pilldoc Posted April 10, 2017 Share Posted April 10, 2017 All discussion regarding this series here. Chicago Blackhawks vs. Nashville Predators Date TIME (ET) #1 Chicago vs. #4 Nashville Networks Thursday, April 13 8 p.m. Nashville at Chicago NBCSN, Sportsnet, TVA Sports Saturday, April 15 8 p.m. Nashville at Chicago NBC, Sportsnet, TVA Sports Monday, April 17 9:30 p.m. Chicago at Nashville CNBC, SN ONE, TVA Sports Thursday, April 20 TBD Chicago at Nashville SN 360, TVA Sports *Saturday, April 22 TBD Nashville at Chicago TBD *Monday, April 24 TBD Chicago at Nashville TBD *Wednesday, April 26 TBD Nashville at Chicago TBD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted April 11, 2017 Share Posted April 11, 2017 Another great matchup, I went Hawks in 6 because: Mystique. The Hawks took 4 of 5 from the Preds during the regular season, I watched three of those games and it appeared at times that the Predators were waiting around hoping not to lose rather than taking it to the Hawks. The Hawks traditionally have the Predators number. Rinne has been good but is nowhere near elite anymore and had one brilliant month, one bad one and a bunch of middling ones this season. Not saying he can not turn it on and steal a series but he has not looked like the Rinne of old this year. Anisimov is back from injury, Campbell and Oduya are back where they belong on the Hawks blueline. I give the Preds props for kids like Forsberg and Arvidsson giving them serious scoring potential but no, this one is all Hawks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilldoc Posted April 11, 2017 Author Share Posted April 11, 2017 Hawks in 5. Chicago is just better than the Preds. The Preds have gone stretches of playing great hockey and then stretches of just skating by. Hawks are always a dangerous team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted April 11, 2017 Share Posted April 11, 2017 The Preds could NOT have drawn a tougher 1st round opponent. If I am a Smashville fan, I think I would have preferred facing the Ducks over the Hawks in a 1st round match up.... not that the Ducks would be a pushover, but this is damned Chicago we are talking about here. STILL kicking arse and taking names! Now, if Pekka Rinne plays like he did down the stretch for the Preds, they make this series tough for the Hawks. Nashville also has a very nice defensive core that are mobile, offensive minded, and tough on puck carriers. Subban, Josi, Ekholm, and Ellis are a very nice top 4 D for ANY team to have. Throw in some very good young forwards like Peter Forsberg, Ryan Johansson, and Viktor Arvidsson, along with tested vets like James Knee-All, Mike Fisher, Craig Smith, and Vernon Fiddler, and you have the ingredients for a team to give the Hawks some fits.....and if Chicago doesn't show up completely, the Preds might even pull off the big upset. However, Chicago has shown time and again, that come playoff time, they are all about big games, and this series should be no different. If Nashville doesn't play to their full capacity, then this is a short 4 or 5 game series in favor of the Hawks...but I think the Preds make this interesting and push the Hawks to 7....where Chicago takes it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxpin Posted April 11, 2017 Share Posted April 11, 2017 Hawks in 5. Lavvy can't beat Chicago. And Rinne isn't an elite goalie and not enough to keep them in it. If they lose in 5, I wouldn't be completely shocked to see a coaching change in Nashville. I wouldn't bet anything on it as the Preds seem slow to make such changes, but I wouldn't be shocked, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puck_Pun Posted April 12, 2017 Share Posted April 12, 2017 Chicago should take the bees in 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted April 12, 2017 Share Posted April 12, 2017 I too am picking the Hawks in 5. I'm actually surprised the Predators made the playoffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted April 12, 2017 Share Posted April 12, 2017 Going with the Blackhawks here, but I think they'll be pushed to their limit. Chicago has had a lot of playoff hockey in recent years and the burnout that comes with it is inevitable. The Preds are going to be hungry and desperate to give their fans something to cheer for. I picked Chicago in 7, because they're too much for Nashville to handle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted April 12, 2017 Share Posted April 12, 2017 3 hours ago, hf101 said: I too am picking the Hawks in 5. I'm actually surprised the Predators made the playoffs. I'm not. I believe the Preds UNDERACHEIVED. They SHOULD have been better..maybe even been in contention for the division title. Bottom line though, they DID make the post season and pushed St. Louis a bit for their 3rd place spot. As a whole, I believe this Nashville team is simply underrated by many and they have been for some time. Yes, I realize Pekka Rinne is aging, but this team no longer is all about Rinne or nothing. While goalie still remains an integral part of any team's success, I believe with the nice core this team has and is developing, a decent netminder can step right in after Rinne is done and continue keeping this team competitive. That all said, yea, Chicago will still be too much for them....but if the Preds upset them, remember you heard it here first. Hehe. 27 minutes ago, WordsOfWisdom said: Going with the Blackhawks here, but I think they'll be pushed to their limit. Chicago has had a lot of playoff hockey in recent years and the burnout that comes with it is inevitable. The Preds are going to be hungry and desperate to give their fans something to cheer for. I picked Chicago in 7, because they're too much for Nashville to handle. I pretty much agree with you about being pushed (or at least, the Preds SHOULD push them)....and yes, Chicago has played lots of playoff hockey, but I don't really buy into the "burnout" part. You see, one of the side effects of Chicago having the turnover they have had (remember, they seem to lose handfuls of good players every playoff run it seems) is that NEW blood comes in and is just as hungry as the ones that were there before. Usually, a team with that much turnover year after year can't sustain a high level of playoff competitiveness, but the Hawks have managed that. Sure, stalwarts like Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Brent Seabrook, Drew Doughty, and of course, Cory Crawford remain, but the surrounding cast always seems to look a bit different and, IMO, serves to continually re-energize the longer tenured players on this squad making each n every playoff run feel fresh all over again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Rick Posted April 12, 2017 Share Posted April 12, 2017 This is a potential upset. I am picking Chicago reluctantly. But i do not think its that much of a stretch for Nashville to pull it off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samifan Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 Preds bitch slap the Hawks in Chi-town. Rinne with consecutive shutouts and 2 assists in the series. Best part is I didn't have to hear the Hawks stupid goal song!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pilldoc Posted April 16, 2017 Author Share Posted April 16, 2017 On 4/11/2017 at 7:59 AM, pilldoc said: Hawks in 5. Chicago is just better than the Preds. The Preds have gone stretches of playing great hockey and then stretches of just skating by. Hawks are always a dangerous team. I'm eating some serious crow right now. Hawks have ZERO goals in 2 games. That's right ZERO goals. If Hawks don't rebound in Game #3...this series will be over. Got to be honest....did not see this coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted April 16, 2017 Share Posted April 16, 2017 That Nashville is winning the series I am not surprised. Even thought the Preds may pull the upset if Chicago wasn't quite ready....even though the Hawks aren't done quite yet. But to have Chicago score NO goals with the players they have? Color me VERY surprised. I knew the Preds could be tough on Chicago. But to the tune of back to back shut outs, even I couldn't have imagined Nashville could pull this off. If the Preds want to finish this off, they best treat the upcoming home games as if they were still on the road, forget the pomp and circumstance, and dial in that killer instinct. 2-0 is a nice lead, but when dealing with a proven winner, it is hardly a "done deal". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted April 21, 2017 Share Posted April 21, 2017 Watching some of Game 4, and Nashville, up 3-0, is doing everything in their power to bury the Blackhawks early. They are all over Chicago, dictating the pace, putting pucks on Crawford, and finishing each and every check on Hawks players. As of this posting, the Preds haven't scored (8 min into the game), but it wouldn't surprise me if they end up with at least a goal (maybe more) before the period is up. Of course, on the flipside, if Nashville rains this much havoc on Chicago and DON'T get anything to show for it, then the Hawks can be said to have "weathered the storm" and it can open the door for a comeback. But right now, the Nashville Predators are looking quite excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samifan Posted April 21, 2017 Share Posted April 21, 2017 Saw this on twitter,thought it was pretty funny! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted April 21, 2017 Share Posted April 21, 2017 @Samifan Heh...yea, pretty good. But truth is, the Nashville skaters have simply outplayed the Chicago skaters. Nashville is up 2-0 now on Chicago with about 11 min left in the game, but the Preds have simply been the more energetic team from the very start. Corey Crawford, in this game, has kept the score to where it is with some real good stops. This game could have easily been about 4-0 now if not for him. A bit tough to fathom, but yea, the Predator skaters have just looked hungrier than the Blackhawk ones. I wouldn't say the Hawk players have been "mailing it in" (not sure why ANYONE would do that in a SC playoff game), but they simply are not, and have not been, a match for the intensity that Nashville has been bringing since Game 1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samifan Posted April 21, 2017 Share Posted April 21, 2017 Coach Q looks like he may actually kill someone tonight. With 8 mins left in game 4, Rinne has stopped 121 of 123 shots in the series. Un-effin real! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted April 21, 2017 Share Posted April 21, 2017 Amazing sweep of the #1 seed in the West. Congrats to the Predators and their fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FD19372 Posted April 21, 2017 Share Posted April 21, 2017 Lavy's Revenge!!! Preds win! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samifan Posted April 21, 2017 Share Posted April 21, 2017 Congrats to Lavi ( who should still be coaching the Flyers)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FD19372 Posted April 21, 2017 Share Posted April 21, 2017 20 minutes ago, Samifan said: Coach Q looks like he may actually kill someone tonight. With 8 mins left in game 4, Rinne has stopped 121 of 123 shots in the series. Un-effin real! Yeah, the post-game talk in the Chicago team dressing room might be NSFWAC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kings Redeem LA Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 Not only did I not pick the Predators--I certainly never got anywhere near dreaming they could sweep Chicago! But they did! Here's a big reason why: On 4/20/2017 at 8:26 PM, Samifan said: With 8 mins left in game 4, Rinne has stopped 121 of 123 shots in the series. Un-effin real! Indeed! Love me some epic goaltending! Is there an emoticon of a goalie stopping a shot? I think, respectfully, that one'd be great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hf101 Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 7 minutes ago, thenewestlights said: Not only did I not pick the Predators--I certainly never got anywhere near dreaming they'd sweep Chicago! But they did! Here's a big reason why: Indeed! Love me some epic goaltending! Is there an emoticon of a goalie stopping a shot? I think, respectfully, that one'd be great. Read more I'll have to look for that emoji Here is an interesting tweet from comments made by Patrick Kane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kings Redeem LA Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 18 minutes ago, hf101 said: I'll have to look for that emoji Here is an interesting tweet from comments made by Patrick Kane. Read more I wonder if there's an emoticon of a goalie swatting an entire player from the crease!? That's an interesting take by Kane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruxpin Posted April 23, 2017 Share Posted April 23, 2017 This was the one series that I saw very little of. Based on the Kane quote, I wish I had seen a little more of it. Just to see, because I hated the way those Tampa teams played hockey. And I remember Pronger just standing there with it waiting for them to do something, anything. Boring hockey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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