2010-2011 Nashville Predators: Music On Ice

2010-2011 Nashville Predators: Music On Ice

2010-2011 Nashville Predators: Music On Ice

The Nashville Predators were one of the expansion franchises in the NHL that didn’t exactly take off like a rocket when the team first started play. Competing with the likes of the Tennessee Titans of the NFL for the attention of Tennessee sports fans, the Predators often struggled in their first few seasons of play. As it turned out the Predators became one of those “late bloomer” franchises that once given time to develop a roster of players and a steady fan base, they would be as successful as any other franchise.

The Nashville Predators went 44-27-11 (overtime losses) in 2010-2011, finishing just 5 points behind the Detroit Red Wings in the Central Division. The Predators went 24-9-8 on their home ice at the Bridgestone Arena, and they went 20-18-3 on the road. The Predators went 5-2-3 in October, 8-5-1 in December, 9-4-0 in January, 10-3-2 in March and 2-1-1 in April. In head-to-head play the Predators went 4-0 against the Colorado Avalanche, 4-1-1 against the Detroit Red Wings, 4-2 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, 3-1 against the Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild, 3-3 against the Chicago Blackhawks, 2-0 against the Carolina Hurricanes, 2-0-2 against the San Jose Sharks, 2-1-1 against the Edmonton Oilers, and 2-2 against the Dallas Stars, Phoenix Coyotes and Vancouver Canucks.

Left winger Sergei Kostitsyn had 23 goals and 27 assists for 50 points with 4 power play goals and 9 power play assists off 93 shots. Right winger Patric Hornqvist had 21 goals and 27 assists for 48 points with 6 power play goals, 8 power play assists and 5 game-winning goals off 265 shots. Left winger Martin Erat had 17 goals and 33 assists for 50 points with 7 power play goals, 8 power play assists and 3 game-winning goals off 135 shots. Center David Legwand had 17 goals and 24 assists for 41 points with 2 short-handed goals and 3 game-winning goals off 130 shots.

Defenseman She Weber was the Captain of the team and he had 16 goals and 32 assists for 48 points with 6 power play goals, 11 power play assists and 3 game-winning goals off 254 shots. Center Colin Wilson had 16 goals and 18 assists with 4 power play assists off 101 shots. Right winger Joel Ward had 10 goals and 19 assists with 5 power play goals and 4 game-winning goals off 157 shots. Center Steve Sullivan was an Assistant Captain of the team and he had 10 goals and 12 assists with 3 power play goals and 4 power play assists in 44 games. Right winger Jean-Pierre Dumont, who was often called “J.P.”, had 10 goals and 9 assists with 3 power play assists off 89 shots. Defenseman Ryan Suter was an Assistant Captain and he had 4 goals and 35 assists with 16 power play assists off 115 shots.

Goaltender Pekka Rinne was one of the better goaltenders in the NHL in 2010-2011 as he stopped many shots from entering the net. Rinne went 33-22-9, allowing 134 goals off 1905 shots in 3789 minutes, recording 1771 saves, a .930 save percentage, a 2.12 goals against average and 6 shutouts. Rinne would be the NHL Third Star of the Month in both January and March. Giving Rinne relief was goaltender Anders Lindback who went 11-5-2, allowing 49 goals off 576 shots in 1131 minutes, recording 527 saves, a .915 save percentage, a 2.60 goals against average and 2 shutouts.

The Predators would enjoy a modest 6-game winning streak during the regular season, a streak that began with a 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins on March 17, and it ended with a 4-2 win over the Dallas Stars on March 26.

The Western Conference Quarterfinals pitted the Nashville Predators against the Anaheim Ducks. In Game 1 on April 13 at the Honda Center the Predators beat the Ducks 4-1. At 4:13 into the 1st period Shea Weber scored a power play goal. At 15:16 into the 2nd period Steve Sullivan scored a goal, and then at 18:08 in center Mike Fisher scored a goal. Fisher came back in the 3rd period to score another goal, which was just 0:56 in. Anaheim’s only goal came from right winger Teemu Selanne, a power play goal at 11:24 in.

In Game 2 on April 15 the Ducks beat the Predators 5-3. In Game 3 on April 17 at the Bridgestone Arena the Predators won 4-3. At 15:00 into the 1st period Martin Erat scored a power play goal, and then 0:38 later right winger Jordan Tootoo scored another Nashville goal. Anaheim responded with a pair of goals scored by Selanne at 18:10 and 18:40 into the 2nd period. At 5:25 into the 3rd period David Legwand scored a goal, and then right winger Matt Beleskey scored an Anaheim goal at 6:48 in. Breaking the tie would be Fisher at 10:21 in, which would win it for Nashville.

Game 4 went to the Ducks by the score of 6-3 on April 20, but upon returning to the Honda Center for Game 5 on April 22, the Predators would win 4-3 in overtime. At 8:32 into the 1st period defenseman Kevin Klein scored a goal for the Predators, and then at 13:39 into the 2nd period left winger Jason Blake scored a power play goal for the Ducks. The 3rd period got wild as left winger Bobby Ryan scored a goal for Anaheim just 0:40 into the period. At 11:20 Joel Ward scored a goal, and then Blake scored again for Anaheim at 14:16. Weber would tie the game up at 3-3 with a goal at 19:24 in. It would take a goal scored by center Jerred Smithson at 1:57 into overtime to seal the Nashville victory.

With a 4-2 win in Game 6 on April 24 at the Bridgestone Arena, the Predators advanced to the next round of the playoffs. At 10:22 into the 1st period Selanne scored a goal for Anaheim, and then at 19:32 into the period center Nick Spaling scored for Nashville. At 3;29 into the 2nd period Sullivan scored a goal, and then Blake again scored for Anaheim at 18:23 on a power play. At 4:53 into the 3rd period Spaling scored another Nashville goal, and then the icing on the cake came at 19:50 with a power play empty net goal by Legwand.

The Western Conference Semifinals didn’t go according to plan for the Predators as they would fall to the Vancouver Canucks 4 games to 2. In Game 2 on April 30 at the Rogers Arena the Predators beat the Canucks 2-1. At 2:00 into the 2nd period left winger Alexandre Burrows scored a short-handed goal for Vancouver. At 18:53 into the 3rd period Ryan Suter scored a critical goal to tie the game, and then at 14:51 into the 2nd overtime period right winger Matt Halischuk scored the game-winning goal.

In Game 5 on May 7 at the Rogers Arena the Predators won 4-3. At 3;42 into the 1st period Legwand scored a short-handed goal. After Vancouver left winger Raffi Torres scored a goal at 5:59 in, center Ryan Kesler scored a goal for Vancouver at 15:06 in. Legwand scored a goal at just 0:51 into the 2nd period. Ward scored 2 goals at 1:14 and 5:45 into the 3rd period. Kesler scored another Vancouver goal at 16:14 in, but it wouldn’t be enough.

When the Nashville Predators were playing great hockey it was almost as if music on ice was being played for Nashville hockey fans to listen to, and this was the kind of “music” that any hockey fan would appreciate. The Predators would keep most of their core group of players on the roster for a few more seasons in hopes of replicating their success in 2010-2011.