As there are only two games tonight, and MTSN is broadcasting them both, the broadcast links are included in the game previews.

Previewing tonight’s games

Both games are being played at Centennial B.

Rutherford Rampage (0-2-0) vs. Pope Prep-MLK-GCA (1-3-0) - 6:30 PM
MTSN broadcast begins at 6:25 PM BROADCAST LINK
This is a big game for both teams in terms of trying to stay in Tier 1 when the second half of the regular season rolls around (which, by the way, is not too far away; teams will start playing their first half finales ten days from today). A win for Rutherford would mean that all eight Tier 1 teams would have a win, and make the race to try and stay up very interesting at it hits the closing stages. A win for Pope would give them a second, and pretty much guarantee them a place in Tier 1 come mid-November. Rutherford have only played two games, and such a small sample size really doesn’t tell us a lot yet. They lost a high-scoring 6-4 game to Montgomery Bell to open the season, then lost to Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central-Green Hill 4-0 in a game that simply got away from them in the third period. Pope’s four games are a better tell: They opened with a gritty 2-1 win over Mt. Juliet, before a 4-1 loss to Father Ryan that’s by far the worst game they’ve played; a 3-1 loss to MBA where an empty netter created the buffer; and a 6-4 loss to the other 4-0 team in GNASH, Franklin. They’re not bad, but low scoring is definitely an issue (and, as evidenced by the Franklin game, when they do score a lot, they give up too much). Because this is a Friday game, the goaltending matchup might come into play. Will Jackson Wilson return for Rutherford after sitting out the Mt. Juliet game with an injury? Will Anthony Pellegrino be available for Pope? That could be the tell-tell sign as to how this game will go.

I’ll pick the Knights to win.

Father Ryan (2-1-0) vs. Montgomery Bell (4-0-0) - 8 PM
MTSN broadcast begins at 7:55 PM BROADCAST LINK
The Irish have to immediately begin picking up the pieces after an ugly 7-0 whipping from Brentwood on Wednesday. And now, they have to play a team that no longer have to worry about the rest of the season, as the Big Red’s win over Mt. Juliet on Wednesday clinched them - and Franklin - a Tier 1 spot for the rest of the regular season, and a Predators Cup berth for the postseason. Had Father Ryan beaten the Bruins, they’d be in position to do the same with a win tonight. Instead, they have another tough game, this one against maybe the best top line in all of GNASH (Guy-Graham-M. Moore). The Ryan defense got absolutely butchered by Brentwood the other night, and the Big Red could do the same. This is the second of four games in an eight-day stretch for Father Ryan, as they play Rutherford on Monday, and Franklin on Wednesday. As for the Big Red, they’ve been pretty steady. After having to match the Rampage goal-for-goal, they’ve ground out good wins against Pope, Brentwood, and Mt. Juliet. I expect them to do it again. I forgot to mention this in Wednesday’s newsletter, but Ethan Moore is serving a four-game suspension for receiving a checking from behind match penalty against Brentwood on October 4. This will be the second game of that suspension.

Pick: MBA.

Standings

This week’s final scores

MTSN broadcast games in BOLD.

Monday, October 16
Hendersonville-Beech-Gallatin 4, Centennial 4
Summit-Page 8, Station Camp-Liberty Creek 1 PODCAST LINK

Wednesday, October 18
Centennial 4, Tennessee Outlaws 2
Brentwood 7, Father Ryan 0 PODCAST LINK
Station Camp-Liberty Creek 8, Independence-Ravenwood 2 1
Hendersonville-Beech-Gallatin 4, Summit-Page 3
Montgomery Bell 2, Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central-Green Hill 1

Podcasts

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Miscellaneous links

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The next newsletter comes out tomorrow, October 21.