Hello there Fang Faction readers! I know that Jake Old and I haven't been giving you the best coverage and news since the Nashville Predators' season was over, but I would like to apologize on behalf of both of us for the lack of posts.

We have both been very busy lately and will be giving you some of the best coverage in the Nashville blogging community starting Tuesday night.

For example, the next few posts may be: 

EA Sports NHL 13 Cover Vote Updates
2012 Men's World Championship Recap
Western and Eastern Conference Thoughts
Nashville Predators' Player Evaluation
2011-2012 Nashville Predators' Season in Review
NHL Awards Finalists
2012 NHL Stanley Cup Finals Preview
Ex-Preds in the Stanley Cup Finals

Check Fang Faction starting this Tuesday for some GREAT coverage around the NHL.

One of the most famous games in all of the world, EA Sports' NHL, have competitive voting on who will be on the next game's cover. Unlike the EA Sports' Madden games, there isn't a curse. It might actually benefit you. Steven Stamkos was on the NHL 12 cover and he scored 60 goals! It is all about worldly recognition. Who doesn't want to be on the cover?

I ask for fan reaction, only because I like it, and would like to see fans battle each other for their player to be on the cover. I want you to comment on which cover is the best, created by the fans, and who should be on the NHL 13 cover.

The Nashville Predators organization reflected on the 2011-2012 season and looked towards the off-season, Thursday Morning. David Poile, Barry Trotz and the rest of the group were disappointed with the season ending so soon, but it is something to build on.

Nashville's offseason is going to be a busy one. David Poile will be extremely busy signing, re-signing or trading players. Also, not to mention the NHL Draft is in late June.

Currently on the Nashville Predators' roster, there are fifteen free agents. There are eight restricted free agents (RFA) and seven unrestricted free agents (UFA). There are some big names on the list that Poile will need to re-sign at least a good number of them.

Find out who is an RFA or UFA after the jump.

Nashville's suspended players made a return to the lineup in Phoenix on Monday night, but it didn't matter. Nothing the Predators did could best Phoenix's Mike Smith, who had an incredible series, particularly stumping the Predators in the final two games of the series.

The Predators played with the sense of urgency that is to be expected in an elimination game; they pressed on the forecheck and made every hit count. They pulled their defensemen up on offense and tried to put pressure on the Coyotes' player and, in the process, more goals by Smith.

It simply was not to be.

For the second consecutive year, the Predators made it past round one. And for the second consecutive year, the Predators were taken out in round two. On a day in which it was announced that a tentative deal was in place with a new owner for the Phoenix Coyotes, on that would keep them in Phoenix, the Coyotes fans were treated to more good news: the Coyotes are advancing past round two. 

PRESS RELEASE: Phoenix Coyotes defenseman Rostislav Klesla has been suspended for one game for boarding Nashville Predators forward Matt Halischuk during the teams’ Western Conference Semifinal game in Nashville on Friday, May 4, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.

The incident occurred at 6:39 of the first period. A minor penalty for boarding was assessed on the play.

The Nashville Predators are facing elimination as they head to Glendale, Arizona, down 3-1. The Predators have no margin for error in Game 5. The Phoenix Coyotes, on Monday night, will be attempting to close out the series and be in Western Conference finals for the first time in the Phoenix Coyotes' organization. The winner of this series will be playing the Los Angeles Kings. Puck drops at 9:10 PM CT.

Phoenix Coyotes 1 vs Nashville Predators 0: Coyotes lead series 3-1

The Phoenix Coyotes get the job done in Bridgestone Arena by splitting games in Nashville and heading to Jobbing.com Arena for a chance to close the series out. Mike Smith led his team to the shutout by stopping all 25 shots by the Nashville Predators. 

Although, it wasn't really Mike Smith in Game 4, Friday night. The Coyotes won because of the solid defense, shutting chances down by deflecting or blocking shots. Phoenix blocked fourteen shots and made the Predators miss the net fourteen times.

The defense was there for the Nashville Predators, clearly. Allowing only one goal is pretty damn good, but not good enough. The Predators players, coaching staff, management, fans and I now know that without Alexander Radulov and/or Andrei Kostitsyn in the lineup, scoring won't happen much.

Read more after the jump...

The Nashville Predators are trailing in this best-of-7 series to the Phoenix Coyotes, 2-1. In Game 3, the Predators were able to bounce back by winning the game 2-0 and cutting the lead in half. Nashville will attempt to tie the series up at 2-2, Friday night in a rocking Smashville! Puck drops at 6:40 PM CT!

Phoenix Coyotes 0 vs Nashville Predators 2 : Coyotes lead series 2-1

The Nashville Predators cut the series lead in half by winning Game 3, 2-0. Pekka Rinne led the Predators to victory by recording his first ever playoff shutout. Rinne stopped all 32 shots. His best save of the night was during the 5-on-3 in the third period. 

The most important thing about the Game 3 win was the Predators got the win without Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn. Their replacements, Jordin Tootoo and Matt Halischuk, had an outstanding game and I don't see them being pulled out. The Game 4 lineup will most likely, stay the same.

Read more of this game after the jump...

The Western Conference Semi-Finals series between the Nashville Predators and Phoenix Coyotes swing over from Glendale to Nashville. This series in favor of Phoenix, 2-0. Now is the Predators time to cut the series to 2-1 in the Music City, Wednesday night. Puck drops at 8:10 PM CT.

Read more after the recap... like line up changes.