Photo Credit: Zimbio
(3) Phoenix vs (4) Nashville
(42-27-13) Record (48-26-8 )
(22-12-6) Home (26-10-5)
(20-14-7) Away (22-16-3)
210 Goals for 232
194 Goals against 205
+16 Differential +27
29th PP Rank 1st
8th PK Rank 10th
22nd PP Time 29th
8th PK Time 4th
8th Even Strengh 11th
First Round Stats
2.83 G/Game 2.60
2.00 GA/Game 1.80
40.2 Shots Allowed / Game 32.0
21% PP 9.1%
94.7% PK 82.6%
Prediction: Predators in 6
Breakdown
Nashville was perhaps the most impressive team in the first round of the playoffs, making short work of one of the most experienced and talented teams in the game. Moreover, they took both games in Hockeytown, something that seemed impossible after Detroit broke the record for consecutive home wins this season. Defensively, Nashville simply overmatches Phoenix with names and overall physical play. I’ll take Shea Weber and Ryan Suter over Keith Yandle and Adrian Aucoin any day. Nashville’s PP has to get going for them to win. They were #1 all year, and what does not help their cause is the fact that Phoenix had the best kill in the first round. This series could come down to goaltending, and based on the first round it is a complete coin flip. Mike Smith is hot, as is Pekka Rinne and thus we might even have to dig deeper still for an answer. Phoenix gave up far too many shots in the first round, the most of any team at a per game clip. Chicago was not able to convert, surprisingly, but we believe Nashville to have an advantage over the Blackhawks because they do not rely on prestige scorers, but a scoring-by-committee approach. 8 different players scored a goal for Nashville in those 5 games against Detroit, and not one of them was Martin Erat and Patric Hornqvist – no strangers to the goal mouth. They should get going, and when they do it could be midnight for the Cinderella Coyotes.
