Despite a 5-4 overtime loss in the first game of the doubleheader against Florida, followed by a 3-1 defeat in the second outing, Predators Head Coach John Hynes and his group said there was plenty to like about their game just a few days into Training Camp. Now, with two more days of practices to their credit, Hynes is eager to see what his team can do this evening with Opening Night now just two weeks away.
\[Tonight's Preds Roster at Tampa Bay\]
"Number one, how we compete is going to be important," Hynes said following Wednesday's practice. "How we work and the identity we're going to play with, that doesn't change. We have had two more days to be able to implement some more things. We've spent a lot of time on special teams the last two days, so now going into the second exhibition game, so to speak, we'd like to see more things that we've implemented to be able to show up in the game and see our team game coming together. Special teams, this game] should be a better evaluation for us, because we spent some time on it. And then, the most important thing is how we work and how we play and getting to that identity. That's the next step going into [tonight]."
The meeting with the Lightning will also provide another crucial opportunity for a number of young Preds to show what they have to offer. Forward Philip Tomasino, who played in the second preseason game of his career on Sunday in Florida, once again saw the value in competing at the NHL level.
"I think we had a really good game as a whole team, and I think especially our line, I think we clicked really well," Tomasino said of Sunday's second contest. "Obviously we didn't score, but I think we did pretty well. For myself, I think there's always better for sure, but I think for my first game I competed really hard and played a pretty good all-around game. But at the same time my game is putting the puck in the back of the net and making plays, and I think I can definitely do a little bit more for sure. But I was pretty happy with the way I played my first [preseason] game [this year], and [I just want to get] better day by day in every game."
[Only 20 of Nashville's 52 players on the roster will dress tonight in Tampa
; the Predators reduced their roster by three players on Monday when they assigned forward Zachary L'Heureux, as well as defensemen Luke Prokop and Jack Matier to their respective junior clubs.
Tonight's game will be streamed on NashvillePredators.com. Fans may also listen to the preseason match on ESPN 102.5 The Game with Pete Weber and Hal Gill on the call with the pregame show starting at 5:30 p.m. CT.
