Minnesota Wild get lifeline, lose in shootout to Nashville Predators 2-1 -NHL Update
Minnesota Wild got back into the game and forced the overtime extension but fell to Nashville Predators as Alexander Radulov made the game-winning shot in the shootout decider, 2-1, Tuesday night, April 3, 2012, at the sold-out Bridgestone Arena in Nashville,
Tennessee.
It was easy to see that the Nashville crowd is excited to see their team headed into another playoff series with the record making last year as Predators broke the quarterfinal barrier for the first time in franchise history and hope to go further this time
around.
No matter how many situations Predators might get themselves stuck in, they have managed to emerge victorious majority of the time, which is the only thing that counts in the end.
"The win is the most important thing," Nashville captain, Shea Weber, said. "Obviously, we're somewhat in control of where we can finish. We can guarantee ourselves fifth. We've got to keep going."
Gabriel Bourque scored the only Nashville goal at 12:31 of the second period but Minnesota gave the Predators a run for their money as Dany Heatley potted his 23rd of the 2011-2012 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season at the 17:53 mark.
The third period held some ample opportunities as Nashville’s Martin Erat was booked only 42 seconds in and Andrei Kostitsyn went out at the 19:48 mark but Minnesota failed to capitalise on either one.
After a scoreless overtime extension, Alexander Radulov scored on Nashville’s second chance in the shootout decider while Minnesota missed on all three, giving Predators the win.
"He's an exciting player," Weber said of Radulov. "He lives and thrives on those types of situations. The other night, that was a goal scorer's goal, and tonight he was just patient and found a hole to slip through."
"I saw his move on the replay, and that's hard because you're coming in and he changes direction,” Nashville coach, Barry Trotz, said.
Nashville Predators will be staying at home for the next against a playoff yearning Dallas Stars on Thursday while Minnesota Wild will also be returning to the Xcel Energy Center to host Chicago Blackhawks the same day.
Tags: