For round number two, 'How to Beat the Goalie' is just going to focus on the great, Mike Smith. (Hopefully that just jinxed him.) The Nashville Predators will be taking on the Phoenix Coyotes in the Western Conference Semi-Finals. The winner goes to the Western Conference Finals.

The cool thing about this series, and the other Western Conference series, is that it is "goalie against goalie", "mano y mano." Pekka Rinne, who has already proven himself as a great goalie, will go against the rising star between the pipes, Mike Smith. The other series is Brian Elliot vs Jonathan Quick in case you were wondering.

The Nashville Predators are Round 2 Bound after the series win over the Detroit Red Wings, Friday night. Tickets will go fast, so order yours today! 

If you can't get tickets through Ticketmaster because they are sold out, go to the 'Fang Faction Tickets' tab at the top of the page. That will link you to Ticket IQ.com for re-sale. I suggest buying them there so Smashville can keep the opponents' fans out of Bridgestone Arena.

Here is the PRESS RELEASE from the Nashville Predators.

Nashville, Tenn. (April 20, 2012) – With tonight’s win over the Detroit Red Wings, the Nashville Predators have advanced to Round Two of the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the team’s second consecutive foray into the Western Conference Semifinals. Tickets to the Predators WCS matchup are now on sale and can be purchased at nashvillepredators.com, by calling 615-770-PUCK (7825), stopping by the Bridgestone Arena box office, all Ticketmaster outlets or by visiting ticketmaster.com.

“The fact that we were able to clinch in front of 17,113 of the best fans in the League made this a win really special,” Nashville Predators Chief Executive Officer Jeff Cogen said. “This city has rallied around this team and having all of our fans ‘Stand With Us’ really helped push us to our second consecutive Western Conference Semifinal. If people thought this building was loud and energized in Round One, just wait until Round Two!”

As an ongoing benefit to season ticketholders, a limited number of tickets for the second round have been held in reserve. Please call or email your account representative to secure these seats prior to this Monday, April 23 at 5 p.m. If you are not a season ticketholder, now is the best time to secure your 2012-13 season tickets to save on all remaining playoff tickets and enjoy additional benefits offered to all season ticketholders.

Opponent, dates and start times for the Predators Western Conference Semifinals matchup will be confirmed with the NHL after the completion of all Western Conference Quarterfinal series. An update will be announced at that time. 

The Nashville Predators were able to pull off the win in Game 5 Friday night, 2-1 over the Detroit Red Wings. With that win, the Predators advanced to the Western Conference Semi-Finals (aka the second round). 

The win in Game 5 was the first time, in this best-of-7 series, that the winning team didn't score three goals. Both teams were very conservative, which is not in the Red Wings' DNA. The Predators were just able to take advantage of the little chances they had, not only in Game 5, but throughout the whole series. Read more after the jump.

Little brother topples big brother; the franchise that has existed for only a few more years than the other has cups ended up coming out on top; the expansion team defeated the team with deepest history; the Nashville Predators eliminated the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 in round one with a 2-1 victory Friday night in Bridgestone Arena.

The Nashville Predators will advance to the second round for consecutive years, this time poignantly taking down the team that they have revered and simultaneously loathed for years. 

Bridgestone Arena was rocking. The noise got up to over 100 decibels several times throughout the game. Nashville's fans have been patient through the years leading up to this season, trusting the front office would be able to put together a consistent winner to compete for the Stanley Cup when given enough time and resources. All of that waiting came through in an explosion. 

Last year, the Predators made it out of the first round for the very first time. This year, the Predators defeated one of their biggest rivals and, in the process, look to be one of the toughest outs in hockey right now. 

The Nashville Predators look to close out this best of seven series Friday night, on home ice at Bridgestone Arena. The Detroit Red Wings are trailing the Predators in the series, for the first time ever, 3-1. If the Predators win tonight, the Red Wings would be eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs and the Predators would advance to the second round in five games. Puck drops at 7:10 PM CT.

Bring your ping-pong paddles Smashville! NOT ping-pong balls to throw on the ice. Todd Bertuzzi is a sissy.

All 20,066 people in Joe Louis arena were stunned. The Nashville Predators took a commanding 3-1 lead in their first round series against the Detroit Red Wings by sweeping both games in Detroit.

The Predators had to overcome poor play early, several terrific runs from Detroit (where it appeared that they would storm back) and also some mediocre work from the referees.

This is the first time in the history of the Nashville Predators’ franchise that the team has held a 3-1 lead in a playoff series.

Physical playoff hockey was the name of the game. Pushing and shoving before, during and after the whistle; coming hard on the forecheck; not just skating to your offensive man, skating through him.

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.

Home-ice has never been so meaningless. The record for home teams in this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs: 8-11. Ouch.

It seemed like a bad omen for the Predators when, after fighting all season to secure home-ice in the first round, they were matched up with the Red Wings, a perennial Cup contender, one of the toughest teams to face on the road and a formidable road opponent. Throw in the wackiness of this season’s playoffs and it seems like a recipe for disaster.

However, Nashville has stood strong, winning one game at home (which is doing more than some teams with home-ice have been able to so far) and even snatching a game in Detroit, something that many hockey experts thought would not happen. A series that had seven-games written all over it is living up to the hype in only three games.

But could these playoffs be crazier? Everything we have come to expect has been turned on its head in just the first week of the playoffs. The Vancouver Canucks, the President’s Trophy winner for the second year running, could not win a game at home. The St. Louis Blues, a team that just a few weeks ago seemed like a front-runner for the Stanley Cup, dropped one at home. The Detroit Red Wings, after taking home-ice from the Predators with a win in Nashville, did the unthinkable and lost it right back at home. The Pittsburgh Penguins have been a calamity on ice.

So with everything crazy and actually favoring road teams and underdogs, maybe the Predators should be favored to win game four. And if they win the series, no one should be shocked. Then again, at this point, no result should be shocking. This is not a typical Stanley Cup Playoffs.

After typing that last paragraph, I had to do a double-take. What?! Favored to win game four? Sure, they have momentum from the latest victory and have proven they can win in Detroit, but it is still the Red Wings we’re talking about here. They still should be considered the most formidable opponent to face on the road. The fact that I could legitimately, even only for an instant, type (and believe) that paragraph is a testament to how crazy this first round has already been. The Predators weren’t even favored in the first two games in Bridgestone.

Perhaps things will return to normalcy, the Wings will come out aggressive and get that noisy crowd into the game, get a lead and hang on to it, putting the pressure on the Predators returning home to Nashville for a critical game five.

But with the way these playoffs have played out so far? I wouldn’t count on anything.

Nashville Predators 3 vs Detroit Red Wings 2: NSH leads series, 2-1

The Nashville Predators win in a nail biter over the Detroit Red Wings in Game 3. Nashville took advantage if their opportunities Sunday, and that is why they won. Their power play improved a bit by going 1 for 4, but could do better. It now seems that the first to three goals will win the game. 

Pekka Rinne had one hell of a game especially in the 3rd period. Rinne kept the Predators in the game by stopping 19 shots in the third period, and 43 shots in the game. About 11 of the Red Wings' shots in the third period, could have gone in. Rinne gets my first star for playing on his head Sunday.

Kevin Klein had a great game Sunday by scoring and stopping a goal. Klein had the sickest goal I have ever seen a defenseman make. He went around Brad Stuart and while getting hooked, Klein roofed the shot over Jimmy Howard's glove. 

Then, Klein stopped a sure goal by Cory Emmerton. Drew Miller's shot left a huge rebound for Emmerton. Emmerton shot, but a sliding Kevin Klein got his stick on the puck and was named the hero of the game.

The series between the Nashville Predators and the Detroit Red Wings take a turn for Game 3 in Detroit at the Joe Louis Arena. With the series tied at one a piece, it is imperative for the Predators to win this game and not fall behind. Home ice is now to Detroit, where they are best at. Sunday afternoon, the winner could be the first to three goals. Puck drops at 11:10 AM CT.