Nashville Predators: From A Six Goal Shutout To A Six Goal Surge

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A game in which six goals were scored against Nashville, and a game in which Nashville scored six goals, book ended a three-game stretch that may have Predators fans wondering what's next.
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We'll talk about what may be next and how best to prepare for it on today's second intermission.
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Every game tells two stories.
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The one everyone sees, and the one that happens behind the scenes.
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Welcome to second intermission with Anne Kimmel.
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McFarland is filling out the demographic that was previously Luke and Melissa and some Tumblrweed.
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From inside the natural friend of Locker to the Milwaukee animals, and around the NHL, you'll find thoughtful amounts, real conversations, and the stories behind the score.
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This could be one of the best deals they've done in years.
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Whether this is your first season watching hockey or you've lived and breathed the game for decades, there's a sleep for you here.
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This is Second Intermission.
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Let's drop the pup.
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There is a lot to dive into on this Monday morning, but we're going to start by looking at the week that was.
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Andrew Brunett loves to preach to the team that they need to win the week.
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Well, with three games this past week, it's been very up and down.
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On today's episode, we will celebrate the high that was the Colorado game, but we're also going to look at the bigger picture.
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What could be next for a Nashville Predators team with an average record, 11 games into the season?
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And how best should the Predators fan base start preparing for whatever comes next?
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We're going to dive into all of that today on Second Intermission.
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First, I want to let you know today's episode is brought to you by our friends at Home Well Care Services.
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Homewell Care Services, trusted care, true compassion.
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It was a week of lows and highs.
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Let's put that right.
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Of course, Andrew Brunett, as I mentioned, has been preaching to the team.
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Win the week.
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And for me, I look at weeks as Monday to Monday.
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I know some people do Sunday to Sunday, but I'm a Monday to Monday girl.
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And that's how we're going to look at the week that was.
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The National Predators earned three out of a possible six points in their past week.
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They had a game against Boston, Pittsburgh, and then Colorado.
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And this was a week of lows and highs.
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Maybe the lowest of lows this early in the season and the highest of highs this early in the season.
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The Boston game, the Predators lost six to nothing.
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It was a game where Nashville was coming in after a four-day break, extra practices.
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They knew what they were supposed to do, and they did basically none of it.
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Boston dominated the Predators six to nothing.
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And then in Pittsburgh, Saturday night, the Predators team wasted a vintage Soros performance in Pittsburgh.
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They did walk away with one overtime point, but the Predators were up two to one with less than two minutes to play in regulation.
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The empty net six on five situation seems to be a little tricky for Nashville, as does overtime.
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They have yet to win a game that goes to overtime.
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They leave Pittsburgh disappointed, but with a point.
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And then Sunday night.
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We all just needed to gird our loins.
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I mean, let's be real.
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The Predators, the second game of a back-to-back against the Colorado Avalanche, one of the best teams in the Western Conference.
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This is a team that is a very serious cup contender, as they have been for a while.
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And I don't want to spend too, too much time on it because we do have to be realistic about the whole week.
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But one of the things that I have learned in my life is that when you can find a pocket of joy friends, you absolutely need to celebrate it.
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So we are going to focus a little bit to start the podcast on Colorado Sunday night.
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Excuse me, Nashville.
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I had no idea.
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I was not familiar with your game.
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Probably because you have not played it like that yet this season.
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I always like to kick off the podcast with a stat, a story, or a question.
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So we're going to look at the stats from this Colorado game.
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We are also going to talk about a story in a little bit.
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Put a pin in that.
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But let's talk about this game against Colorado.
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Shots on goal.
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The Nashville Predators had a 35 to 21 advantage in shots on goal.
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35 shots for Nashville.
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Look at the face-offs.
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This team was dominant in the face-off circle, especially in the first and second periods.
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Ryan O'Reilly at one point had won 100% of the face-offs.
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And that is one of those small things that can make a really big difference.
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Another thing that could be overlooked as important, special teams, the penalty kill.
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The Nashville Predators, four for four on the kill.
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They gave up nothing to Colorado.
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And Colorado's power play, while they may not be the highest ranked number one in the league right now, the weapons that they have on that power play are some of the top players in the league.
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So that was huge for the Predators to be able to kill off four penalties.
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Nashville scored four power play goals against the Colorado Avalanche.
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They went four for seven, a 57.1% success rate on the power play.
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57%.
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Absolutely astounding.
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And the power play looked great.
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This was a team that we saw get the puck, keep it in the zone.
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They had plenty of possession time in the offensive zone on the power play, which is something that we've seen them struggle with before.
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Another great stat from this game: the giveaways.
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Nashville only committed seven giveaways.
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In Pittsburgh, it was 24.
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It was two dozen down to seven.
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This was a game in which the predators protected the puck.
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Back in high school, if you took home economics, at some point in time, you were probably given a raw egg and told to keep it uncracked for a week.
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That is how just precious the puck was to the Nashville predators in this Colorado game.
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Again, something that we haven't seen from them.
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We talk about best players having to be your best.
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And the statistics show that Nashville's best players were the best players on the ice.
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Ryan O'Reilly, two goals, four points.
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Steven Stamcos, two goals, three points.
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Roman Yossi, three assists.
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Philip Forcesberg, one goal, two assists.
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Eustace Oninen in his second game, outstanding in net.
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Compare that to the best players from Colorado in their game stats from Sunday night.
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Kale McCarr, zero points.
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Nathan McKinnon had one assist.
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Arturi Lankinen had one goal.
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Martin Natchez just had two assists.
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Gabriel Landiscog, zero points.
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And Scott Wedgewood, who we love from his time here in Nashville, who once complimented me on my outfit.
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And I've been a fan of his ever since, did not have a great night.
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Gave up six goals.
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This was one of those games for Nashville that leaves you wondering what is happening here.
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Because we have hockey whiplash from the week that was six-nothing loss to Boston to three to two overtime loss in Pittsburgh.
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And then this game against Colorado at home.
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Now, Colorado, for some reason, has trouble with Nashville.
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And we saw it last season as well.
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And Colorado at Bridgestone is a huge hitch in their gide up.
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I don't know what the juju is.
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I don't care what the juju is.
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The game that we saw from Nashville Sunday night against Colorado was absolutely hands down, without question, the best, most complete performance from the Nashville Predators.
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We have seen 11 games into this season.
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And here is what's real.
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If Nashville could play like that every game, it could be an interesting season.
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Now, we do have to be realistic beyond this season.
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And this is where we're going to kind of take a turn.
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So we have celebrated the game that was in Colorado, but we can't ignore the games that were before that.
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And so as we look at the week that was, we need to be realistic about the little hints that we are getting about who this team is and what needs to happen with this team.
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If the Predators can play consistently like they did against Colorado, this is a bubble playoff team.
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If this team plays like they did against Boston, this is a team that is going to look very different very quickly.
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If this is a team that competes like they did against Pittsburgh, they are not going to probably have a sniff at the playoffs.
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They might keep it interesting for a little while, but eventually this team's going to fall out of the standings.
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And this team is going to have a very different-looking roster when Chris McFarland gets through.
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And I think that's where we need to talk.
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And I want to tell this is this is going to be story time, and you're going to wonder what the heck I'm talking about.
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But I want you to just go with me on a journey and trust that I'm going to bring it back to the Nashville Predators.
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Years and years ago, I'm talking many moods ago, back when there were computer labs and not desktops at college.
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I was invited by a friend, our senior year of college, to go to a haunted house that one of the fraternity houses was putting on.
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And it was to raise money for their philanthropy.
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It was their, you know, charitable endeavor.
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And I thought to myself, look, it's not really my jam, but it's a bunch of college guys throwing together a haunted house and it's raising money for charity.
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It's gonna, you know, it's gonna be fine.
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It'll be fun.
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I am not somebody who does the haunted house thing.
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I don't, I don't do scary movies, I don't do haunted houses, I don't get haunted hay rides, I don't get any of that.
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And I know people find joy, some people find joy in that sort of fear-seeking.
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And fear can be a great thing.
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Fear can be a great motivator.
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Overcoming fear can be, you know, a great part of growth if, you know, you're into that.
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But self-imposed fear for entertainment is just not something that I have ever been interested in.
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But I again, I thought, how bad, you know, it's just gonna be fun, it's not gonna be a big deal.
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So my friend and I went into the fraternity house, and I am just gonna give it to you straight.
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It was horrific.
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It was the most terrifying experience.
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There, they literally recreated murder scenes in different rooms.
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They had these jump scares with horrible masks on that were terrifying.
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We were chased down a hallway, people would grab at your legs.
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It was truly just it was the stuff of my nightmares.
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It was the stuff of my nightmares.
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Eventually, we got put into a room that was pitch black.
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And this is where, this is where it went, it went south.
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Pitch black room, silent.
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You know, something horrible's gonna happen.
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Suddenly, a bright light turned on in our face, and one of the brothers was holding his pet snake, this like right here, right here in our face.
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I just responded.
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I just responded.
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I'm I'm a girl who just responds, and without thinking, without any forethought, I made a fist and punched in front of me and I missed the snake, but I punched the brother in the face.
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It was fear-motivated, it was a fear-motivated fist, and it landed.
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He was furious.
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I ended up immediately getting kicked out of the fraternity haunted house.
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They had to call a brother to come and take me out because this guy was so livid with me.
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And as this other person was escorting me out, we're walking down the exit, and a guy in a mask with a chainsaw popped out and started chasing me.
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And they're like, no, no, no, she's kicked out, she's kicked out, no, no, no.
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I have never ever done a haunted house again.
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I never, I'm telling you, I never, ever, ever will.
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The closest I've come is I did do a zombie escape room.
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That is a story for another day.
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Also terrifying, terrifying.
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The reason I am telling you the story of the Alpha Sigs haunted house is because I think that there may be some Predators fans who, when they saw Chris McFarland, named the new GM, you know, saw him bring in some new faces to the front office and made some changes in the locker room.
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The reaction is, oh, this is gonna be fun.
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11 games into the season, and despite an amazing game Sunday night against Colorado, the reality is that a rebuild or a retool on the fly is going to have to happen.
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If not this season, then it is gonna happen next season.
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And it is going to feel a lot more like the Alpha Six Haunted House than the fun times that a fresh start sounds like.
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To get this Predators franchise to a point where they are in an open and sustainable contention window, it is gonna be the Alpha Six Haunted House level of uncomfortable.
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There is a lot to look at when we consider realistically what Predators fans need to be prepared for this season.
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We weren't seeing the best of the players in all 11 games.
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You know, great game again against Colorado, but we weren't even seeing the best of the veterans when it comes to the game in Boston, the game in Pittsburgh in this week.
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And we can talk about games before this week in which we have not seen the best from the veterans.
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We still have questions about some of the new faces.
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Vitali Pinchuk, this is a really big question for me.
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He was healthy scratched versus Colorado.
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He played less than six minutes versus Pittsburgh.
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Don't know what's happening with Vitali Pinchuk.
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So we have a question about a guy they went out and got.
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Granted, it's a one-year deal.
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So this is not a long-term investment.
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But what is he?
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What could he be?
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Are we done with the Vitali Pinchuk experiment?
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11 games in.
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It seems a little early for that.
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We have not seen the best of everyone yet.
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Another thing that we're noticing in these 11 games, if you're looking bigger picture beyond Colorado, there are disconnects between what is said needs to happen in games and what actually happens in games.
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There is a gap between instruction and execution.
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And we've got to talk about Andrew Brunett.
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I've said it before, I don't necessarily think Andrew Brunett is a bad coach.
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I don't know that this roster plays significantly differently under another head coach.
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And I do want to address this very specifically about this specific hockey week.
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Some people after the Boston game, I think really felt like Andrew Brunette, what are you doing?
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When this team looked absolutely paralyzed, they were completely ineffective against the Boston Bruins this past week.
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But I want to tell you that as somebody, as one of several people in the media that show up and were at the practices over that four-day break before the Preds headed to Boston, Andrew Brunette was coaching them with specifically this Boston game that was the 6-0 Boston massacre, total debacle.
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There was no question about what they were walking into, what they were expecting to see, and how they could best defend against it.
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But it didn't, it wasn't executed.
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And some of that is on the players.
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But also, while I can tell you for sure that this team was coached on how to defend against a rush team like the Boston Bruins, maybe there is something about his coaching style that doesn't translate.
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So it may not be confusion about the message, it may be confusion when it comes to the messenger.
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A lot of people are done with Andrew Brunett, and I understand.
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You do have to ask yourself when it comes to coaching, is he making adjustments to get the best out of this team?
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Or is he still trying to fit a square team in a round system?
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Remember, he has just one more year on his contract.
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I don't expect barring something miraculous that Chris McFarland is going to be like, let's re-sign you for five, let's Jared Bednar this.
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Let's do a five-year extension.
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I don't think any of us anticipate that's going to happen.
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But there are some pros to getting through this season.
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I get why people say Bruno has to go.
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Um, we don't see consistency from this team.
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Some of that, again, is on the players, but at some point, you've got to have coaching that you see more consistency, even if it's not the entire roster from individual players.
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And I'm not sure that we're seeing it yet this season.
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Only 11 games in.
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Let's see where we are.
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Say American Thanksgiving individually and collectively.
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The truth is this roster does need work, it needs serious work, and that falls directly on Chris McFarland.
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I am gonna say something just with as much um as much kindness and compassion as I can.
00:19:57.359 --> 00:20:19.519
If 11 games into the season you are feeling disappointed and a little bit disgusted by the general manager of an NHL team who doesn't yet know where all the bathrooms are and the arena in which he works, because the team doesn't look better 11 games in.
00:20:20.640 --> 00:20:26.400
You are better suited for a Kappa Delta dance-a-thon than an Alpha Sigs haunted house.
00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:28.960
You may not be ready for what's coming.
00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:40.559
I can't promise you that Chris McFarland is going to turn the Nashville Predators franchise into a perennial contender in five seasons or less.
00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:41.920
We don't know that.
00:20:42.480 --> 00:20:57.279
But if your leash is short already on a general manager with the resume that Chris McFarland has, that might be time for a little hockey introspection.
00:20:58.799 --> 00:21:09.599
There's a lot of excitement with fresh eyes coming in with a fresh front office, and you want to see dramatic changes reflected in the hockey, like you have seen in the front office.
00:21:09.680 --> 00:21:16.079
But these things take time and also acknowledge that he is doing some things.
00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:17.279
He has made moves.
00:21:17.440 --> 00:21:23.759
Granted, they've been mostly bottom six players, but those are stabilizing moves for the Nashville Predators.
00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:28.880
It's important to recognize that Nashville got rid of some of their stabilizers.
00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:32.000
They're Cole Smith, they're Michael McCarran's.
00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:35.680
Um, previously to that, they're Kiefer Sherwood's.
00:21:35.839 --> 00:21:41.039
Those guys may not be your superstars, but they are your stabilizers, as Emma Lingen says.
00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:48.640
And I think he did a good job bringing in some stabilizers in the right age group with some experience.
00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:57.519
Chris McFarland's hands are tied when it comes to the top six in a lot of ways because of contracts handed out under a previous general manager.
00:21:57.759 --> 00:22:05.680
When it comes to the defense, Chris McFarland did not just forget to go to Aldi's and pick himself up a top four defenseman.
00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:08.079
They are rare.
00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:11.200
It is not that he's not aware.
00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:13.920
It's not that he doesn't know they need them.
00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:17.599
It's that they are very difficult to acquire.
00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:28.240
Now, we do know from NHL Insiders that Nashville has been inquiring about Nikishan Edvinson.
00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:30.240
We'll see what happens with that.
00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:35.519
One of the things that Chris McFarland is doing actively is checking the waiver wire.
00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:38.559
And let's not knock that.
00:22:38.799 --> 00:22:39.119
Okay.
00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:44.640
This week the Predators picked up Minnesota defenseman Damon Hunt off waivers.
00:22:44.720 --> 00:22:48.160
He made his debut for Nashville against Colorado.
00:22:48.400 --> 00:22:50.160
Looked good in that game.
00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:55.519
I don't know that he knocked anybody's socks off, but looked good in that game.
00:22:57.119 --> 00:23:04.799
Nobody, including Chris McFarland, thinks that they are one Damon Hunt away from contention.
00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:17.680
It is Chris McFarland's job to see where there may be a depth diamond in the rough on the waiver wire, day in and day out.
00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:19.839
That is his job.
00:23:20.079 --> 00:23:22.160
It's not the only thing he's doing.
00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:27.279
It's the only public thing that we know that he's doing.
00:23:27.599 --> 00:23:36.160
But just because you see him picking up a couple of defensemen, William Trudeau, Jaden Struble, uh, now he's picked up Damon Hunt.
00:23:36.400 --> 00:23:40.960
It is not that that's the only mine that he's looking in for diamonds.
00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:45.599
Struble is not the answer for the defense, but he's been very good.
00:23:45.920 --> 00:23:51.920
Don't know if Damon Hunt is going to be a great depth piece, but that's what you do.
00:23:52.160 --> 00:24:02.720
You go to the waiver wire every day and you take a shot if you can, because it costs Nashville nothing.
00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:15.759
So don't misconstrue active browsing movement on the waiver wire as being the top level of what Chris McFarland's doing to address a defense that needs work.
00:24:15.920 --> 00:24:19.920
That's just what he does publicly that we know of day in and day out.
00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:27.680
There's a lot going on, likely behind the scenes, where he is still trying to make improvements to this defense.
00:24:27.839 --> 00:24:31.359
The worst thing, and and just think about this.
00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:34.720
Tell me, tell me if it resonates in hindsight.
00:24:34.880 --> 00:24:42.799
The worst thing a general manager can do is read the room wrong and do something.
00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:46.160
The worst thing you can do is do too much.
00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:52.480
We will see if Chris McFarland makes a move on some of these other defensemen.
00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:55.519
And it may turn out to be doing too much.
00:24:55.920 --> 00:25:09.200
But don't be confused about what you see publicly that he is doing to address a defensive problem that we all know Nashville has, versus assuming that he's only mining the waiver wire.
00:25:09.440 --> 00:25:18.319
Interesting when we talk about the defense, there were reports this week that teams were inquiring about a predator's veteran defenseman.
00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:33.920
Now, when I hear the preview that there are teams reaching out to Nashville to talk about a predator's veteran defenseman, I instantly think Roman Yossi because he's the veteran.
00:25:34.079 --> 00:25:35.680
We've got a lot of younger guys.
00:25:35.839 --> 00:25:38.000
Roman Yossi is the veteran defenseman.
00:25:38.160 --> 00:25:40.319
I automatically go to why?
00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:50.400
Because Brady Shea has not put forth a body of work in Nashville that would make me think teams are like, we got to get a load of that guy.
00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:52.240
And then you look at his contract.
00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:58.160
Brady Shea is in year three of a seven-year deal with a$7 million AAV.
00:25:58.640 --> 00:26:02.960
And everybody in Nashville is going, but he's not that good.
00:26:03.599 --> 00:26:07.359
Brady Shea has not been terrific here in Nashville.
00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:10.799
But again, Robbie and I talked about this, listened to last week's episode.
00:26:10.960 --> 00:26:14.160
Brady Shea didn't forget to play defense when he moved to the 6-1-5.
00:26:14.400 --> 00:26:16.720
There is something here that is not working.
00:26:17.039 --> 00:26:24.720
Brady Shea is the veteran defenseman teams are allegedly talking about with Chris McFarland.
00:26:25.039 --> 00:26:41.119
And here's what I will say about this: with the cap going up, and with the price of defensemen kind of being reset, and it is going to be reset once again when Quinn Hughes signs wherever he goes, that is going to reset the defenseman market.
00:26:41.680 --> 00:26:52.400
A$7 million AAV may end up not being an unreasonable contract for a team who looks at Brady Shea and says, we need that.
00:26:52.640 --> 00:26:54.480
A very intriguing thought.
00:26:56.799 --> 00:26:59.200
Is that a player that could be moved?
00:26:59.359 --> 00:27:02.880
I think most people in Nashville would say, uh, we're stuck with Brady Shea.
00:27:02.960 --> 00:27:08.880
Nobody is going to pay$7 million for a defenseman that has the struggles that Brady Shea sometimes has here.
00:27:09.920 --> 00:27:13.519
Different place, different system, could be more successful.
00:27:13.680 --> 00:27:20.720
And$7 million might not be something with the cap going up that teams can't finangle.
00:27:20.880 --> 00:27:33.039
Now, the question becomes: would Chris McFarland be willing to retain salary on a contract for four more years to move Brady Shea?
00:27:33.359 --> 00:27:38.480
Is moving that contract and getting a little bit of money back worth retaining?
00:27:38.640 --> 00:27:41.200
And I think that is something to keep your eye on.
00:27:41.440 --> 00:27:55.119
If something were to happen with Brady Shea, how would you feel if Chris McFarland said yes, we'll be willing to move Brady Shea and we would be willing to retain for four more years a bit of that salary?
00:27:55.359 --> 00:27:57.519
The trade-off would be interesting.
00:27:57.680 --> 00:28:02.960
What are you going to get in return as we look ahead to what is coming?
00:28:03.440 --> 00:28:09.039
Whether it is this season, it is going to be probably next season or the season after that.
00:28:09.279 --> 00:28:15.119
At some point, Nashville is going to have to enter a phase where it's one step forward, three steps back.
00:28:15.200 --> 00:28:16.559
That era is coming.
00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:23.839
And everybody just needs to gird your loins for what it takes to rebuild or retool on the fly a roster.
00:28:24.559 --> 00:28:26.960
Anything could happen this season.
00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:29.920
And again, find joy where you can find it.
00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:31.119
That Colorado game.
00:28:31.200 --> 00:28:32.160
Oh, what joy.
00:28:32.319 --> 00:28:34.960
Did you see Nashville scored a half a dozen goals?
00:28:35.119 --> 00:28:37.200
Nashville scored a half a dozen goals.
00:28:37.359 --> 00:28:38.240
Let us celebrate.
00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:45.920
There is much rejoicing, but also know that this is a team that is not consistently coming out and playing the way they did.
00:28:46.160 --> 00:28:50.000
And if they don't, it's going to be a little bit scary.
00:28:51.200 --> 00:28:53.759
Chris McFarland may move some veterans.
00:28:54.000 --> 00:28:57.200
Things could get, again, a little bit scary.
00:28:57.359 --> 00:28:59.680
Let me tell you where you're going to find your joy.
00:28:59.839 --> 00:29:06.559
You're going to find your joy not punching the guy in the face who holds the snake right at you, although it felt good in the moment.
00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:11.359
But here's how you get by through all of this big picture.
00:29:11.839 --> 00:29:14.799
You get by by watching what's coming.
00:29:14.960 --> 00:29:16.480
Watch the Milwaukee Admirals.
00:29:16.640 --> 00:29:18.559
They had a great game on Sunday, also.
00:29:18.720 --> 00:29:20.079
They won it in overtime.
00:29:20.319 --> 00:29:22.240
Great game against the Chicago Wolves.
00:29:22.400 --> 00:29:23.920
There's some good things happening down there.
00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:26.240
Cole O'Hara looked fabulous.
00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:29.279
Brady Martin has had some really good moments down there.
00:29:29.440 --> 00:29:36.559
Look forward to players like Riker Lee, uh, Tommy Blyle, Wyatt Cullen are going to be ready for the NHL.
00:29:36.799 --> 00:29:44.400
I think that when they're ready, that's the window for Chris McFarland and for Predators fans to really focus on.
00:29:44.640 --> 00:29:46.720
And there is joy to be found now.
00:29:46.960 --> 00:29:49.920
Wyatt Cullen is looking fabulous in Minnesota.
00:29:50.000 --> 00:29:54.720
He had a hat trick, a four-point night versus the University of North Dakota over the weekend.
00:29:54.799 --> 00:30:00.000
In case you didn't get a chance to see that on social media, it was so exciting.
00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:04.559
So be ready for some scary times.
00:30:05.039 --> 00:30:06.319
Even though it felt so great.
00:30:06.480 --> 00:30:07.680
Oh, the Colorado win.
00:30:07.839 --> 00:30:08.640
That felt so great.
00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:16.400
But be ready for some scary times because we don't yet know whether we are going to get Boston, Nashville, or Colorado, Nashville.
00:30:16.559 --> 00:30:19.680
And coming up, it is a big week.
00:30:19.920 --> 00:30:22.880
Nashville is kicking off a homestand.
00:30:23.039 --> 00:30:29.759
They've got New York Islanders, Washington Capitals, Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes.
00:30:29.920 --> 00:30:34.720
Then they head to Colorado, which is going to be really interesting.
00:30:34.960 --> 00:30:37.440
And then back home against St.
00:30:37.599 --> 00:30:38.000
Louis.
00:30:38.079 --> 00:30:41.119
They have six games in the next 13 days.
00:30:41.920 --> 00:30:46.559
And we need to know who this team is after these six games.
00:30:46.799 --> 00:30:51.359
Is this team closer to being Colorado, Nashville?
00:30:52.000 --> 00:30:58.240
Or is this team more consistently going to be Boston, Nashville, or maybe Pittsburgh, Nashville?
00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:01.839
Great week for Predators fans.
00:31:01.920 --> 00:31:09.359
Again, lots of games on the schedule happening at Bridgestone Arena and a lot of important information through this stretch.
00:31:09.680 --> 00:31:14.799
When you're looking at beginning of November, things start getting serious.
00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:20.880
By the time we're at the end of November, Chris McFarland is probably going to have his mind made up on some things.
00:31:20.960 --> 00:31:24.960
So this stretch of games is going to be really, really important.
00:31:25.279 --> 00:31:35.039
It would be amazing if we could have Colorado, Nashville, joy, like the fan base had Sunday night at Bridgestone Arena.
00:31:35.279 --> 00:31:39.119
We'll see if consistency is something the Predators can hang on to.
00:31:39.359 --> 00:31:45.119
We'll see if Andrew Brunette can coach this team into that kind of consistency.
00:31:45.200 --> 00:31:52.880
And we're going to see if Chris McFarland is going to let this ride a little bit longer before he has to start making some scary moves.
00:31:53.119 --> 00:31:57.839
Next week, we're going to talk about all these home games coming up next week.
00:31:58.079 --> 00:32:01.279
Game off day, game, off day, game, off day.
00:32:01.359 --> 00:32:04.480
It's going to be a crazy week here in Nashville for hockey.
00:32:04.640 --> 00:32:06.480
And I'll be here to cover all of that.
00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:12.559
Again, you can find my written work day in and day out at ankimmel.substack.com.
00:32:12.799 --> 00:32:15.200
Be sure to like and subscribe to the podcast.
00:32:15.359 --> 00:32:16.799
You can do that here on YouTube.
00:32:16.960 --> 00:32:22.799
You can also do that wherever you get your favorite podcasts on audio podcast platforms.
00:32:23.039 --> 00:32:27.839
You can also subscribe to my work at Second Intermission on Substack.
00:32:28.319 --> 00:32:36.559
When you do that, you will get emails right sent to you with every article that I post about what's going on with the Nashville Predators.
00:32:36.640 --> 00:32:39.759
And there is a lot going on with the Nashville Predators right now.
00:32:40.000 --> 00:32:44.799
That is gonna do it for today's Second Intermission podcast.
00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:46.720
Thank you so much for joining me.
00:32:46.960 --> 00:32:53.519
I hope the high of the Colorado wind carries you through this Monday with joy and delight.
00:32:53.759 --> 00:32:58.079
And then, you know, we'll tackle Tuesday when Tuesday rolls around.
00:32:58.240 --> 00:33:08.079
I hoped you heard something that made you think, something that made you laugh, or something that just helped you enjoy hockey, this sport that we all love so much.
00:33:08.240 --> 00:33:14.240
As my mom says, every time we part, drive carefully, don't bump your teeth, watch for deer.
00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:16.400
We'll see you right here soon.
00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:25.440
That's gonna do it for this edition of Second Intermission.
00:33:25.920 --> 00:33:33.359
If you enjoyed today's conversation, be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts and watch full episodes on YouTube.
00:33:34.240 --> 00:33:38.960
For more coverage, behind the scenes moments, and the latest from around the ring.
00:33:39.119 --> 00:33:40.720
Follow me on social media.
00:33:40.880 --> 00:33:43.119
Thanks for spending part of your day with us.
00:33:43.440 --> 00:33:55.440
Until next time, we'll spend for the next one.