Predators at Blues
The only team that has yet to lose in the Stanley Cup Playoffs looks to keep their perfect run intact as the surprising Nashville Predators visit the St. Louis Blues on Friday for Game 2 of their Western Conference second-round series. Eighth-seeded Nashville improved to 5-0 in the postseason with a 4-3 victory in Game 1 that was marred by a costly injury.
Rookie left wing Kevin Fiala, who scored twice in the Predators' four-game sweep of top-seeded Chicago in the first round, was lost for the remainder of the postseason after suffering a fractured left femur in a scary crash into the end boards. "Nobody wants to lose a player like that," Nashville coach Peter Laviolette told reporters. "He's worked hard. He was getting to a point where he really was a difference-maker with the puck on his stick. ... We'll miss him." Although the Blues erased a two-goal deficit in the third period before losing on Vernon Fiddler's late goal, the series-opening defeat dropped them to 5-8 in their last 13 home playoff games. "We have to be better at home," St. Louis coach Mike Yeo told reporters. "We have to address this. As coaches, it's up to me to figure out why that is. We have to find a way to be better."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, TVA
ABOUT THE PREDATORS: Trading captain Shea Weber in the offseason was a shocking move, even if the blockbuster deal yielded another star defenseman in P.K. Subban, who put on a show in Game 1 by scoring once and setting up a pair of goals - with all three points coming via booming slap shots. Subban tied his career high and became the first Nashville blue-liner to register three points in a playoff game while boosting his career postseason total to 43 points in 60 contests. "We can sugarcoat it, but that's why they pay me, you know?" Subban told reporters after the game. "It's to come up big in these games and perform."
ABOUT THE BLUES: Although St. Louis dispatched Minnesota in five games in the opening round, it continues to struggle with its special teams, converting on 1-of-16 chances with the man advantage in the playoffs while surrendering two power-play goals in Game 1 for the second straight contest. "Penalties killed us," right wing Ryan Reaves told reporters after Thursday's practice session. "We've obviously got to eliminate penalties. Playoff hockey, teams are going to make you pay." Left wing Jaden Schwartz, who scored six goals over 38 contests in the previous four postseasons, collected his third in six games during this year's playoffs.
OVERTIME
1. Predators LW Colin Wilson, back in the lineup for the first time in three weeks, scored his 11th goal in his last 21 playoff contests in Game 1.
2. Blues G Jake Allen began the postseason by yielding five goals in four games but has allowed seven in the last two.
3. Fiddler, who was a healthy scratch for the entire first round, scored only four goals in his previous 42 playoff contests before delivering the game-winner in his debut this postseason.