PREDATORS at COYOTES
(Phoenix leads best-of-seven series, 3-1)
TV: NBCSN, TSN, RDS
Big Story: Nashville's season is on the line after suffering a 1-0 loss on home ice in Game 4 on Saturday night. The series now shifts back to Phoenix for Game 5, where the Predators came up empty in the first two games of this best-of-seven series.
"There's nowhere to hide. It is what it is," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "I think during the series we've played well but not well enough to be up 3-1. We haven't buried our chances when we've had lots of chances. We put ourselves in this position, and we've got to dig ourselves out."
Team Scope:
Predators: After being suspended for Game 3 and scratched for Game 4, forwards Alex Radulov and
Andrei Kostitsyn are expected to return to the lineup Monday night.
The duo was suspended for Game 3 for a violation of team rules. After Nashville earned a 2-0 victory in that contest, Trotz decided to go with the same lineup for Game 4. The Preds fell behind 3-1 in the series in a 1-0 loss at Bridgestone Arena.
Radulov leads the team in points with six in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, while
Andrei Kostitsyn's four tie him for fourth on the team.
"I think there's a high probability that they'll both go in," Trotz said. "I think they're motivated. There's some guys, as I said, that didn't bring their best games and therefore I think there would be a couple of changes.
"They wanted to be a in a position and their hoping to be in a position so they can get on the ice and help. I said, 'You've got to wrap your arms around the situation we're in and be ready to go.' That's what I've asked. They're getting in the mindset that they're ready to go. They want to help this team. They're not happy that we're down 3-1 in this series. You're a player and you've been a good player for a long time and you want to be on the ice. You don't want to be in the stands, so they're back in the right mindset that they can make a difference here."
Coyotes: Phoenix suffered a blow Sunday night, when it learned defenseman
Rostislav Klesla will be suspended for Game 5. Klesla received a one-game ban for boarding Predators forward
Matt Halischuk at 6:39 of the opening period of Friday's 1-0 win at Bridgestone Arena. It is believed
David Schlemko will replace Klesla in the lineup Monday night.
Who's Hot: Preds forward
Patric Hornqvist and defenseman
Ryan Suter each have three points in this series. … Coyotes goalie
Mike Smith has a 1.90 goals-against average and .937 save percentage in the first four games.
Injury Report:
Lauri Korpikoski is still considered questionable after missing the past three games for Phoenix with an undisclosed injury. He is skating, however.
Stat Pack: Friday's victory marked the first time Phoenix had won a game in May since the then-Winnipeg Jets accomplished the feat on May 20, 1979. The Jets won the WHA's Avco Cup that night with a 4-2 victory against the Edmonton Oilers.
Puck Drop: "We're aware it's not going to come easy. We've been there just a couple of weeks ago. They're going to play desperate. That's what we saw with Chicago. You've got to come hard. They're not going to give it to you." -- Coyotes forward
Antoine Vermette