WCQF: (1) Nashville Predators vs. (WC2) Colorado Avalanche | Nashville Leads Series 3-2

[RussianGuyovich]

Does Tennessee memorize the rulebook yet?

Does Manhattan know how many periods are in a game yet?

 

[ccp14a]

Does Tennessee memorize the rulebook yet?[/QUOTE]

Believe it or not, bud, but ice hockey hasn't always been the mainstream sport in a southern state like Tennessee. Before the Preds, there was no youth, high school, college, or beer league hockey like there is in more northern states. The Preds organization has had to single handedly taught the sport here. Even now, every single year, the fanbase grows because more and more people (like me 7 years ago) are exposed to the sport for the first time and realize how incredible it is.

So yeah, as long as we have the Preds, there will always be new fans who are getting into the sport for the first time and learning the rules. That doesn't mean the already established fanbase is any less educated than that of any other team. People like you need to either get off y'alls high horse or stop complaining about hockey being a fourth tier sport in America.

Enjoy watching the draft lottery

 

[predfan24]

Does Tennessee memorize the rulebook yet?

I would argue in Nashville, due to the Preds success and Titans failures, the Preds are bigger than the Titans right now. The further you get from Nashville and the more rural it gets the less and less popular hockey is. But since the Preds are the flavor of the month right now it's the perfect time to bring in non-traditional fans and start converting some people. I don't see anything wrong with this flyer. Nashville is still a young hockey market.

 

[TitansVolsPreds615]

I love people making fun of new fans of the sport like they don't realize the NHL needs all the new fans it can get. It's about to be the 5th most popular sport in the States.

 

[SavageSteve]

Also FYI for watch party info in Nashville...

[TWEET]

 

[cgf]

Let them laugh. Avs fans went through the same thing until our cups and playoff runs shut those failing O6 & canadian fans up. They can keep laughing about your growing & thriving fanbase for being able to attractive new people to the sport, while they remain insignificant in the cup race.

 

[HomeAndHome]

I'm in the Nashville in 5 group. I think Colorado can steal a game, maybe 2, because of their first line. But other than that they are far from the deepest team out there and missing Johnson doesn't help.

Nashville is just built to compete this year, but I'm sure this series will be exciting nonetheless!

 

[cgf]

I'm in the Nashville in 5 group. I think Colorado can steal a game, maybe 2, because of their first line. But other than that they are far from the deepest team out there and missing Johnson doesn't help.

Nashville is just built to compete this year, but I'm sure this series will be exciting nonetheless!

For what it's worth our depth has been really rounding into form. The Soderberg line has been an elite 3rd line this year.

And though Jost & Andrighetto struggled with injuries, while Kerfoot hit that rookie wall hard, our second line turned it up down the stretch and outplayed the first line while the flu was running through the room once Sven came back, Kerfoot caught a second wind, and Jost just kept improving since getting healthy. Jost has become a really nifty SOB, Kerfoot is a really smart passer, & sven can make things happen with his speed, hands & shoot-first mentality; and all three are fast, they work hard, and they aren't afraid to go into the dirt areas & muck it up.

Hell if Wilson really does become a playoff beast even our 4th line should provide good energy.

I still think we'll get crushed in Nashville, but I think we can put a lot of pressure on them in Denver if Bernier holds up. And if Bednar can take advantage of the Preds' third pairing with the 1st line at home, while Nashville gives our PP some opportunities, that may well be enough to win 1 or even both home games in the first 4 games.

 

[S3rkie]

I think that no matter how the series ends up, its going to be tighter than the series score. I feel like it will be the Preds in 6 but either way I see a lot of OT games coming. Avs should be playing better as they can relax now they made the show, the team also seemed to shake the nerves as the STL game went on. Also the days off should help for a reset.

 

[HomeAndHome]

For what it's worth our depth has been really rounding into form. The Soderberg line has been an elite 3rd line this year.

And though Jost & Andrighetto struggled with injuries, while Kerfoot hit that rookie wall hard, our second line turned it up down the stretch and outplayed the first line while the flu was running through the room once Sven came back, Kerfoot caught a second wind, and Jost just kept improving since getting healthy. Jost has become a really nifty SOB, Kerfoot is a really smart passer, & sven can make things happen with his speed, hands & shoot-first mentality; and all three are fast, they work hard, and they aren't afraid to go into the dirt areas & muck it up.

Hell if Wilson really does become a playoff best even our 4th line should provide good energy.

I still think we'll get crushed in Nashville, but I think we can put a lot of pressure on them in Denver if Bernier holds up. And if Bednar can take advantage of the Preds' third pairing with the 1st line at home, while Nashville gives our PP some opportunities, that may well be enough to win 1 or even both home games in the first 4 games.

Yeah I may have overlooked their second line, they've been good for sure! I'd love Andrighetto (and Barberio to a lesser extent) to play really well for my own selfish purposes

 

[cgf]

Yeah I may have overlooked their second line, they've been good for sure! I'd love Andrighetto (and Barberio to a lesser extent) to play really well for my own selfish purposes

For much of the season it was an issue since Jost started the year banged up & should've started the year in the AHL, 'ghetto died for a couple months, and Kerf eventually hit that wall hard; but they came together down the stretch and have me really excited to see how they respond to playoff hockey. Ghetto's really gooning his way into our hearts and Jost has that POS-ness to go with his skill & smarts that made Parise such a great player before his body broke.

And getting Barberio back was huge with EJ going down. The Zads-Barrie pairing has shown it can lead the way for us when EJ is out, and Nemeth-Girard stepped up down the stretch bigly; but having a competent third pairing with barberio & alt instead of the liability that was the Siemens-Warsofsky pairing, is a huge help.

 

[Al Lagoon]

Hoping the Avs take down the Dixie Chicks

 

[RomanEmpire]

Might as well wrap this one up boys. Avs have the secret weapons.

 

[cgf]

Might as well wrap this one up boys. Avs have the secret weapons.

Assistant Captain Gork knows all

 

[SavageSteve]

Might as well wrap this one up boys. Avs have the secret weapons.

Maybe he even gave them his assessment on cowgirl butts driving him nuts?

 

[TitansVolsPreds615]

What is the word on Wilson from Avs fans? He doesn't appear to have done much this year.

 

[Aardvarksson]

Might as well wrap this one up boys. Avs have the secret weapons.

 

[slobbergob]

What is the word on Wilson from Avs fans? He doesn't appear to have done much this year.

He's been injured for long stretches, but when he's healthy, boy is he mediocre.

 

[EdAVSfan]

I am honestly worried about our bottom pairing getting exposed on the road when Colorado can get the top line against them, and concerned about the number of penalties we take on a nightly basis putting on Colorado's power play.

Either of those could win some games for Colorado and at that point anything could happen. I hope Nashville is taking that top pairing very very seriously.

Bah, don’t think it’s too much of an issue

Nashville can easily run their top 2 pairs for close to 50 minutes for away games.
I doubt Mackinnon will have that much time against bottom pairs.
Ideally, our top line is going to have to dominate one of Nashville’s top pairs to have a chance to pull a game or two at home.

 

[TitansVolsPreds615]

He's been injured for long stretches, but when he's healthy, boy is he mediocre.

Sounds exactly like his career here. He had such promise, just can't stay healthy and consistent. He did have a couple great playoff series though.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

Nashville is deep but the Avs are a good team.

If Nashville takes the Avs too lightly, they're in for a big surprise.

 

[TitansVolsPreds615]

Nashville is way too full of itself. Both the team and the fans. Gonna be a hard fall.

No way should a place more suited to Big Time Rasslin win The Cup. Half of the screaming yahoos in the crowd probably couldn't tell you what a two line pass is.

Go Avs!

I just guzzle beer and boo the refs personally.

 

[Cyclones Rock]

I just guzzle beer and boo the refs personally.

I was just having fun and changed my post

Bridgestone is an awesome environment. I was just at a Preds game in Sunrise and I'd guess 500-800 Preds fans were there. It's great to see the team finally become part of the city's fabric.

Guzzling beer and booing refs works for me as well.

 

[flyfysher]

My hockey partner wanted an Avs-Golden Knights series. I thought that would've been a loser series because the Avs haven't matched up well against them. However, I think they match up better against the Preds (great team, great organization, great fan base).

Common sense dictates the Preds will win the series. But given that the Avs made the playoffs with so many new players and injuries, think they've already had an incredibly successful season.

Preds in 5 games unless crazy stuff happens (usually in the last four minutes of the period, especially the third period) in which case I'll pick the Avs in 6 games.

 

[cgf]

What is the word on Wilson from Avs fans? He doesn't appear to have done much this year.

Captain Average? He's been pretty average when healthy...