Game 4: Predators @ Red Wings Preview
The Nashville Predators will try to take a 3-1 lead on the Detroit Red Wings, Tuesday night. The series is currently, 2-1 in favor of the Predators. Hopefully this is the last and final time the Predators have to go to Joe Louis Arena for the season. While on the other hand, the Red Wings want to force a Game 6 by tying the series up at 2 games a piece. The team who has the first three goals, will most likely win. Puck drops at 6:40 PM CT.
TV/Radio Coverage
Coverage in Nashville: SportSouth and 102.5 The Game
Coverage in Detroit: FS-D and 97.1 The Ticket
Coverage in USA: NBC Sports Network
Coverage in Canada: CBC and RDS2
Playoff Series
| Game | Date | Away | Home | Result |
| Game 1 | 4/11 | DET | NSH | 2-3 NSH |
| Game 2 | 4/13 | DET | NSH | 3-2 DET |
| Game 3 | 4/15 | NSH | DET | 3-2 NSH |
Line Up News
Starting Goalies:
| Name | W | L | OT | SV % | GAA |
| #35 Pekka Rinne | 2 | 1 | 0 | .928 | 2.35 |
| #35 Jimmy Howard | 1 | 2 | 0 | .892 | 2.70 |
Projected Predators Scratches: #38 D Jack Hillen, #49 D Ryan Ellis, #37 G Chet Pickard, #15 C Craig Smith, #22 W Jordin Tootoo, #23 W Brian McGrattan and #33 C Colin Wilson
Projected Red Wings Scratches: #43 W Darren Helm (Lacerated Forearm), #31 G Joey MacDonald (Back Spasms), #15 C Riley Sheahan, #39 W Jan Mursak and #41 W Chris Conner
Injury Report
Nashville Predators: #75 D Hal Gill (Foot) Game-Time Decision
Detroit Red Wings: #43 W Darren Helm (Lacerated Forearm) Out, #31 G Joey MacDonald (Back Spasms) Out and #17 W Patrick Eaves (Concussion) Out
Projected Line-Ups
Predators
| LW | C | RW |
| #74 Sergei Kostitsyn | #12 Mike Fisher | #10 Martin Erat |
| #46 Andrei Kostitsyn | #13 Nick Spaling | #47 Alexander Radulov |
| #57 Gabriel Bourque | #28 Paul Gaustad | #27 Patric Hornqvist |
| #24 Matt Halischuk | #11 David Legwand | #18 Brandon Yip |
| D | D |
| #6 Shea Weber | #20 Ryan Suter |
| #75 Hal Gill/#8 Kevin Klein | #59 Roman Josi |
| #51 Francis Bouillon | #8 Kevin Klein/#49 Ryan Ellis |
| G |
| #35 Pekka Rinne |
| #39 Anders Lindback |
Red Wings
| LW | C | RW |
| #51 Valtteri Filppula | #40 Henrik Zetterberg | #26 Jiri Hudler |
| #93 Johan Franzen | #13 Pavel Datsyuk | #11 Dan Cleary |
| #14 Gustav Nyqvist | #8 Justin Abdelkader | #44 Todd Bertuzzi |
| #20 Drew Miller | #48 Corey Emmerton | #96 Tomas Holmstrom |
| D | D |
| #5 Nicklas Lidstrom | #18 Ian White |
| #55 Niklas Kronwall | #23 Brad Stuart |
| #27 Kyle Quincey | #52 Jonathon Ericsson |
| G |
| #35 Jimmy Howard |
| #29 Ty Conklin |
Game 4: Red Wings Players to Watch For
| Name | G | A | +/- |
| #13 Pavel Datsyuk | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| #11 Dan Cleary | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| #51 Valtteri Filppula | 0 | 1 | -2 |
Thoughts on Both Teams
Detroit: The Detroit Red Wings want this game bad Tuesday night. If they were to lose this game, it would be completely devastating to the confidence of the team and fans. Since the Red Wings were so dominant at home during the regular season, it would suck to lose in the time of the season that matters.
Mike Babcock made a few line moves in Monday's practice at Joe Louis Arena. At defense, Jonathon Ericsson and Ian White swapped lines. White will be with Lidstrom, while Ericsson will be with Kyle Quincey.
On offense, it looked like Dan Cleary moved up to the second line with Pavel Datsyuk and Johan Franzen. And Todd Bertuzzi was demoted to the third line with Justin Abdelkader and Gustav Nyqvist. All lines per Ansar Khan.
Mike Babcock assured everyone to not buy into the lines too much and they will be switched around during the game, depending on the situation.
The Red Wings are looking forward to starting the game off strong. That is the main focus in the Detroit locker room. In Game 3, the Predators were the team to start the game off early and silenced the crowd. The Red Wings plan to do the opposite in Game 4.
Nashville: The Nashville Predators look to take a 3-1 lead back to Bridgestone Arena, Tuesday night. It would be huge for the Predators to get the win. The momentum would be gone for Detroit, and going back to a loud crowd (Bridgestone Arena) to have a chance to end the series.
Even though the Predators won Game 3, Barry Trotz is changing up the lines to spread even more depth around the lines. David Legwand was moved down to the fourth line with Matt Halischuk and Brandon Yip. Nick Spaling took Legwand's place in the lineup and moved up to the second line with Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn. Paul Gaustad took Spaling's place and moved up to the thrid line with Patric Hornqvist and Gabriel Bourque.
I have to tell you, the Predators' third line is going to be my favorite. Paul Gaustad at center to win face-offs. Patric Hornqvist at wing to screen the goalie. Then, Gabriel Bourque at wing as well, to use his speed and pick up the pucks and forecheck hard. I wouldn't be surprised if these guys are going to attempt to shut down the Zetterberg-Filppula-Hudler line. I also wouldn't be surprised if Shea Weber and Ryan Suter are at defense for the third line.
Hal Gill finally skated with the team for the first time in the playoffs. Gill apparently was on the ice a lot longer than Barry Trotz expected, but didn't complete the practice. Trotz is still calling his foot injury a "game-time decision." I am thinking Gill will play through the pain and should play.
Quick Hits from the Nashville Predators' website.
PLAYOFF QUICK HITS
• This is the third Western Conference Quarterfinals series between Nashville and Detroit. The Red Wings have won both of the previous series – 4-2 in 2004 and 4-2 in 2008. Nashville has played more playoff games (15) against Detroit than any other team in their seven trips to the postseason.
• Twelve of the 15 postseason games between the Predators and Red Wings have been decided by two goals or fewer. All three games in this year’s series have ended in 3-2 scores.
• Nashville is returning 14 players from last season’s playoff team – Erat, Fisher, Halischuk, Hornqvist, Klein,Sergei Kostitsyn, Legwand, Lindback, Rinne, Spaling, Suter, Tootoo, Weber and Wilson. Francis Bouillon was injured and did not play during the 2011 playoffs.
• Three players remain on Nashville’s roster from the 2004 WCQ series vs. Detroit – Erat, Legwand and Tootoo. Eight players who played against Detroit in the 2008 WCQ remain – Erat, Legwand, Radulov, Suter, Tootoo and Weber.
• Legwand is the Predators’ franchise leader in every postseason offensive category; he has posted 23 points (10g-13a) in 40 postseason games with Nashville. Martin Erat ranks second on the franchise’s all-time playoff points (20), goals (7) and games played (39) lists. He is tied with Legwand for the most playoff assists (13).
• Hal Gill – who has missed the first three games this series – is tied for sixth among active defensemen in postseason games played. He has skated in 105 career playoff games, making him the most experienced Predator in the postseason. Sixty-nine of those games have come in the past four seasons.
• Ryan Suter (32gp) and Shea Weber (32gp) have each taken the ice in every Predators’ playoff game over the team’s last four trips to the postseason – they are the only players to do so.
