Predators and Blackhawks Vie for Fifth Place in Traverse City

By Jessica Haskin
Nashville and Chicago faced off for the 5th place champion game at two
o’clock in the afternoon, neither team had won a game yet for the week
of Prospect camp. One team would win it’s first that afternoon.

Nashville scored quickly just one minute and four seconds into the game.
Martin Erat sent the puck past Michel Larocque, with helpers from Denis
Arkhipov and Stuart MacRae.

Chicago tied it up two minutes later when after receiving a pass from
Mike Souza who was deep in the corner of the offensive zone, Arne
Ramholt passed it across the ice to Dan Tessier who was positioned to
the left of the goal behind Kyle Kettles. Tessier sent the puck home
before Kettles had a chance to get over and stop it.

A few minutes later Jonas Andersson scored putting Nashville up by one.

Ed Hill slammed Ramholt along the boards. Ramholt was a bit shaken up
but fine.

Later, Louis-Phillipe Lessard found himself alone right in front of
Kettles with the puck in his possession. Kettles dropped to a
butterfly, and Lessard shot the puck. The puck was heading for the net
just over Kettles left shoulder when Kettles glove shot out with
lightning speed and snatched the puck out of the air.

With twenty-five seconds left in the period Erat rang his shot off the
post.

At 8:35 of the second Chicago replaced Larocque with Jeff Maund.
Thirty-six seconds later Andersson scored his second of the night with
assists going to Miroslav Durak and Jason Ulmer.

Denis Arkhipov found the back of the net with six and a half minutes
left to go in the second. Three minutes later Mark Bell with help from
Tessier and Ramholt scored on a power play.

Stephane Veilleux scored for Chicago three minutes into the third,
bringing them within one point. But Nashville held them off and scored
5 minutes later, Alexander Krevsun getting the goal.

With one minute and six seconds remaining Timo Helbling drew a high
sticking penalty and went to sit for the remainder of the game. Chicago
pulled their goalie hoping to score with the two man advantage, but the
plan backfired. Andersson scored in the empty net getting a hat trick,
with assists from Greg Classen and Hill.

Nashville went home with it’s first big win.
Chicago went home empty handed.