2 0 1 0 P L A Y O F F M E D I A G U I D E - Nashville Predators

OTHER TEAM NOTABLES• The Predators went 14-6-1 (29 points) after the Olympic break, the League’s fourth-best record, and thirdhighestpoint total. Only Detroit (16-3-2), Washington (13-2-5) and Phoenix (13-4-2) posted better records afterMarch 1.• The Predators went 42-19-6 in games decided by two goals or less – the most wins in the NHL in that situation.Their 28-9-6 mark in one-goal games ranked second. Starting with a 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers onFeb. 10, the Predators posted a 14-0-1 record in one-goal games through the end of the season.• Nashville tied with Phoenix for the NHL lead when leading after one period (23-1-0), but also had the League’stop record when trailing after 20 minutes (10-9-2).• Nashville’s 28-6-1 record when scoring the first goal of the game ranked second in the League in 2009-10. It alsotied for second in wins when giving up the first goal of the game (19).• The Predators averaged the fewest penalty minutes per game (8.7), a franchise record, and were shorthanded thesecond-fewest times (258), also a franchise record. Nashville went down a man on home ice a League-low 113times.HORNQVIST BREAKS OUT IN 2009-10Second-year forward Patric Hornqvist became the fourth player in franchise history – and first Predators draft pick– to score 30 goals for the franchise this season just one season after scoring just twice in 28 games as a rookie. His28-goal increase from his rookie season in 2008-09, made him just the second player in the last nine seasons datingback to 2000-01 to experience such an increase when playing at least 20 games the season prior (Milan Hejduk,plus-29 in 2002-03). While his 30 goals tied him for 19th in the NHL, his eight game-winning goals not only tied thefranchise record, but also tied for second in 2009-10. The Swedish Olympian scored one-third (10) of his goals onthe power-play, all of which came after Dec. 1, which tied for fourth in the NHL in that span. Additionally,Hornqvist had the fewest NHL games experience (108) and the lowest average ice time (15:41) among the NHL’stop 20 goal scorers. He also set a franchise record in shots on goal with 275, a total that ranked 14th-highest thisseason.Since the implementation of the modern amateur entry draft in 1969, eight of 41 players selected with the final pickof the draft have gone on to play at least one NHL game. Of those eight, just three – Hornqvist (230 th overall in2005), Kim Johnsson (286 th in 1994) and Andy Brickley (210 th in 1980) – have appeared in at least 100 games andposted 50 points.RINNE’S SEASON HIGHLIGHTED BY A STELLAR MARCHSophomore netminder Pekka Rinne compiled a 32-16-5 record, and tied his own franchise record with sevenshutouts in 2009-10, becoming just the second goaltender in franchise history to post a 30-win season in addition tomoving into second on the club’s all-time shutout list with 14. While the single season win total ranks third behindTomas Vokoun’s marks of 36 in 2005-06 and 34 in 2003-04, Rinne’s 61 wins over the past two seasons is the 11 th -most by an NHL goaltender. The Kemple, Finland native’s season shutout total tied for third in the League, while all14 of his whitewashes have come since Dec. 1, 2008 – the most in the NHL since that date.Rinne’s numbers were boosted in-large part to his play in the month of March, which rivaled any month-longindividual performance in franchise history. The 6-5, 2-7-pounder led the NHL in shutouts during the month withfour, and ranked second among NHL netminders in wins, posting a 9-3-1 record. Additionally, Rinne’s 1.81 goalsagainstaverage was first among goalies making at least five starts, while his .934 save percentage was second. Hewas named the NHL’s First Star of the Week on March 22, and garnered Third Star of the Week honors on March15.He started a stretch of four shutouts in a nine-game span with a 31-save effort at Anaheim on March 12. Six dayslater he posted whitewashes in back-to-back games, blanking Minnesota in a 5-0 win on March 18 (17 saves), andColumbus in a 1-0 overtime victory on March 20 (33 saves) as part of a 149:04 shutout streak, the second-longest infranchise history. He stopped all 38 shots he faced against Detroit on March 27 in a 1-0 shootout loss, the 12 th time aRinne shutout has ended in a 1-0 or 2-0 score.