A Big Difference
The Nashville Predators had an dominating performance on Sunday afternoon with a 3-1 victory in Game Three, moving the Predators to 2-1 in the series and 6-1 so far this post-season. Tonight, the Predators will look to go up 3-1 in the series in front of the raucous fan-base at Bridgestone Arena. There is a substantial difference between a 3-1 series lead and begin tied 2-2. A 3-1 series lead gives the Predators the opportunity to clinch in Game Five in St. Louis. On the other hand, a tied series would mean that Nashville would lose the home ice advantage and require them to win, at least, one game in St. Louis as well as Game Six back in Nashville. A win tonight could go a long way in pushing the Predators to their first Western Conference Final in the history of the Nashville Predators organization.
Front Line Scoring
The Nashville Predators have seen lots of scoring in this series from their bottom-six forwards and defensive corps. For example, the goals scored in Game Three were scored by Ryan Ellis, Cody McLeod, and Roman Josi. Granted, diversity in scoring has pushed the Predators where they are now in the series, two wins away from moving forward. Yet, the Predators are needing players like James Neal, Viktor Arvidsson, and Filip Forsberg to bury the puck. If the first two lines on offense can contribute tonight, look for the Preds to be up 3-1 as the series shifts to St. Louis. Another lackluster offensive night from this group, could require more scoring like we have seen in the series. This group had the opportunities, especially in Game Three, but now it is time to bury those chances.
Out of the Box
This will be an ongoing key to victory for this series. The Nashville Predators must stay out of the penalty box and keep progressing offensively when given the opportunity for a power-play. The penalty kill has been excellent with a kill percentage of 81.3%, but they must suffocate the offensive abilities of the St. Louis Blues. If the Predators can play a clean game, not giving up
lazy” penalties, Nashville has seen where they can go in the Stanley Cup playoffs with little to no penalties.
This evening, the Predators will look to take another step in reaching the next round of the playoffs. Due to the scheduling by NBCSN, the puck will drop at 8:30 pm, but as usual, your radio coverage will come from 102.5 The Game. It is time to stay up late with the Preds!
