Preds have 21 skaters out on the ice for pregame warmups tonight (in numerical order)
  Forwards (13): Erat, Legwand, Fisher, Spaling, Smith, Yip, Hornqvist, Gaustad, Wilson, Andrei Kostitysn, Radulov, Bourque, Sergei Kostitsyn
  Defensemen (8): Weber, Klein, Suter, Hillen, Ellis, Bouillon, Josi, Gill


THREE PREGAME MUSINGS:
 -- There's a lot more energy in the arena tonight than there was in either Game 1 or Game 2; very important for the Preds to get through the first television timeout and settle the crowd down.

 -- Look for the Preds to use a variety of line combinations and defensive pairings during tonight's game. Coach Trotz stated this morning that lines at the start of the game may well be different than lines at the end of game --- depending on play within the game. 

 -- Alexander Radulov looks like he has an extra spring in his stride during pre-game warmups. He had some jump during Sunday's practice and mentioned again during this morning's media session a desire to --- perhaps not in the same words --- prove that he can be a difference maker at this level of the playoffs. It would not be surprising to see a very spirited effort by Radulov in tonight's game.

The Preds took an optional morning skate at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale today; the majority of the players went out on the ice today.

Some quick takeaways from today's post-practice media session:
   -- The players stressed the importance of maintaining the defensive focus the team displayed in Games 3 & 4. The Preds players and coaches felt the team generated enough offensive opportunities to win, especially in Game 4, but just didn't bury the opportunities they created. The players expressed a confidence that if they continue to play the same way, but capitalize on some of those chances, they can come away with the win tonight and extend the series further.

  -- Expect a physical start to the game; the players noted the games became more physical in Games 3 & 4 and expect that trend to continue tonight.

  -- The lines from practice on Sunday are likely the lines the Preds will open with tonight (Fisher centering Erat & Wilson, Legwand centering Bourque & Hornqvist, Spaling centering A. Kostitsyn & Radulov, Gaustad centering S. Kostitsyn & Yip). However, Coach Trotz made a point to state that the line combinations will be fluid and will be based on how guys are going. Trotz noted that Wilson skated strong the last two games and earned added opportunities. He also mentioned that Sergei Kostitsyn had been struggling a little with his production, but still brings solid offensive and defensive skills and may well be slid around to different lines if the coaches need a spark in a different area.

THREE MUSINGS:
Hornqvist -- Patric Hornqvist was front-and-center in several of the Preds top scoring chances in the period, actually starting with the final shift of the first period when time expired with Hornqvist and Bourque trying to whack away at a loose puck in the crease. Hornqvist rang a shot off the post 5:31 on a rush in transition 5:31 into the period, snapped a shot over the crossbar on Smith's giveaway a few seconds later, and just missed on a redirect of a backdoor feed with 7:24 remaining in the period. He was dangerous as a passer as well, helping relay along a handful of entry plays from the far wall along the blueline heading into the offensive zone. Hornqvist should have drawn a penalty on Martin Hanzal with 1:18 left in the period; Hornqvist made a good strong move without the puck cutting through the neutral zone and Hanzal stuck his stick into Hornqvist's waist to hook him back into contact and prevent Hornqvist from creating separation in transition, but the infraction went undetected.

Missed Opportunities -- The Preds skated much better in the second period, holding the Puck in the Phoenix zone for the first 1:50 of the frame consecutively, but were unable to net the equalizer. Hornqvist hit the post on a transition rush around five-and-a-half minutes into the period and a few seconds after that Phoenix netminder Mike Smith handed the puck over at the top of the crease, but the Preds misfired on the open upper half of the net. Infact, the Preds missed high on around a half dozen great looks off other passing sequences in the period. Spaling and Wilson were victimized on a potential two-on-one opportunity midway through the frame, when the puck hopped over Wilson's stick drawing the play offside.

Much Better 2nd Period -- As a team, Nashville did a much better job of the "details" in the second period, winning the majority of one-on-one puck battles. Although shots on goal were even in the period, 10-10, the Preds held a 24-21 edge in attempted shots and created almost all of the quality scoring chances in the frame.

The Preds lines at the start of the game (in order of first shift)
    Legwand centering Bourque and Hornqvist
    Fisher centering Erat and S. Kostitsyn
    Gaustad centering Halischuk and Tootoo
    Spaling centering Wilson and Yip

Defense pairings:
    Josi and Gill
    Suter and Weber
    Bouillon and Klein


THREE MUSINGS:
Wide Open Start -- The first six-and-half minutes of play was wide open run-and-gun hockey with both teams trading scoring chances. Not the style of game the Preds really want to play, but it did make for an entertaining start. And both teams were flying around the ice. Rinne got into the game early as he was forced to make three or four quality stops, including a one-on-goalie down low by Boedker just under five minutes into the game.

First Fight -- We saw the first fight of the series at the 10:00 mark of the first period with Gaustad and Chipchura dropping the gloves after a neutral zone faceoff. Gaustad got the quick knockdown and then the bout continued with an extended "round 2" ending fairly evenly -- though Gaustad did land a big uppercut late.

Detail Plays -- The Preds "level of detail" in the first period was not as strong tonight as the team showed during Game 3 on Wednesday night. Nashville had a couple of failed clears coming out of the defensive zone, struggled to get the puck deep on neutral zone dump-ins and wasn't as crisp on angles for the forecheck. As a result, the Coyotes won the races to the majority of the loose pucks in the first period. Further, Nashville seemingly lost every one-on-one battle along the boards, infact the Phoenix goal came when Gill lost a one-on-one battle in the corner after a Coyotes hard rim around the boards; the Coyotes came out of the corner clean with a three-on-two attack advantage and Doan used the time to set up traffic in front of the net for a 1-0 Phoenix lead.

Preds have the same 20 skaters out for pregame warmups tonight as took pregame warmups in Game 4 (in numerical order)
  Forwards (13): Erat, Legwand, Fisher, Spaling, Smith, Yip, Tootoo, Halischuk, Hornqvist, Gaustad, Wilson, Bourque, Sergei Kostitsyn
  Defensemen (7): Weber, Klein, Suter, Ellis, Bouillon, Josi, Gill

Some of the suspense of pregame warmups was reduced by Coach Trotz's announcement during his morning skate press conference that he was planning on using the same lineup tonight as Game 3.

Big, rowdy crowd outside the arena this afternoon for the pre-game Plaza Party ... expect the crowd to be amped up at the start of the game tonight.

Based on comments passed by the Preds players during morning skate media availability, expect the team to look to play a physical game tonight and take the body when the option is presented.

Andrei Kostitsyn, Brian McGrattan, Alexander Radulov and Craig Smith all took extended practice during morning skate today, usually a sign that a skater is not projected to be in the lineup for the game.

After Radulov came off the ice, he said that he will not be in the lineup tonight. Radulov indicated that, while he wants to be on the ice helping the team during games, he had no issues with the decision by Coach Trotz and staff and run with the same players who got the win in Game 3. Radulov stated he just wanted to continue to prepare hard, stay focused in practices, and remain ready for whenever his next opportunity comes.

Coach Trotz confirmed in his press conference that he will dress the same lineup tonight as he used in Game 3. At the same time, Trotz praised Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn specifically for the way they've handled the decision and the focus they've brought to practice.

Trotz said that none of the forwards in the lineup Game 3 for the Preds gave him a reason to pull anyone back out of the lineup, but that Radulov and Kostitsyn would both be ready to play if any of the forwards struggled tonight.

THREE MUSINGS:
Defensive Communictation -- Nashville's communication in the defensive zone has been markedly better tonight than earlier in the series. It has helped the Preds pick up the trailing man and the backdoor cuts better tonight than they did in Games 1 and 2. As a result, the Preds have been in better position tonight to win the races for loose pucks in the defensive zone and are limiting sustained zone time for the Phoenix offense.

PKs Winning Out -- The penalty kill units for both teams have had the better of the play during the power-plays tonight. Both teams have had several good shorthanded opportunities. And --- outside of a deflection by Hornqvist seconds into Nashville's first PP --- neither power-play has generated many dangerous scoring opportunities. Although Nashville did show more momentum during their fourth power-play (second of the second period), with strong puck movement, but were unable to generate sustained dangerous opportunities.

Reversal Of Fortune -- The Coyotes made a living in the First Round and first two games of Round 2 by blocking shots in the defensive zone and frustrating opposing offenses. Through the first two periods tonight it's been the Preds who have "out blocked" the Coyotes by a 10-7 margin, adding several other deflections on pass attempts to disrupt puck movement by the Coyotes.

The Preds lines at the start of the game (in order of first shift)
    Spaling centering Wilson and Yip
    Legwand centering Bourque and Hornqvist
    Fisher centering Erat and S. Kostitsyn
    Gaustad centering Halischuk and Tootoo

Defense pairings:
    Bouillon and Klein
    Josi and Gill
    Suter and Weber


THREE MUSINGS:
Good Energy -- The Preds opened the game with more energy than either of the first two games of the series. Spaling, Wilson and Yip set the tone from the first shift, throwing their bodies around on the forecheck. The crowd was into the game as the two teams played with pace and physicality.

Wall Battles -- Both Nashville goals in the first period came off of board battles won by the Preds. The first after Hornqvist won a battle high in the defensive zone to chip the puck past the Phoenix defender and then continued hard after the loose puck to force Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith to play the play the puck into a turnover for Legwand's goal. The second came after Erat won the puck back on the halfboards in the offensive zone and fed a two-on-one down low between Fisher and Kostitsyn. Those are two examples of the type of "detail plays" the coaching staff stressed the last two days as "returning to Predators hockey."

The Glove Hand -- Rinne was gloving all the shots early in the game preveting the rebound attempts that got the Preds in trouble in Games 1 and 2. When Rinne is at his best, he's gloving everything; we saw it during the Detroit series and saw it again during the first period tonight. Rinne faced 10 shots in the first period, but the Coyotes never had a flurry of multiple shots in short succession.

Preds have 20 skaters out for pregame warmups (in numerical order)
  Forwards (13): Erat, Legwand, Fisher, Spaling, Smith, Yip, Tootoo, Halischuk, Hornqvist, Gaustad, Wilson, Bourque, Sergei Kostitsyn
  Defensemen (7): Weber, Klein, Suter, Ellis, Bouillon, Josi, Gill

Based on practice yesterday --- and backed up by comments after morning skate earlier today --- look for defense pairings to potentially jump around during the game. Weber/Suter will likely remain paired, but look for Bouillon, Gill, Josi and Klein (the presumptive other four defensemen) to rotate pairings with Josi/Klein - Bouillon/Gill and Josi/Gill - Bouillon/Klein likely to both get looks depending on the flow of the game.

Still no hints on the forwards in the lineup tonight, but look for Fisher-Erat-S. Kostitsyn and Legwand-Bourque-Hornqvist at the top of the rotation. The wingers for the Spaling and Gaustad lines will likely be determined by which four of the other five forwards end up in the lineup tonight.

THREE MUSINGS:
Self-Inflicted Showing -- Phoenix's three goals in Period 2 were all the result of bad Nashville mistakes. The Preds turned the puck over in the neutral zone and then didn't pick up the trailing Coyotes players leading to an easy goal for Hanzal to make the score 2-1 and then Legwand caught the puck behind the Nashville net and threw it out in front -- instead of back into the corner -- to give the Coyotes another easy scoring chance. Then right after Nashville got back into the game, Klein lost his man on a simple transition rush, allowed himself to be walled out of position and then after Josi made the correct switch, never picked up the trailing forward to allow Phoenix another easy rebound goal. All four Coyotes goals today have greatly aided by Nashville mis-plays.

Power-Play Steps Up -- Nashville's power-play was very effective. The Preds held zone possession the entire time, put pucks toward the front of the net and ultimately cashed in when Hornqvist re-directed Suter's shot from the point, momentarilly bringing the Preds back into the game.

Frustration -- Nashville started to display some uncharicteristic signs of frustration late in the second period. Weber took a boarding penalty with 2:53 left in the period. And then with 9.8 seconds left in the period, Nashville was going to get a power-play on a slash, but Fisher gave it back with an unncessary roughing call. Look for Coach Trotz to calm the guys down during the second intermission and get them re-focused. The Preds made a living out of third period comebacks during the regular season. The opportunities were there for more production in the second period, so don't count out another comeback bid this evening.