There’s just one playoff game tonight and it’s an important one to determine the control of the series between Nashville and Vancouver. With the Canucks taking a 2-1 lead in the series thanks to Ryan Kesler’s overtime winner in Game 3, another Canucks win would send them back home one game away from moving on to the Western Conference final.
Vancouver @ Nashville - 8:30 p.m. ET (Versus) - Vancouver leads series 2-1
Nashville will be hoping to turn their luck around in Game 4 and with it they’re hoping the referees will be a bit more helpful. At least that’s what coach Barry Trotz wants from them when it comes to some of the Canucks “gamesmanship” in helping them blow their whistles. The Predators got burned in Game 3 when Shea Weber was sent off for a questionable hooking call in overtime that led to the Canucks scoring on the man advantage and ending the game. The Predators will have to make due tonight without Steve Sullivan in the lineup meaning that either J.P. Dumont or Colin Wilson gets the start tonight. Sullivan is bothered by an ankle injury suffered in Game 3.
Vancouver is still looking to get Daniel and Henrik Sedin going offensively. The twins have struggled throughout the playoffs and even more so against Nashville. While Pekka Rinne is making life hard on all of Vancouver’s scorers, the Sedins are MVP-type players and they’re not playing like that in these playoffs. For Vancouver to shake off the doubters, they must step up their play or else they’ll be playing with fire as to whether or not they can win this round, never mind the Stanley Cup.
The highlight of this series though has been the goaltending showdown. Sure the play and the pace of the games might not be all that engaging, but the play of Rinne and Roberto Luongo has made it worthwhile. Two Vezina Trophy finalists doing their thing and making the job of goaltender look like the easiest job in the world with how they’re playing in this series. It’s not that easy, they’re just helping make it look glamorous. The Predators will have to play with some desperation tonight and make Luongo feel uncomfortable in net if they want to send this series back to Vancouver tied up. Otherwise they’ll be staring elimination in the face on Saturday night.