The Nashville Predators find themselves with their collective backs to the wall as they enter game five of their Western Conference Semi-Finals against the Vancouver Canucks. The President’s Trophy winners can capture a spot in the Conference finals with a win tonight on home ice. Nashville tries to build on a successful 3-2 road record in this year’s playoff season. The road has been much kinder to the Preds than home ice where, after dominating in the regular season, they have posted a pedestrian 2-3 record.
The Predators have put paid to a lot of “nevers” in this playoff season, they have an opportunity tonight to take care of another one. Nashville faces an elimination game for the sixth time in the franchises history. They are 0-5 when facing elimination. They have only scored six goals in elimination games (three of those came last year against Chicago) and have been shut out twice. History may be made, but it is not on the Predators side tonight.
Pred Nation may quibble about officiating, injuries and effort, but the reality is, Vancouver is slowly building up a head of steam and are starting to play like the President’s Trophy winners they are. I have to give full credit to Alain Vigneaut and his coaching staff, they have planned and executed well to stop a Predator team that scores by committee. Their defensive scheme has been excellent, plotting to stop the system, rather than specific lines or players.
The injury situation went from bad to worse for the Predators in game four as the Predators lost Jerred Smithson as the conclusion of the first period. Smithson has been a critical player in these playoffs, strong on faceoffs and chipping in offensively. His position will be filled by JP Dumont, a veteran player who can add offense to a team that desperately needs it. If yesterday’s practice lines hold, Dumont will be on a line with Matt Halischuk and Blake Geoffrion. Steve Sullivan’s replacement for game four was Colin Wilson, he worked with Jordin Tootoo and Nick Spaling in yesterday’s session.
Let’s face it gang, the Nashville Predators have a Herculean task in front of them. I do like Barry Trotz’s post game quote that talked about the task not being three games, but being one. They must have that attitude. The team must find more energy, more scoring, more everything if they are to bring this series back to Bridgestone Arena for a Monday night game six.
Game time tonight is 7pm CDT, puck drop at around 7:12pm. Coverage on Versus and CBC.
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Random Notes
- Colin Wilson had a solid outing for his playoff game of the season on Thursday. My first thought was that he has appeared to learn his lesson. He looked like season one Colin Wilson.
- I have to give a shout out to the Vancouver fans that made the trip to Nashville for games 3 and 4. What a great bunch! Every one of them I met was nice, friendly and very respectful. Most of them mentioned how Nashville looks like a hockey town to them. They certainly knew how to act in someone else’s house. Good on ya gang. Thanks for coming, you guys are welcome back anytime!
- Another shout out to the horde of media that showed up in Nashville this week. I watched a skeptical press turn to Nashville fans as they went through the week. Amazing what a little honky-tonkin’ can do!
- The Phoenix Coyotes look to be staying in the desert for at least another year as the City of Glendale appears poised to fund another year if the purchase process can’t be completed soon. I’m sure the Goldwater Institute is really happy about that.
- The Boston Bruins exorcised their own demons yesterday by completing their sweep of the Philadelphia Flyers.
- It may have been a costly win for the Bruins as Patrice Bergeron went down with a concussion in the third period. It’s a tough break to lose their leading scorer heading into their conference final matchup with the upstart Tampa Bay Lightning.
- The Detroit Red Wings made NBC very happy by ensuring they get at leaset one playoff game this weekend with their stay alive victory last night. San Jose leads the series 3-1.
- Tonight’s playoff schedule – Nashville @ Vancouver – Canucks lead 3-1, 7pm CDT (Versus, CBC)
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