FanHouse Predators

Nashville might not put a lot on the scoreboard every night, but it's not for lack of effort. Their last time out, the Predators out-shot Montreal 55-20, setting team records for most shots and total shot advantage.

That resulted in ... a 2-0 victory, with the Predators coming out on top the way they usually have to win: with smarts, good defensive play and decent goaltending. Nashville isn't going to wow anyone in any particular area, it seems, but the Predators can still get the job done.

"They always work hard," said Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle, whose last-minute goal beat Nashville in San Jose last week. "They're physical. They're very fast. They're tough. We never expect anything different."

SAN JOSE -- As many as one in five NHL players is injured, according to widely repeated estimates, but the athletes themselves would like to see how that breaks down, exactly. It's the names of the players who are out, rather than the body count, that is creating headlines, some say.

"Everyone usually has two or three guys out," Sharks center Joe Thornton said. "That's not unusual. I just kind of pay attention to who's out on our team, and we've got Rob Blake out, an All-Star, and Devin Setoguchi and Joe Pavelski were out. Teams just learn to adjust."

"It seems to be a lot of the top guys who are out," Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle said, referencing injured players like Alexander Ovechkin (pictured) and Evgeni Malkin. "It's not good for anyone to have those guys out, because people are paying a lot of money to come to the games and they want to see those guys play, but it's just a fluke. I don't think there's anything else to it."

Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

A light week on the card, but there was a relatively surprising bout and some pretty good ones to choose from. Highlighting it is our favorite former Princeton player, a gentleman who has made a name for himself by being a really good fighter. Of course, the big news of the week involved a team captain dropping the gloves with a random defenseman.

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the story lines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Devils 4, Rangers 2: With a shutout on Thursday night at Madison Square Garden, New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur would have tied Terry Sawchuk's record for most career shutouts. While the future Hall of Famer will have to wait for another night to reach his next milestone, he still managed to stop 29 shots to help lead the Devils to a 4-2 win.

Zach Parise scored a pair of goals -- and assisted on another -- as New Jersey handed the Rangers their second straight loss. The Devils, meanwhile, have won five of their past six.

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Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the story lines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Bruins 3, Predators 2: Entering play on Wednesday, the Nashville Predators, as a team, had scored as many goals (nine) as the league's leading goal-scorer (Alex Ovechkin). They have yet to score more than three goals in a game this season, and haven't scored more than two since October 8. That streak continued on Wednesday thanks to their 3-2 loss in Boston.

Through its first eight games, Nashville has scored just 11 goals, and because of their 0-for-3 showing on the power play, the Predators are now just 1-for-27 with the man-advantage.

Ouch.

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Every Friday, FanHouse sifts through the rubble and picks the best NHL fight, with the help of HockeyFights.com.

Some weeks, this job is just too easy. Our search for the best hockey fights includes a couple dandies this week, including a classic heavyweight battle in Toronto. It's the kind of bout that makes Brian Burke smile. Check out our runners-up, along with video of this week's best fight, after the jump.

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our Weekday look at the previous night's action and some of the storylines taking place around the league. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

Oilers 6, Predators 1: Unlike the Calgary Flames, the Edmonton Oilers were able to build a 5-0 lead and hold on for a win, as they crushed the Predators on Monday night. The 6-1 score is impressive for Edmonton as it was outshot by a 2:1 margin (41-20) over the course of the game. Jeff Drouin-Deslauriers stopped 40 shots for the Oilers, while Zach Stortini scored a pair of goals in the win.

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The Predators were part of the mad scramble for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference last season, but failed for the first time in five years. So going into Saturday's season opener at home against the Stars, the team is bent on preventing another near-miss.

Though Nashville made little news in the offseason, the Predators enjoyed a good preseason, winning four of six games, and head coach Barry Trotz likes what he sees.

Dany Heatley has now been traded, but Phil Kessel is on the market. Here's a look at where the latter could end up by the start of the regular season.

Newsmakers in the NHL: During the regular season it's our daily look at the previous night's action. During the offseason, it's our link dump that looks at some of the storylines and moves taking place around the league three times per week. Have a tip or something you want linked? Send it in to nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.

The Vancouver Canucks have, arguably, the best goaltender in the NHL in Roberto Luongo, and they now have just under three weeks to sign him to a long-term contract extension or they risk losing him. Luongo is set to become a free agent following the season, and while the two teams have had talks, a deal has yet to be reached. According to the Globe and Mail, Luongo has set a deadline for September 13 for a new contract to be signed as he will not negotiate once training camp begins.