Greetings everyone. I'll be providing a summary of key plays for tonight's pre-season game at Nashville.
Warm ups have finished up and we will get the starting line ups soon.
ATL starting line up:
Forwards: Kane Peverly Bergfors, Defense: Zubarev Hainsey, Goal: Pavalec
Coach Ramsey mentioned rotating the "A" among players early in the season. Players wearing an "A" tonight are Kane, Byfuglien, and Peverley.
Nashville is starting something close to their regular season line up tonight.
Enstrom and Byfuglien paired on D tonight. And Bogosian is reunited with junior partner Kulda.
No significant chances through first two minutes, both teams playing solid positional defense. Zubarev did a nice job in the corner. Dawes hit solidly in ATL zone.
Kulda checked off puck for a turnover, but ATL forward cleans up the loose puck.
Kulda loses battle at Off blueline, Nashville 2>1 which Bogosian defends well.
1-0 NSH Ron Hainsey missed on chance to clear zone, Predators move puck from down low out to point where Shea Weber blast at net is re-directed by wide open Predator (S. Kostitsyn) for first goal of the game.
Dawes with steal in Neutral Zone, he takes a hit and gives a hit in the offensive zone.
Hainsey with an unforced turnover from his own corner, missed chance by NSH, Pettersson clears.
ATL with best chance so far. Good forecheck, then Thorburn hard shot at net from boards is tipped right in front by Eager. Had one swipe at a rebound but no luck.
Pavelec with shaky save at the other end, he is deep in his net. Defensive coverage not great tonight, gaps are too large allowing Predator players too much room to maneuver.
Buyfglien's guy wide open for a re-direct attempt after another turnover by Atlanta in their own zone.
Anthony Stewart takes long shot and follows up on his own rebound but angle is too steep.
Burmistrov very active and noticeable when he doesn't have the puck. Aggressive on forecheck pressuring puck carrier and then came deep into his defensive corner to hlep get the puck out of the zone.
Buff with nice play, he steps up and neutral zone on a Predator, takes puck, carries into offensive zone and takes a shot from the wing (hits outside of the net).
Observations: Thorburn looks very comfortable at center. Bergfors appears to be lacking some zip this preseason.
Bogosian misses on D to D back pass, Predators with long puck possession, but Zubarev, Bogosian and Pettersson all contain their men and prevent any dangerous scoring chances.
Thrashers defensemen frequently holding puck behind their own net waiting for forward line change to complete before staring the break out.
Enstrom to Buff for point shot that goes well wide.
Peverly and Bogosian both can't handle the puck leading to extra zone time for Nashville.
Ladd has been rather quiet so far this pre-season. Cup hangover?
Kulda protecting the slot area kicks pass out of danger.
End of 1st. Score 1-0 NSH, Shots 8-6 NSH.
2nd underway.
Kane wrap around attempt leads to opportunity for Bergfors, but he misses the puck.
Good ATL forecheck by Thorburn, he shoots puck through crease and it deflects off of Stewart's skate and nearly into the goal.
Ugh! Kane and Bergfors on 2>1, Kane tries to center to Bergie, but he had cut into the slot, so puck just slides into the wall.
Eagar with a two turnover shift.
Byfuglien pinches but Burmistrov covers for him. Burmistrov having a soild game.
Dawes passes to Predator in neutral zone, continuing the turnover trend.
Kane working very hard, prevents turnover after being put in an ackward position.
Enstrom pinches deep, Peverly shot, save.
Thorburn with very good hit to rub out puck carrier.
Thorburn whistled for hooking. PK Dawes, Bogo, Kulda, and Burmistrov. Bogo clears. 2nd PK unit Pevs, Kane, Zubarev and Hainsey. 3rd unit Pettersson, Rissmiller, Hainsey, Zubarev. Killed it off.
Pavelec looking better this period to my eyes, more at top of his crease at times.
ATL playing better last to shifts. Peverley with partial break away gets away hard shot which is saved. Burmistrov gets puck on the wing and shoots up for a slapper that dings off the far post.
Rissmiller with nice puck possession in the corner centers to Pettersson who shots but it is tipped way high by a defender.
Evander Kane looks ready for the regular season already. Every shift he does something positive out there. He makes very few mistakes.
Ladd with puck in neutral just blows his pass opportunity.
1-1 ATL Goal: Thorburn busts down right win and throws cross crease to Ben Eager who taps it in back door side. Very simple but effective play. Again Thorburn seems to be thriving at center.
ATL much better last 15 minutes of the game. Turnovers reduced, passing better, using their speed on the out flank Predators to generate chances.
A good defensive play by Byfuglien. Pavelec allows rebound but Buff seals off his guy to prevent whack at the rebound.
Dawes puts long shot on net as Burmistrov drives the slot hard looking for rebound (no such luck).
Atl point shot goes high and wide (Bogo I think).
Thorburn line with another bit of sustained pressure.
End of 2nd Score 1-1 Shots 16-16, much better performance by the Thrashers this period.
3rd period underway. Preds appear to have gained two additional shots during the intermission.
Zubarev blocks potentially dangerous opportunity for Nashville.
Bogo and Kulda working the D to D pass well.
Hainsey (I think) breaks up good Nashville pressure.
Pettersson cleans up longish rebound by Pavelec.
Peverley drives toward, checked well by Nashville player but they keep play alive for extended pressure shift. No great chances, but good offensive zone time.
Now Dawes and Burmistrov wreaking some havoc along the offensive boards.
Bogosian to the box, PK now.
2-1 NSH. Atlanta was defending down low well keeping the puck to the outside and preventing any passes across the zone, but Predators move it to the point where Hornqvist unloads a bomb to up high to break the tie.
Burmistrov to the box now. Stewart Thorburn with Enstrom and Buff start the kill. Big shot from Left faceoff dot stopped by Pavelec. Two more quality looks for Nashville stopped by Pavelec. Preds open up lead in shots 26-20 now. Kill successful, but NSH has momentum.
Predators have really controlled for the first 15 minutes of the third. Can ATL rally in the last 5 minutes to tie it?
Thorburn and Stewart nearly tied the game. Not sure if it would have counted though because Stewart was deep in the goalies crease. 2:40 left now.
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