The Nashville Predators handled this controversy thing about as well as head coach Barry Trotz could’ve wanted them to. With two of their top players suspended for violating team rules, the Predators strung together and came up with a huge win at home in Game 3 Wednesday night.
They look to even the series with the Phoenix Coyotes Friday night in Game 4.
Alexander Radulov of Andrei Kostitsyn were both caught out at 4 a.m. in Phoenix after the team’s loss in Game 2. Both were repremanded by management and benched for the following game. They aren’t expected to be back tonight, either. Trotz told his players that if they won Game 3, he would guarantee everyone involved would suit up again for Game 4.
”It’s very hard to change it if everybody is committed like they were,” Trotz said. ”It’s a statement. It’s a privilege to play in the NHL playoffs for the Stanley Cup.”
Still, it’s been hard for Trotz to decide what he’s going to do with the lineup.
”I know it is going to be very tough if I do anything,” Trotz told the Associated Press. ”I thought everyone was pretty committed. So I can’t give a definite decision right now because I don’t have that. The guys that were in got the job done, and they played very hard. It would be very difficult for me to give you an exact lineup for tomorrow.”
Goaltender Pekka Rinne played the best game of the playoffs so far, getting his first postseason shutout since 2004. After being torched for nine goals in the first two games, Rinne turned away 32 shots by the Coyotes.
”We played desperate hockey and showed a lot of character when we faced maybe some adversity,” Rinne said. ”That was nice to see.”
Meanwhile, the Predators scored twice in the opening period and held that lead the rest of the way.
”We gave them that early energy, that early momentum,” Phoenix coach Dave Tippett told Covers.
The Coyotes are just 1 of 9 on power plays this series, while the Predators finally got on track on offense. Mike Fisher, who has more postseason points on his team than anyone, finally scored his first goal. Martin Erat had the assist, giving him a franchise-high 15 this postseason.
Bovada is favoring the Predators by 1 1/2 goals Friday night with a -165 moneyline.