Pekka Rinne was outstanding once more, but the goaltender’s efforts weren’t enough, as the Nashville Predators fell in overtime, 2-1, to the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night.

The result gives the Preds a much-needed point in the standings, but the goal is two, and Nashville was only able to get one of their 43 shots past Chicago netminder Corey Crawford.

“At this time of the year, it’s hard to get the points, and tonight we got one,” Rinne said. “We have to move on. [We have a] game tomorrow right away, but I don’t know, it’s frustrating when you lose. I don’t think it was a very good hockey game overall, just two teams afraid to lose the game.”

“We’re getting excellent goaltending, it’s just the situations in front of him,” Preds Head Coach John Hynes said. “We get the power plays, [but then] we’re taking the penalties on the power play, we don’t produce, and then… you give those guys an opportunity on the power play. [Rinne is] doing the best he can. I mean, he played a heck of a game, and we’ve just got to be better in front of him.”

The scoreboard read 0-0 after the opening period, but the Predators were thankful to be in a tied hockey game. Rinne made the first eight saves of the contest and later stopped Brandon Saad on a breakaway and a subsequent penalty shot. It was the third penalty shot Rinne has denied this season and the 12th of his career.

Nashville also killed off the majority of two Hawks’ power plays in the frame. The line of Craig Smith, Kyle Turris and Rocco Grimaldi generated most of the Predators’ attack and time in the offensive zone, and got Nashville up to 10 shots prior to the conclusion of the first 20 minutes of the contest.

The story of the second period was similar to the first: Rinne making saves on one end with the Preds’ offense chipping away with shots on the counter attack. Nashville drew three penalties in the middle frame, including 1:13 of time on a 5-on-3 power play, but only saw their shot total rise as a result. The visitors put 20 shots on the Hawks’ net in the middle period alone.

Finally, with 5:04 left in the second, Grimaldi found Mattias Ekholm off the rush, and the defenseman beat Crawford with a wrister for a 1-0 lead.

The Hawks earned two more chances on the power play in the third period. After Rinne made two of his best saves of the season, the home team finally broke through with a point shot that deflected on its way into the net.

The remaining 11 minutes of regulation was played evenly, with both goaltenders maintaining a 1-1 score until overtime.

“We had some quality looks, and that’s the other thing, too, is we try to extend the lead and we didn’t,” Hynes said. “We weren’t able to do that tonight… I think it was the special teams, and it wasn’t as buttoned up as the game needs to be. Ultimately, it cost us.”

Late in OT, Alex DeBrincat picked off a pass in his own end and beat Rinne on a breakaway to send the Hawks home happy and the Predators wanting more.

“It’s a huge one point,” Rinne said. “We’re still right in it, and we’re outside looking in, and we can still do it. But there’s not a ton of room for error either.”

The Predators won’t have much time to stew about Friday’s contest; the Columbus Blue Jackets are already in Nashville waiting for a Saturday night tilt at Bridgestone Arena – an outing that starts a five-game homestand for the Preds.

“A point is a point, but [Rinne] played unbelievable, and it would have been nice to get him some run support, but it didn’t happen tonight,” Preds Associate Captain Ryan Ellis said. “It’s a tough way to lose the game, but I thought all in all we competed.”

Notes:

Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis returned to the lineup after missing 20 games with an upper-body injury. Yannick Weber was scratched as a result.

Nick Bonino missed the contest due to illness. Colin Blackwell took his place in the lineup; his last game action was previously on Feb. 8 in Edmonton. Blackwell collected a secondary assist on the lone Nashville goal.

The Preds will complete their final back-to-back set of games of the month – and second in as many weekends – when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday night at 7 p.m.

The Coffee County CHS Red Raider basketball team opened up play in the District 8AAA Tournament on Thursday night.  Coffee County squared off against Columbia at Lincoln County High School in the tournament’s semifinal round.  In a game you heard here on Thunder Radio, the Lions of Columbia hit 12 three pointers as they stunned the Red Raiders 66 to 62 in overtime. 

Coffee County held a 3 point lead in the closing seconds of regulation only to see the Lions hit a 3 point basket with 5 seconds remaining to force the overtime period.  In overtime, Columbia scored the last 5 points of the game to grab the heart-breaking win.  The Red Raiders were 12 of 21 at the free throw line in the loss.  Kyle Farless came off the bench to score 17 points as he was Coffee County’s leading scorer and the Stone Fort Mortgage player of the game.  Jaylon Wooten finished with 14 points while Jaxon Vaughn and C.J. Anthony each netted 10 points. 

The Red Raiders return to action on Saturday in the consolation game for the District 8AAA Tournament at Lincoln County High School.  The boys’ consolation game will tip off at 2:00 PM as the Red Raiders will take on Lincoln County.

The Lady Raiders will open up tournament play on Friday night as they square off against Franklin County.  That semifinal matchup will take place at Lincoln County High School beginning at 6 PM.  Thunder Radio will be on hand to bring you the broadcast of all of the Coffee County basketball games throughout the postseason.  Thunder Radio is proud to be the official station of Coffee County athletics. 

Download the broadcast at: www.thunder1320.com/downloads

Two members of the Coffee County Red Raider wrestling team opened up competition in the TSSAA State Wrestling Tournament in Franklin on Thursday.  Cardin Stump and Gavin Prater were in action in Day #1 of the 3 day tournament featuring 32 wrestlers in each weight class. 

Prater, a sophomore, wrestled in the 145 pound weight division as he entered the tournament with a match record of 29 and 10.  Prater dropped his first round match by a 3 to 2 decision to Kyle Cooley of McMinn County.  In the consolation bracket, Prater dropped a 13 to 4 decision to end his state tournament.  After being tied 2 to 2 at the end of the first round, Robert Bramblett of Spring Hill dominated the final 2 periods for the win. 

Stump, a junior, wrestled in the heavyweight class as he entered the tournament with a match record of 24 and 11 on the season.  Stump won his opening round match in impressive fashion as he beat Terrance Lucy of Knoxville Central in 16 seconds via a pinfall.  In the round of 16, Stump lost a heart-breaking 4 to 2 decision to Tyson Love-Jones of Cordova.  In the consolation match, Stump trailed 6 to 2 entering the 3^rd round but erupted for 5 points to force an overtime round.  In overtime, Stump grabbed a takedown with 13 seconds remaining in the round to grab the 9 to 7 decision win over Don Munoz McAmis of Morristown West. 

Stump returns to Franklin on Friday as wrestling continues at 10 AM.  The medal matches will take place on Saturday.  The Lady Raider wrestlers will weigh-in at 8:30 on Friday and their first round matches will begin at 10 AM on Friday morning.  The girls’ championship will also be held on Saturday beginning at 10 AM.  Tickets for the event are $10 daily with a parking charge of $5 per car.

You can keep track of their performances in real time online at: http://www.tssaasports.com/wrestling

The Westwood soccer opened the season on Wednesday as they traveled to Winchester for a matchup with South Franklin.  The Rockets dominated the match possessing the ball for 42 of the 60 minutes.  In the end, 5 different players scored for Westwood as they came home with a 7 to 0 win. 

The Rockets got off to a fast start as Isaac Simmons scored in the 9^th minute off an assist from Izick Sierra.  Torrin VanZanbergen netted a goal 3 minutes later off an assist from Nico Sanfilippo.  Elias Ramon added a goal before intermission after Sierra provided his 2^nd assist to give Westwood a 3 to 0 halftime lead.  After intermission, Caleb Cargile, Simmons, William Rogers and Ramon all added 2^nd half goals.  Sierra assisted on all 4 goals in the second half.  Elijah McCoy stopped both shots that the he faced in goal. 

The Rockets will be back in action on Friday when they host their home opener.  Westwood will take on White County beginning at 6 PM at Dyer-Bouldin Field.  Westwood will be back at home on Thursday, February 27th when they play host to North Franklin.   That match will get underway at 5 PM and it is the opening broadcast in the Thunder Radio Spring Sports coverage calendar.  And, as always is the case with spring sports, when weather forces cancellations and postponements, Thunder Radio will keep you updated on that as well.  For more than complete prep sports coverage, remember, nobody does sports like Thunder Radio! 

The Coffee County CHS Red Raider soccer team will host their annual Red Raider Jam scrimmage play day on Saturday.  The event will take place behind the Coffee County Raider Academy on the Raider Soccer Field and Carden-Jarrell Field.   Ten varsity squads and 6 JV teams will fill out a field that will feature 32 games.  The action gets underway at 8 AM with the last game beginning at 4:45 PM.

The Coffee County varsity squad will play games at 8:35 AM and 1:50 PM on the football field plus games at 9:45 and 4:20 on the soccer field.  The JV team will open up at 8 AM on the football field before finishing up with 3 games on the soccer field.  The JV team will play their last 3 games at 9:10 AM, 10:55 AM and 3 PM.