Game Preview: Anaheim Ducks at Nashville Predators
It’s Viktor Fasth vs. Pekka Rinne today in Nashville as two dominant goaltenders go head to head to see whose team can emerge the victor, (or should I say in earnest, Viktor?).
Nov 9, 2011; Anaheim, CA, USA; Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne (35) deflects a shot by Anaheim Ducks right wing Corey Perry (10) at the Honda Center. The Preadators defeated the Ducks 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports
The Ducks are coming off a 5-2 win last night in Detroit in which the squad got goal contributions from throughout their lineup. Andrew Cogliano had two goals, while Bobby Ryan, Corey Perry, and Matt Beleskey each contributed with one of their own. The continuing story for Anaheim however is the solid play and perfect win record of goaltender Viktor Fasth. Fasth is 7-0-0 with a shutout to add to his perfect record.
Nashville is a team suffering from enormous offensive struggles and has relied heavily on the incredible goaltending of Pekka Rinne. Some hockey pundits have already suggested Rinne as the early season pick for both the Hart and Vezina trophies as he has carried the Predators with his 3 shutouts, and a 6-3-0 record.
The Ducks currently sit at 2nd place in all the NHL, while Nashville sits at 7th in the league, and 4th in the western conference. It’s a credit to Rinne’s play when Nashville ranks so highly in the standings but dead last in Goals For in the league. Fasth is not one to be overlooked however as he has been in the crease for 7 of the Ducks 10 wins.
Anaheim will have to overcome the fatigue of both a long road trip as well as playing the second game in a back-to-back. This is the second of three meetings for Nashville and Anaheim this season, the first of which Anaheim won at home in a shootout.
It is not expected that defenseman Cam Fowler, (upper body), will be returning to the Ducks roster for the last game of the road trip, nor will defenseman Hamphus Lindholm, (concussion), be making his NHL debut. Goaltender Jonas Hiller, (lower body), has been returning to the ice lately, but is not expected to play or back up Viktor Fasth.
Nashville is currently without one of their primary offensive weapons as Patric Hornqvist, (knee), is on injured reserve for the Predators.