Why Nashville Predators will eliminate Detroit Red Wings in Game 5 -NHL Playoffs Special
Detroit Red Wings might be one of the, if not the best when it comes to the playoffs, but this time around in the 2012 National Hockey League (NHL) Stanley Cup Playoffs Western Conference Quarterfinal series against Nashville Predators, veteran goalie, Pekka
Rinne, has just been too much too handle for them.
Amazingly, a inexperienced team like Nashville has managed to take a dominating 3-1 lead in the series over Detroit by winning two games straight at the Joe Louis Arena, where the Red Wings held the best home record during the 2011-2012 NHL regular season.
Having that noted down, returning home for game 5 and a possible elimination contest does not look to be that hard to imagine that Detroit will be playing their last match of the postseason.
Pekka Rinne has been exceptionally well for Nashville as he has played all four games for Predators up until now and does not look to be slowing down any time soon. He was first in the league during the regular season with 1,978 saves made and has let only
eight goals through him during the playoffs.
"A lot of times we're making [Rinne] really good," Red Wings defenseman, Niklas Kronwall, said. "He's one of the best goalies in the League. We knew that coming into this series, [but] we have to capitalize on our chances, simple as that."
Another thing working for Nashville is the fact that they have not had to head into any post-regulation competition, which only makes things worst most of the time and deciding it in the 60 minutes is what their focus has always been.
Nashville has also managed to feed enough bait to Red Wings that they keep on coming back for more and when Detroit does, Predators catch their prey and dominate with a turnover at any possible chance.
Detroit might be a team full of great defenseman, but Nashville has that extra shooting power and elite defensive special teams consisting of Shea Weber and others that make their efforts count.
While Predators are scoring goals at one end, the leading defender of the league is keeping it safe for their team at the other.
"It definitely is a battle," Detroit goalie, Jimmy Howard, said. "Right now they're getting the bounces. We have to find a way to shift that. We've been in this situation before in this dressing room. I'm not giving up."
Patric Hornqvist, Mike Fisher and Paul Gaustad have made great contributions to the team in every regard, making them a well rounded squad that can easily eliminate the Detroit Red Wings when it comes back to the Bridgestone Arena for game 5 on Friday, April
20th.
If Detroit has any hope of winning, which according to them their faith is unlimited, Red Wings must break down the Nashville defensive wall and get their way to Pekka Rinne and get those crucial goals in first.
Delaying the scoring will only allow Nashville to work the defensive end even easier, meaning that elimination for Detroit Red Wings is definitely not out of the question. If Nashville manages to take a 2-0 lead in the matchup, it will be near to impossible
for Red Wings to make a comeback and force a game 6 competition back at the Joe Louis Arena.
Stakes are high and teams are hopeful, making the Friday night competition extremely intense.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
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