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Preview: Predators at Ducks (3/12)

Location: Honda Center (Anaheim, California)

Game Time: 9:00 pm Central

TV: FSN

Radio: 97.1 FM

Records:

Nashville: 36-25-5 (77)

San Jose: 30-28-8 (68)

Season Series:

11/5/09 – NSH 0 – ANA 4

1/2/10 – ANA 1 – NSH 3

1/9/10 – ANA 3 – NSH 2

He’s a Witch! Jonas Hiller has given up 3 or more goals in his last 6 NHL starts. In his four games since the Olympics, he has a .880  save percentage and his 3.87 GAA and four losses. Ignore all of that. The fact of the matter is…Jonas Hiller has had the Predators’ number all season. In 3 games against the Predators this year, he has garnered an incredible 0.961 save percentage, a 1.35 GAA and a shutout.

Rebound Game: It goes without saying that the Predators will be looking to bounce back after an incredibly dismal third period last night. After going into the period with a 2 goal lead, the Preds were outscored 6-1 in the final stanza. Several franchise records were set or tied: most goals allowed in a game (tied), most points allowed in a period, and most goals allowed in a road game (tied). In addition, the Sharks tied their franchise record with their 6 third period goals…they had scored 6 once before, against the Whalers in 1996. Considering a third period like that comes along once every 11.5 years…it seems safe to assume that it won’t happen again tonight.

Suter & Weber: A Night to Forget: The most alarming part of the game, however, was the performance of Ryan Suter and Shea Weber. Suter finished the game with a minus-6 plus-minus rating, the worst of his 378 game career and the worst of any player in franchise history. It was so bad, in fact, that of the over 17,000 individual games (887 games in franchise history x 20 players) played by Predators players, no player has ever had a plus-minus rating that low. Weber’s night was almost as bad, finishing with a career-low minus-5 rating. It was his first game below a minus-2 since January 30, 2007 and the worst of his 305-game career.

Wilson Steps It Up: Colin Wilson was called up for his second stint in the NHL on February 9, shortly after being named the AHL’s Rookie of the Month for January. During his first 10 game stint earlier this season, Colin managed just 1 goal and 1 assist before being sent down. He found his game in Milwaukee, however…in 40 games (including a few played over the Olympic break), Colin registered 13 goals and 21 assists for a total of 34 points. Considering that the February 9 game against the Islanders was a throwaway (Colin played just 5 minutes, having arrived from Milwaukee literally at game time), Wilson has been a factor in virtually every game he’s played in since his call-up. In the last 9 games, Colin has registered 4  goals and 3 assists and scored two game-winners. In addition, Wilson has scored in his last 3 games and registered his first career multi-point game in Thursday’s loss to San Jose.

Where’s Legwand? By again not putting one in the net, David Legwand’s no-goal streak has extended to 25 games. However, the last goalie he beat was Jonas Hiller – the same goalie he will face tonight. While he did register an assist against San Jose, his two points since the Olympic break suggest that his offensive game has currently gone the way of his front tooth.

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