Game Preview 10-8-2011 Nashville Predators vs St. Louis Blues
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The St. Louis Blues kick off the 2011-2012 season with a home opener against divisional rival the Nashville Predators this Saturday 10-8-2011. Game time is set for 7:00 pm central time and it looks to be a packed house, energized for a new season. The Blues are coming out of the pre-season with a record of 5-3 and feeling pretty good about where this season will take them. As with any start to a season there are many things Blues fans are hopeful for. There might be nothing they hope for more than a solid, consistent Jaroslav Halak this season. Halak looked to be a bit shaky in the pre-season allowing several goals that make one recall haunting memories of soft goals. Jaro says he is ready for the season and is in great shape. It will be interesting to watch and see if he can return to the shut down status goalie that he was signed to be. The blues also look to the emergence of center-man Patrik Berglund this season. The big bodied Swede is set to have a break out season and in StL has been noted to be in ”BestMode.” Expect to see his name on many score sheets this season as well as becoming a more prominent name in the league. Although the lines for tomorrow night’s home opener have not been set yet, I would venture to say they will look something very similar to this:
Mcdonald-Backes-Langenbrunner
Oshie-Berglund-Stewart
Steen-Arnott-D’Agostini
Reaves-Nichols-Sobotka
Defensive parings
Colaiacovo-Pietrangelo
Jackman-Polak
Huskins-Shattenkirk
(Update 12:15pm: Per Jeremy Rutherford, Kent Huskins will not play and Nikita Nikitin will take his place. Reason has not been disclosed.)
Prior to the game the blues will host a pre-game rally in front of Scott Trade Center at 14th and Clark starting at 4:00 pm. Live music, giveaways and more await you prior to the drop of the puck.
The announcement from several of the St. Louis area news media outlets that the Blues ownership situation might be headed in a direction that gets the team sold to Chicago businessmen Matthew Hulsizer has again caused a bit of a stir amongst the faithful Blue Bleeders. Stay tuned to BNZ for a more in depth look into the ownership saga as it unfolds.
The Nashville Predators come to town touting a pre-season record of 7-0. This hard working team will have to rely on just that this season, hard work. With no prominent goal scoring forwards in the line up for Barry Trotz’s Preds, the season will be all about physicality. Nashville will have to rely on bodies in front of the net working to get those ” dirty goals” that they have in the past been so good at creating. With Pekka Rinne, standing 6’5 and 210 lbs, Preds fans do have some comfort knowing their net minder can and will stand on his head every night. Renne is a type of goalie that can give this average Preds roster a very good chance to win every night they step out onto the ice. Shea Weber and Ryan Suter will have a lot of weight on their shoulders this season to shut down the leagues top lines as Nashville will need to keep games close at hand. The Preds can not afford to get into a goal scoring match in too many games as they will come out on the short end more than not. Look for this team to stay in the mix of things though as Trotz always seems to get his guys to play well for him. I would not be surprised at all to see Nashville again make the playoffs this season when all is said and done. Getting goals posted up early against Renne will be a big key if the Blues want to beat this music city team.
Blues fans, the wait is finally almost over. Blues hockey will once again flow through our veins tomorrow night… Put on your Blues gear, strap on your St. Louis pride, and get ready to rock the Scottrade Center off of its foundation! HONK HONK HONK LET’S GO BLUESSSSS!
