Tonight’s broadcast

Tennessee Outlaws vs. JPII-MLK - 8:10 PM pregame, 8:15 PM faceoff BROADCAST LINK

Previewing tonight’s games

The game that MTSN is broadcasting is in BOLD.

Predators Cup first round
#7 Hendersonville-Beech-Lawson vs. #2 Ravenwood - 8:40 PM @ Centennial A
Final regular season records:
-Hendersonville: 9-4-2, finished 7th
-Ravenwood: 12-2-1, finished 2nd
Regular season meeting: Ravenwood won 8-6 on December 11

Hendersonville’s tie with Rutherford to conclude the regular season last week cost them the 4 seed for this tournament. Now, they have to face a Ravenwood team that they scored six goals on because the Raptors had Reese Mackenzie in net (her “worst” start of the season, only one of three in eight where she gave up more than one goal; two of the other five were shutouts, and she only surrendered a single goal in each of the other three of that group). They’ll likely be facing Colin Gower in goal tonight, which will make things tougher for them. The Commandos had a limp finish to the regular season: They whipped up on MBA, then closed their pre-Christmas stretch with the Ravenwood loss, then came out of the holiday break with the loss to JPII, then finished with the tie with Rutherford, a darn shame for a team that steadily improved as the season went on. Now, if they lose tonight, they have to turn around tomorrow, and face a Franklin team that beat them 6-1 back in September. Meanwhile, Ravenwood were the preseason favorites to be the 1 seed (OK, my personal preseason favorites), because it felt like the only team that could match them was Ensworth. Scratch out the loss to the Outlaws in October, because they only had 10 skaters, but they tied with a Summit team that matched their speed, and then lost to an Ensworth team that showed they’re still the ones to beat. Still, get ready for another deep Preds Cup run by the Raptors.

Pick: Ravenwood

Consequences of this game’s result: The winner will play Montgomery Bell next Monday @ 8 PM @ Centennial A in a Predators Cup Winners’ Bracket Semifinal, while the loser will play Franklin tomorrow night @ 8:30 @ Antioch-North

Predators Cup Losers’ Bracket first round
#8 Tennessee Outlaws vs. #5 JPII-MLK - 8:15 PM @ Antioch-South
How they got here:
-Outlaws: lost 6-3 to Ensworth in the first round on Monday
-JPII: Lost 6-2 to Summit in the first round on Monday
Regular season meeting: JPII won 6-3 on December 11

It’d be a real shame if the Outlaws’ season came to an end tonight, because there are a couple of more teams in this tournament that they could push; aside from tying with Ensworth in November, and beating Ravenwood, they only lost 2-1 to Hendersonville back in October. Instead, their season is on the line. The Outlaws did a good job of keeping Ensworth at bay on Monday until the Ice Tigers scored those two second period goals that came 2:02 apart. Sure, Tennessee scored two in 30 seconds early in the third, but by then, it was pretty much a done deal. Meanwhile, JPII watched Summit run off in the third for the second straight week. Matthew Simmons was in goal for the Knights when these two teams met in December, and the Outlaws briefly took advantage, leading 3-1 after one before JPII took over the game in the second; tonight, it’ll probably be Jacob Benoit in the blue paint. For the Outlaws, who do they go with: Dawson Reynolds or Justin Iannuccilli? Unfortunately for them, I don’t think it matters.

Pick: JPII

Consequences of this game’s result: Winner plays either Montgomery Bell, Hendersonville, or Ravenwood next Wednesday @ 8:40 PM @ Centennial A in a Predators Cup Losers’ Bracket Quarterfinal, while the loser is eliminated

Henry Hine Cup first round
#5 Brentwood vs. #4 Centennial-FRA - 7:10 PM @ Centennial A
Final regular season records:
-Brentwood: 4-10-1, finished 13th, ahead of Independence on head-to-head
-Centennial: 5-10-0, finished 12th
Regular season meeting: Centennial won 5-1 on October 16

Ten years ago, if these two teams met in the first round of a tournament, it either meant that one of them had a tough season, or they both had middling ones if it was a 4 vs. 5 matchup. Well, both teams are now near the bottom of the league because their home rink is long gone, and they’re having trouble recruiting players period, not just quality ones. Brentwood had the joint fourth-worst offense in the regular season along with Mt. Juliet, as they both only scored 39 goals (they also tied on goals allowed with 82, if you can believe that); 24 of the Bruins’ goals were scored by Zane Cesarone (14) and Jack Schultz (10). Centennial had the second-worst, scoring only 32 goals, but they also only allowed 51. Nick Claas was the only Cougar to hit double figures in points, with 16 (12 G, 4 A). Both teams were propped up by outstanding goaltending: Andrew Sallee for the Bruins (although, he was on the losing end of two 9-0 defeats to Ravenwood and MBA), and Drew Stratton for the Cougars. However, when they met in October, it was backup Collier Owen in net for the Bruins. Knowing that tonight’s showdown will likely be Sallee vs. Stratton, it’s going to be a lot tighter. Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised if it went longer than three periods.

Pick: Brentwood

Consequences of this game’s result: Winner plays Station Camp-Liberty Creek next Monday @ 8:30 PM @ Bellevue-Crisp in a Henry Hine Cup Winners’ Bracket Semifinal, while the loser will play Montgomery County Rangers in an elimination game, also next Monday @ 7:40 PM @ Centennial B

#6 Independence-BA-USN-Nashville Christian vs. #3 Father Ryan - 8:30 PM @ Centennial B
Final regular season records:
-Independence: 4-10-1, finished 14th, behind Brentwood on head-to-head
-Father Ryan: 5-9-1, finished 11th, behind the Rampage on head-to-head
Regular season meeting: Independence won 5-2 on October 28

The Irish only outscored the Eagles 41-38 in the regular season, but their defense allowed 19 fewer goals (52 to 71). That makes the fact that Indy dominated the October meeting between them even more surprising. And this came in the midst of Barrett Teasdale’s seven-game suspension for a head contact match penalty against Summit on September 30. That game was one of eight starts that Zach Fonnesbeck made in goal for the Irish. It was one of his six losses. Yes, the Irish don’t have the level of offensive talent that they had last season, but Fonnesbeck hasn’t played up to the standards we saw him deliver last year. Freshman Jack Karpynec has been the standout in goal, with four of Ryan’s five wins coming with him in the crease. Indy only had one player finish in double figures in points: Landric Mayeski with 15 (9 G, 6 A). If Teasdale hadn’t had such a long suspension, he might’ve been the second. The Irish had two: Gage Hart (who might have been the best freshman skater in the entire league this season) and Colin Sullivan; Hart had 18 points, with 16 of those being goals, while Sullivan had 14. I’m guessing that Karpynec gets the start in goal, and that, for me, tips the scales towards the Irish.

Pick: Father Ryan

Consequences of this game’s result: Winner plays Rutherford Rampage next Wednesday @ 7:10 PM @ Centennial A in a Henry Hine Cup Winners’ Bracket Semifinal, while the loser will play Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central-Green Hill next Monday @ 8:45 PM @ Antioch-North in an elimination game

Brackets

Click on the bracket images to be taken to their BracketHQ webpages; they automatically update when a final score is entered.

Predators Cup

Henry Hine Cup

Monday’s final scores

The games that were broadcast by MTSN are in BOLD.

Predators Cup first round
Ensworth-Nolensville-Lipscomb 6, Tennessee Outlaws 3 PODCAST LINK
Summit-Page 6, JPII-MLK 2 PODCAST LINK
Montgomery Bell 5, Franklin 1

Henry Hine Cup first round
Rutherford Rampage 10, Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central-Green Hill 2
Station Camp-Liberty Creek 8, Montgomery County Rangers 1

Tomorrow’s game

MTSN is planning to broadcast tomorrow’s game.

Predators Cup Losers’ Bracket first round
#6 Franklin vs. Hendersonville/Ravenwood loser - 8:30 PM @ Antioch-North

Classic playoff broadcasts

Once again during this postseason, we will be uploading great GNASH playoff games of the past that were heard on MTSN. Uploads will take place every Tuesday and Friday during the postseason. Click HERE to go back in time!

Podcasts

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Miscellaneous links

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The next newsletter comes out tomorrow, February 6.