. Love on the Ribsmister for now.

Plenty of time to hate on him in the offseason.

 

[drwpreds]

Dudes, we just won one of the greatest games in Pred history and we're entering another Game 7 with the chance to make history.

Ribs helped get us here and got a point on our tying goal using the playmaking skillset he owns. Lavy knows you play leaders in big games and challenge them. Could someone else have started the tic-tac-toe goal? Maybe, but Ribs did it.

He has his faults and he's been in a slump, but he 's our guy and we're in the playoffs. Love on the Ribsmister for now.

Plenty of time to hate on him in the offseason.

This......

 

[drwpreds]

I want the Preds to win but I don't want him to be the hero. Nope, he's no hero. He just needs to be gone. I don't hate him, I feel sorry for him.

Again, as I said earlier, people are going way overboard with the hate

 

[Armourboy]

Again, as I said earlier, people are going way overboard with the hate

I don't think so. People aren't on him because he hasn't produced, they are on him because he hasn't even tried and he causes problems because he loses his head and won't keep his mouth shut.

 

[Scoresberg]

Agree 100%- but that's not the way most on this board roll- they will completely trash a player over and over and over when they are bad, but its crickets when they do something good.

I know I was in the minority, but I wanted Ribeiro to be back in the lineup. I know he has his issues and has been bad in the playoffs. But I think the criticism went overboard. I think people forget just how good he has been for us for the most part the past 2 years- he is the second leading scorer on the team since he joined the Preds. I will trust Laviolette- he is an incredible playoff coach and wouldn't have put him back in last night without a good reason.

Agreed with everything you said. Ribs has been good for us.

 

[FossilFndr]

Amazing. Simply amazing. It still doesn't feel real this morning in fact. A game that started so poorly, where we didn't even have a shot for the first ten minutes of the game. We were so tight early. Down 2-0 and looking completely dead in the water.

And then, it all changed. Obviously the Josi goal changed everything. From the second after they scored their second goal, we get up off the ice and proceed to outshoot them 30-10 even strength the last 51 minutes of the game. 30-10!

So proud to have been a fan of this team all season. A team that believes. A team that doesn't give up. A team that has overcome difficult times, stretches where they couldn't score, stretches where they couldn't play defense, stretches where they didn't get good tending. And yet here we are.

As impressive as our game six and seven wins were against ANA, last night was more so. To reach down and find that inner desire after falling down 2 goals and having extremely tired legs and to stand back up and show the guts they did is one of the best moments in pred history. And we were all here to watch it.

So glad I came to town for this one. That game that will be long remembered, in playoffs where franchise records were breaking this game was great.

They definitely looked worn out in the first 1/2 of the first period, but even with only a couple of sog and down by 2 goals I honestly did not give up on those guys. I was expecting Tierney to score a hat trick against us by the time it was over but learned this team was not going to quit. The Josi goal made me smile with confidence. End of first, down by only one goal, at home ... definitely doable. Minute and 1/2 in second Joey scores and tied. Kept up pressure with triple sog of first period. Then in the third Wilson scoring within 3 minutes of the Couture go ahead goal.... how they had energy enough to do that I don't know. How they held Sharks to only 9 sog in the second & third and had 25 of their own ... those guys came to play. If it was going to be their last game of the season they definitely were going to give it all. And for the first time in the playoffs they get a day off. Well earned guys.

And Arvidsson will never forget his first playoff goal, overtime backhand from the playoff dot, Rinne gets an assist! And hundreds of folks missed it as they left Bridgestone after the third. I was amazed so many people (I can't call them fans) hit the doors considering the importance of the game. Kinda hope they knew we would lose so they were beating the crowds. One of my satisfactions as I sat in the traffic leaving Lot R was thinking those folks who left early must feel like idiots.

I know this was a late post, after barely sleeping in the motel and driving home I didn't turn on computer Tuesday. And now sitting here I see that the Predators are in the playoffs for their second game 7 in franchise history and the Washington Capitals are out. Not many would have predicted that a month ago. Did I just type we are a month into the playoffs.

 

[Pred303]

good for you fossil, good for you.

well it feels funny to not have a critical game in two days, but I needed the rest, lol

always a lot of hyperbole about the importance of a single game. but, without a doubt, of all the right at 1500 games this franchise has played, tomorrow is the single biggest game in Predator history (with game 7 at ANA last week number two). unarguably this is true, win or lose.. and we were all here to see it. I feel honored to be able to just watch it.

When the season is over is the time to figure who we want and don't want, for right now, they are all our predators. I would be just as proud if Ribiero or Nystrom won the game for us instead of Weber or Forsberg. We win as a team and we lose as a team. That's the way it should and has to be.

Go get em tomorrow boys.

 

[Legionnaire11]

I want the Preds to win but I don't want him to be the hero. Nope, he's no hero. He just needs to be gone. I don't hate him, I feel sorry for him.

That's crazy. I'd be just as happy if Ribs scores a hatty in every remaining game and leads the Preds to the cup as I would if the team got an overall effort from the roster on their way to a title and Ribs was a no show.

Ultimately it shouldn't matter who the hero is or isn't, are they wearing a Preds jersey? Did the Preds win? It's all good!

 

[SavageSteve]

I want the Preds to win but I don't want him to be the hero. Nope, he's no hero. He just needs to be gone. I don't hate him, I feel sorry for him.

Hero's are never the people you think they are in real life anyway. Most are very flawed and overcome those flaws in dire circumstances.

The fact is that Ribs has a skill set for play making that much of the roster does not have. Any coach worth their salt is going to play that player when the team is against elimination, popularity/morality contests bedamned. Even AK46 and Rads were put in to stave off elimination in that Phoenix series in 2012 despite Trotz's propensity for grit.

If he 'wins' the game Thursday or is the goat, you just hope he puts everything into it and pray he doesn't embarrass either. He may be a jerk, but he's our jerk and I'm cheering for him to do his best in the opportunity before us.

 

[triggrman]

4 of the top 5 hottest teams in the NHL since the All-star break have now been eliminated.

 

[FossilFndr]

good for you fossil, good for you.

well it feels funny to not have a critical game in two days, but I needed the rest, lol

always a lot of hyperbole about the importance of a single game. but, without a doubt, of all the right at 1500 games this franchise has played, tomorrow is the single biggest game in Predator history (with game 7 at ANA last week number two). unarguably this is true, win or lose.. and we were all here to see it. I feel honored to be able to just watch it.

When the season is over is the time to figure who we want and don't want, for right now, they are all our predators. I would be just as proud if Ribiero or Nystrom won the game for us instead of Weber or Forsberg. We win as a team and we lose as a team. That's the way it should and has to be.

Go get em tomorrow boys.

Good for all of us.

I help as photo editor for small niche sports magazine and was corresponding with a couple guys from Finland this morning. Included this

************

Went to Nashville Predators game Monday night, don't know if you pay any attention to NHL but the Preds just won game 6 of second round play offs in overtime. Victor Arvidsson (Swe) scored the game winner with his first ever playoff goal on a backhander from the face off dot after a pass from Miikka Salomaki (Fin) and secondary assist to our incredible goalie Pekka Rinne (Fin).

I thought of you guys, my main friends from that part of the world. You are well represented by these guys, and young Calle Jarnkrok (Swe), he is one smart player, small but has great hockey smarts, always in the proper position. A bit of growing and weight training and he could be something special.

*****

Have not heard back but would bet they both were aware of the game.

 

[drwpreds]

At the end of the day today, there will be only 5 out of 30 teams left standing. And the Preds are one of them.

Who could have predicted that back in January when at one point we were just a couple of points from being in last place in the Central division.

Crazy!!

 

[token grinder]

4 of the top 5 hottest teams in the NHL since the All-star break have now been eliminated.

and the Preds are just barely a game over .500 in their last 13 or so games.


I will take it.

 

[NoNecksCurse]

4 of the top 5 hottest teams in the NHL since the All-star break have now been eliminated.

if we can win this series, we have a great shot to make it to the SCF imo. love to see Tampa put out Pittsburgh.

 

[MrJoshua]

if we can win this series, we have a great shot to make it to the SCF imo. love to see Tampa put out Pittsburgh.

I would love to see a Tampa/Nashville SCF. People up north would riot.

 

[drwpreds]

if we can win this series, we have a great shot to make it to the SCF imo. love to see Tampa put out Pittsburgh.

I’ve been thinking a lot about who I would rather face going forward.

I don’t know how anyone else feels about it, but I would 100% rather face Dallas than St Louis. I have long thought that the Blues would be one of the worst matchups for us. (But I do think we can beat either of them).

And I agree I would definitely rather face Tampa than Pittsburgh.

 

[PredsV82]

I’ve been thinking a lot about who I would rather face going forward.

I don’t know how anyone else feels about it, but I would 100% rather face Dallas than St Louis. I have long thought that the Blues would be one of the worst matchups for us. (But I do think we can beat either of them).

And I agree I would definitely rather face Tampa than Pittsburgh.

while I understand the thinking behind analyzing potential opponents, the truth is, if we can win tomorrow night, I honestly believe we can beat anybody, even a supposed "better" team

 

[NoNecksCurse]

I would love to see a Tampa/Nashville SCF. People up north would riot.

yep there would be riots.

 

[Scoresberg]

4 of the top 5 hottest teams in the NHL since the All-star break have now been eliminated.

Wow. We all have to remember this in the future, especially when we "backing" into the playoffs . The way you play in the end of reg. season doesn't seem to matter anything once the poffs start.

 

[drwpreds]

while I understand the thinking behind analyzing potential opponents, the truth is, if we can win tomorrow night, I honestly believe we can beat anybody, even a supposed "better" team

Oh, I agree 100%- really, give me a win tomorrow night and I don't care who we play next. The thing is- none of the other 4 teams still left are really any better than the two teams we will have eliminated. Beating Anaheim and San Jose back to back would be a super impressive feat.

 

[PredsV82]

Wow. We all have to remember this in the future, especially when we "backing" into the playoffs . The way you play in the end of reg. season doesn't seem to matter anything once the poffs start.

yeah look at last year we crapped the bed for two straight months and still almost beat the eventual cup winners

 

[Scoresberg]

yeah look at last year we crapped the bed for two straight months and still almost beat the eventual cup winners

Exactly . This year we took out the SC favorites.

 

[drwpreds]

If we wind up facing the Blues and the series starts on Saturday, that looks like a prime opportunity for a road trip. Even from Birmingham I may have to do it.

We need to get some gold in that building........

 

[jstreet]

If we wind up facing the Blues and the series starts on Saturday, that looks like a prime opportunity for a road trip. Even from Birmingham I may have to do it.

We need to get some gold in that building........

Strangle that air horn guy for me if you go

 

[drwpreds]

Watching this Dallas meltdown- whoa. How in the heck did this series go 7??

I will say this- I have always thought the Blues were a tough matchup for us, but if this Stars team, with that D and that goaltending, and without Seguin- can take the Blues to 7 then I feel a lot better about our chances.