Category: Sports

One night after the Predators shut out the Carolina Hurricanes, Nashville was the club unable to beat their counterpart.

It was the Florida Panthers, who blanked the Preds on Saturday night at BB&T Center, putting an end to Nashville’s four-game point streak. Panthers goaltender Chris Dreidger recorded the shutout in his first-career start, as the Preds failed to score a goal for the first time this season.

“We lacked a little bit of effort,” Preds Associate Captain Ryan Ellis said. “We’re in a back-to-back, which is always tough, it makes you use the energy that you do have more effectively, and I don’t think we did that tonight. We’ve been playing much better of late, and tonight, maybe we took a little bit of a step back.”

“We played eight games in a row with pop, and tonight, for me, we were flat,” Preds Head Coach Peter Laviolette said. “We started out just OK, and it slid from there in the third period, so it’s not enough. You have to play at a higher tempo and a higher level in order to be successful, and if you don’t, you roll the dice and it didn’t go our way.”

The game’s only goal through the first 40 minutes came courtesy of Panthers defenseman Anton Stralman, who beat Juuse Saros on a rebound early in the second period.

In the third, with the Predators desperate to knot the contest, Stralman notched his second goal of the night and of the season. Aleksander Barkov salted the game away a few minutes later with an in-tight shot around Saros and into the top corner of the net.

“We were just OK tonight,” Preds center Ryan Johansen said. “It’s tough, back-to-backs are tough traveling, but the bottom line was we needed to do more to be successful. We didn’t create enough opportunities, and when we did have ours, their goalie played well.”

Their four-game point streak at an end, the Preds will return to Music City for a three-game homestand with a need for an improved effort on Tuesday night.

“It’s a statement for us that we’ve been playing good hockey, but we’re not there yet, and this is a good example of it,” Ellis said. “We can’t take a night off, we can’t take a step back, and it’s a good wake-up call that we have to bring our A-game every night to be successful in this League.”

Notes:

Kyle Turris and Matt Irwin were scratched for the Preds on Saturday night.

With their first back-to-back set of the season now complete, the Predators will return to Nashville to begin another three-game homestand starting on Tuesday night (at 7 p.m. CT) against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Predators put a trio on the board, and Pekka Rinne was perfect.

Rinne’s 350th career win – and his 28th career shutout – gave Nashville a 3-0 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night at PNC Arena. It’s Nashville’s first triumph over the Hurricanes in their last seven tries, and the result gives the Preds points in four-straight games.

The Preds haven’t always found themselves on the right side of the ledger in recent outings, but the efforts have been there. Friday was a continuation of that, and the group was rewarded with a gritty road win.

“We’ve been playing pretty good hockey lately,” Preds Head Coach Peter Laviolette said. “Guys are competing really hard and working really hard. Coming in here, when you play this team, you have to work, you have to skate and you have to compete in order to have a chance of being successful. I thought our guys were good.”

“It’s a huge win for us,” Preds forward Rocco Grimaldi said. “They had more jump the first five or 10 minutes, and Peks stood on his head. He made some really big saves to keep us in the game, then we pop in a couple, and the game kind of settles down a little more in our favor. It’s a tough team to play against, especially in their building, and I thought we did a pretty good job.”

Eight minutes into the contest, Grimaldi gave the visitors the game’s first goal when he caught up to a perfectly placed lob pass from Nick Bonino and beat Petr Mrazek on a breakaway. Ten minutes later, Filip Forsberg went to work in the Carolina zone and sent a cross-ice feed to Calle Jarnkrok, who wristed home his ninth of the season to give the Preds a 2-0 advantage after 20 minutes.

The Predators’ lead hit 3-0 early in the second period. Mattias Ekholm went forward, backward, threw in a spin move and put a shot at the net that Austin Watson redirected into the twine at 3:28.

“It was just a great team effort,” Watson said. “To get that zero on the board for Peks means a lot to us.”

The scoring stopped at three because Rinne clearly wasn’t going to allow a goal on Friday night. The Finnish netminder was at his best in the first period, stopping 12 shots from the Hurricanes, including a high-quality opportunity off the stick of Teuvo Teravainen. Rinne’s bounce-back performance allowed Nashville to build a lead – something they’ve played with exclusively in their three recent wins – and slowly take control of the game.

“Tonight, I got off to a good start, and I think that was the key for us,” Rinne said. “That felt really good… I really think the last four games, we’ve played better defensively, too. Just more sacrificing, [and] bodies blocking shots, forwards collapsing and things like that. I think it makes makes mine and [Juuse Saros’s] job easier.”

“What can you say? He’s a legend,” Grimaldi said of Rinne. “He’s one of the best of all time, and it’s honestly awesome to play in front of him. I’ve said it before, but not only is he just such a good goalie, but he’s an even better person… He has been around so long, and he’s still such a nice and humble person. He’s definitely someone I can look up to as well.”

Next, the Predators will complete their first set of back-to-back games this season, as they travel to South Florida to face the Panthers (Saturday at 6 p.m. CT), and if they continue on their current trajectory, they might just find themselves with another two points in 24 hours.

“We’re playing the right way, every line’s contributing, whether that’s scoring or just getting pucks deep, checking, blocking shots – everyone’s contributing in their own way,” Grimaldi said. “Our goalies both have been awesome, so our team’s definitely trending in the right direction, and we have to keep that going tomorrow in Florida.”

Notes:

Rocco Grimaldi scored his first career game-winning goal and pushed his point streak to three games (1g-2a).

Yannick Weber re-entered the lineup in favor of Matt Irwin on Friday night in Carolina. Kyle Turris was also scratched for the Preds.

The second half of Nashville’s back-to-back set comes tomorrow night in Florida against the Panthers, a 6 p.m. CT puck drop in Sunrise.

The Coffee County CHS basketball teams will compete in the Mitch Wilson State Farm Classic on Friday and Saturday in Woodbury.  The Red Raiders will open up tournament play on Friday at noon as they take on Livingston Academy at Woodbury Grammar School.  They close out tournament play on Saturday at 3 PM against Macon County at Cannon County High.  The Lady Raiders will take on Siegel on Friday afternoon after the Red Raiders game at Woodbury Grammar School.  On Saturday, the Lady Raiders will follow the Red Raiders again as they are set to take on Huntland at 4:30 PM at Cannon County High School. 

Thunder Radio will travel to Woodbury on Friday to bring you the action from Woodbury Grammar School.  We will begin our live coverage with the Char-El Apartments and Home Rental Pregame show at 11:50 AM.  Tipoff is set for noon.

Coming up on Saturday’s Coffee Coaches Show, we will talk to the Division 1 Manchester Youth Football League Red Raider football team and coaches.  The Division 1 Red Raiders(ages 5 to 7) won the Southern Middle Tennessee Youth Football Association Super Bowl on Saturday, November 9^th in McMinnville.  The Red Raiders completed the season with a perfect 12 and 0 record with an average margin of victory of 38 points.  Additionally, the Raiders finished the season without surrendering a point. 

Also on Saturday’s Coffee Coaches Show, we will talk to Coffee County CHS Red Raider basketball coach Micah Williams.  The Coffee Coaches Show is broadcast live each Saturday morning from 10 to 11 AM from the showroom of Al White Ford/Lincoln.  The Coffee Coaches Show is heard exclusively on Thunder Radio. 

The Predators scored three-straight goals on Wednesday night, but it was the Vegas Golden Knights who ultimately prevailed in overtime in Nashville. The result gives the Preds a single point in the standings as their two-game win streak comes to an end.

Nashville was less than a second away from winning their third-straight contest, but Vegas tied the game just before the buzzer to end regulation, then Paul Stastny won it less than two minutes into overtime.

“We did a lot of good things, it came down to a half second at the end of the game and we didn’t finish it,” Preds Head Coach Peter Laviolette said. “It seems like every mistake we made immediately turns into a scoring chance; they’re such a good transition team and they have high-end skill. I thought we did a pretty good job and we tightened it up as the game went on, but you’ve got to finish the game, and we didn’t do it.”

“It’s crazy that we played such a good game and we didn’t get rewarded with two points, but it is a big point,” Preds forward Matt Duchene said. “In the last three games, that’s five out of a possible six points, so we’ll keep pushing forward – we have a big back-to-back coming up – so we’ll be ready for it.”

Mark Stone gave the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead through the first 20 minutes, and Reilly Smith put the visitors up by two early in the second, but less than a minute later, the comeback began.

First, it was Mikael Granlund who took a feed in front from Roman Josi and directed it into the cage for his fourth of the season. Just minutes later, Ryan Ellis got crafty in the slot and deked around Malcolm Subban and found the back of the net to even the score at 2-2 through two periods.

Then, less than two minutes into the final frame, it was Granlund who laid a perfect pass to Duchene, and No. 95 ripped a laser into the twine to give Nashville their first lead of the night.

The Predators held it until the final second of regulation when Max Pacioretty tied the game, and then Vegas won it at the 1:52 mark of OT.

“It would’ve been nice to keep this little streak we had going, especially after the negative streak we had,” Ellis said. “It happens, and we’ve got to move past it. Obviously, we can learn from some of the mistakes, but we need to move past this as fast as we can.”

From here, the Preds head out on the road for two in Carolina and Florida, their first back-to-back situation of the season – and they’ll be eager to prove they deserve better than what they got on Wednesday.

“We have games in hand on everybody in our division right now, and teams have been really hot in our division, too,” Duchene said. “You’ve got to figure that it’s going to come back to the mid-point here soon, and that’s a big point for us. That’s six games in a row now that we’ve played really well, and to be 2-3-1 isn’t fair, but that’s the way it is. Maybe down the road we’re going to start winning games we don’t deserve. We just have to stick with it.”

Notes:

Kyle Turris and Yannick Weber were scratched for the Preds on Wednesday night.

The Predators will fly to North Carolina on Thanksgiving ahead of their meeting with the Hurricanes on Friday night. They’ll then travel to South Florida to take on the Panthers on Saturday before returning home to start the month of December.

The Nashville Predators organization is always grateful for their passionate fans and the energy that they bring to Smashville, but this Thanksgiving, they’re showing those fans just how thankful they are by offering some of the best GOLD FRIDAY deals around. Between brand-new ticket packages and promotions, Team Store and NashvilleLockerRoom.com discounts and multiple family-friendly events on Friday and Saturday, it’s sure to be an exciting week!

Smashville Stocking Stuffer presented by Topgolf
The Smashville Stocking Stuffer is the perfect gift for the Preds fan on your holiday list. The package includes two tickets to a select Preds game during the second half of the season, a Preds scarf and gift-wrapping paper, and a $30 Topgolf gift card! Lower Bowl options are available for $269 while the Fan Zone option is $159. Only 300 are available for sale! Now 20% off during our Gold Friday sale!

Welcome to Smashville Pack
To make room for the ever-growing Loyal Legion, tickets have been reallocated to make 100 seats available for purchase for the remainder of the 2019-20 season!

• Access to tickets for 2020 Stanley Cup Playoff home games
• Average savings of 35 percent off Box Office pricing for regular-season home games.
• Team Store and NashvilleLockerRoom.com discounts of 20 percent
• Concessions discount of 10 percent
• Season-Ticket Citizen Face-Off gift and 2020 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic gift
• Six-month, interest-free monthly payment plan

Bud Light Fan Zone Group Special
Purchase tickets for a group of 15 or more to one of four Predators games using promo code GOLD19 and receive 25 percent off tickets in the Bud Light Fan Zone!

2019 GOLD FRIDAY Group Special Games:

• Thursday, Feb. 13 vs. New York Islanders
• Tuesday, Feb. 18 vs. Carolina Hurricanes
• Tuesday, Feb. 25 vs. Ottawa Senators
• Thursday, Feb. 27 vs. Calgary Flames

Bridgestone Arena Event Promotions
With a consistently robust lineup of concerts and shows taking the stage at Bridgestone Arena while the Predators are on the road or during the off-season, this year’s GOLD FRIDAY deals will include discounts on tickets or suite rentals for events like Western Kentucky vs. Louisville basketball, Luke Combs, Jurassic World Live Tour, Chance the Rapper and Niall Horan!

Ford Ice Center Discounts
For those with children, GOLD FRIDAY discounts provide the perfect opportunity to purchase a gift for your little Preds fan that they won’t forget!

Birthday Parties
Let a Ford Ice Center Birthday Party Captain take care of all your needs for your child’s next big day! Just bring a cake and leave the rest to Ford Ice Center. Mention “GOLD FRIDAY” when you purchase to receive a 20 percent discount.

Parties include:

• Pizza and drinks 
• Frozen ICEE beverages
• Ice skating and skate rental
• Private decorated Party Room and Party Captain
• 2019-20 Kids Club Membership for the birthday child
• Add-on items are available, such as a GNASH visit, private skating lesson and Kids Club packs!

Kids Club presented by Delta Dental
Get your child geared up for the season by signing them up for the Nashville Predators Kids Club and receive discounted ticket offers and a swag bag. For GOLD FRIDAY, receive 25 percent off a 2019-20 Rookie Kids Club Pack by typing “GOLD” into the purchase form.

Team Store Discounts
In addition to receiving great discounts, visit the Preds Team Store on GOLD FRIDAY to enter to win a pair of 2020 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic tickets!

Friday, Nov. 29 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT

• 8-10 a.m. – 50 percent off all items at the store
• 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. – 40 percent off all items at the store
• 12-7 p.m. (or close) – 30 percent off all items at the store 

Discount not applicable to 2020 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic jerseys
Must be in a store line by times listed below to receive specific discount

Cyber Monday
On Cyber Monday (Dec. 2), visit NashvilleLockerRoom.com for 40 percent off select items on Cyber Monday!

For more information, fans can visit nhl.com/predators/GoldFriday. With deals currently available only to Season-Ticket Citizens, this site will be password protected until Friday, Nov. 29, at which point all of Smashville will have access!

The Nashville Sounds Baseball Club announced its 2020 schedule, complete with home and away game times for all 140 games.

The 43^rd season in club history begins at First Horizon Park on Thursday, April 9 as the Sounds host the Iowa Cubs at 6:35 p.m. Opening Day is part of a season-opening five-game homestand. It’s the second consecutive season the Sounds begin the season in Nashville.

“We’re already looking forward to and planning an exciting 2020 season for the best fans in Minor League Baseball,” said Sounds General Manager Adam Nuse. “We can’t wait to showcase the new amenities of First Horizon Park in year two of our affiliation with the Texas Rangers.”

Following the season-opening five-game homestand, the Sounds travel to Oklahoma City and Wichita, Kan. for a seven-game road trip. The Dodgers welcome the Sounds for their 2020 Opening Day on Tuesday, April 14 as part of a three-game set. The newest franchise in the Pacific Coast League is the Wichita Wind Surge, the Triple-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins relocated from New Orleans. The Sounds fly into Wichita for a four-game series from April 17-20.

Notable home games during the 2020 season include Easter Sunday on April 12 (2:05 p.m. vs. Iowa), Mother’s Day on May 10 (2:05 p.m. vs. Round Rock) and Memorial Day on May 25 (12:05 p.m. vs. Oklahoma City). The Sounds will also play at home on July 3 (7:05 p.m. vs. Round Rock) when the team hosts its annual Independence Day celebration and fireworks show.

First Horizon Park and the Nashville Sounds will host 10 different homestands to fill the 70-game 2020 home schedule. The team will host one four-game stand, one five-game, one six-game, three seven-game homestands, two eight-game homestands and two nine-game homestands.

The longest road trip of the season is a 13-game swing to Memphis (May 26-29), Wichita (May 30-June 2) and Round Rock, Texas (June 3-7).

Nashville will play a total of 18 day games in 2020, including six at First Horizon Park.

33 weekend dates fill the home schedule, including 11 Friday games, 11 Saturday dates and 11 Sunday contests.

A full 2020 promotional schedule will be released in February. Group hospitality areas go on sale Monday, January 6 and individual game tickets will be available for purchase in March.

2020 season ticket memberships are on sale now through the Nashville Sounds ticket office. For more information on membership packages, call 615-690-4487, or e-mail tickets@nashvillesounds.com.

Nashville Soccer Club announced the signing of midfielder Matt LaGrassa, defenders Ken Tribbett and Taylor Washington and forward Alan Winn from the USL Championship. The foursome moves to Major League Soccer after playing for Nashville SC’s USL Championship side.

“We are really proud of Matt, Ken, Taylor and Alan for what they’ve been able to provide during the course of these past two USL Championship seasons, and excited for them to continue their development on this journey into Major League Soccer,” said Nashville SC General Manager Mike Jacobs.

LaGrassa, one of Nashville SC’s first USL Championship signings, served an integral part in the club’s game plan, helping Nashville reach the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. A resolute and hard-working central midfielder, who has amassed 65 appearances with the Boys in Gold (57 starts), LaGrassa brings a defensive determination in the middle of the field as well as an ability to recover possession and create attacking chances in transition.

Tribbett was an important part of Nashville SC’s defensive line in 2019. A determined, reliable defender, his versatility allowed him to play as a center back and a defensive midfielder interchangeably. Even from his place on the back line, Tribbett contributed to the offensive agenda, registering four goals and two assists in the course of 25 matches (22 starts) with the club. Coming into MLS, Tribbett spent the 2016 and 2017 seasons with Philadelphia Union, registering 24 matches (20 starts) while helping the Union reach the 2016 playoffs for the first time since 2011.

Washington brings an appreciation and willingness to defend as well as an aggressiveness to join into the attack. A bright left-footed defender, Washington featured regularly with 62 appearances (50 starts) in Nashville’s last two seasons in the league. Prior to his time in the USL Championship, the defender captained D.C. United’s U-23 side before being drafted with the 23rd overall pick by the Philadelphia Union in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft.

A young dynamic attacking player capable of breaking down opponents with his skill and speed on the ball, Winn has proven his worth with 55 appearances (35 starts) during the past two seasons. Quick on offense and able to drop back and play defensively, Winn’s pace and ability to read the field earned him seven goals and four assists. Prior to joining Nashville SC in Feb. 2018, Winn was drafted by the Colorado Rapids as the 25th overall pick during the 2018 MLS SuperDraft.

Join Nashville SC in its inaugural season in MLS by becoming a Season Ticket Member here or by calling a club representative at 615-750-8800.

Transaction: Nashville SC signs midfielder Matt LaGrassa, defenders Ken Tribbett and Taylor Washington and forward Alan Winn.

MATT LAGRASSA

Position: Midfielder
Height: 6-0
Weight: 174
Birthdate: Jan. 27, 1993
Age: 26
Hometown: Elk Grove, Calif.
Nationality: United States of America
Last club: Nashville SC (USL Championship)
How Acquired: Signed by Nashville SC on Nov. 22, 2019

KEN TRIBBETT

Position: Defender
Height: 6-2
Weight: 170
Birthdate: Aug. 25, 1992
Age: 27
Hometown: Centennial, Colorado
Nationality: United States of America
Last club: Nashville SC (USL Championship)
How Acquired: Signed by Nashville SC on Nov. 22, 2019

TAYLOR WASHINGTON

Position: Defender
Height: 5-10
Weight: 174
Birthdate: Aug. 16, 1993
Age: 26
Hometown: Somers, New York
Nationality: United States of America
Last club: Nashville SC (USL Championship)
How Acquired: Signed by Nashville SC on Nov. 22, 2019

ALAN WINN

Position: Forward
Height: 5-10
Weight: 165
Birthdate: Feb. 18, 1996
Age: 23
Hometown: Garland, Texas
Nationality: United States of America
Last club: Nashville SC (USL Championship)
How Acquired: Signed by Nashville SC on Nov. 22, 2019

Taking on White County for the first time since 2013, the Coffee County Central High School basketball teams hosted the visitors from Sparta on Monday night.  The Lady Raiders saw a 4^th quarter lead slip away as they fell 49 to 46.  The Red Raiders rallied from a 1^st half deficit to stun the Warriors 57 to 52.

In the girls’ game, the Lady Raiders took the early lead against White County and held it until the final minute before falling.  Coffee County committed 7 turnovers in the 4^th quarter, including 2 in the final minute as they suffered their first loss of the season.  The Lady Raiders were led in scoring by Ellie Graham who had 20 points.  Bella Vinson finished the game with 8 points and Kiya Ferrell added 5. 

In the boys’ game, the Red Raiders fell behind by 11 points halfway through the 2^nd quarter before mounting a comeback to close out the half.  Trailing by 6 at the half, Coffee County outscored White County 17 to 6 in the 3^rd quarter to take a lead they would never relinquish.  The Red Raiders were led in scoring by Jaxon Vaughn who had 17 points, including 10 made free throws.  Kyle Farless added 14 points and the duo of Rod Brinkley and Jaylen Wooten each tallied 8.    

Coffee County will return to the court on Friday when they compete in the Mitch Wilson State Farm Classic in Woodbury on Friday and Saturday.  The Red Raiders will take on Livingston Academy at noon on Friday and the Lady Raiders will take on Siegel at 1:30 PM.  Both of those games will take place at Woodbury Grammar School and Thunder Radio will be on hand to bring you all of Friday’s action.

You can download a recording of our broadcast at: www.thunder1320.com/downloads