Tootoo's Resurgence Sparks Preds

BY JESSE LIEBMAN

EDITORIAL. PHOTOS BY AP NEWS

When you think of the "stars" of the Nashville Predators, your thoughts likely drift to goalie Pekka Rinne, captain Shea Weber and perhaps forward Steve Sullivan. Odds are punishing winger Jordin Tootoo isn't in the mix.

Truth be told, this is a club that has never had a true superstar, unless you count Peter Forsberg's 22-game cup of coffee as a playoff rental in 2006-07. Hell, does anyone even remember that?


To the average person, Tootoo is a guy known more for his brief fling with American Idol singer Kelly Pickler than he is for smashing an opposing player into the boards or scoring a timely goal. You want proof? This is the first result when you do a Google image search for Tootoo.


In a city where you would not expect hockey to have a devout following, the Predators are finally starting to reap the benefits of what they have sowed for 13 seasons. Nashville finally advanced to the conference semi-finals for the first time ever, and they've got Tootoo to thank for their run at history.

NHL East Playoff Preview

BY EVAN SPORER

EDITORIAL. PHOTOS BY AP IMAGES

With the NHL season finally concluding, eight teams in the Eastern Conference are all set and ready to make a run at Lord Stanley’s Cup. 

With no clean sweeps in any of the regular season matchups between the playoff pairings, here is the low down on how the first round could shape up.

#1 Washington Capitals vs. #8 New York Rangers

Conventional sports wisdom would tell you to pencil in the No. 1 seed in any one-eight tilt. But then again, conventional wisdom may be thrown out the window when these two rivals face off in the first round. 

The season series went to the Rangers 3-1. And not only did the Blueshirts take the series 3-1, they did it by winning the last three games of the series by a whopping combined score of 15-1! Plain and simple, the Rangers have owned the Caps this year. 

AFC Playoff Picture

BY IAN TASSO
EDITORIAL. PHOTOS BY AP NEWS

The temperatures are dropping - fast.

And that can only mean one thing: playoff football.

With the postseason quickly approaching, certain teams are vying for position, others are fighting for their playoff lives, and the rest are trying to prove they have what it takes. Where does your team sit?

On a whole different level:

New England Patriots:

Not only do they have what it takes, they are what it takes; the prototype for success. Is there one quarterback you'd rather have in a playoff matchup than Tom Brady? And at home, too? Locking up home-field advantage might have been the worst thing for the AFC. Not good news unless you hail from somewhere between Boston and Maine.

Still, there are a few questions. Can they win sloppy? The game against the Browns showed a distinct weakness with this team – if Brady is off, this team sheds a little skin.

Also, second half defense. The past two games, New England has shown they can close out games – but early on this year, they had trouble slamming the door shut. Which Patriots’ defense will we see down the stretch?

In the clear: