Hawks get blanked
Rinne, Predators turn tables on Quenneville's squad
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Blackhawks had beaten the offensively challenged Nashville Predators twice already, and Cristobal Huet gave them another great game in goal Thursday night. This time, though, the Hawks just didn't have it.
Joel Ward's power-play goal in the second period was all it took to beat them, even though Jerred Smithson added an empty-netter in the final seconds in the 2-0 loss. And there were other considerations that make this defeat more puzzling.
(AP)
The Predators were without two of their best players and had played on the road the night before. Go figure.
Nashville's Sommet Center may have been the quietest building the Hawks have played in this season, but they have a history of struggling there. The Predators own a 10-4-3 edge on the Hawks on their home ice since the 2005-06 season.
The Hawks had put at least 30 shots on goal in nine of their previous 11 games, but they had only 22 Thursday, and Predators goalie Pekka Rinne had little trouble stopping them all.
''We didn't create a lot of traffic in front of the net, so he could see every shot,'' Hawks center John Madden said. ''We didn't get dirty in front of the net. That was probably the difference.''
''[Rinne] is a big goalie, and if he sees the puck, he's going to make the saves,'' Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said.
Winning the first two games against their Central Division rivals wasn't a factor, the Hawks claimed.
''We certainly didn't take them lightly,'' said winger Patrick Sharp, discounting the Hawks' 3-1 and 2-0 victories in their previous games against Nashville. ''They were coming off a big win [at Minnesota on Wednesday]. It's tough when you get shut out, but we've got another game [tonight].''
To get back on track tonight, the Hawks will have to handle the tougher Montreal Canadiens at the United Center.
The Predators have played without captain Jason Arnott (arm injury), a longtime Hawks nemesis, most of this season, and they were further short-handed as Martin Erat, who scored the only Nashville goal in the teams' first two meetings this season, was a late scratch with a lower-body injury.
Only good penalty-killing kept the Hawks from falling behind in the first period in a matchup of the two least penalized teams in the NHL. Nashville was the least penalized, averaging only 8.8 minutes in the box, and the Hawks were second at 9.9. But they took six penalty minutes in the first period. Nashville, though, couldn't cash in.
At least not then.
The Predators, who have the NHL's worst power play, converted with the man advantage after Cam Barker was sent off for cross-checking. Ward notched his first goal of the season, redirecting Francis Bouillon's pass from the left circle past Huet 14:53 into the second period. Nashville had been 0-for-15 on power plays on their home ice before Ward connected.
The Predators wrapped up the win on Smithson's empty-netter with 3.9 seconds left.
''Nashville played solid, and we didn't seem to come out with the urgency we needed,'' defenseman Duncan Keith said.
PREDATORS 2, BLACKHAWKS 0