NHL - Game Notes

Nashville Predators

Head Coach

Barry Trotz
Notes: * Coached his 750th NHL game on Nov. 4, 2008, making him the 31st coach in NHL history to attain the mark, and only the 10th bench boss to coach 750 games with a single team. * Passed Punch Imlach (770, Toronto) for ninth on the games coached with a single franchise list on Dec. 23 at Florida. Is just TEN games from tying Sid Abel (811, Detroit) for eighth on the list. * One of just four NHL coaches to lead their teams to four consecutive playoff appearances (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008). * Has led the Predators to 172 regular-season victories since the start of the 2005-06 season, among the best in the league. Has also helped the franchise score 102 home wins since the start of the 2005-06 season, which ranks in the Top Five in the NHL. * Is one of just 18 coaches to win 300 games with a single team. * Has the second-longest current NHL coaching tenure; the only NHL coach who has been with their club longer is Lindy Ruff (Buffalo). * Currently has the second-most wins (353) among active coaches with their current team. Only Ruff has more. On Jan. 13 at Toronto, he passed Bryan Murray (Washington, 343) for ninth on the wins with a single franchise list. Is just SIX wins from tying Art Ross (361, Boston) for eighth on the list. * Has worked alongside Predators GM David Poile, previously with the Washington Capitals organization, since 1987-88 (21 seasons). * Served as an assistant coach for Team Canada at the 2002 and 2003 IIHF World Championships, winning a gold medal in 2003. * Became the Predators' first head coach on Aug. 6, 1997. * Led the Portland Pirates (AHL) to the Calder Cup Championship and was named AHL Coach of the Year following the 1994-95 season.

Barry Trotz

Notes:
* Coached his 750th NHL game on Nov. 4, 2008, making him the 31st coach in NHL history to attain the mark, and only the 10th bench boss to coach 750 games with a single team.
* Passed Punch Imlach (770, Toronto) for ninth on the games coached with a single franchise list on Dec. 23 at Florida. Is just TEN games from tying Sid Abel (811, Detroit) for eighth on the list.
* One of just four NHL coaches to lead their teams to four consecutive playoff appearances (2004, 2006, 2007, 2008).
* Has led the Predators to 172 regular-season victories since the start of the 2005-06 season, among the best in the league. Has also helped the franchise score 102 home wins since the start of the 2005-06 season, which ranks in the Top Five in the NHL.

* Is one of just 18 coaches to win 300 games with a single team.
* Has the second-longest current NHL coaching tenure; the only NHL coach who has been with their club longer is Lindy Ruff (Buffalo).
* Currently has the second-most wins (353) among active coaches with their current team. Only Ruff has more. On Jan. 13 at Toronto, he passed Bryan Murray (Washington, 343) for ninth on the wins with a single franchise list. Is just SIX wins from tying Art Ross (361, Boston) for eighth on the list.

* Has worked alongside Predators GM David Poile, previously with the Washington Capitals organization, since 1987-88 (21 seasons).
* Served as an assistant coach for Team Canada at the 2002 and 2003 IIHF World Championships, winning a gold medal in 2003.
* Became the Predators' first head coach on Aug. 6, 1997.
* Led the Portland Pirates (AHL) to the Calder Cup Championship and was named AHL Coach of the Year following the 1994-95 season.

Goaltenders

35 Pekka Rinne G
(PECK-ah REEN-hay)

6'5'', 206 11/03/1982 ( 26 ), Kempele, FIN

First NHL / First NSH Season

Last Win: FEB 28, 2009 vs DETROIT

Last Shutout: FEB 28, 2009 vs DETROIT

How Acquired: Nashville's 10th choice, 258th overall (eighth round), in 2004 Entry Draft.

Notes:
* Turned aside all 30 shots he faced on Saturday vs. Detroit to record his sixth shutout in his 35th appearance of the season, tying the franchise record for whitewashes in a season set by Dan Ellis in 2007-08.
* Went 9-2-1 in February, tied for the most wins in the month with Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo. His 1.72 goals-against average and .944 save percentage also ranked among the league leaders for the month.
* When he gets three-or-more goals in offensive support, Rinne is 11-0-1.
* Ranked third in the NHL in goals-against average (2.15) and save percentage (.926), and tied for second in shutouts (6).

* Only one other rookie goaltender besides him has won three 1-0 games in one season (Feb. 21 vs. St. Louis, Dec. 20 vs. N.Y. Islanders & Dec. 6 vs. Minnesota) since the 1943-44 season. Hall of Famer Tony Esposito had four 1-0 shutouts in 1969-70 for Chicago.
* He (6 in 2008-09) and Columbus’ Steve Mason (8 in 2008-09) are the first goaltenders to post five or more shutouts in their rookie seasons since Evgeni Nabokov (6 in 2000-01) and Roberto Luongo (5 in 2000-01) did so.

* Improved to 3-0 in shootouts Feb. 14 vs. Boston, and his .900 save percentage in shootouts this season is second-best among goalies facing at least five attempts.
* Made a career-high 46 saves on Feb. 10 vs. Detroit, including 25 in the first period - the second highest single-period total by a netminder in franchise history.
* Gave up two goals or less in 12-of-14 appearances from Dec. 1-Jan. 13.
* Notched his fourth shutout in a 13-start span Jan. 13 at Toronto by turning aside all 17 shots he faced.
* Earned the win in a relief appearance on Jan. 8, the first time this season a Nashville goalie who started the game on the bench earned a victory.

* Became the seventh Predator to appear in a YoungStars Game during 2009 All-Star Weekend in Montreal.
* Led the Rookie team to a 9-5 victory over the Sophomores, stopping 19 shots, including 12-of-13 in the third period.

* Is the first rookie netminder to record three shutouts in a single month (December) since Buffalo's Martin Biron in January 2000.
* Posted his third shutout in a five-start span with a 23-save effort against the NY Islanders on Dec. 20.
* Won his first six decisions of the season before finally suffering a defeat on Dec. 8 at St. Louis. The six straight wins tied for the second-best winning streak in franchise history.

* Earned NHL First Star of the Week honors for the week of Dec. 7 after posting two shutouts and only two goals on 83 shots in three starts. Went 3-0-0, and the neither of the two goals allowed were at even strength.
* Posted his first career shutout, and the 50th shutout in franchise history with a 30-save effort on Dec. 1 at Buffalo. He joined Mike Dunham, Tomas Vokoun, Chris Mason and Dan Ellis as the only netminders to record a white wash in a Predators uniform.
* Collected his first win of the season, and first since Dec. 15, 2005 vs. Chicago, on Oct. 30 vs. Edmonton. It was his second career win .

Career notes
OT Record: 5-1, Shootouts: 3-0, 9-10 shots stopped, .900 Sv.%

	GPI	Min	W	L	T	OT	SO	GA	GAA	Saves	Sv %
Season	35	1957	20	10	-	1	6	70	2.15	874	0.926
Career	38	2049	21	11	0	1	6	74	2.17	918	0.925

39 Dan Ellis G
(DAN EH-lihs)

6'0'', 188 06/19/1980 ( 28 ), Saskatoon, SK, CAN

Second NHL / Second NSH Season

Last Win: FEB 6, 2009 @ MINNESOTA (2)

Last Shutout: FEB 6, 2009 @ MINNESOTA (2)

How Acquired: Signed as a free agent on July 5, 2007.

Notes:
* Has played only three times in the last 18 games.

* Made 22 saves to record his third shutout of the season Feb. 6 at Minnesota. It was his first appearance since Jan. 17, and moved him past Mike Dunham for third on the club's all-time shutout list (9).

* Posted a 1.98 goals-against average and a .937 save percentage in the month of December
* Notched two shutouts in a five-game span from Nov. 25-Dec.13, first stopping 17 St. Louis shots, then blanking Dallas on 27 attempts.

* Named the NHL's Third Star of the Week for the period ending Nov. 16 after going 3-0-0 at San Jose, Anaheim and Los Angeles Nov. 11-15. Stopped 119 of 126 shots during that span, including a franchise-record 54 saves in a 4-3 overtime win at San Jose on Nov. 11.
* Led the league in save percentage in 2007-08 (.924).

Career notes
OT Record: 8-5, Shootouts: 3-5, 10-20 shots stopped, .500 Sv.%

	GPI	Min	W	L	T	OT	SO	GA	GAA	Saves	Sv %
Season	33	1844	11	18	3	3	3	90	2.93	797	0.899
Career	78	4133	35	28	0	6	9	180	2.61	1882	0.913