Category: Sports

Matt Murray recorded a shutout and the Nashville Predators fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins by a 4-0 score on Saturday night at PPG Paints Arena.

The loss is Nashville’s second of the young season, after dropping both games of their opening road trip. The effort on Saturday night was one that brought more satisfaction than Thursday’s efforts in Boston, but that was only so much consolation for a Preds team that finds themselves 0-2-0 early on.

“It’s hard to say when you’re losing 3-0 that it’s a better effort, but for me, it’s a step in the right direction, to play a game that we need to play,” Predators Head Coach Peter Laviolette said. “But we’ve still got a long way to go with that, too.”

It took Evgeni Malkin just 66 seconds into the contest to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead, before Jake Guentzel beat Juuse Saros on a rebound to make it 2-0 at the end of one period. Ryan Reaves tipped a shot from the point in the second stanza for Pittsburgh’s third goal and then Olli Maatta made it four early in the third period, more than enough for the night.

“We were trying to establish some offensive identity, but they’re a good team,” Nashville defenseman Mattias Ekholm said. “We didn’t execute when we got our chances. We’ve just got to find a way to bury it, and right now we’re not doing that… I don’t think we’re heavily outplayed or anything, it’s a matter of getting those chances in the net. But at the same time, we can be better.”

From here, the Predators return home in search of their first win of the campaign, and they want nothing more than the chance to play in front of the home crowd once more.

“It’s only two games, but we’re behind the eight ball,” Preds center Ryan Johansen said. “We need to win two games to get to .500 now… We’re very comfortable playing [at home], and we need to go home and take care of business.”

Notes:

Kevin Fiala missed Saturday’s game with an upper-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. Fiala, as well as defensemen Alexei Emelin and Samuel Girard were scratched for Nashville against the Penguins.

The Predators return to Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday night for their home opener and the unveiling of the 2017 Western Conference Championship banner during a pregame ceremony.

Pete Weber’s Postgame Report

The Nashville Predators made a late push, but it wasn’t enough as they fell by a 4-3 final to the Boston Bruins as both clubs opened the 2017-18 regular season on Thursday night at TD Garden.

When analyzing reasons for the loss, a lack of speed throughout the evening was at the top of Nashville’s list. The Preds managed to score twice within the final two minutes of regulation to make things interesting, but that didn’t provide much solace to the group in their first game back after last season’s run.

“Just the speed of our game, they were just a little faster on every puck and we just have to be faster and play with more speed,” Captain Roman Josi said. “We didn’t play well throughout the game, and they were definitely the better team.”

“It’s a good look in the mirror, I think,” Nashville Head Coach Pete Laviolette said. “Good look in the mirror.”

A 5-on-3 man advantage gave Boston an early lead on a goal from David Pastrnak, but the second half of the opening frame was controlled by Nashville. With 11 seconds remaining, Viktor Arvidsson turned a fired a shot from the slot that beat Tuukka Rask top shelf for a 1-1 score after 20 minutes.

Jake DeBrusk and Charlie McAvoy each scored their first NHL goals in the second stanza for a 3-1 Boston advantage through two. Brad Marchand appeared to ice it with an empty-net tally at the 17:07 mark, but Scott Hartnell and Filip Forsberg each tallied on the power play to give the Preds life.

“It’s definitely a good sign for the team that we had a push and got a couple goals,” Josi said.

Ultimately, the first opening-night loss in the Laviolette era for the Preds doesn’t sit well, and with a date in Pittsburgh on Saturday night, there will be an extra boost of motivation after this one.

“The best part is there’s another opportunity on the road on Saturday,” Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne, who made a number of stellar saves on the night, said. “We have a chance tomorrow to be with the boys, and I’m sure we’re going to go through this game.”

Notes:

Nick Bonino made his Predators debut on Thursday night in Boston registering two shots in 16:04 of ice time. Bonino was activated to the Nashville roster prior to Thursday’s game after missing the entire preseason due to injury.

Hartnell – who technically made his second career debut with the Preds – and Alexei Emelin also suited up for Nashville for the first time on Thursday.

Forward Pontus Aberg and defensemen Anthony Bitetto and Samuel Girard were scratched for the Preds on Thursday.

The Predators now head to Pittsburgh for a rematch of last season’s Stanley Cup Final for a date with the Penguins on Saturday night. The club then returns to Nashville for their home opener and the unveiling of the Western Conference Championship banner on Tuesday night against Philadelphia at Bridgestone Arena.

Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota “did a little more” in practice on Thursday, according to Titans coach Mike Mularkey.

Mariota is “day to day” with the hamstring injury, making him questionable for Sunday’s game against the Dolphins.

“He did a little more, not a lot more, but a little more,” Mularkey said of Mariota. “We’re really being smart, and listening to what he is saying about himself.”

Mularkey said on Thursday there’s a chance the Titans might consider keeping three quarterbacks active on Sunday. In addition to Mariota, the Titans also have Matt Casseland Brandon Weeden, who was signed on Tuesday.

Cassel is in line to start if Mariota can’t go. Mularkey said it was “positive” that Mariota didn’t have a setback following Wednesday’s practice, when he was also limited. Mariota isn’t dealing with pain, according to Mularkey.

“I think that has a lot to do with him being smart and what he is doing with the training staff, and just realizing it’s Wednesday and Thursday still,” Mularkey said. “We have some time.

“He will definitely have to show (he can move around).”

Mariota scored on two touchdown runs against the Texans – he turned on the jets on his 34-yard touchdown run, and he sprinted to the pylon – and made it – on a two-yard touchdown later in the game.

Unfortunately, Mariota suffered a hamstring injury on his second score, and as a result he didn’t finish the game.

Mariota, who is expected to talk to reporters on Friday, completed 6-of-10 passes for 96 yards in the first half against the Texans, with a pair of interceptions. He carried the ball four times for 39 yards in the contest. On the season, Mariota has completed 66-of-110 passes for 792 yards, with three touchdowns and three interceptions.

Cassel joined the Titans prior to the 2016, and he started the final game of the season after Mariota suffered a fractured fibula in Week 16 at Jacksonville. During his career he’s played in 104 games, with 80 starts while playing for the Patriots, Chiefs, Vikings, Bills, Cowboys and the Titans.

“We’re doing some things to see where (Marcus) is at (with the injury),” Mularkey said, “but not on the field.”

Austin Farris of CHS Golf

Despite cutting 11 strokes off of Tuesday’s team score, the Red Raider golf team’s charge up the leaderboard on Wednesday ran out of time before Coffee County could earn a team medal.  The Red Raiders shot a round of 313 on Wednesday to finish in 6^th place in the team standings.  Coffee County finished with a 2 day team total of 637.

Starting on the 10^th tee on Wednesday, Coffee County was forced to play the more difficult back 9 first.  All 5 CHS golfers struggled on the 13^th hole which stunted the Red Raider momentum.  In spite of a bogey on 13, Austin Farris managed to shoot a closing round of 3 under par to finish as the low individual for Coffee County as he finished in 33^rd place.  Farris posted a 69 on Wednesday.  Matthew Hale rebounded nicely on Wednesday as he shot a 79.  Reid Lawrence fired an 80, Samuel Prater shot an 85 and Josh Perry fired a 94.  Knoxville Halls won the team championship as they fired a 2 day score of 569 which was 7 strokes under par.

The Red Raiders finish the season with an astounding record of 52 and 8.  Tournament stats and the final leaderboard can be found at: http://golf.tssaa.org/tournament.cfm?id=20171202

Alexis Baker of CHS volleyball

The Coffee County Lady Raider volleyball team opens up district tournament play on Thursday at Lincoln County High School.  The Lady Raiders will be looking to advance to their 6^th straight region tournament if they can advance to the finals.  Coffee County will square off against Franklin County in Thursday’s semifinals.

First serve is set for 4:30 PM on Thursday at Lincoln County High School.  Thunder Radio will be on hand to bring you the broadcast as part of the First National Bank Hometown Sports Series.  We will begin with the pregame show at 4:20.

Following the semifinals, Thunder Radio will have the 2017 season opener for the defending Western Conference champion Nashville Predators.  Thunder Radio will bring you all the action on the Fifth Third Bank Nashville Predators Radio Network to you locally by The Law Offices of Burch & Lockhart.  Should Coffee County advance to the finals, Thunder Radio will bring you the broadcast of the finals via our stream at WMSRradio.com AND on the all new and completely free Thunder Radio app for your smart phone.

New Predators banners to hang at Bridgestone Arena [Photo by Nashville Predators]

Prior to the Predators home opener on Oct. 10, the team will unveil the 2016-17 Western Conference Championship banner and raise it high above the ice in their home rink, a reminder of how far they’ve come and where they still want to go.

It’s a simple yet impactful design – donned with the team’s primary logo at the top, followed by script and the Tri-Star guitar pick logo at the bottom, all set on a background of Gold.

A new Seventh Man banner will also join its counterpart in the rafters, complete with the familiar No. 7, but this time with a special feature, the names of Preds Season-Ticket Citizens emblazoned onto the border of the piece.

Season-Ticket Citizens got a sneak peek at both banners during the annual Meet the Team event on Tuesday night at Bridgestone Arena, one week away from the official unveiling.

The Predators open the 2017 season on Thursday night in Boston as they take on the Bruins.  Faceoff is set for 6 PM and as always, Thunder Radio will bring you all the action on the Fifth Third Bank Nashville Predators Radio Network brought to you locally by The Law Offices of Burch & Lockhart.

Samuel Prater of CHS golf

Despite a red hot start, the Red Raider golf team struggled to score on Tuesday in Day #1 of the TSSAA State Golf Tournament.   Led by an eagle on the first hole by senior Reid Lawrence, the five CHS golfers scored 3 pars, and a bogey to go with Lawrence’s eagle.  That fast start surged them to the top of the leader board after 1 hole of play.  But trouble in the first 4 holes put each golfer over par before the turn.

Coffee County finished the day with a team score of 324 which put them in 7^th place in the team standings heading into Wednesday’s final round.   Coffee County was paced by Samuel Prater who fired a 75 to place him in 14^th place as an individual medalist.  Josh Perry was 2^nd with an 80 as he enters Wednesday in 43^rd place.  Other scores for Coffee County were Austin Farris with an 84, Reid Lawrence with an 85 and Matthew Hale who shot a 90.

On Wednesday, Coffee County will begin their rounds on the 10^th tee.  Matthew Hale will be the first off the tee at 9 AM.  The foursome containing Reid Lawrence tees off at 9:10 while Austin Farris tees off at 9:20.  Josh Perry goes off at 9:30 and Samuel Prater is in the foursome with a 9:40 tee time.

Spectators are welcome to attend and admission each round is $8 per person.  A select number of golf carts will be available to rent for spectators who meet ADA requirements with prior approval.  For live scoring, you can follow the tournament online neat: http://golf.tssaa.org/tournament.cfm?id=20171202

Rachel Butler of Temple Baptist Christian School volleyball

Surviving their closest contest in over a month, the Temple Baptist Christian School Lady Eagle varsity volleyball team captured a thrilling 5 set match over Victory Baptist Academy on Tuesday night at E.C. Bailey Gym.  A rash of service errors by Temple in the 3^rd and 4^th sets gave the visitors from Shelbyville the advantage they needed to rally to force a tie-breaker set before the Lady Eagles got the win.  The JV Lady Eagles dropped the visiting Patriots in straight sets.

In the JV match, the Lady Eagles won by set scores of 25 to 12 and 25 to 10.  Temple’s service game was extremely effective as the Lady Eagles scored 10 aces in the match.  Leading 13 to 11 in a tight first set, Lauren Davis served 2 consecutive aces to power Temple to a 12 to 1 run to close out the first set and seize control of the JV match.  Davis finished with 6 aces while Ruby Lawson and Grace Butler each served 2.  Brooke Clark led the Lady Eagles in kills with 8 while Davis and Lexie Stewart led in assists.  The JV Lady Eagles are now 10 and 0 on the season.

Lauren Davis of the Temple Baptist Christian School volleyball team

In the varsity match, Temple won by set scores of 25-23, 25-14, 17-25, 24-26 and 15 to 12.  Trailing 4 to 1 in the final set; Temple turned to their lone upperclassman, Rachel Butler. Butler had an ace and 4 kills in the final set to spark a 13 to 6 run for the Lady Eagles.  Rachel finished with 17 kills, a block and 2 aces for the match.  Lauren Davis and Lexie Stewart tied for the team lead in assists as each had 16.  Grace Butler finished with 11 kills and 5 aces.  Brooke Clark finished with 9 kills and a block.  Temple is now 19 and 2 on the season.

Temple travels to Madison, Alabama this weekend to play in the Madison Baptist Academy tournament.  The tournament features pool play on Friday and tournament play on Saturday.

Alliyah Williams of CHS volleyball

The Coffee County Lady Raider volleyball team opens up district tournament play on Thursday at Lincoln County High School.  The Lady Raiders will be looking to advance to their 6^th straight region tournament if they can advance to the finals.  Coffee County will square off against the winner of the preliminary game between Franklin County and Shelbyville in Thursday’s semifinals.

First serve is set for 4:30 PM on Thursday at Lincoln County High School.  Thunder Radio will be on hand to bring you the broadcast as part of the First National Bank Hometown Sports Series.  We will begin with the pregame show at 4:20.

Following the semifinals, Thunder Radio will have the 2017 season opener for the defending Western Conference champion Nashville Predators.  Thunder Radio will bring you all the action on the Fifth Third Bank Nashville Predators Radio Network to you locally by The Law Offices of Burch & Lockhart.  Should Coffee County advance to the finals, Thunder Radio will bring you the broadcast of the finals via our stream at WMSRradio.com AND on the all new and completely free Thunder Radio app for your smart phone.