Defense is Nashville's model for winning games. When the Predators are keeping the puck out of the net, they're tough to beat. When they're letting it in, they have some trouble. Since the All-Star break, the Predators have turned into a porous defensive unit, allowing more than three goals in four of five games. It happened again Thursday when the Ottawa Senators defeated Nashville 4-3.
In five games before the All-Star break, the Predators allowed seven goals -- that's good for less than one per game. In the five games since the break, they've more than doubled that total with 16 goals.
It is a long season, but Nashville is falling back into some bad habits. In four of those five contests, Nashville's opposition has scored first. When Nashville trails first, it has just a .357 winning percentage.
Granted, it's not like the Predators are not getting points. Nashville is 2-2-1 since the All-Star break, a respectable mark for a team in a slump. But the Predators have some lofty goals of catching Detroit in the Central, and possibly finishing atop the Western Conference. The Predators will have to limit this cold stretch in order to keep pace with the rest of the top teams in the West.
It won't get any easier Saturday when Nashville takes on the Boston Bruins. The defending Stanley Cup champs have the type of big, strong lineup that gives the Predators problems.
NOTES, QUOTES
C Mike Fisher made his return to Ottawa on Thursday. Fisher, who was drafted by the Senators in 1998 and spent almost 13 years with the organization, played his first game against Ottawa since a trade to Nashville last February. The Senators honored Fisher with a video montage during the game. Fisher said that, at points, his feelings got the best of him. He finished plus-1 in 17:36 of action.
"I almost wish I wore a tinted visor tonight because it was a bit emotional. It was special for sure," Fisher said.
Nashville's defense has continued to falter since the All-Star break. In those five games, the Predators have given up more than three goals in four contests. Nashville fell to 2-2-1 since the All-Star break. In five games leading up to the layoff, Nashville had allowed more than three goals once.
"I thought we weren't as engaged as we needed to be. I thought we were very sloppy," coach Barry Trotz said. "If you're going to play against a desperate team, you can't play a sloppy, light game. You're going to have to play a hell of a lot harder night in, night out and tonight we didn't play hard enough to beat the Senators."
Though Fisher's return was one storyline heading into the game, he was one-upped by another emotional situation on the Senators. Defenseman Chris Phillips played in his 1,000th game and scored two goals, including the eventual game winner. Following the game, Fisher gave Phillips his due.
"Other than the loss, it was a special night for sure, and to see Phillips have a game like that, I was happy for him," Fisher said.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"Tonight, we just didn't play our game. We were probably a little bit too light (on the puck) and gave up a lot of odd-man rushes. That's not our game." -- Goalie Pekka Rinne.
ROSTER REPORT
C Mike Fisher came into Thursday with eight goals in his previous eight contests -- though not consecutively. Fisher was held off the scoresheet Thursday.
D Ryan Suter eclipsed the 30-minute mark in ice time for the third time this season, playing 30:07. Suter was one of two multi-point Predators with two assists.
RW Martin Erat, with a goal and an assist, has six points in his last three games. Erat leads Nashville with 42 points in 47 games this season.
