Iron Crotch

I bitch about Pekka Rinne in Nashville because he lets in a softie every game. But, at least he doesn't let in 3 or 4 softies like the Dallas goaltenders!

Goaltending catastrophe. Poor Lindy. But, at least the Stars know what they need in the off-season.

KBC

Right on cue, thunderstorms, hail, and a tornado warning last night. Welcome to Nashville! (we get tornado warnings all the time, but they almost never actually materialize)

Got my Eastern Conference picks exactly right so far. My Western picks on the other hand are all kinds of ###### up!

Good win for the Pens. For some reason the crowd doesn't seem nearly as raucous in Pittsburgh as in other playoff markets. Maybe they're just used to playoff runs.

That game was fun as hell to be at. The arena was almost deafening after the Preds tied in 3-3, and people were dancing in the streets after Arvidson's winning OT goal. Playoff hockey is a ton of fun when the home team wins. I don't like the Preds chances in San Jose, but strange things can happen in Game 7's.

The job market here is booming, especially in health care. Plenty to go around for folks with the right educational background. Very low unemployment rate. No state income tax, which is awesome. As a city-dweller, I can tell you on a street-by-street basis where the crime is. Quite a bit of gang activity in certain neighborhoods (mine until a couple of years ago), but that is localized to very specific areas. I've never had a problem, even living in what was once considered a "rough" area. Downtown Nashville is very safe. I can walk home from there without a concern. Crime is mostly of the petty theft variety (i.e. steal something to fence for cash). Out where you are looking, crime is almost non-existent. That's where most of the rich folks live - up and down I-65. We have horrible allergies here, get a ton of rain, and have a lot of bugs and spiders. We'll get some hellish storms (tornado sirens a couple of times per year), but the rain is what keeps this place green. Winters are nothing by WNY standards.

I've lived here 7 years in the Germantown/Salemtown area just north of downtown Nashville. Nashville is experiencing explosive growth the likes of which this area has never seen. Traffic has gotten noticeably worse in the past two years. Real estate prices are going through the roof, so if you're going to buy do it ASAP. If this growth continues, expect the commute from Franklin to Nashville to be well over 30 minutes each way at peak times. So if you plan to work in Nashville, that is definitely a consideration. If you have a particular neighborhood you're looking in, I can give you a heads-up on expected traffic patterns. Franklin is a nice town - very family oriented since the Williamson County schools are fantastic whereas the Davidson County school are not very good (can be dangerous). Wealthier folks in Nashville tend to send their kids to private schools... or they move to Williamson County. I believe the Williamson Special School district is very much desired, but I don't have kids so I could be way off on this one. Hank - I'll be at a place called The Warehouse in Clarksville next week for a concert. Do you know it?

That was the longest game in Preds history. The arena seemed to get a second wind in the third overtime. It was surprisingly loud in Period #6. I think everyone was a little loopy from lack of sleep.

Got an Amped energy drink. 16 ounces. Now my heart is racing. Go Preds (although the Sharks are dominating).

3rd OT. Still in my seat, but fans are bailing out left and right. Only about half the fans left I'd say.

Double OT. I'm tired as hell. Still in my seat at Bridgestone Arena though. Go Preds.

This calendar year (i.e., from January 1st onward) the Pens had the best record in the East, not the Caps. So, I'm not sure it is such a surprise to see the Pens doing well in this series. Plus, Trotz has a history of great regular seasons followed by disappointing playoffs.

Cute little guy. Enjoy. Puppies are fun if you don't mind a few bathroom accidents and the occasional shoe getting eaten.

I'm not a Democrat.

It really doesn't matter who Trump picks as his running mate. If Hillary doesn't do anything terribly stupid, she wins easily.

The Preds game was fun as hell tonight. Sat next to a couple who flew in from Switzerland to see Roman Josi play.

Interesting. What I'm most concerned with is the low % of playoff goals scored 5-on-5. Only two teams in the league average more than 2 goals per game 5-on-5 through the playoffs - Pittsburgh and Dallas. The most talented players in the world yet the 5-on-5 game is basically an exercise in futility. Pack it in defensively and score on the power play (which the refs seem to give our randomly) seems to be the best way to win in today's game.

Carrie Underwood ‏@carrieunderwood 12m12 minutes ago That's MY husband!!!!!!! Yeah! #NashvilleVsSanJose @mikefisher1212 @PredsNHL #StanleyCupPlayoffs :D

Matty Ekholm is really good. He is one of the more underrated defensemen in the league.

Yep. It was a real product. The Preds are way faster than the Kings. I think this will be a tougher matchup for the Sharks.