If you told me on October 1 that the Predators would have wins against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Detroit Red Wings — all in their buildings — without Pekka Rinne in net… well, let’s just say I would’ve ranked you somewhere between “insane” and “Eklund.”
But Anders Lindback has done just that.
The rookie netminder stopped 35 Detroit shots (including 27 in the final two periods) to give the Nashville Predators their fourth win in their last five games.
Colin Wilson and Martin Erat scored late in the first and early in the second, respectively, to give the Preds a 2-0 lead. The Red Wings answered with a shorthanded tally midway through the second and it looked like it was going to be Atlanta all over again for Nashville. But then — wait for it — JP Dumont scored late in the third to give the Preds an insurance marker that they would end up needing in order to hold off their arch rivals.
It won’t show up on the scoresheet but just as important as a goal was Nick Spaling‘s play at the end of the game. With the Red Wings controlling the play near the Preds’ blueline, while on his belly (and without a stick) Spaling was able to get his left hand on the puck. He literally tossed the puck down the ice to get the important clear and end the game.
After losing a heartbreaker that they should’ve won in Atlanta on Monday, it was great to pick up the win in Detroit on Wednesday. And in regulation no less. It’s just further proof that everything evens out over the course of the year. Would they have liked to get both points against the Thrashers? Of course. Should they have beaten the Wings? Not necessarily but a 6’6″ Swede made sure they did. But, at the end of the day, if you secure three points on a two game road trip that features an Eastern Conference opponent and the Detroit Red Wings, you’ll take it. You just probably would’ve predicted the results be switched.
Nashville will now turn it’s attention to another Eastern Conference foe, the Florida Panthers. Former Preds Tomas Vokoun, Mike Santorelli and Darcy Hordichuk will be in town. Santorelli, a guy who never really made things happen while in a Preds sweater, is currently tied for sixth on the Panthers in scoring (7 g, 4 a, 11 pts).
See you on Saturday night at Bridgestone Arena!
LEFTOVER THOUGHTS:
* Dumont’s goal was his first since the embarrassing 5-4 loss in Toronto.
* Wilson’s goal was his third in the month of December. He now has six on the season.
* Erat, who had only six points in the first two months of the season, now has six in the month of December alone.
* Cal O’Reilly, who assisted on Wilson’s goal, now has a five game scoring streak.
* Shea Weber is finally rescuing his plus/minus from the depths of… well, you know. He was a minus-10 coming into the game but finished with a plus-2 rating.
* Speaking of plus/minus, Marcel Goc now leads the team with a plus-9 rating. And he wears the number nine.
* Cody Franson has a plus-4 rating on the season. He wears the number four. (Sorry. I just found that funny.)
* Goc was originally credited with the second Nashville goal despite it clearing being deflected by Erat. This hilarious tweet was a result of the official scoring change.
* David Legwand returned to the lineup on Wednesday but couldn’t complete the game. He played just nine minutes before re-aggravating the injury.
* While there’s no reason not to give Lindback another start, recent call-up Mark Dekanich may make his NHL debut on Saturday. It’s an Eastern Conference opponent, it’s at home and it’s a struggling club. Plus, it’d be a good warm-up for him before the back-to-backs against New Jersey and Los Angeles next weekend.