Keys to Watch

The Rematch

All summer, tonight’s matchup was circled as a pivotal contest early in the season. After making their first Stanley Cup Final in the franchise’s history, a small bit of revenge is ontap as the Predators make their way back to Pittsburgh for the second contest of the season.  Nashville struggled last year in Pittsburgh and will look to do with they couldn’t in the playoffs and get a win in the state of Pennsylvania. Lots of references are undoubtedly going to be made to the Preds  loss in June and all the events that transpired in the series. Could another catfish make its way to the Steel City, only time will tell.

Consistency

There were some common, negative trends that occurred during the Preds first game of the season. In Boston, the Predators never led throughout the contest and their play was non-existent during the 2nd period, plagued by turnovers and a lackluster performance. At one point, Nashville was down 4–1 and was able to make a comeback at the end scoring two goals in less than two minutes.  For Nashvilleto win tonight, they will need to play for 60 minutes, otherwise, the Pittsburgh Penguins will gain their first win of the 2017-18 season. Consistency will be the main key for a Predators win tonight.

Pens Regrouping

Pittsburgh has been a busy team during the first week of the season. Thus far, the  Penguins have played in two contests and tonight will be there third in four days. They have already given up fifteen goals this season, including ten goals against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night. The Pens will need drastic changes to theirlineup, due to their ineffective defense. With Nashville coming in, expect a much more competitive and desperate squad to get their first win on the season.

Tonight’s rematch of the Stanley Cup Final will be intriguing to say the least. Expect both teams to come out playing fast and trying to score first. Be sure to catch all of the action on NHL Network or Fox Sports-Tennessee and you can listen live on 102.5 The Game. Puck drops at 6:00pm.

Brandon Eldridge

Brandon was born and raised in Lebanon, Tennessee but eventually moved to McMinnville, Tennessee after marrying his wife, Lindsey. He is a graduate of Cumberland University (GO BULLDOGS) with a Master of Arts in Education. Growing up in Middle Tennessee, hockey was not an interest early in life. He is a hockey convert. His introduction to hockey was through free tickets from his grandmother for a game between the Predators and the Dallas Stars. After this initial introduction, it has truly been an obsession. Along with his wife and son, Brandon goes to as many games as he can. From statistics to player interactions, he has become the ultimate hockey fan. He is a proud father, teacher, history nerd, music-lover, and true sports fanatic!