Predators at Coyotes
THE STORY: The Nashville Predators and Phoenix Coyotes have endured their share of struggles on and off the ice over the past several years. Those will be secondary to both clubs Friday night as they kick off their Western Conference semifinal series in Glendale, Ariz. Both teams posted impressive first-round victories over recent Stanley Cup champions, with Nashville beating Detroit and Phoenix ousting Chicago. Neither club has won the Stanley Cup.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, NBCS, TSN
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (48-26-8): Nashville looked like one of the most dangerous teams to emerge from the opening round of the postseason, needing just five games to dispatch a Red Wings club that fashioned a league-record 23-game home winning streak. Nashville won both games at Joe Louis Arena behind sensational goaltending from Pekka Rinne, who limited a potent Detroit offense to just four goals in the final three games of the best-of-seven. Rinne is 8-5-0 with a 2.05 goals-against average and four shutouts all-time against Phoenix.
ABOUT THE COYOTES (42-27-13): Despite dealing with a nerve-wracking offseason littered with talk of relocation, Phoenix emerged as one of the most consistent teams in the league all season long. That steady play carried over into its first-round set with the Blackhawks, who had all sorts of problems with Phoenix netminder Mike Smith. The 2001 fifth-round pick faced more than 40 shots per night but surrendered just 12 goals in the six-round series, posting a .950 save percentage and registering a 39-save shutout in the pivotal sixth game.
OVERTIME:
1. Phoenix's triumph over Chicago marked its first series victory since 1987, when the franchise was based in Winnipeg.
2. The teams split four regular-season meetings.
3. Rinne is a finalist for the Vezina Trophy after posting a 43-18-8 regular-season record with a 2.39 goals-against average and five shutouts. Smith (38-18-10, 2.21 GAA, eight shutouts) is not a finalist.