Craig Smith may make playoff debut: Friday afternoon notes

Practice lineups from today and yesterday indicate that Craig Smith may make his playoff debut tonight as the Nashville Predators seek to knock the Detroit Red Wings out of the playoffs. That note leads off our afternoon hockey notes, but there's a whole lot more!

Nashville Predators News

A chance for Craig Smith - Predators Insider
Release the Honey Badger!

Trotz says Gill is out - Predators Insider
Interesting wording here: When asked if Gill was out, Trotz said, "yes." Well... could that change by game-time?

Preds ping-pong snub leaves Red Wings with paddles but no balls - Nashville Scene
You just can't let a story like this die, can ya?

Who's got the best playoff beard in Smashville? | The Tennessean
Exercise your right to vote.

Smashville 24/7 - Preds want a fast start tonight
I think the cliché-o-meter is going to blow a fuse before the puck drops tonight.

Anatomy of a Playoff Goal: NSH vs. DET - Goal 3 - Mile High Hockey
That goal is like a gift that keeps on giving.

How often do NHL teams come back from down 3-1? - The Globe and Mail
In case you were wondering...

Playoff Preview - JSOnline
Tonight, the Milwaukee Admirals begin the Calder Cup playoffs against the Abbotsford Heat.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Flyers vs. Penguins, ECQF Game 5: Give them hope, take it away - Broad Street Hockey
Can the Flyers finish off Pittsburgh tonight?

Retirement? Nicklas Lidstrom still has wait-and-see attitude | Detroit Free Press
Could this be Nick Lidstrom's last NHL game? Possibly, but nobody will know for sure for quite a while. I'm guessing "No".

KuklasKorner : The Malik Report : Red Wings-Predators Game 5 game-day updates: Gill out? Wings loose, ‘earning benefit of doubt’
An array of Detroit updates, and some bitterness over the relative freedom with which people can toss seafood onto the ice here in Nashville.

It's Official: Landeskog Nominated For Calder - Mile High Hockey
For my money, Landeskog should win over Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Adam Henrique.

Ovechkin says ‘it doesn't matter' if he's benched - The Globe and Mail
At least Alex Ovechkin knows how to handle a benching at playoff time.

Dale Hunter Hockey - Japers' Rink
Is it time to start buying what the new Washington coach is selling?

Bettman: Teams' complaints about suspensions 'gamesmanship' - The Globe and Mail
I, for one, am shocked at these allegations.

Down Goes Brown: Brendan Shanahan's latest suspension video seems different somehow
As always, DGB brings the funny.

Hockey Prospectus Radio: Episode 15 ("Trying To Out-Flyer The Flyers")
Let hockey nerds fill your ears.

Molson sends Cammalleri his jersey from last game with Habs - The Globe and Mail
Well ain't that touching.

Andy McDonald Talks About Finding His Confidence - St. Louis Game Time
A healthy Andy McDonald has been a tremendous boost for the Blues.

Save 20% on hockey skates, sticks, helmets & more with new coupon code | Hockey Gear HQ
While supplies last, save big on new hockey equipment thanks to this new coupon code. It covers Easton hockey skates, Warrior Dolomite sticks, and much more!

Preds fans can relax this weekend: Saturday's notes

By having eliminated the Detroit Red Wings in five games, the Nashville Predators have earned themselves a respite before the campaign for the 2012 Stanley Cup continues in the second round. For the weekend, then, fans can sit back and reflect on a landmark franchise win, and enjoy watching the rest of the teams battle for the right to move on.

Our morning hockey notes begin of course with last night's triumph, which has to be extra special for all those Day One season ticket holders out there...

Nashville Predators News

Especially this morning, I suggest browsing through the "More Predators Sites" box on the left side of the main page here at OTF, to check out recaps and post-game reaction from all over town.

Preds On The Glass: Predators and their fans win series over Red Wings
If anyone deserves a Standing O besides the Preds themselves, it's charter season-ticket holder Buddy Oakes, who made it to last night's game despite recently having major surgery.

Klein: Preds Finally Slay the Dragon in Series Win | PuckScene.com
Kleiner's getting to be an old hand around here, and has some perspective on the rivalry with Detroit.

Legwand’s goal and assist lead Predators to series win over Detroit - Nashville Predators Examiner
The lesson here? Whether you win or lose a faceoff at center ice has only the most marginal impact on the flow of a game. Deep in either zone, that's a different issue (which is why you see Paul Gaustad take so many defensive zone draws).

Predators, Red Wings headed in separate directions after series - Allan Muir - SI.com
For those wondering if the Red Wings are finally done, watch out. They have a ton of cap room available this summer, and much of their core is still either young & developing, or should still be effective for years to come.

Nashville Predators' Pekka Rinne lets his numbers do the talking | The Tennessean
The big guy was outstanding, no question about it.

Nashville Predators' Alexander Radulov finds goal ... and his groove | The Tennessean
...and the rest of the league needs to watch out.

Nashville Predators deliver clear message vs. Detroit Red Wings | The Tennessean
The Preds are fulfilling all that promise which has been built up over the years.

Postgame ponderings - Predators Insider
Josh gives credit to Barry Trotz for finding the right buttons to push to activate Playoff Legwand.

A Game 1 To Forget — Ads Sunk By Heat 6-2 | Admirals Roundtable
The Admirals got off to a rocky start, but Game Two is tonight.

For those of you without NHL Network, here's their analysis on last night's game:

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Marc-Andre Fleury shines in Pens 3-2 Game 5 win over Philly - PensBurgh
The Penguins keep hope alive with a home win to force Game 6 in Philadelphia.

Down Goes Brown: A brief history of playoff violence
June 19, 2006 - As the final seconds tick down on game seven of the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals, the Edmonton Oilers do something really terrible that earns the franchise a lifetime ban from the NHL playoffs, apparently.

Sports violence is within us all - The Globe and Mail
This ain't the NBA on ice...

False Narratives - PensBurgh
Folks can get awfully giddy with their analysis at playoff time.

Saturday Links: Back in the Lou Edition - St. Louis Game Time
The note & video at the end here are pretty funny.

Around the Rinks - The Globe and Mail
Take a trip around the league with Eric Duhatschek.

LOL OMG NHL: Hockey Goes After The BuzzFeed Generation - Deadspin
Give 'em credit, the NHL does its best to push its brand through every outlet possible.

Phrases I’m tired of hearing: "timely save" | Backhand Shelf
This one drives me nuts, too.

Shea Weber contributes to "You Can Play" initiative

We've been wondering when a Nashville Predator would be represented in the "You Can Play" project, a series of public service announcements from a wide array of NHL stars speaking out in support of the acceptance of gay athletes.

The following came across the Twitterverse from the organization's official account:

Today on @NHLHomeIce, @BurkieYCP let slip that Nashville Predators captain and superstar d-man Shea Weber has filmed a #YouCanPlay PSA.

— You Can Play Project (@YouCanPlayTeam) April 20, 2012

One of the founding partners of You Can Play is Patrick Burke, the son of Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian, and brother of Brendan Burke, who came out about his sexuality while a student manager with the University of Miami hockey team, before dying in a car accident in February of 2010. Patrick has carried on his brother's mission to fight homophobia in sports, and the You Can Play project is gaining support from around the NHL.

Here's a look at the video which kicked off the campaign (this is NOT Shea's), to get an idea of what we can look forward to when the new one gets released:

Follow @Forechecker

Red Wings @ Predators Game Five Thread

---

Next Game

Detroit Red Wings
@ Nashville Predators

Friday, Apr 20, 2012, 7:00 PM Central (Sports South)
Bridgestone Arena

For those going to Game 5...post-game traffic info

posted by cbrooksy 1 day ago

14 comments | 0 recs

Game 5 Television Network/Channel Information in Nashville Predators Market Area - Nashville Predators
Here's your TV info for tonight...

Detroit Red Wings @ Nashville Predators Game 5 Preview: Time For A Knockout - On the Forecheck
The Preds will have their hands full against an experienced opponent which has too much pride to simply fold up the tents and call it a season.

Complete Coverage >

---

Are ye ready?

Predators 2, Red Wings 1: Nashville Eliminates Detroit

The Nashville Predators took a step forward as a franchise tonight, knocking off a Detroit Red Wings team which has, until now, always played King of the Hill against them. The tandem of David Legwand and Alexander Radulov led the way with a goal and an assist each, and Pekka Rinne made 21 saves, to finish the series with a sterling .943 save percentage.

Now, the Preds can enjoy a few days of rest while waiting to see what the second round holds in store.

UPDATE: While reading below, listen to post-game audio picked up by David Yampolsky, an intern with 102.5 The Game who was part of the locker-room media scrum:

Gabriel Bourque postgame 2012-04-20 (mp3)

Alexander Radulov postgame 2012-04-20 (mp3)

Follow after the jump for the video highlights and reaction...

Follow @Forechecker

Cue the video (might take 30-45 minutes post-game to work):

Your random observations:

• The pace of that first period was tremendous, it was finally good to see an extended sequence of 5-on-5, roll-the-lines hockey.
• You can really see the extra effort being put in on the backcheck. Brandon Yip showed why he's earned Barry Trotz's trust by backchecking the length of the ice on Gunnar Nyquist, and Shea Weber kept up with Valtteri Filppula on a breakaway chance after getting beat, which limited Filppula's options as he moved in for a shot on Rinne (which was saved).
• Remember how some folks wondered how Alexander Radulov might be received upon a return to the Predators? Good times...
• That was a sick shot by Radulov, but a combination of savvy forechecking by Legwand and a horrible giveaway by Quincey were equally essential.
• You just knew Detroit was too good to go quietly, however, their persistence to drive the net paid off on that Hudler goal in the second. For a good 5-6 minutes at the end of the second, the Preds just looked like a tired group.
• Gabriel Bourque continues to write a pretty incredible story here, as the rookie fit in perfectly with Legwand & Radulov, as the trio created that opening goal of the third period, and several other good offensive possessions. While not an assertive offensive player, Bourque's speed, tenaciousness on the puck, and preference for making the simple play make him a good complementary piece up front.
• They really need to come out with Playoff Legwand action figures. He now has 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 23 playoff games since 2010 vs. Chicago.
• Tonight, the Predators stood toe-to-toe with Detroit, with the puck possession battle overall coming out to roughly a draw.
• For a near-shutout effort, Pekka Rinne really didn't have too many OMG moments, it was more of a typical smothering effort in which he controlled most of the rebounds and didn't give up anything soft.
• Finishing the Red Wings off tonight is a huge bonus to the Preds' chances of making a long run. We'll have to see if any of the other Western Conference series will end shortly, or if they'll draw a banged-up team in the second round.

Box Score - Game Summary - Event Summary - Corsi Numbers

Poll

Who is your Predator of the Game?

• David Legwand
• Alexander Radulov
• Pekka Rinne

  388 votes | Results

Check out the locker room atmosphere as the Preds celebrated tonight's big win.

Check out the locker room atmosphere as the Preds celebrated tonight's big win.

Coyotes & Blues take 3-1 leads: Friday's notes

This could be a year for the upstarts in the Western Conference playoffs, since besides Nashville's 3-1 lead over Detroit, we also have teams like L.A., Phoenix and St. Louis all enjoying similar advantages over recent playoff powerhouses in Vancouver, Chicago and San Jose.

Jump into your morning hockey notes, which cover all things Nashville/Detroit before heading all over the league, wrapping up with a hockey video you MUST SEE to get your blood pumping...

Nashville Predators News

Game 5 Television Network/Channel Information in Nashville Predators Market Area - Nashville Predators
Here's your TV info for tonight...

Nashville Predators' Jordin Tootoo shows frustration over benching | The Tennessean
We're not used to seeing stories like this, as the Preds don't complain to the press very often.

I appreciate you, Nashville Predators. " What's Up, Ya Sieve?
The Predators are drawing admirers from around the country.

Self-perpetuating defensive hockey, and the success of Alexander Radulov | Backhand Shelf
Might the addition of Rads be paying off in the realm of advanced stats?

KuklasKorner : The Malik Report : Red Wings-Predators Game 5 set-up: nobody wants to be the dragon (and hylla Jarnkrok!)
Here's a wide-ranging look at things from the Detroit side.

Production (K)lein | Predators AJenda
AJ looks back to see how Klein's offensive potential was touted at draft time.

Preds On The Glass: Predators and Wings series is a different kind of "nasty"
So much for these two teams being among the least penalized in the league, eh?

David and Goliath: Legwand Has Datysuk’s Number in D-Zone | PuckScene.com
Patten is really obsessing about faceoffs these days!

Inside Smashville " Unlikely playoff heroes lead Nashville early in postseason
Hands up for all of you who picked Kevin Klein and Gabriel Bourque in your playoff pool.

Predators hope home ice is kind to them in Game 5 - Nashville Predators Examiner
The road team has won three straight in this series.

Nashville Predators' Hal Gill practices; could play in Game 5 | The Tennessean
Gill could prove vital in keeping Wings forwards out of the crease.

Nashville Predators expect tough Game 5 from Detroit Red Wings | The Tennessean
Drat.

A Chance to Earn Respect | The Predatorial
ATTENTION JIM DIAMOND: We have a quarter-pole foul...

Being Outshot by the Wings? Nothing New. - Predlines
Peks loves seeing a lot of shots (I don't know if I've ever heard a goalie say otherwise), so he's comfortable with how this series is playing out.

A Very Special Series for the Predators - Predneck Nation
How special? Let Miranda count the ways.

Paul McCann - Off Day Off Topic - Appreciation and some off day notes
Paul offers a clever rejoinder to the Malik Report.

Smashville 24/7 - Desperation key for Preds to close out Detroit
Detroit was down against San Jose last spring, and came back to force a Game 7.

Trotz discusses Preds' success on 'NHL Hour' - NHL.com
Coach got his time with the Commish, which is a good thing this time.

David Climer: Nashville Predators near signature win | The Tennessean
Climer sets the table, with both the short- and long-term implications coming out of tonight's game.

2011-12 Paper Plate Awards Part Two | Admirals Roundtable
Ryan wraps up the celebratory honors for the Ads.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Phoenix Coyotes @ Chicago Blackhawks Game 4 Recap: Better Late than Never - Five For Howling
Yet again, Phoenix and Chicago went to overtime, and the Coyotes survived to take a 3-1 series lead.

St. Louis Blues Take Control Of First Round By Winning 2-1; Lead Sharks 3-1 In Series - St. Louis Game Time
The Blues are in command now as they head home for Game Five.

Recap: Capitals 2, Bruins 1 - Japers' Rink
The Caps took a low-scoring affair to tie their series with Boston 2-2.

2012 NHL Playoffs: Devils 4, Panthers 0 - Game Four Recap - Litter Box Cats
The Devils and Panthers are tied 2-2 after Martin Brodeur pitched a shutout.

Bruce Boudreau believes undisciplined play is what fans want | Puck Drunk Love
...and he's right.

GIF: David Krejci's Face Almost Sliced By Skate - SBNation.com
Scary stuff.

Bloody Taiwanese animation debates NHL playoff violence, gives Raffi Torres rocket skates (VIDEO) | Puck Daddy
Um, wow.

KuklasKorner : Are You Ready For More Nickelback?
Have a bucket nearby before reading.

Oilogosphere hits the big time as Moneypuck stats are debated at major analytics conference | Edmonton Journal
Well how about that...

On-ice shooting percentage is sustainable… | Hockey Analysis
An interesting addition here would be to isolate players who change teams, to remove that potential factor from muddying the waters.

Jibblescribbits joins All Things Avs, because stats matter in NHL | All Things Avalanche - The Denver Post
Kudos to the Denver Post for diversifying their hockey writing talent.

The Most Famous Stanley Cup Challenge of All | The Hockey Writers
Harken back to those days of yesteryear...

Blackhawks' Quenneville fined $10,000 for criticizing officials - The Globe and Mail
Right or wrong, chirping the refs will always cost you.

More adversity to over come | Ted's Take
This line is catching some heat - "We can’t let the officials play a role in our game planning – we need to remain disciplined and remember that the defending Stanley Cup champs will always get the benefit of the doubt".

Trying to sell hockey to Canadians - The Globe and Mail
Milk that cow!

And lastly, as found at Puck Daddy, this just might be the hockey video of the year:

Detroit Red Wings @ Nashville Predators Game 5 Preview: Time For A Knockout

The Nashville Predators have the chance to finish off the Detroit Red Wings tonight in Game 5 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals at Bridgestone Arena, in what will prove to be a test of their ability to finish off an opponent. The lone opportunity they've had previously in the playoffs was Game 6 against Anaheim, which they won 4-2. This Red Wings team is much more dangerous than that Ducks squad, however, so the Preds will have their hands full against an experienced opponent which has too much pride to simply fold up the tents and call it a season.

While reading, listen in as Roman Josi talks about the upcoming game:

Roman Josi on 1025 2012-04-19 (mp3)

And now, on to the preview...

Mike Babcock has been quoted as saying that defensively, the Red Wings are focusing on the wingers more than the centers, so how exactly is Detroit matching up against the Preds? Let's take a look at how they've been doling out the ice time...

The following table (underlying data from TimeOnIce.com) illustrates what portion of 5-on-5 ice time is being spent on the following individual matchups, split out by games in Nashville vs. Detroit. For example, in the two games in Nashville, Martin Erat has had to face Pavel Datsyuk in 33.1% of his (Erat's) 5-on-5 ice time, but only 61.6% for the games in Detroit:

		Martin Erat	Sergei Kostitsyn	Andrei Kostitsyn	Alexander Radulov	Patric Hornqvist	Gabriel Bourque
NSH	Datsyuk	33.1%	53.2%	54.9%	36.5%	19.5%	30.2%
DET		61.6%	61.8%	16.5%	10.5%	20.3%	18.9%
NSH	Zetterberg	66.9%	42.4%	23.7%	44.0%	46.1%	41.1%
DET		19.8%	19.1%	50.2%	54.0%	32.2%	17.5%

There are some interesting trends which show how these coaches are using the last change to get the matchups they want. Granted, there's a bit of noise in here due to availability, as a player who the coach may wants to throw out there in 5-on-5 may just have finished a PP/PK shift and needs a breather, but basically, Barry Trotz got the Erat/Fisher/SK74 line matched up with Zetterberg's, while in Detroit, Babcock has matched them up against Datsyuk. Conversely, the Radulov/AK46 tandem faced Datsyuk in Nashville, but Zetterberg in Detroit.

So if the Fisher line falls silent offensively again tonight, just keep in mind who they're out there against - if both the Fisher and Datsyuk lines are kept off the scoreboard, that's a win for Nashville.

Is tonight's game the hottest ticket in Smashville's history?

Detroit Red Wings

The Wings feel confident in their gameplan, knowing that they're out-shooting the Preds consistently. That's not, however, due to them just tossing lobs at the net from the outside, per Mike Babcock:

"I hear (team broadcaster) Mickey Redmond say, ‘They're keeping them on the outside.' So the good thing about that is that I watched the game, and watched it on the computer and then ‘NHL On the Fly' played it again,'' Babcock said. "So I watched it three times to see if that's the truth, to see if we're never getting to the net, we're never getting on the inside, and all I can do is go off what I see and I don't think that's the truth.''

--- MLive.com

According to that article, the Red Wings stuck with their same lines & D pairings in practice at Joe Louis Arena yesterday:

Filppula-Zetterberg-Hudler

Franzen-Datsyuk-Cleary

Miller-Abdelkader-Bertuzzi

Nyquist-Emmerton-Holmstrom

Extras: Conner, Mursak

Lidstrom-White

Kronwall-Stuart

Quincey-Ericsson

Nashville Predators

One interesting bit of news was the story filed by Josh Cooper, about how Jordin Tootoo was complaining about being scratched from several of these games:

"I was told that my play towards the end of the season was awful and they got to go with the guys that are going (well). Inconsistency I guess," Tootoo said. "I think the only way to get out of that slump is to play games. ... You can practice all you want, but at the end of the day it's about playing the games and showing up and doing the right things and just being a professional about it."

I guess he forgot the punch to the back of Zetterberg's head early in the 2nd period of Game 3, a completely unnecessary penalty when the team was clinging to a 1-0 lead. I think that qualifies as "awful". Jordin has to realize that with increased talent and depth up front, just because he's been around here a long time, he's not entitled to a spot in the lineup.

It's worth noting that we haven't heard such griping from Colin Wilson.

The forward lines at practice, as reported by John Glennon, were as follows:

SK74 - Fisher - Erat

Bourque - Legwand - Radulov

AK46 - Spaling - Hornqvist

Smith - Gaustad - Yip

This lineup is interesting for a number of reasons:

• Moving Gabriel Bourque up alongside Radulov brings a lot of speed to that line, which might help spring Rads free more often.
• Might Craig Smith make his playoff debut? Happy Happy, Joy Joy.
• I'm still not getting the Yip fascination, personally.

Injuries

Ryan Ellis - he got ping-ponged in the ding-dong right before Game 4, but should be ready to play tonight if called upon.

Seriously, Hal Gill took part in a full practice yesterday, so hopefully he's back in the lineup tonight. Between Franzen, Bertuzzi and Holmstrom, Detroit has three guys who are capable of storming the crease, and Gill's size & strength would be a welcome addition back there. He practiced with Kevin Klein, a pairing which could see Gill play "safety net" while the high-flying Klein continues his scoring rampage.

Traffic Reminder

If you're going to tonight's game, check out the highway construction issues as shared by cbrooksy yesterday.

For those going to Game 5...post-game traffic info

This is well worth sharing, so I'm moving it to the front page. - Dirk

Important info for anyone coming into Nashville for Game 5...

The Tennessee Department of Transportation will be shutting down a stretch of Interstate 24 that is a major part of the downtown loop (and thus a major throughfare for lots of Preds fans) to begin repairs on the bridges that cross over Woodland and Main Streets.

This is the first weekend these repairs are scheduled, as TDOT is taking 13 weekends to make these repairs to have them completed by the end of August. Note that the repairs are ONLY scheduled for the period from Friday at 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Monday, so the interstate can be reopened to regular traffic during the week.

This project will not affect weekday playoff games moving forward, nor will it impact any inbound traffic before Friday's contest. However, it will be shut down prior to the conclusion of Game 5 so drivers will have to find alternate routes to leave the downtown area.

After the jump, closures and detour routes you need to know to plan ahead...

Closures affecting downtown (per TDOT):

• I-24 West will be closed from Mile Marker 47.8 to Mile Marker 50.2
• I-24 East will be closed from Mile Marker 46.8 to Mile Marker 48.0
• Woodland St. from Interstate Dr. to S. 5th St.
• Main St. (James Robertson Pkwy.) from Interstate Dr. to S. 5th St.
• I-24 West on-ramps at Shelby Ave.
• I-24 East on-ramp at Spring St.

Interstate Detour Routes:

• Motorists traveling from north of Nashville on I-24 East/I-65 South toward Chattanooga will follow I-65 South/I-40 West at Exit 86, then follow I-40 East/I-65 South at Exit 84A, and then follow I-40 East/I-24 East at Exit 210.
• Motorists traveling from south of Nashville on I-24 West/I-65 North toward Clarksville/Louisville will follow I-65 South/I-40 West at Exit 211, then follow I-40 West/I-65 North at Exit 210A, and then follow I-65 North/I-24 West at Exit 208.

Local Detour Routes

• Motorists traveling east on Woodland St. wanting to continue east on Woodland St. will turn right onto Interstate Dr., then turn left onto Shelby Ave., then turn left onto S. 5th St., and turn right onto Woodland St.
• Motorists traveling west on Woodland St. wanting to continue west on Woodland St. will turn left onto S. 5th St., then turn right onto Shelby Ave., then turn right onto S. 2nd St., then turn left onto Russell St., then turn right onto S. 1st St., and turn left onto Woodland St.
• Motorists traveling east on James Robertson Pkwy. (Main St.) wanting to continue east on Main St. will turn right onto Interstate Dr., then turn left onto Shelby Ave., then turn left onto S. 5th St., and turn right onto Main St.
• Motorists traveling west on Main St. wanting to continue west on James Robertson Pkwy. (Main St.) will turn right onto Spring St., then take the I-24 East on-ramp, then exit I-24 East at James Robertson Pkwy. (Exit 48), and turn right onto James Robertson Pkwy.
• Motorists traveling on Shelby Ave. to I-24W will turn onto S. 5th St. and will continue on Spring St. to the I-24W on-ramp.
• Motorists traveling on Jefferson St. and N. 1st St. to I-24 East will take N. 1st St., and then turn left onto Woodland St. to the I-24 East on-ramp.

This project could have similar impacts on game day traffic in coming weeks, so here's the TDOT schedule through mid-June:

• April 27-29 – COUNTY MUSIC MARATHON, NO INTERSTATE CLOSURES
• May 4-6 – Contractor will remove existing bridge deck and place new panels
• May 11-13 – Contractor will remove existing bridge deck and place new panels
• May 18-20 – Contractor will remove existing bridge deck and place new panels
• May 25-27 – MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, NO INTERSTATE CLOSURES
• June 1-3 – Contractor will remove existing bridge deck and place new panels
• June 7-10 – CMA FEST, NO INTERSTATE CLOSURES
• June 15-17 – Contractor will remove existing bridge deck and place new panels

The main thing to remember is that this project will NOT affect pre-game traffic, it will only influence post-game traffic trying to leave the downtown area.

Out of Town Scoreboard Watch for April 19

We have a quartet of Game 4's on the NHL menu tonight...

Visitor	Home	Series	Time / Network
Florida Panthers	New Jersey Devils	FLA 2-1	6:00 NHL Network
Boston Bruins	Washington Capitals	BOS 2-1	6:30 NBC Sports
Phoenix Coyotes	Chicago Blackhawks	PHX 2-1	7:00 CNBC
St. Louis Blues	San Jose Sharks	STL 2-1	9:30 NBC Sports

Sorry for the lack of afternoon notes, I have been swamped today. In the meantime, here's something I did for SB Nation's YouTube channel on the wins by Pittsburgh & Vancouver tonight as the two Cup favorites avoided getting swept:

Preds rest, refocus ahead of Game 5: Thursday's notes

This morning's hockey notes set us up for another long day of waiting before Game 5 comes Friday night at Bridgestone Arena (got your tickets?). The Preds are getting a bit of rest for their big stars, and focusing on how to close out a dangerous Detroit team as quickly as possible. I'm sure the next 36 hours will drag out incredibly slowly, while we all wait to see what happens.

The Predators are, however, hosting an open practice at 11:00 over at Centennial Sportsplex, so if you're in the area, make sure to stop by!

And now, on to your reading (and listening, and watching)...

Nashville Predators News

First off, here's Pete Weber's segment yesterday on Hockey This Morning:

Pete Weber on HTM 2012-04-18 (mp3)

Gabriel Bourque delivers offense in playoffs | The Tennessean
Bourque is no stranger to post-season success.

KuklasKorner : The Malik Report : Red Wings-Predators overnight report: Wings must find answers in a hurry to avoid a long summer
Here's an exhaustive link dump from the Detroit perspective.

Predators feel good, want to be better and end series quickly | Nashville City Paper
No single skater is leading the way for Nashville, but the team-wide contributions have been pretty strong.

Inside Smashville " Nashville looks to limit chances for Detroit heading into Game 5
Absolutely, giving up unlimited scoring chances to the Red Wings is not a winning strategy.

Gaustad Dominating Lower Line Detroit Centers | PuckScene.com
Pavel Datsyuk is killing him, but otherwise, Gaustad's getting it done.

Preds eager to slam door on series in Game 5 - Predators Insider
Closing out when you have the chance is important if you want to make a long run.

Klein brings Predators unexpected offense - FS Tennessee
Maybe Kevin Klein is the SK74 of defensemen, some will say.

Schedule gives Nashville’s Rinne chance to rest - The Globe and Mail
The extra day off is also important for Shea Weber & Ryan Suter, who played over 30 minutes each Tuesday.

Preds On The Glass: Off day conference call with Barry Trotz and Predators players (audio)
The title says it all...

Before coming back to Nashville, Pete & Terry provided this discussion of Gordie Howe:

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Canucks At Kings Game Four Recap ; One (3-1W) - Nucks Misconduct
Having the Sedins back together worked wonders, but Cory Schneider played a strong game to stave off elimination.

Senators Overcome 2-goal Deficit, Defeat Rangers 3-2 in OT - Silver Seven
Ottawa evens up their series with New York at 2-2 thanks to Kyle Turris' game-winner.

Sweep Deez- Pens explode for 10 goals in huge Game 4 win over Philadelphia - PensBurgh
The absurd scores continue between Philly and Pittsburgh as the Pens stay alive.

Don Cherry on Raffi Torres hit: ‘I really believe he’ll get 10 games’ (VIDEO) | Puck Daddy
Yeah, that sounds about right.

Cost of a big hit | mc79hockey.com
The times are changing, and a guy who was once considered a hard-working checker can turn into a public menace quickly.

The Game of Hockey is Faster Than Ever (or Why Things Aren't So Easy) - Fear The Fin
Between faster skaters and greater access to video replay, officials are under the gun like never before.

Predators/Red Wings Game 5 - hottest ticket ever in Smashville?

For the first time in franchise history, the Nashville Predators finished ahead of the Detroit Red Wings in the standings this season.

Friday night at Bridgestone Arena, they have the chance to knock the Red Wings out of the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time, too.

Will you be there to see what might be the biggest party in Smashville's history?

This comes from our ticket partners at TiqIQ:

- Average ticket price for Friday, 4/20 Red Wings vs Predators: $184
- Offer $120 for a "3 star" ticket that usually retails for over $170 or Offer $145 for a "4 star" lower level ticket that usually retails for over $170 after all the shipping/handling fees, here: http://tiqiq.us/ATf

As always, you can check out the Tickets link in the upper right corner of the page here at OTF, too. That will help you find tickets to all Preds games (home or away, if you're looking to make a road trip)!

Predators ability to finish to be tested in Game 5: Wednesday afternoon notes

Our afternoon hockey notes begin with updates from today's press conference held by the Preds, in which Barry Trotz talks about what he's liked out of his team so far, what could be better, and what they need to do in order to keep moving forward...

Nashville Predators News

Nashville Predators seek improvement going into Game 5 | The Tennessean
This is no time to get comfortable, says Barry Trotz.

Smashville 24/7 - Preds allowing fewer goals in April; Trotz talks playoff violence
Trotz does, however, like the effort he's seeing by guys without the puck.

Nashville Predators Win, Vince Gill Loses (His Voice, That Is) - The Boot
Vince has been sharing his love of hockey with concert audiences.

Nashville Predators assistant coach Peter Horachek had hockey career influenced by Bob Perani | MLive.com
Perani (who passed away recently) was a giant in the hockey community in Michigan, where "Perani's Hockey World" stores are a destination for hockey players.

Preds' Bourque becoming unexpected playoff hero - NHL.com

Give it up for the Preds' goal-scoring leader so far.

Paul McCann - Klein Comes Up Big, Rinne Bigger.
Paul's pretty giddy about Peks, and ready to serve up crow to those who criticized his new contract. The problem with it from my perspective is the length more than anything else (I know nobody wants to hear that right now, but it has to be said).

Klein Smythe: Nashville Defenseman Making A Habit of Scoring Playoff Goals | PuckScene.com
Is Kleiner embarking on a scoring binge?

Predators announce grants distribution - Predators Insider
This year, the Predators Foundation is distributing more than $350,000 in charitable grants.

2011-12 Paper Plate Awards – Part One | Admirals Roundtable
Has Jon Blum turned things around? That's what the "Righting The Ship Award" implies.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Raffi Torres suspended indefinitely by NHL - The Globe and Mail
Torres will have an in-person hearing, which is required for suspensions longer than 5 games.

Brian Burke: Uproar over NHL incidents is misplaced – USATODAY.com
You know, there are some pretty good hockey games being played, too.

NHL hearing from business partners over fines, suspensions - The Globe and Mail
It will be interesting to see if any money is actually at stake here.

Hockey violence, viewers on rise + 30 Thoughts | Hockey | CBC Sports
As always, time spent with Elliotte Friedman is well worth it.

Dustin Brown’s journey from trade bait to playoff hero for LA Kings | Puck Daddy
And to think they almost traded him...

Fleury of Goals - Habs Eyes On The Prize
Some people thought Marc-Andre Fleury was a fraud of a Vezina candidate even before his playoff meltdown.

Markham's NHL-ready arena could get green light next week - The Globe and Mail
A new NHL arena in the Toronto area? I'm down with that...

Engagement, interest increasing among NC hockey fans thanks to Canes/Checkers pairing - Canes Country
Having their minor league affiliate nearby is credited with building the overall hockey community in Carolina. I'm telling you, once Festival Tennessee gets rolling, they could use an AHL franchise to fill the arena on nights the NBA team isn't playing.

Out of Town Scoreboard Watch for April 18

Two of the Stanley Cup favorites are on the brink of being swept tonight...

Visitor	Home	Time (Central) / Network
Pittsburgh Penguins	Philadelphia Flyers	6:30 NBC Sports
NY Rangers	Ottawa Senators	6:30 CNBC
Vancouver Canucks	L.A. Kings	9:00 NBC Sports

Flyers vs. Penguins, ECQF Game 4 preview: Finish them - Broad Street Hockey
Can the Flyers close this one out in front of the home fans?

2012 NHL Playoffs: Rangers Vs. Senators - Momentum On The Line Tonight - Blueshirt Banter
The Rangers are up 2-1 in this series, and tonight's tilt at Ottawa could give them a huge advantage.

Schneider To Start / Daniel Says He Will Play - Nucks Misconduct
Well, that cuts off two big excuses for Vancouver.

Still no Gill for Game 4: Tuesday afternoon notes

With today's morning skate an optional affair on both sides, we won't have any further information on possible changes to line combinations heading into tonight's Game 4 between Nashville & Detroit. The one thing we do know, however, is that Hal Gill is still out of action, even though he hit the ice today.

Read on for an early edition of your afternoon notes...

Nashville Predators News

Gill to miss Game 4 - Predators Insider
He took part in the morning skate, but still isn't quite ready to go. The good news is that there's a two-day break before Game 5 on Friday, so maybe he'll be OK then. Will Ryan Ellis or Jack Hillen get the chance to play tonight?

Game 4 Television Network/Channel Information in Nashville Predators Market Area - Nashville Predators
Here's your channel guide for tonight's game.

Greetings From Smashville! K2 Summit Edition | The Hockey Writers
Jas enjoys seeing the muckers get their time in the spotlight.

Preds' Weber deserves Norris over Karlsson - sportsnet.ca
Ryan states the case for Webs, as I did as well last month.

Breaking Down the Matchup: Milwaukee vs. Abbotsford | Admirals Roundtable
Can the Admirals withstand the Heat? Jason takes a look at Milwaukee's first-round opponent.

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

NBCSN Up Again On Night Three as Kings/Canucks Sees a Spike in Viewership " Puck The Media
Before you buy into all the hand-wringing over the state of the game, and the horrible violence we're seeing in some of the series... the bottom line is that viewers seem to love it.

Down Goes Brown: Inside Gary Bettman's playoff pool draft
Fun stuff as NHL luminaries make their playoff picks...

Exit Vigneault? Maybe so - The Province
Why wait until the Canucks are actually eliminated? Tony Gallagher gets the jump on the "fire the coach" columns.

On Captain Jack and The Wiz: The Future of the Blue Jackets' Leadership - The Cannon
Once they ship Rick Nash out of town, where should Columbus look for leadership?

Boston College recruit Austin Cangelosi scores crazy ‘chip and flip’ overtime winner in USHL (VIDEO) - Buzzing The Net
This is an amazing thing to try as you're entering the zone... personally I'm surprised we don't see more of it as a breakout maneuver, as you can freeze a defenseman due to the natural reaction to try and swat the puck out of the air.

Driving Play: Odds And Ends On First Round Series
Read into these what you will.

Ted Black Versus The Media: How A Simple Press Conference Turned Into A Huge Ordeal - Die By The Blade
The fans in Buffalo aren't being served well as the local newspaper and the Sabres continue their feud.

NHL Power Forwards: Ovechkin, Cole & The Rest - The Copper & Blue
Before looking, take your guess as to which Predator makes this list.

Predators 3, Red Wings 1: Pekka stands tall, Nashville takes 3-1 series lead

The Nashville Predators won on the road in Detroit once again, taking a 3-1 series lead with a 3-1 victory at Joe Louis Arena. Pekka Rinne was the standout once again, as the Red Wings out-shot the Preds 41-17, dominating the flow of play for long stretches of time. Also once again, it was the supporting cast which came up with key goals, as Gabriel Bourque and Kevin Klein lit the lamp, and David Legwand iced the game as Detroit was trying to make a push to tie it up late.

The Preds now have a chance to close out this series Friday night at Bridgestone Arena in Game 5 on Friday night (check here for tickets!).

Follow after the jump for the video highlights and reaction...

Follow @Forechecker

Cue the video (might take 30-45 minutes post-game to work):

Your random observations:

• I missed a good chunk of the first period, as my car get #Webered on the way home from work. Kudos to the LaVergne police & fire crews for helping us out; fortunately everyone was OK, but I'm betting my car is totaled. Rain + winding roads = trouble, folks.
• It's hard to know exactly what to make of Legwand's demotion to a lesser line. His glovework with the puck during a 2nd-period goal mouth scramble came dangerously close to rewarding Detroit with a penalty shot. In addition, Nick Spaling just doesn't seem like a great fit with the Brostitsyns.
• Once again, you've got to love the rapid emotional roller coaster of playoff hockey. Early in the third, Leggy thought he had scored, only to have it called off because the ref intended to blow the whistle (it blew clearly after the puck crossed the line on replay). That's just the hockey gods rebalancing things after that Detroit shot Sunday that crossed a fraction of a second after the horn blew. It was a frustrating moment, followed up by...
• Only seconds later, Gabriel Bourque stood all alone in front of the net, picking up a rebound and putting the Preds up 1-0, despite having been out-shot thoroughly. Rejoice!
• Just 49 seconds after that, however, a Too Many Men penalty gave Detroit the chance to tie it up, which Kronwall did. The call was pretty clear, unfortunately. There was an extra guy that Terry Crisp couldn't see right away when he was counting Preds on the replay.
• What followed a few minutes later was simply amazing. Marty Erat engaged in some mass hypnosis, drawing three Red Wings with him towards the corner, then tossing the puck back into the slot for a wide-open Kevin Klein to bang home. Just a bizarre sequence there, a mind-boggling breakdown by the Detroit defense.
• There was a lot to love over those final few minutes. Mike Fisher battling one-on-one with Pavel Datsyuk... Brandon Yip with a nifty backhand loft clear under pressure... and that 3rd goal by Legwand was a clever bit of work.
• If Hal Gill is able to go Friday night, that should certainly help the defense corps. Shea Weber & Ryan Suter both played over 30 minutes tonight, while Ryan Ellis played just 5:08.
• I'm seeing lots of tweets saying that the team is arriving back at Signature Air terminal around 11:30, if you want to give the boys a proper welcome home!

Box Score - Game Summary - Event Summary - Corsi Numbers

Torres-Hossa hit has NHL critics fuming: Wednesday's notes

Your morning hockey notes begin with a couple items from last night's big 3-1 victory by the Preds at Detroit, then move on to the issue which seems to be consuming the rest of the NHL these days. Another dangerous hit, this time with Phoenix Coyotes forward Raffi Torres laying out Chicago's Marian Hossa, has people wondering if a culture of violence has suddenly taken over the world of hockey, and what, if anything, should be done about it...

Nashville Predators News

Preds fans welcome team back from Detroit just after midnight | Lumination Network
Kudos to the Smashville faithful who met the team at the airport last night!

Kevin Klein and the Best Goal Ever - Predlines
Caroline breaks down Marty's bait & switch job on the Detroit defense last night.

Postgame ponderings - Predators Insider
Pekka stole the show with these two games in Detroit, but he's not the only hero, writes Josh.

Saginaw Spirit’s Greg Gilbert named OHL coach of the year - Buzzing The Net
The credit, naturally, goes to Preds prospect Josh Shalla.

Thanks to OTF reader Linda for sending this my way, a Hockey Night in Canada report about how the Preds are getting Detroit to commit so many penalties:

Around the Wide Wide World of Hockey

Phoenix Coyotes @ Chicago Blackhawks Game 3 Recap: Road Warriors - Five For Howling
Phoenix took another overtime victory, pulling ahead two games to one.

2012 NHL Playoffs: Panthers 4, Devils 3 - Game Three Recap - Litter Box Cats
The Panthers earn a huge win here, assuming a 2-1 lead in a series which just about everyone (including me) predicted them to lose handily.

Marian Hossa Leaves Game On Stretcher After Raffi Torres Hit - SBNation.com
In my eyes, this is much like the Aaron Rome hit in last season's Cup Final, which drew a 4-game suspension. Except Torres has more of a history with this stuff. The good news came later that Hossa was released from the hospital and is expected to be OK.

Raffi Torres defends Marian Hossa hit as ‘hockey play’; Toews, Blackhawks furious | Puck Daddy
Shocking! The Coyotes too a "see no evil" approach while the Blackhawks are outraged that the officials didn't call anything at the time.

Jonathan Toews leads players speaking out over NHL violence - The Globe and Mail
Hmm... I wonder what Toews had to say about Hossa avoiding a suspension when he dangerously drilled Dan Hamhuis into the end boards during the 2010 playoffs.

Up to 1 man to curb violence after another night marred by dirty play - Allan Muir - SI.com
This is right on the money - the only way major change is going to come with regard to suspensions and player safety is if the Players' Association makes it a priority in the upcoming CBA negotiations, and gets involved on a regular basis.

A Spiral into Utter Silliness - The Spin
Someone needs to remind Mike Modano ratings are way up.

The View from 111: Intent and Extent: A Fool's Errand, an Impossible Standard
Mark joins the chorus of critics lambasting the way the NHL approaches supplementary discipline.

NHL Must Legislate "Honor" | Hockey Independent
A nice bit of perspective here for those who think playoff hockey is taking a turn for the worse.

Wheel of justice lands: James Neal suspended 1 game, Arron Asham suspended 4 games - PensBurgh
At long last, the Penguins received their punishment for the Game 3 nonsense.

Diving in the Stanley Cup Playoffs: Marchand, Kesler and embellishing for glory | Puck Daddy
Greg's right that diving isn't exactly a new phenomenon, but what we need are officials confident enough to call a guy for diving and not give a coincidental penalty the other way. Truly penalize a team for having their guys dive.

Systems Analyst: While you’re busy sorting out coverage, you may as well just defend that open guy beside you | Backhand Shelf
When one player gets lost on D, the whole house of cards can come tumbling down.

Transformational Potential & the Identity Map - The Goalie Guild
Who knew goaltending could be so mystical?

Philadelphia Daily News Trolls Crosby - PensBurgh
These things are fun, but you'd think a newspaper could do better than a hack job in MS Paint.

The Penguins, Flyers, Red Wings, Predators, and the best from Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs - Grantland
Katie Baker tries to sell the Grantland crowd on the glory of the NHL playoffs.

The NHL's Most Interesting Name Final Bracket: (2) Larry Goodenough vs. (7) Fred Sasakamoose - Arctic Ice Hockey
It's a battle of the 70's versus the 50's...

Predators @ Red Wings Game Four Thread

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Next Game

Nashville Predators
@ Detroit Red Wings

Tuesday, Apr 17, 2012, 6:30 PM Central
Joe Louis Arena

Still no Gill for Game 4: Tuesday afternoon notes

posted by Dirk Hoag about 2 hours ago

24 comments | 0 recs

No Ping-Pong for you! How should the Predators defend home ice on Friday?

posted by Dirk Hoag about 5 hours ago

82 comments | 0 recs

Opportunity awaits Predators in Game 4: Tuesday's notes

posted by Dirk Hoag about 8 hours ago

70 comments | 0 recs

Complete Coverage >

Game 4 Television Network/Channel Information in Nashville Predators Market Area - Nashville Predators
Here's your channel guide for tonight's game, which starts at 6:30 Central.