What to Watch For...

Monday & Wednesday – Community Days Preds players and staff will be active around the community with several appearances throughout the Middle-Tennessee area at the start of the week. Click here for a complete list of open public activities. Thursday – Nashville vs. Phoenix The Preds open their home schedule on Thursday, hosting the Phoenix Coyotes. Nashville split its four games with Phoenix last season, despite outscoring the Coyotes 13-9 in the season series. Patric Hornqvist led the way with three goals and five points against Phoenix. All fans in attendance will receive a shirt, courtesy of Nissan. The game will be televised on SportsSouth with radio coverage on the Preds Radio Network including flagship station 102.5 The Game. Thursday – Opening Night Extravaganza Opening Night activities will start at 4pm CT with a VIP player Gold Carpet entrance through the Bridgestone Arena plaza, followed by an outdoor Plaza Party with live band, street hockey, and other fun. The game is also a College Night, with ticket discounts and beverage specials for college students. Saturday – Nashville vs. New Jersey The Preds play their first home weekend game of the season, an out-of-conference match-up against future Hall of Fame goaltender Martin Brodeur and the NJ Devils. Nashville won the lone meeting last season, 3-1, behind Martin Erat's two goals and Anders Lindback's 15 save performance in net. All fans in attendance will receive a Preds 2011-12 season magnet schedule, courtesy of O’Charley’s. The game will be broadcast on the Preds Radio Network including flagship station 102.5 The Game. Saturday – Pregame Plaza Party ‘Family friendly’ plaza party starting at 4:30 pm on Saturday featuring street hockey, face painters, live band, and more.

This Week...
The Preds open the home portion of their 2011-12 schedule this week with a pair of games at Bridgestone Arena; Thursday night's home opener against the Phoenix Coyotes and Saturday night against the New Jersey Devils.

The Preds will be active in the community during the early part of the week with Community Days on Monday and Wednesday (click here for more) and Season Ticket Holder Meet The Team Party on Tuesday.

Injury Report

• Francis Bouillon is week-to-week recovering from an upper body injury suffered last season. Bouillon is expected to re-join full contact practices this week.
• Martin Erat is day-to-day with an upper body injury suffered in the Season Opener at Columbus.
• Mike Fisher is week-to-week after having off-season shoulder surgery. Fisher is practicing with the team, but entered the week still in no-contact only drills.

The Week That Was...
Nashville went 2-0-0 last week, spoiling the home openers for a pair of Central Division rivals. On Friday night the Preds opened the season with a 3-2 win at Columbus. The next night the Preds clawed out a 4-2 win in St. Louis.

David Legwand led the way for Nashville with two goals and five points, finishing the week tied for the NHL scoring lead. Legwand's linemate Craig Smith posted a four point week with two goals and two assists, including his first career NHL goal in his NHL debut on Opening Night at Columbus. Sergei Kostitsyn (2a), Ryan Suter (1g-1a), and Shea Weber (2a) also posted multi-point weeks.

Pekka Rinne stopped 63-of-67 shots (.940 save percentage) en route to a 2-0-0 week in goal.


Seen On Social Media...
Jon Blum (JonBlum7) - @Latta17 penalty shot goal?  (Oct. 8)
Mike Latta (Latta17) - @JonBlum7 haha you know it, my blazing speed sprung me on a b-way only to get hooked. #fivehole  (Oct. 8)

Chet Pickard (CPickard37) - Wow.. @Latta17 really showed off why he was voted best hands in the #OHL w/ that penalty shot goal.. #self-proclaimed #beauty #peskyads  (Oct. 8)

Blake Geoffrion (BlakeGeoffrion) - Big win tonight, always feels good to win. Special thanks to all the Preds fans who bused up from Nashville. #bestfansinthenhl  (Oct. 7)
Blake Geoffrion (BlakeGeoffrion) - And also congrats to my bud Craig Smith for his first NHL goal. #oneofmany  (Oct. 7)

Mike Fisher (mikefisher1212) - First day on the ice today with the boys. Little rusty but good to be back practicing. Hopefully mix in a game soon!  (Oct. 3)


Prospect of the Week...
Chase Balisy -- Nashville's sixth round pick in this summer's NHL Entry Draft, Balisy picked up five points in the NCAA's opening weekend with a three-assist game in the Season Opener on Friday and a one-goal, one-assist outing on Saturday night to lead Western Michigan to a weekend sweep of Alabama-Huntsville. The five points are tied for second in the nation after the opening weekend, just one point off the NCAA lead. Balisy assisted on the game's opening goal 33 seconds into Friday's game as WMU led from start to finish in a 7-1 win. On Saturday, Balisy scored the game's opening goal (the game-winner) 7:44 into the first period and then assisted on the game's second goal later in the first frame as the Broncos won 4-0. A product of the US National Team Development Program, Balisy scored 12 goals and 30 points during his freshman campaign in 2010-11.