Nashville fans will cringe when they see the Penguins as their next opponent following a heart-breaking loss in a must-win game where the Predators probably should have won. Tonight scoring chances will be far more precious as the Penguins have one of the highest scoring offenses in the league. Fear not Predators fans as Nashville is 5-0-1 against Pittsburgh when they play in the Music City. Pittsburgh takes very few bad penalties so the power play squad will have to come up big on the opportunities they do get.
The keys to a Nashville victory tonight are pretty obvious. The first will be how the Predators blue liners match up with the high powered offense of the Penguins. Sidney Crosby is scoring at a blistering pace putting up 80 points with a quarter of the season remaining. If Shea Weber and Roman Josi can limit the space the Penguins have to operate on the rush, and the forwards can wear Pittsburgh down on the forecheck the Predators can turn this into a gritty, physical contest where the Penguins are typically uncomfortable. This method of attack has been successful in years past in Bridgestone and should be the primary focus if Nashville wants to come out on top tonight.
Broadway and 5th will be rocking tonight as it marks the return of the former Vezina-finalist Pekka Rinne. Not only is Rinne a star goaltender, but he is also a fan favorite. His imposing frame planted firmly between the pipes will boost the confidence of his teammates and the raucous atmosphere will give the team a surge of energy. Don't be surprised if we see a bit of rust from Rinne, but I expect the defense to limit the shots he has to face early and once he gets a good groove going he can take over from there. How Rinne handles the chances he faces in the first period will determine the outcome of this matchup.
Many analysts would agree that Saturday's contest likely helped move Poile's hand more towards a seller than a buyer. That in mind, this game will likely be an audition for David Legwand should the Predators decide to ship the original Predator out at the deadline. Pittsburgh is a likely opponent in the playoffs for teams at the top of the league and Legwand's performance tonight will show whether he can make an impact against the top teams, or if the rumors circulating around him are simply due to the low number of attractive options at center. While I hope his performance is good enough to bring Nashville a win, I hope it is poor enough to keep him in Nashville!
Prediction: Nashville 2, Pittsburgh 3 OT
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