Hump Day Hockey Thoughts

Here’s what’s on my mind this morning:

IF THE NASHVILLE PREDATORS EVER RELOCATE, I hope they move to Tombstone, Arizona. I think “The Town too Tough To Die” deserves a hockey team which lives by the same creed. Anyone else notice the Predators are 7-3-0 in their last ten games, after starting the season 3-5-1? In general, all you hear is that David Legwand and Martin Erat aren’t scoring. That duo certainly has struggled to put biscuits in baskets, and top liners Jason Arnott and J.P. Dumont have already combined to miss 13 games this season, yet Nashville continues to find ways to win. The Preds are currently just one point out of a playoff spot…On the other hand, the Toronto Maple Leafs are 3-11-5 and have dropped four in a row. I wonder if Phil Kessel is glad he chose Toronto over Nashville back in September?

GAME-WINNING SAVE UPDATE: Thursday, 12 NOV, ATL@NYR. With the Rangers trailing, 4-3, and 6:45 remaining in the 3rd period, Ales Kotalik rings one off the post on the Power Play (h/t Jim Cerny). ATL adds an empty-netter for the 5-3 win…ALSO, Saturday, 14 NOV, DAL@PHX. Late in the 3rd, Phoenix goes down a man while clinging to a 3-2 lead. On the ensuing Power Play, Dallas’ James Neal tests the post with a shot, and the post proves its’ mettle (or metal) (h/t Frozen Pill). Phoenix wins, 3-2, and the post earns 2nd star honors…That’s two more Game-Winning Saves, for a total of FIVE on the season. The number of times GWS Theory has been disproven so far this season? ZERO. Keep watching, kids…

IT BEGINS TOMORROW NIGHT: Starting Thursday, Yours Truly will be attending five NHL contests over the next ten days. Here’s how it all shakes out:

Game One: Thursday, 19 NOV – CBJ@DAL
Game Two: Saturday, 21 NOV – PIT@ATL
Game Three: Sunday, 22 NOV – TBL@ATL
Game Four: Wednesday, 25 NOV – STL@DAL
Game Five: Saturday, 28 NOV – TBL@DAL

As usual, I’ll be Tweeting from all games (@OGAs_BigTex). In addition, I’ll be blogging from Atlanta, and should have plenty to write about, as I’ve been fortunate enough to be invited to the Thrashers’ second “Blogger Day” this Saturday. I’ll be at the morning skate, an interview with Rich “Best Waiver-Wire Pickup Ever” Peverley, Coach John Anderson’s post-skate and post-game pressers, and I’ll be Tweeting from the rarefied air of the Philips Arena press box during the game. Should be interesting…

Take me back to On Goal Analysis.