Predators to face Coyotes in second round of playoffs

The Western Conference match-ups are set for the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The Nashville Predators will face the Phoenix Coyotes and the St. Louis Blues will take on the Los Angeles Kings.

Both Nashville and Phoenix won twice in their four-game season series. While the series was split 2-2, the teams met only once after the trade deadline, on March 12^th, when the Predators edged the Coyotes by a 5-4 score in the shootout.

The first three contests were decided before the new year. On October 13^th, the Coyotes convincingly beat the Predators by a 5-2 score. On November 3^rd, the Predators then shutout the Coyotes 3-0. The final meeting before 2012 was on December 6^th when Phoenix edged the Predators 3-2.

The Nashville roster is considerably different since those first three games. Just 10 days before the trade deadline, the Predators picked up Hal Gill from Montreal. On the trade deadline, the Predators traded for Andrei Kostitsyn and Paul Gaustad. Of course, the return of Alexander Radulov also added to the depth of the Nashville roster. Furthermore, first-round standout Gabriel Bourque started the season in Milwaukee.

Phoenix is a different looking team, too. The Predators only faced Mike Smith in goal once, when they beat the Coyotes in March. Gilbert Brule was only claimed off waivers from Edmonton in January. Antoine Vermette was also picked up from Columbus at the trade deadline. In 7 games against Nashville this season, Vermette had 1 goal and 3 assists. During the Chicago series, Vermette had 5 points in 6 games with 4 goals and 1 assist.

With the win over the Chicago Blackhawks in six games, the Coyotes won their first playoff series since the franchise was stationed in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It is the first time Captain Shane Doan, who has been with the franchise his entire career, has made it to the second round of the postseason.

The hero for Phoenix was, without a doubt, Smith. Heading into Monday night’s action, Smith had a 2.13 goals-against average and a .941 save percentage. The netminder recorded a shutout in game six to close out the series with the Coyotes 4-0 win over Chicago.

In five games against Detroit, the Predators goaltender, Pekka Rinne, posted an impressive 1.81 goals-against average and a .944 save percentage.

While the Predators ended the season with 7 more points than the Coyotes, Phoenix ended the regular season as the third seed because they led the Pacific Division in points. As the fourth seed, Nashville will start the series against the Coyotes on the road. The second-round series is likely to begin on either Friday or Saturday night at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Arizona.