Anders Lind*back will get his first NHL start in goal on Wed*nes*day at Chi*cago. Nashville?s No. 1 goal*ten*der, Pekka Rinne, con*ti*nues to nurse a lower-body injury suf*fe*red against Anaheim in the sea*son ope*ner. The team reca*lled Mark Deka*nich from Mil*wau*kee on Mon*day to be on the bench.
Lind*back told me he has pla*yed in front of crowds of 14,000 in his career, but admit*ted this will be a little dif*fe*rent. He did sound con*fi*dent, though.
?Like every team in this lea*gue, they?re real good,? Lind*back said. ?Obviously, they are the Stan*ley Cup cham*pions. If I can play with these guys, then I can play. And I think I can play with them.?
When asked if Lind*back would be ner*vous, Coach Barry Trotz said, ?If he?s not, he?s not alive.?
I had the chance to speak with goal*ten*ding coach Mitch Korn today and asked about the psycho*lo*gi*cal cir*cums*tan*ces invol*ved. He had a good line: ?Are you worried about (Lindback?s) psyche or mine?? Korn said with a smile.
My take: If Nash*vi*lle loses and Lind*back plays like a roo*kie, it will be a lear*ning expe*rience that will help him down the road. If he plays well and the Pre*da*tors win, Lindback?s con*fi*dence will be off the charts. And Nashville?s coaches will be equally con*fi*dent in Lind*back when Rinne needs a game off.
Rinne up and around: Rinne didn?t prac*tice Tues*day but was wal*king around Cen*ten*nial Sports*plex with no appa*rent limp. It wouldn?t be a stretch to assume he will start against St. Louis on Thurs*day at Brid*ges*tone Arena.
Injury update: Along with Rinne, for*wards Mar*tin Erat (back spasms), Ser*gei Kos*titsyn (bro*ken toe) and Jamie Lund*mark (groin) will not make the trip to Chi*cago. Erat and Kos*titsyn will skate in Nash*vi*lle on Wed*nes*day. They could be ready for Thursday?s home game against St. Louis--
--nashville insider
Lind*back told me he has pla*yed in front of crowds of 14,000 in his career, but admit*ted this will be a little dif*fe*rent. He did sound con*fi*dent, though.
?Like every team in this lea*gue, they?re real good,? Lind*back said. ?Obviously, they are the Stan*ley Cup cham*pions. If I can play with these guys, then I can play. And I think I can play with them.?
When asked if Lind*back would be ner*vous, Coach Barry Trotz said, ?If he?s not, he?s not alive.?
I had the chance to speak with goal*ten*ding coach Mitch Korn today and asked about the psycho*lo*gi*cal cir*cums*tan*ces invol*ved. He had a good line: ?Are you worried about (Lindback?s) psyche or mine?? Korn said with a smile.
My take: If Nash*vi*lle loses and Lind*back plays like a roo*kie, it will be a lear*ning expe*rience that will help him down the road. If he plays well and the Pre*da*tors win, Lindback?s con*fi*dence will be off the charts. And Nashville?s coaches will be equally con*fi*dent in Lind*back when Rinne needs a game off.
Rinne up and around: Rinne didn?t prac*tice Tues*day but was wal*king around Cen*ten*nial Sports*plex with no appa*rent limp. It wouldn?t be a stretch to assume he will start against St. Louis on Thurs*day at Brid*ges*tone Arena.
Injury update: Along with Rinne, for*wards Mar*tin Erat (back spasms), Ser*gei Kos*titsyn (bro*ken toe) and Jamie Lund*mark (groin) will not make the trip to Chi*cago. Erat and Kos*titsyn will skate in Nash*vi*lle on Wed*nes*day. They could be ready for Thursday?s home game against St. Louis--
--nashville insider
