Predators at Blues
The Nashville Predators were not expected to get past the first round of the postseason, but they are on the verge of advancing to the Western Conference finals for the first time in franchise history. After sweeping top-seeded Chicago, Nashville takes a 3-1 series lead into Friday's Game 5 against the host St. Louis Blues.
The Predators improved to 7-1 in the postseason after winning back-to-back games in Nashville to push St. Louis to the brink of elimination. "Obviously that's something that would be amazing for this organization too," Predators netminder Pekka Rinne said of the possibility of reaching the Western finals. "Now we have a chance to really step on their throats, and we can control our destiny. You couldn't ask for more." The Blues scored two goals in two games in Nashville and can't count on a return home to serve as a panacea - they are 6-8 in their last 14 playoff games at Scottrade Center, including 2-2 this postseason. "There's no question that to win this series, it's going to be a battle," St. Louis forward Scottie Upshall told reporters. "A team that's been playing well, you've got to be able to put them under pressure. ... You win one game at home and the series is a completely different look."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, CBC, TVAS
ABOUT THE PREDATORS: There were questions about the drop-off in Rinne's play entering the playoffs, but he has posted a 7-1-0 mark, 1.33 goals-against average and a staggering .953 save percentage - the highest for a netminder with at least eight starts since 1982-83. "It's still a small stretch of games to me," said Rinne, who yielded three goals in each game at St. Louis. "But it's one of those things, you try not to look at those numbers." Nashville's defensemen continue to supply great production with eight goals and 14 assists in eight playoff games.
ABOUT THE BLUES: Among the simplest ways for St. Louis to generate more offense is to improve its struggling power play, which has converted on 1 of 9 chances in the series and 2 of 24 in the postseason. “That’s something that we need to be better at for sure,” forward Jaden Schwartz told reporters. “We’ve just got to do a better job of making tape-to-tape passes, coming down hill a little bit more and not looking for the perfect pass, just getting them on net and find a way to get rebounds.” Vladimir Sobotka replaced Schwartz on the No. 1 line at Thursday's practice.
OVERTIME
1. Predators D Ryan Ellis has registered a point in seven straight postseason games, tying a franchise record.
2. St. Louis erased 3-1 series deficits to win seven-game playoffs series in 1991 (Detroit) and 1999 (Arizona).
3. Nashville's 11 goals allowed in eight playoff games is the fourth-lowest total since the expansion era.