Welcome to the Music City Sports Report.
It was a wild and disappointing start to the playoffs for the Nashville Predators on Sunday as they fell to the Arizona Coyotes 4-3 in Edmonton.
As the Preds hit the ice again for the first time since March 10, I put together a guide of everything Nashville fans need to know for an unprecedented Stanley Cup Playoffs.
How Does It Work?
24 teams are competing in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, with the 12 Western Conference teams in the Edmonton bubble and the 12 Eastern Conference teams in the Toronto bubble.
6-seed Nashville is facing off against 11-seed Arizona in the qualifying round in a best-of-five series, which includes seeds 5 through 12 in each conference. Each of the remaining rounds will be best-of-seven, but teams will be re-seeded after each round. If the Preds are to advance past the qualifying round, they will face one of the top four seeds in the West: St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche, Las Vegas Knights, or Dallas Stars.
The Opponent
Arizona entered the playoffs with a 33-29-8, three seeds out of a normal playoff spot, but comfortably ahead of the cutoff line for this season’s amended playoffs. Their leading goalscorer is Conor Garland (22), while Clayton Keller has the most points (44) and assists (27).
No Coyotes made the All-Star Game (in comparison to Nashville’s one All Star, Norris Trophy finalist Roman Josi). The coyotes have a platoon situation in goal with Darcy Kuemper and Antii Raanta splitting duties between the pipes.
The teams split their two-game regular-season series with the Coyotes winning 5-2 in Phoenix and the Preds winning 3-2 in Nashville.
The Schedule
Game 2: Aug. 4, 1:30 p.m. NBC Sports Network
Game 3: Aug. 5, 1:30 p.m. NBC Sports Network
Game 4: Aug. 7, TBD, TBD
Game 5: Aug. 9, TBD, TBD
For further reading on the qualifying round series against the Coyotes, check out Adam Vingan’s preview and Kristopher Martel, newly added to the Broadway Sports squad, with his preview.
Links
The SEC will be adopting a 10-game, conference-only schedule for the fall. Kickoff weekend is set for Sept. 26. It is unclear what this means for non-football fall sports (namely soccer, volleyball, and cross country, among others).
A really great story from CBS Sports’ James Herbert on the connective tissue between the Grit n Grind Grizzlies and the next generation of Memphis stars. After two close, entertaining losses, the Grizzlies are just two games up on the ninth seed.
Fascinating story from Drake Hills on Hendersonville native Caleb Patterson-Sewell, who was one of the MLS’s free agent pool goalkeepers but had to leave the bubble after being part of the Nashville SC travel party. NSC is reportedly going to play at FC Dallas on Friday, but that remains up in the air.
Informative Broadway Sports interview with longtime Titans long snapper Beau Brinkley.
The NFL released its top-100 list this past week, and two Titans made the list: Derrick Henry at 10 (!!) and Ryan Tannehill at 68. Logan Ryan (still unsigned) landed at 60 and the Denver-bound Jurrell Casey was 71. Kevin Byard, arguably the best safety in the league, was somehow left off the list.
Nashville was the second-highest rated market for the NWSL Challenge Cup Final. Let’s get the Music City an NWSL team!
A feature on MLB.com about former ETSU star pitcher and current Dodger Landon Knack. Speaking of the Dodgers, check out this blast from Matt Beaty and this absolute bullet from Mookie Betts. Nashville boys providing highlights.
I wrote a feature for the Shelbyville Times-Gazette on former SCHS and Mississippi State men’s basketball standout Barry Stewart chronicling his amateur and pro career.