The Nashville Predators will play game six of their series against the Vancouver Canucks coming off a 2-1 win on Tuesday to force a game six.
Nashville Predators (2-2-1) vs. Vancouver Canucks (3-2-0)
- Game 1: Vancouver wins 4-2
- Game 2: Nashville wins 4-1
- Game 3: Vancouver wins 2-1
- Game 4: Vancouver win 4-3 OT
- Game 5: Nashville wins 2-1
When: Friday, May 3
Time: 7:00 PM EST
Where: Bridgestone Arena (Nashville, TN)
TV: TNT
Scoring Leaders
(Playoff Stats)
Nashville Predators
Points: Filip Forsberg – 6
Goals: Filip Forsberg – 2
Assists: Filip Forsberg – 4
Vancouver Canucks
Points: J.T. Miller – 6
Goals: Brock Boeser – 4
Assists: Quinn Hughes – 5
Expected Line Combinations
Nashville Predators
Filip Forsberg – Ryan O’Reilly – Gustav Nyquist
Mark Jankowski – Tommy Novak – Luke Evangelista
Anthony Beauvillier – Colton Sissons – Jason Zucker
Kiefer Sherwood – Michael McCarron – Cole Smith
Roman Josi – Dante Fabbro
Ryan McDonagh – Tyson Barrie
Jeremy Lauzon – Alexandre Carrier
Vancouver Canucks
Pius Suter – J.T. Miller – Brock Boeser
Nils Hoglander – Elias Pettersson – Ilya Mikheyev
Dakota Joshua – Elias Lindholm – Conor Garland
Phil Di Giuseppe – Teddy Blueger – Sam Lafferty
Quinn Hughes – Filip Hronek
Carson Soucy – Tyler Myers
Ian Cole – Nikita Zadorov
For More NHL Stats, Visit stats.insidetherink.com
By The Numbers:
League Ranking
Nashville Predators
PP%: 10.5 (14)
PK%: 84.6 (5)
GF P/G: 2.40 (12)
GA P/G: 2.40 (3)
Faceoff %: 51.0 (5)
Vancouver Canucks
PP%: 15.4 (12)
PK%: 89.5 (3)
GF P/G: 2.40 (12)
GA P/G: 2.40 (3)
Faceoff %: 49.0 (12)
Predators Player to Watch: Filip Forsberg
Forsberg this playoff so far has six points coming on two goals and four assists. In his playoff career, he has played in 80 games and he has recorded 59 points on 31 goals and 28 points. On the power play, he has six goals. Forsberg leads the team in points, goals, and assists in these playoffs, if the Predators are to force a game seven Forsberg will need to step up in game six.
Forsberg’s Line Assignments
Forsberg will play on the top line with Ryan O’Reilly and Gustav Nyquist. He will also play on the top power play line with O’Reilly, Nyquist, Roman Josi, and Luke Evangelista
Forsberg’s career vs. Canucks
Forsberg in his career against Vancouver has played in 28 games recording 22 points on 11 goals and 11 assists. In the regular season, he recorded one point on an assist in three games.
Between The Pipes
Nashville: Jusse Saros (2-2-1, 2.21 GAA)
Saros in game five stopped 19 goals on 20 shots. These playoffs he is 2-2-1 with a 2.21 goals against average and an .879 save percentage. In the regular season, he was 35-24-5 with a 2.86 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage.
Vancouver: Casey DeSmith (1-1-0, 2.02 GAA) / Arturs Silovs (1-1-0, 2.57 GAA)
DeSmith last played in game three and he got the win giving up one goal on 30 shots. These playoffs he is 1-1-0 with a 2.02 goals against average and a .911 save percentage. In the regular season, he finished 12-9-6 with a 2.89 goals against average and an .896 save percentage.
Silovs got the start in game five and he took the loss giving up two goals on 22 shots. These playoffs he is 1-1-0 with a 2.57 goals against average and a .904 save percentage. In the regular season, he made four starts going 3-0-1 with a 2.47 goals against average and an .881 save percentage.
Wrap Up:
The Predators forced a game six on their home ice where they lost game three and game four. They should have won game four holding a 3-1 lead with under three minutes left and held a 3-2 lead with under ten seconds left before ultimately losing in overtime. In game five it was their defense finding the back of the net with Alexandre Carrier and Roman Josi finding the back of the net and Jusse Saros making key saves to extend the season. In tonight’s game, they will need the offense to get going and Saros to once again stand on his head if they are to force a game seven in Vancouver on Sunday night.
