Quite Possibly The Worst Road Team Ever...
Posted 5:54 AM ET | Comments 0
That distinction belongs to the 2006-2007 Nashville Predators. Of course, there have been teams over the years that have been much worse away from home, but this is different. We were actually led to believe that this was a team built for a serious Stanley Cup run.
No way.
The Preds were 23-15-3 on the road this year. Sure, it doesn't seem too bad at first glance, but a little look into their schedule shows that if Nashville were a BCS team in college football, their "strength of schedule" would be one of the worst in the country.
November 4th, 2006.
The St. Louis Cardinals were just recently named World Series Champions. The Nashville-based Vanderbilt Commodores only lost to the Florida Gators 25-19. Some may remember that near-upset of Ohio State by Illinois last year, also an event taking place WAY back on the 4th of November.
Oh, and one more thing. The Nashville Predators beat the Minnesota Wild in St. Paul in regulation 4-3. It was their 7th straight road win. Things were looking great in Pred Nation. Well, here we are on April 17th, just having lost in Game 3 at San Jose, and the Preds haven't won a road game against a playoff team (in reguation) since that day.
Something has to change. I don't know what it's going to be, but it has to be something. Whether it's our mentality, phsyical toughness, or abismal power play, this can't keep going. We're running out of time and our backs are against the wall. If this is truly a great team in hiding, this is the right time to come out. It's easy to come out and play well in front of a crazed home crowd, but let's see the guile and toughness required to win a game outside of Tennessee for once.
Winning at 501 Broadway will only get you so far, and after dropping Game 1 at home, the first round is as far as it's going to get.
- D. Smith
No way.
The Preds were 23-15-3 on the road this year. Sure, it doesn't seem too bad at first glance, but a little look into their schedule shows that if Nashville were a BCS team in college football, their "strength of schedule" would be one of the worst in the country.
November 4th, 2006.
The St. Louis Cardinals were just recently named World Series Champions. The Nashville-based Vanderbilt Commodores only lost to the Florida Gators 25-19. Some may remember that near-upset of Ohio State by Illinois last year, also an event taking place WAY back on the 4th of November.
Oh, and one more thing. The Nashville Predators beat the Minnesota Wild in St. Paul in regulation 4-3. It was their 7th straight road win. Things were looking great in Pred Nation. Well, here we are on April 17th, just having lost in Game 3 at San Jose, and the Preds haven't won a road game against a playoff team (in reguation) since that day.
Something has to change. I don't know what it's going to be, but it has to be something. Whether it's our mentality, phsyical toughness, or abismal power play, this can't keep going. We're running out of time and our backs are against the wall. If this is truly a great team in hiding, this is the right time to come out. It's easy to come out and play well in front of a crazed home crowd, but let's see the guile and toughness required to win a game outside of Tennessee for once.
Winning at 501 Broadway will only get you so far, and after dropping Game 1 at home, the first round is as far as it's going to get.
- D. Smith