The Nashville Predators rookies opened up the first of a pair of road games with an impressive 7-3 win on Monday night at Saveology Iceplex. Facing off against the Tampa Bay Lightning rookies, Craig Smith lived up to expectations posting four goals and adding one assist for five points on the night. Individual markers were added by Taylor Beck, Austin Watson and Brent Andrews. Gabriel Bourque added four assists on the night.

Celebrating after Smith's second of four goals (photo courtesy of @rinkside)

It comes as no surprise that the line of Smith, Beck and Bourque were the official three stars of the game as the three forwards combined for a total of 13 points on the night.

In goal, Chet Pickard saved 20 of 22 shots he faced in goal while Atte Engren saved 20 of 21 shots faced. In total, the Tampa Bay rookies threw 43 shots at the Predators netminders sharing duties while the Lightning’s Pat Nagle faced all 38 shots from Nashville, making 31 saves.

Tuesday morning, Nashville takes on the rookie participating in the Florida Panthers camp. The future of the Predators organization then return to Smashville for their final on-ice practice Wednesday afternoon before the start of the regular training camp. Practice is at Centennial Sportsplex at 1 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

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Information regarding the first weekend of individual game ticket sales was released by the Predators on Monday afternoon and it is good news out of Smashville:

“More than 800 people lined up at the Bridgestone Arena box office on Saturday morning to secure individual game tickets for the first half of the 2011-12 season. Predators’ fans that waited in line were rewarded with a special box-office-only $10 ticket offer during a 9 a.m. early-bird special, with $10 tickets selling out for more than half of the games offered. The line continued to grow when individual tickets were made available to the general public at 10 a.m.  Total tickets sold on opening weekend approached 7,500 for the first half of the 2011-12 season, compared to a 1,500 ticket opening weekend in 2010-11″

You can buy your own tickets at www.nashvillepredators.com or by calling Bridgestone Arena.

 

 

Photo credit: @rinkside