Onlookers can debate whether Nashville Predators forward Craig Smith was robbed of a goal during Wednesday’s 4-1 win against the Edmonton Oilers. There’s no denying that he had a big impact on tonight’s game, anyway, as he scored two goals (that counted) as Nashville ended Edmonton’s four-game winning streak.
(Speaking of streaks, the Predators won five straight home games for the first time since 2008, according to Sportsnet.)
Smith, 25, scored the first of his two goals after a nice bit of defensive work. Here’s the end result:
Ben Scrivens made some tough saves, yet Nashville was just too much for Edmonton. Also too much: Shea Weber‘s ridiculous shot for his fourth goal of 2014-15:
Here are a couple possession charts if you’re into that sort of thing:
Even with Edmonton fighting to get back into the game in the third period, Nashville outscored the Oilers 2-1 in that final frame.
Plenty left to learn about both teams
The Predators have been looking pretty good, especially considering that 6-1-2 record. Still, we’ll find out more about this squad soon; tonight’s game kicked off a six-game road trip that will get tougher as it goes along. (Their possession stats are solid enough so far, so that’s good.)
The pendulum seems to swing violently for the Oilers each week so far in 2014-15. Perhaps a 4-5-1 record is fair enough for Edmonton so far. While the Oilers’ four-game winning streak was heartening, they’re also 0-5-1 against Western Conference opponents this season.
The Oilers finish their seven-game homestand on Saturday and then face five straight road games, so we may very well see more peaks and valleys through November.
Overall, the jury’s still out on both teams, yet the grade for the Predators is “so far, so good.”
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- hines86for6 - Oct 30, 2014 at 1:04 AM
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can someone explain to me why the ref waved off Smith’s first goal?
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- prov1x - Oct 30, 2014 at 7:52 AM
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He wuz robbed! Should have hat a HT.
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- endusersolutions2013 - Oct 30, 2014 at 12:28 PM
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Agreed, the “intended” whistle was WAY too fast. Scrivens was trying to cover up the puck – and BLEW it. The puck was never dead. The actual whistle came approx 1.5 seconds after the puck goes into the net.
And if my understanding is correct, the play is not revolvable, if a ref “felt he should have blown the whistle”, that’s it.
That is too much discretion.
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- hines86for6 - Oct 30, 2014 at 10:30 AM
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thanks, James.
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- jdmix - Oct 30, 2014 at 11:43 AM
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If the Preds do well after this long road trip, I wonder if they still won’t get respect? They are quietly off to a great start after Vegas and “experts” had them in the bottom 6 in the entire league. Must have forgotten about Pekka Rinne
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- endusersolutions2013 - Oct 30, 2014 at 12:33 PM
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Now healthy again, which he wa not last year, and rushed back too soon. Not a Preds fan, but a Preds respecter.
Preds GM took a gamble on two inexpensive veterans, and for both it was probably their last opportunity in the NHL. The Neal trade is working out well. And they still have Mike Fisher coming back during the season (a solid 2 way player). Seth Jones maturing.
Preds have a hard time getting “non desperate” free-agents, or trades for players with no or limited more contracts.
Their GM is doing well despite a deck stacked against them.
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