It’s a Game Six Game Night in Smashville as the Nashville Predators are one win away from their first Stanley Cup Final. Pred Nation is struggling to wrap their heads around that one. The team? They are all about business. They got back to work immediately, just like they have for each game win or lose… arriving back yesterday afternoon to a hero’s welcome. Over a thousand crazed fans of the fang showed up to greet the team at the airport as the playoff fever hits another level in Smashville. You can hear them going nuts during the press availability videos available on the Preds website.
As has turned into my habit, what does each team need to do in order to win tonight?
Anaheim is dealing with the injury bug a little more now as well. They have been without Patrick Eaves since round 2, but now Rickard Rakell is out again tonight and John Gibson is a big question mark. Gibson left the game after the first period Saturday night. For Anaheim to win and send this series back to California they need to elevate their game in all areas. Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf need to dominate tonight, not just be a part of it. Ryan Kesler needs to be a player, something he hasn’t been in this series and it has limited his effectiveness. The Ducks also need to elevate their behind the play shenanigans across the board, that element of their game can be highly effective when an opponent allows it to get under their skin. They need to dare the officials to call it… then dare the Preds to beat them with the power play.
The Ducks also need to remember, and draw from their experience of comebacks. They have two comebacks from three goals or more so far this postseason and also crawled out of an 0-2 hole in game three. This team shouldn’t be afraid of falling behind as they have proven repeatedly that they can come back. Oh… and Anaheim is 2-0 when facing elimination this playoff season. Does it matter who is in net for the Ducks? Not really, it shouldn’t change the Ducks gameplan at all.
For Nashville, they need to draw on the level of desperation they showed in game five and feed off the Bridgestone Arena crowd. The all business attitude we have seen from this team throughout the playoffs has served them well, while Pred fans are riding the highs and lows and savoring every second… the team is just going to work. There is no status report on Mike Fisher regarding tonight’s game and I would expect very few lineup changes.
The Preds need to use their speed and not take silly penalties, whenever the Predators have done that it has frustrated Anaheim into distraction, tiring them out killing penalties. Nashville also needs to trust the system, trusting the system leads to third periods like the one we saw Saturday, it leads to wins. The Ducks have shown that they do not have an answer when the Predators are aggressive, when they initiate the physical play and when they stay on their forecheck.
The goaltending advantage has been clearly in Nashville’s favor, Pekka Rinne continues his outstanding netminding in the playoffs, causing plenty of writers to have to grudgingly eat their words. He will need to be excellent again tonight.
The last key may be energy. A pattern has developed in this series. When reviewing the post game quotes over this series, the Ducks have noted “running out of gas” after games one, three and five. Game one makes sense as it had to be hard to summon up the emotion less than 48 hours after beating Edmonton in game seven, getting King Kong off their backs, however… games 3 and five have something in common. They followed a travel day.
I can’t help but think that the rest gained by the Preds between rounds two and three have paid off in these circumstances. I may be giving too much credence to watching this team slowly crash last year against the Sharks in a very similar situation, but it is what it is.
Don’t get me wrong… tonight is a herculean task… even if the Preds captain is able to go. But I can promise you one thing… Bridgestone Arena will kick it up another notch. I do expect Pred Nation to leave tonight with throats shredded and ears bleeding.
Game time is 7pm, coverage begins with pregame on 102.5 the Game at 6pm, live from Barrel House in Bridgestone Arena. Game coverage drops the puck at 7pm with the Voice of the Predators Pete Weber on the Predators Radio Network across the midsouth. TV coverage is on NBCSN with Kenny Albert on the call.
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Conference Final Reset
Eastern Conference
PIT vs. OTT – PIT leads 3-2 – Game six is tomorrow in Ottawa.
Western Conference
ANA vs. NSH – NSH leads 3-2 – Game six is tonight in Nashville.
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Playoff Random Notes
- Bridgestone Arena is sold out… resale tickets are available, but be careful… there have been counterfeit tickets floating around. Stub Hub has tickets as high as $1500 a seat!
- The third period has been key for Nashville in the playoffs, outscoring opponents 20-9 in the penultimate stanza.
- The Preds win in Anaheim Saturday was the first game five win in Anaheim since the 2011 playoffs. The Ducks had won seven consecutive game fives at home over that timeframe.
- Pittsburgh pasted a touchdown and extra point on the Senators yesterday to get a 3-2 lead in the ECF. Not sure if Ottawa can come back on that one…
- As I write this, there has been no word on if Corey Perry’s abuse of an official late in game five will be addressed.
- One game in the NHL today – 7pm – ANA @ NSH (NBCSN)
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