NHL reporter says “the Predators will be out for blood,” tonight.

On Saturday night we were witness to one of the most controversial moments of the season during a matchup between the Nashville Predators and the defending Stanley Cup Champions, the St. Louis Blues. I am of course referring to the now infamous series of cross checks delivered by St. Louis Blues enforcer Robert Bortuzzo to the back of Nashville Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson, a series of cross checks that have left Arvidsson seriously injured and out of action for at least the next month of 2019 - 2020 National Hockey League regular season.

What makes this situation so unique however is the fact that the two teams involved in the incident are now set to meet again just two days after this all went down. Now normally after a vicious cheap shot like the one Bortuzzo delivered there would be a penance to pay but neither of the players involved directly in the incident will be on the ice for tonight's game. Arvidsson's absence is the most obvious given that he has now seriously injured, and in the case of Bortuzzo the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety saw fit to suspended him for 4 games as a result of his actions. It is that suspension however that now has many believing that the Nashville Predators will be out for some serious revenge this evening, with some predicting that this could turn into one of the ugliest games of the regular season thus far. 

Many feel that 4 games simply was not enough for a play that appeared to be clearly motivated by intent to injure, especially not when you consider that Arvidsson himself could miss as many as 18 games as a result of the injuries he suffered. If the Predators feel the head of the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety, former NHL enforcer George Paros, has failed to do his job they may very well be seeking their own measure of retribution this evening. That is exactly what Ken Campbell of the Hockey News has predicted and he is advising fans to tune in or set their PVRs for what he suspects will be a wild affaire this evening.

From Campbell:

Nine years ago, NHL vice-president Colin Campbell acknowledged in an email that became public that, “we sell and promote hate.” Well, if that’s the case, then business should be booming tonight when the Nashville Predators host the St. Louis Blues in the second of their back-to-back games. Get your tickets and set your PVRs because the Predators will be out for blood.

Again Bortuzzo himself will not be on the ice this evening so if the Predators do seek revenge in tonight's contest it will come at the expense of one of his teammates.  I do not think anyone would be surprised at this point if things did in fact turn ugly this evening but that is going to depend entirely on how far the Predators are going to be willing to go to avenge their fallen teammate. One thing is certain, this is one game you don't wanna miss.