Predators Off and Running
It took less than 2 minutes after the puck was dropped on the 2009-2010 NHL hockey season for the Nashville Predators, but Captain Jason Arnott scored his – and the team’s – first goal, against his former employer the Dallas Stars, enroute to a 3-2 shootout win. Star’s net minder Marty Turco allowed the puck to be slipped under his pads, and the Preds were off and running. By the end of the second period, Nashville led 2-1, thanks to a Steve Sullivan goal, but the Star’s James Neal beat Nashville goaltender Dan Ellis for both Dallas scores, and sent it to overtime, and then the shootout.
Nashville rookie Michael Santorelli beat Turco in the 5th round, scoring in his first NHL shootout.
” I just wanted to give the team a chance to win,” Santorelli said. “I watched what (Turco) was doing, then went with the move I’m most confident in. I didn’t want to second-guess myself.”
The Preds home opener welcomes the Colorado Avalanche to the friendly confines of downtown Nashville’s Sommet Center, and is also scheduled to see the Sabres and the Oilers at home, before heading to Dallas for a rematch with the Stars.
When asked if he thought Santorelli might be nervous entering his first NHL shootout, Predators Coach Barry Trotz said, “If he wasn’t nervous, then I would say we’ve got something really special here, because even the great players will get a little nervous in the shootout, especially at sudden death.”