Support My Team(s) - Discount Preds Tickets for March

PredNation,

Want discount Pred Tickets?  You Got 'Em.  Get $20 upper bowl or $40 lower bowl tickets to the following games (regular price $36 and $60):


Tue. 3/2 vs. Edmonton Oilers
Thu. 3/4 vs. Colorado Avalanche
Tue. 3/16 vs. Philadelphia Flyers
Thu. 3/18 vs. Minnesota Wild
Tue. 3/23 vs. Dallas Stars

My club league team is selling tickets to these games.  If we sell 100 tickets, our team gets to play at the Sommet Center after the Flyers game on 3/16.  Simply download the form at the link above and call, fax, or email your order in.

Interested in playing hockey yourself?  There are two leagues in town, we play through Centennial Sportsplex.  A-Game in Franklin also has a club league.  Never put on skates before? No problem.  Beginner leagues and teams are available.  The next seasons starts in April.

A First-Timer's Guide to Smashville

A First Timer's Guide to Smashville

Smashville Express's Blog (An official blog of the Nashville Predators) did a great job of giving the top 10 things a new fan should learn/know about the team.  The post was from last week, but I just saw it today.  This post is one of a hundred things the new team is doing to court new fans, and here at Preds 101, I'm impressed.

More on Cheater!'s Motivation - The Slap Shot Movie

Thanks to Dirk over at www.ontheforecheck.com for this retweet:


Forechecker RT @newpowersoul: From SI.com: The Wit and Wisdom of Hockey. Entertaining quotes with interesting pictures.http://tinyurl.com/yercnln

The motivation for Cheater! (Last night's post available here)...?  Its similar to this clip from the great (only?) hockey movie, Slap Shot, which was featured in the SI article.  

Cheater!: Boarding or "Thanks For Losing Us the Game, Marty"

Welcome to "Cheater!", a new feature here at Preds 101.  Cheater! is the Anatomy of a Goal (AOAG) for penalties.  For fans new to the game, we'll show you what the penalties in hockey are, and explain why you care.  For the knowledgeable  hockey fan, Cheater! will hopefully dive into the finer points of the rougher side of the game.

Our inaugural Cheater! is none other than predator's own Martin Erat (RW, #10).  His boarding penalty came with less than one minute left in the game, where the Predators where defending a 3-2 lead.  Take a look at the penalty.

The Rule

Basically, you can't hit a guy from behind into the boards.  But here is the official rule 42:  

42.1 Boarding – A boarding penalty shall be imposed on any player or goalkeeper who checks an opponent in such a manner that causes the opponent to be thrown violently in the boards. The severity of the penalty, based upon the degree of violence of the impact with the boards, shall be at the discretion of the Referee.

There is an enormous amount of judgment involved in the application of this rule by the Referees. The onus is on the player (or goalkeeper) applying the check to ensure his opponent is not in a vulnerable position and if so, he must avoid the contact. ...

Football Equivalent/Analogy: Clipping.


The Situation


As in most sports, there are smart penalties and dumb penalties.  A tripping a player on a breakaway to the net can be smart.  Erat's decision to take this boarding call, however, was not.   The Preds were outnumbered 6-to-5, because the Islanders had pulled their goalie in the hopes of scoring a goal to tie the game up.  With less than a minute remaining, the odds of scoring a goal on a 6-5 are not particularly good.  Erat's hit neither clear the puck from the zone, nor prevents a shot on goal.  No, the hit is simply a hit.  


The result is a penalty, which gives the Islanders a chance to stop play and call a time out.  The faceoff moves to the Islanders offensive zone.  Now the Predators are outnumbered 6-to-4.  The islanders score soon after. The islanders go on to win the game in a shootout, and the Predators get only one point in the standings, instead of 2.


The Poll

I plan on posting this same poll for each Cheater!.  Share any additional thoughts below in the comment section.

"Jump on Board" - Bandwagon Preds Fans Welcome

Love Peyton, Hate Payton... forget Peyton.  Football's over Nashville.  Until training camp starts back in August (ugh) theres only one show in town, and that is your Nashville Predators.  I absolutely LOVE the new marketing campaign the Preds have launched to highlight this theme... "Jump on Board".

Jump On Board...

The video is long, but the opening says enough: "While the leaves were falling, and you were watching football...".   The video continues with all the things that many Preds fans already know... this has been an exciting season so far.

"Jump on Board..." might officially end with the words "The Smashville Express", but thats not very veiled code for "the Predators Bandwagon."  I love it!

We are all about the Bandwagon fan here at Preds101.   I promise to continue that trend as the run-up to the playoffs continue.

Kudos to the Derek Perez and the new marketing team for doing an excellent job with this year's materials at highlighting the casual fan.

March to the Playoffs

In conjunction with the push, the Predators have released a "March to the Playoffs" ticket package, with tickets starting at $22.  March is a great month for hockey in Nashville, the majority of our games are at home, with several critical homestands against key opponents. The ticket package, of course, also gives you priority for playoff tickets.

The Poll


I think that the marketing team has already been successful this year, IMHO.  (In fact, according to my numbers, the Preds are 1% ahead of ticket sales last year, going into a very strong looking March).  However, marketing is most effective when coupled with a human element.  I've stressed that its up to PredNation to bring our Bandwagon friends into the fold.

So PredNation, how did you become a fan.  Please feel free to leave comments as well.

If you like KYLE VANDEN BOSCH, you'll love JORDIN TOOTOO

Non-stop intensity, a visible passion for the game, a pesky instigator... that the type of game that both Kyle Vanden Bosch and Jordin Tootoo (RW, #22, 10 pts, 26 gms) unleash upon the opposition every game.  One main difference, Tootoo will drop the gloves and rearrange some faces when he has to.

Yesterday the Predators announced that Jordin Tootoo resigned with the Predators for 2 years, and $2.5 million.  This is great news for PredNation, as Tootoo is probably one of the most loved Predators of all time.

After the jump, I will describe why PredNation loves Tootoo, but I'm going to interject video's to prove the point. Don't worry, none are longer than a few seconds.

Ridiculous Question of the Week

Last night's game was a heartbreaker.  The longest shootout in Preds history ends in a tough loss.  A football friend of mine asked a real question: if the shoot out goes on long enough, to the rosters reset so that the first shooter gets a second chance.  I'm pretty sure the answer to that question is yes.

The ridiculous question that follows is: If the shootout goes long enough, should the goalies get to shoot?  Feel free to leave your thoughts below. in the poll or comments.  For me, I think the answer is yes.  Why? Simply cause the highlights would be awesome.

Also, for your dis-enjoyment, highlights from last nights game and shootout.

The Poll



The Highlights

AOAG: Hockey Gods, Free Safeties, and Long Bombs

Hello Again, PredNation,

Tonight the Preds will face off in a big game against the Western Conference rival Phoenix Coyotes.  Less than two weeks ago, the Preds lost to the Coyotes in Phoenix, thanks in large part to a Scottie Upshall hat-trick.  (Good thing Upshall will be out tomorrow with a serious knee injury).  In the last outing, Upshall benefitted from a touch of defensive breakdown, coupled with a rash of bad luck.  Hopefully, the Preds return to their defensively sound selves and pick up the win.

 In this edition of Anatomy of a Goal, lets examine how the hockey gods will spite defensemen who are out of position.