Having conceded five goals in each of their first two matches of the season, the Predators where happy to have scored five goals of their own for a change.

With forward Joe Remblance out indefinitely and the calamity in the midfield and backfield caused by departures and injuries, a reconfiguring of the lineup was in order. A combination of Kennedy, Kane, and Paulson alternating at forward and John Flynn, Brian Aguilar, Justin Copp, and Bo Damas occupying the central midfield proved more than adequate to penetrate a most porous Devils� defense.

Sunday�s match against the Devils was never tight as the Predators scored two goals within the first fifteen minutes of the match and entered intermission with a 4-0 lead.

Chris Kennedy scored a hat-trick in the first half to lead all scorers in the five goal bonanza, while Jimmy Paulson and new comer Chris Kane each recorded their first goal of the season.

With forward Joe Remblance out indefinitely and the calamity in the midfield and backfield caused by departures and injuries, a reconfiguring of the lineup was in order. A combination of Kennedy, Kane, and Paulson alternating at forward and John Flynn and Brian Aguilar occupying the central midfield proved more than adequate to penetrate a most porous Devils� defense.

The Predators first goal arrived after 13 minutes when Kennedy slipped past the Devils� centerback with a cheeky stutter-step and slid in a low shot that beat the keeper near post.

A quick counter caught the Devils� defense napping after 21 minutes when Flynn crossed from the left to a motioning Kennedy who had no problem planting it near post from 18 yards.

Kennedy was not done. It was almost five minutes later when he turned onto Aguilar�s pass and struck another low drive across goal. Kennedy�s three goals were the most ever scored in one half by a Predator and the second hat-trick performed in Predators� history. Joe Remblance accomplished a similar feat during the fall 2002 season when he set the all-time team record with 19 goals.

The match swung heavily the Predators after 38 minutes. Paulson sped through onto Kane�s past and took two strides forward before burying a high riser past the keeper�s right.

Anchored by Steve Braje, Rob Thompson, Hans Koppenhoefor, Chad Wege, and new addition Tim Shicky, the Predators defended solidly throughout the match, particularly the first half--limiting the Devils� to four trips into the penalty and even fewer quality shots on goal, guarded by perennial keeper Scot Mall.

With the game seemingly over, the Predators became careless a couple of times in the second half, giving the ball away in their third of the field and allowing the Devils� to test keeper Scot Mall from long range and up close. This carelessness led to the Devils only goal, denying the Predators a clean slate.

From then on, it was the Predators all the way as they responded quickly with a goal of their own. Constantly probing and camping on the Devils� half, Chris Kane picked out space on top of the Devils� penalty arch, and one-timed a diagonal back pass by John Flynn that ripped passed a static keeper that could do little more than spectate.

Kane�s goal in the 82nd minute increased the goal tally to five. The 5-1 victory interestingly mirrored the margin by which the Predators have lost their first two contests.

So, have the Predators overcome their woes or is it to early to say? It�s still to early. It�s still just Week 3, but the Predators definitely played much better. They played good defense, were able to force turnovers, and convert them into goals. They didn�t concede goals on inopportune mistakes that plagued them in their first two matches. And they played more uniformly as a team.

Winning sometime does that.

But the true barometer is a mere six days away when they take on the undefeated and number one ranked Dubliner, whom they have never beaten, and who on Sunday eviscerated all respect out of a hapless Babylon squad by crushing them 12-0.

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