The hockey pundits and all fans alike, probably envisioned for this result to come into fruition before the puck even hit the ice in the Music City.
After 2 early goals in the1st, then a 3rd goal by David Legwand in the 2nd frame; the Nashville Predators went on to defeat the Oilers by a score of 3-1 at Bridgestone Arena.
With the rest of the top end offensive core healing in the press-box; (while polishing their clubs) the Oilers remained anemic in the goal department.
Tonight, the Edmonton Oilers suffered their 7th straight loss, and have only managed to score an unsatisfactory 7 goals within that span.
“I’m not sure we quite believed we could do it here tonight and that’s how we started, unfortunately,” said Oilers head coach Tom Renney. “But once we started to apply ourselves, we were able to get some ice back, get some attack going and give our opponent at least something to think about.”
"Something to think about" really means the one goal to show for their "push back" effort, when Jordan Eberle bagged his 17th to earn his 38th point of the year. Aside from the lone lamp lighter, the Oilers could only muster a couple of glorious chances to tie the game. Except the kids kept getting burned by a hot goalie.
Predators' backstopper, Pekka Rinne was in fine "play-off" form who bested Devan Dubnyk on the shot clock, 30 to 20. After Eberle's goal, Rinne managed to block Liam Reddox's tap in, then late in the third on an Oilers power play, Rinne's glove absolutely robbed Tom Gilbert's point blank shot. Gilbert's squandered opportunity proved to be the last chance of the hockey game.
"Our guys ramped it up early and were able to capitalize," said Predators' Head Coach Barry Trotz. "We got away from it a little bit in the second, but we put it back together in the third.
"We managed the game all right and we won. That is what you want to do." he continued.
"We worked, we tried and there is a huge need to believe in ourselves that we can play with anybody that we’re out there against,” said Tom Renney. “I’m not sure that we kind of had that going for us in the first period for sure. But as we started to build the game, we started to make a statement on behalf of ourselves, but naturally in the third period when you’re in the penalty box, it takes a lot away from your momentum and you’re relying too often on the same guys to kill penalties and create offence for you at the same time and that’s difficult.”
Kurtis Foster was seen being helped off the ice late in the third frame. There is no word yet about his condition, but a follow up will be made when word is received.
The Oilers will now move on to St. Louis to face the Blues this Thursday."We worked, we tried and there is a huge need to believe in ourselves that we can play with anybody that we’re out there against,” said Tom Renney. “I’m not sure that we kind of had that going for us in the first period for sure. But as we started to build the game, we started to make a statement on behalf of ourselves, but naturally in the third period when you’re in the penalty box, it takes a lot away from your momentum and you’re relying too often on the same guys to kill penalties and create offence for you at the same time and that’s difficult.”
Kurtis Foster was seen being helped off the ice late in the third frame. There is no word yet about his condition, but a follow up will be made when word is received.
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