Follow JJ on Twitter @jaeckel!
Predators at Blackhawks Gametime is 8:30 Central. NBC/RSN/TVA/FS-Tennessee/CSN Chicago
Expect the same lineup as Game 3 for Chicago. Likely similar or the same for Nashville. That said . . .
WILL MIKE FISHER PLAY?
I don’t know. And I think that leads to a bigger question: if he does, but he couldn’t in games 1-3, how effective will he be? His job, ostensibly, would be to counter/shutdown Jonathan Toews’ line, which was on fire in game 3.
HOW BIG IS THIS GAME?
Biggest yet. For the Preds, winning means getting back in the series and likely going back home for Game 5 with momentum. For the Hawks, winning means a 3-1 virtual stranglehold on the series.
How’s that for a swing?
WHO IS FEELING MORE PRESSURE?
Between the two teams, it has to be the Preds. They were sky high, coming off a big game 2 win, and fell flat in game 3. Some say the game was closer than the score. I would agree that the game was close until late in the second period, when the Hawks really shut it down. But that seemed to really frustrate the Preds.
As far as players, the pressure is squarely on Pekka Rinne.
Not only has Corey Crawford been outplayed by rookie Scott Darling, more importantly, Rinne has. The Preds are trying to beat a very good team in their building, without 1-2 of their best players. Rinne will likely need to come up huge for Nashville to win tonight.
WHAT ABOUT DARLING?
In some ways his job is easy, keep turning shots away, don’t get rattled. But he’s not fighting to keep a #1 job or justify a huge contract. Darling wasn’t quite as good in Game 2 as he was in Game 1—but he didn’t have to be. Replicating that situation would be ideal for the Hawks tonight.
HOW DOES NASHVILLE ADJUST?
They have two speeds to their game: fast and faster. I would expect them to really work at initiating the break quickly to overcome the Chicago forecheck. I would also expect Nashville to be looking more for stretch passes. Another adjustment they need to make is not to lose their cool if they get down, even late.
WHAT DO THE HAWKS NEED TO DO?
Scoring first would help. Getting a lead in Game 3, especially when it stretched to two goals, was lights out for Nashville.
Keep the pressure on. The Hawks were incredibly effective checking up and down the ice in game 3. Nothing will slow down Nashville or frustrate them more quickly.
Pound their defense. Without Shea Weber, there’s a negative domino effect for the Preds' defense, tougher matchup responsibilities, more TOI, one less superstar to save the day in pressure situations. Bryan Bickell has been great all series finishing big checks on Nashville defenders (and forwards). He, along wth Andrew Shaw and Andrew Desjardins, needs to keep doing just that.
#freekaner—hope Patrick Kane finds some space to operate in. Kane has looked sluggish and stymied thus far. Nothing would accelerate the end of this series in Chicago’s favor faster than a big game for #88.
I'll recap tomorrow.
JJ