04/11/12. WCQF Game 1.Wings @ Predators 8:00 pm ET, CNBC, FSND, CBC, 97.1

[lordstanley]

For the 21st Consecutive Season, DRW Playoff Hockey





Presents the following thread:




AT




This game is a presentation of:



Western Conference Quarter-Final, Game 1
Location: Bridgestone Arena
Date: Wednesday, April 11th, 2012
Time: 8:00pm EST
Teams: Detroit Red Wings (Central) at Nasvhille Predators (Central)

Television Broadcast Provided by:




CNBC



Fox Sports Net - DETROIT




CBC

Radio Broadcast Provided by:



97.1 FM

NHL.com Game Preview


Detroit Red Wings at Nashville Predators Game Preview - 04/11/2012

Big Story: This is the third time the Predators have faced the Red Wings in Nashville's eighth trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, with Detroit taking the first two in six games each (2004 and 2008). This is a different kind if Predators team, however. This one has already won a playoff series and seems primed to make a deep postseason run thanks to a number of late-season moves – including trades that added veteran experience on the back end in Hal Gill plus some grit and offense up front in Paul Gaustad and Andrei Kostitsyn. The Preds also convinced skilled forward and former top pick Alexander Radulov to return from Russia and join the quest for the Stanley Cup. Detroit still has its usual cast of star characters like Nicklas Lidstrom, Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk and others but stumbled into the playoffs a bit while recovering from a spate of late-season injuries.

Team Scope:

Red Wings: A big question for Detroit is whether injured third-line center Darren Helm (sprained MCL) will be available for Wednesday's Game 1 at Bridgestone Arena or if he'll have to wait until Game 2.

Helm has said the target date is Game 2 or 3, but hasn’t ruled out the series opener just yet. When he returns and to what extent his speed game will be as effective as before remain question marks. Lidstrom is also still slowed by a deep ankle bruise that kept him out for a career-high 11 straight games down the stretch and Johan Franzen might still be battling soreness from back spasms that sidelined him late in the season. The Red Wings also never figured out their season-long struggles away from Joe Louis Arena, where they went 17-21-3 on the road.

"Have I really been thinking that we're underdogs? Not really,'' Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard told Mlive.com's Ansar Khan this week. "I still think we're one of the better teams in the League. It just happens that we hit a stretch that wasn't very kind to us.''

Predators: After dropping a disappointing 5-4 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on March 31 at home, Nashville (104 points) reeled off three straight wins to conclude the regular season and finish ahead of Detroit in both the Western Conference and Central Division standings. The Preds also gave up just five goals in those three games and goalie Pekka Rinne finished with the League lead in wins with 43. Now, Nashville is ready to prove the Music City is also "Hockeytown South," as coach Barry Trotz put it recently. Backed by the improved offense, plus Rinne and the outstanding top defense pair of Ryan Suter and Shea Weber, the Preds want to prove they are worth the hype. Gill, however, has a lower-body injury that's becoming a bit worrisome. After missing the last game of the regular season, the 6-foot-7 defenseman missed practices on Monday and Tuesday.

"He's a big part the last few weeks and since the trading deadline," Preds defenseman Shea Weber told the Tennessean on Tuesday. "If he's ready to go, we're excited and if not, we have a deep enough team this year where we can fill spots and be ready to go."

Who's Hot: Jiri Hudler has four goals and four assists in the past 10 games for the Red Wings; Andrei Kostitsyn has recorded points in six of the past eight games for the Preds, including one goal and five assists. Rinne hasn’t allowed a goal in the last 38 shots he's faced.

Injury Report: Patrick Eaves (concussion) and Joey MacDonald (back) are out, while Danny Cleary (knee soreness) and Helm (knee sprain) are questionable for Detroit; Radulov, Brandon Yip and goalie Anders Lindback (upper body) all missed Monday's practice but returned on Tuesday and are expected to play for Nashville. Gill (lower body/foot) missed both practice sessions and is questionable.

Stat Pack: Detroit was penalized an average of 8.5 minutes per game, which was the second least in the NHL, behind only Nashville (8.4 PIM); The Preds finished with the League's best power play (21.6 percent) and ranked second overall with a 35-3-4 mark when scoring first.

Puck Drop: In addition to the traditional playoff beard, Nashville's Francis Bouillon is sporting a Mohawk haircut to match that of his defense partner, Kevin Klein – who's worn his for about a month.

"[Klein] had it before and I told him if we go to the playoffs I'm going to do it too," Bouillon told the Tennessean. "So now we're playing together and we're a real pair."

[drownwithyou]

I have my wings long sleeve on today and will fire up my Helm jersey for the game. Definitely staying up, my roommate will be up watching the Flyers as well.

Gamethreads are usually pretty fun in the playoffs! Go Wings!

[lordstanley]

I'm guessing we'll learn a lot about this Wings team between now and Saturday morning. One way or the other.

[Mr.TaterSalad]

[Mr.TaterSalad]

And my favorite of course...

[Dan Gilmore]

Hope to see some of the game between flights in an airport bar–Go Wings!

[lordstanley]

Here's the key moment of the 2008 Wings-Preds playoff series:

[hail2mich]

Babcock says Helm will play

[lesgoblu02]

Looking at houses tonight...but the DVR is fired up.

It's moneymaking time, boys.

[drownwithyou]

Babcock says Helm will play

Great news!

Please scratch Emmerton!

[Mr.TaterSalad]

Is Nyquist getting the go? I really hope so!

[mr0zip0]

Bob Ryan just said on Around the Horn that he thinks the Finals will be Pittsburgh v. the winner of the Nashville/Detroit series... Don't get too excited, he is the typical ESPN reporter when it comes to hockey.

Reasoning for Pittsburgh: "Everyone else is jumping on the bandwagon so I will too."

Reasoning for Nashville: "Their coach Trotz is one of the best in the league"

Reasoning for Detroit: "They are the Red Wings"

I can feel my IQ dropping...

[lordstanley]

Reasoning for Nashville: "Their coach Trotz is one of the best in the league"

I've heard that a lot but I'm not exactly sure why. He's been coach for 13 years with 1 playoff series victory. Sure, I don't hold it against him that his first several years with Nashville were as an expansion team and the Preds don't always spend to the cap, but what in his record makes him considered so good. 3 times he's been bounced in the 1st round after 100 pt seasons, including 2 seasons when the Preds' point totals were higher than they were this year. It reminds me of the treatment of Lindy Ruff and Daryl Sutter.

[thefunk]

ok...does ANYONE know if there's any legal way to watch these games online? Can I buy something even?

[drownwithyou]

You can pay for a day of Gamecenter for $10 I think... pretty expensive.

[lordstanley]

ok...does ANYONE know if there's any legal way to watch these games online? Can I buy something even?

CBC offers it free online to Canadian IPs, CBC has a $10 iPod/iPhone/iPad app for Canadians. Gamecenter online doesn't work in either Canada, the U.S. or anywhere for the playoffs, i don't believe.
No NBC online or app package?

[lordstanley]

For those who are able to watch. The broadcast teams for tonight:

US National TV: CNBC
Play by Play: Dave Strader
Inside the Glass: Brian Engblom

Canada National TV: CBC
Play by Play: Mark Lee
Color: Kevin Weekes

Detroit Local: FS Detroit
Play by Play: Ken Daniels
Color: Mickey Redmond

[hail2mich]

LET'S GO!!!!

[hail2mich]

Nyquist scratched.

[lordstanley]

Nyquist scratched.

Healthy scratch though. The lines look killer.

Hal Gill out.

[jz]

Did they just say that Helm is playing?

[drownwithyou]

Did they just say that Helm is playing?

Babcock confirmed him earlier in the day.

[hail2mich]

Wings have an early PP. Roughing on Yip.

[Mr.TaterSalad]

Emmerton in and Nyquist out, what the hell Babcock!!!

[hail2mich]

Penalty on Franzen. Weak call for roughing

[drownwithyou]

Emmerton in and Nyquist out, what the hell Babcock!!!

Pretty crazy in my opinion.

[hail2mich]

Jesus, right off a Wings skate...

Brad Stuart has the worst luck ever

[drownwithyou]

Wow... so that is how it is going to be?

[Mr.TaterSalad]

SOB!!!!!!!!!!!

[lordstanley]

Are you sure Emmerton is in? I didn't think there was room for him with Cleary and Helm both in.

I didn't like those 2 early cheap penalties, one for each team. Wings don't want this to become a PP battle.

[hail2mich]

Wings back on the PP. White got crushed into the boards

[drownwithyou]

Are you sure Emmerton is in? I didn't think there was room for him with Cleary and Helm both in.

I didn't like those 2 early cheap penalties, one for each team. Wings don't want this to become a PP battle.

Bertuzzi - Datsyuk - Franzen
Hudler - Zetterberg - Filppula
Miller - Helm - Cleary
Abdelkader - Emmerton - Holmstrom

I think.

[lordstanley]

You have to be impressed by the nice tight checking of Nashville. They've been right on top of the Wing with the puck, even when Nashville has been killing a penalty.

[Detroit Rock City]

Emmerton is in tonight.

Not a great start but they aren't playing bad at all. One bad goal thus far

[lordstanley]

Yeah, I don't get it either about Emmerton then. I was going to say earlier that Emmerton if he played would be one of the weaker players to suit up for the Wings in the playoffs in the past decade or so.

[lordstanley]

Refs are whistle-happy. Let 'em play.

[Mr.TaterSalad]

Oh WTF!

[Detroit Rock City]

Another penalty. Guess the refs are trying really hard to look good tonight

[drownwithyou]

Have to love when your fourth line takes a penalty... jeez.

[hail2mich]

Wings called for interference. Have to limit Nashville's time on the PP