Also, in our USA Baby & Kids in Franklin feature of the week, we answer YOUR Facebook questions.

As always, we encourage you to follow us on Twitter and to subscribe via iTunes. While you’re at iTunes, please rate and review us as well.

To hear the on-air version of The 303:30, keep your radio dial locked to 102.5 The Game this Saturday morning at 8:00am Central.

CREDITS:
Music: Seven Nation Army (The White Stripes), Salute Your Solution (The Raconteurs), 1-2-3-4 Sumpin’ New (Coolio), Pick Up the Pieces (Average White Band), Footwork (College Boyys), Dirty Black Summer (Danzig), You Be Killin’ Me (Fabolous), Did You Get My Message? (Jason Mraz), Gold On the Ceiling (The Black Keys)

Did you know that, of the 31 players on the active roster, only Brian McGrattan, Brandon Yip and Nick Spaling (as well as black aces Chris Mueller and Kyle Wilson) have never represented their country in any kind of international competition? In that light, the Preds have a pretty amazing roster, eh?

The 2012 World Championships are currently going on with Craig Smith and the United States advancing to the quarterfinals against host team Finland on Thursday, May 17. That got us to thinking, “how many players on the current Predators roster have represented their respective countries over the years?” But not just at the Worlds. In the World Juniors or in the Olympics as well. It turns out a staggering 84% of the roster has played in at least one international game during their hockey careers.

How does that compare to other NHL teams? We took the Pittsburgh Penguins, one of the best teams in the league, and did some calculations. Only 14 players on their 23-man roster have suited up in international competition, good for just 61%.

So fear not, Preds fans. Every playoff exit is tough. Some are tough because the season ended too soon and some are tough because success was so close that you could taste it. Nashville has consistently built a competitive team and, if back-to-back second round appearances aren’t enough (the only Western Conference team in the last two years who can say that, by the way), it’s even more evident in the make up of their roster.

A roster that’s chock full of some of the best hockey players in the world apparently.

We also hear from impending free agent Ryan Suter about what his plans are right now and what will happen later this summer.

Also, in our USA Baby & Kids in Franklin feature of the week, we asked Preds players YOUR Facebook questions.

As always, we encourage you to follow us on Twitter and to subscribe via iTunes. While you’re at iTunes, please rate and review us as well.

To hear the on-air version of The 303:30, keep your radio dial locked to 102.5 The Game this Saturday morning at 8:00am Central.

CREDITS:
Music: Seven Nation Army (The White Stripes), Salute Your Solution (The Raconteurs), It’s My Birthday (Ultimate), Last Friday Night (Katy Perry), It Was a Good Day (Ice Cube), Good Feeling (Flo Rida), Children’s Story (Slick Rick), Tangled Up in Blue (Bob Dylan), Hello (Martin Solveig)

The Phoenix Coyotes won game five of their best-of-seven Western Conference Semifinal series against the Preds, 2-1, thereby winning the series 4-1.

Phoenix advances to the Western Conference Final for the first time in franchise history. That history includes their years as the first installment of the Winnipeg Jets, by the way.

Mike Smith came up big when he needed to, collecting 32 saves along the way, but it was the Predators missed opportunities that were, once again, the story.

“It’s sort of the way the series went,” Nashville Head Coach Barry Trotz said. “We just couldn’t bury our chances. We had enough chances to win this series but we didn’t win.”

Alternate captain Ryan Suter agreed.

“For us, we weren’t able to bury our chances. That never gave us a chance to win. Not taking anything away from (Phoenix) because they played very well but we just couldn’t bury them.”

Colin Wilson got the lone goal for Nashville, giving the Preds life in the final 6:00 of regulation but, if that was supposed to be the start of the snowball rolling downhill, it came too late. The Predators had just flat out run out of time.

The Predators will swallow this bitter pill and look toward a daunting summer. Suter is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Team captain Shea Weber is looking at restricted free agent status on the same date. General Manager David Poile did everything he needed to do to bring back wayward sniper Alexander Radulov from Russia. Does he come back? Does he even want to come back? Did the team show enough to Suter that he wants to stay committed to Music City and the long term plans of the franchise? In turn, do the Preds keep Weber in the fold or do they trade him for a king’s ransom? Do they re-sign both him and Suter?

Tons and tons of questions face Poile this off-season and, in a perfect world, he’d be pondering those questions after a Stanley Cup Final appearance. Or, at the very least, a conference final appearance. Instead, he’s exactly where he was when last season ended: out after the second round.

Since the Nashville players will leave everything they have out on the ice tonight, the fans need to do the same. So join us at Brewhouse South in Franklin to cheer our team to victory.

One game at a time. That’s the mantra. And, despite the series score, the Predators have actually been in every game so far. In game one, they woke up in the third period and dominated the play from that point on, well into overtime. The Coyotes only won because Nashville had already spotted them a 3-2 lead headed into the second intermission. In game two, the Preds looked lost but still found a way to pull within one in the final frame before finally losing 5-3. In game four, the loss which fueled all kinds of “Fire Trotz!” talk wasn’t that lopsided either. Phoenix scored just one goal and it was a fluky bounce off of Roman Josi’s stick and Nashville couldn’t bury a multitude of chances. If just one of those bad bounces goes in for the home team, there’s little doubt we’re talking about a 2-2 series right now.

But we’re not. And the Preds need to win tonight… and then Wednesday… and then Friday to advance to their first Western Conference Final in franchise history. But there’s reason for optimism there as well, believe it or not. Nashville had six three-game (or more) winning streaks during the regular season, including one as recent as April 3-7. So it’s not like it can’t be done. And it’s not like this team can’t do it. They’ve proven they can. But they need to win tonight first and worry about Wednesday on Wednesday. And then Friday on Friday.

Nobody wants this season to end. It just seems so premature. So why not get together with 100 of your closest friends at Brewhouse South and will your team to victory?

Puck drops at 9:00pm Central so get your nap in and we’ll see you there!

The 17,113 inside Bridgestone Arena were so upset with the call, when PA Announcer Paul McCann did his trademark “Your… Nashville Predators are on… the… power play!”, a thunderous level of boo’s came down from the stands. Most fans thought the hit (especially in today’s concussion-conscious NHL) warranted at least a major. Some even wanted a game misconduct.

Regardless what the fans wanted, the referees handed out just the lone 2:00 minor to Klesla. Today, the NHL handed Klesla a one-game suspension for the dangerous hit. Below is the video explanation.

All that superstitious stuff didn’t matter.

In front of 17,113 at Bridgestone Arena, the Nashville Predators were downed by the Phoenix Coyotes on Friday night, 1-0. Phoenix captain Shane Doan supplied the only goal — a fluke bounce off of Roman Josi’s stick — and netminder Mike Smith stopped all 25 shots he faced for the shutout.

The Coyotes now lead the best-of-seven series, 3-1.

Pekka Rinne made 23 saves but couldn’t overcome the hockey gods and their master plan as the Preds now face the tall task of having to win all three remaining games if they want to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history.

Nashville was without forwards Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn for the second straight game. While the two were suspended for game three, the rationale behind holding them out of game four? Don’t mess with a successful lineup. Hindsight is 20/20 but, nevertheless, their offensive prowess could have came in handy in this one.

“How do I defend it? I don’t think I have to defend it,” Trotz said. “Maybe they could have made a difference but we’ll never know that. The guys who played played well and created lots of chances. We just had to bury one.”

This game featured tons of chances but zero payoff. A snake-bit Patric Hornqvist had three glorious scoring chances, five missed shots, four shots that were blocked and zero shots on goal in the first 53:00 of the contest. There was also a puck that clearly went into the net under Smith but the goal was waved off immediately by the referee. After a review, the explanation given was “intent to blow.” Finally, the Nashville power play is everything but powerful. They were 0-for-2 going into the final frame and then, when they were handed a golden opportunity when Coyotes blueliner Derek Morris cleared the puck over the glass, they couldn’t convert.

To make matters worse, the Predators are now 0-for-23 on the man advantage on home ice.

“We’ve got to get some production from our power play,” Trotz said. “If we’re not scoring (otherwise), the power play’s got to come up and get us a goal. We haven’t had that at home yet.”

The action moves back to the desert as these two teams will tangle in game five on Monday night.

Puck drops at 9:00pm Central and you can watch all the action with us at Brewhouse South in Franklin.

MY THREE STARS (as voted on with 6:28 remaining in regulation):
1) Mike Smith (PHX)
2) Shane Doan (PHX)
3) Pekka Rinne (NSH)

THE THREE STARS OF THE GAME:
1) Mike Smith (PHX)
2) Shane Doan (PHX)
3) Colin Wilson (NSH)

—

PHOTO CREDIT: Jeremy K. Gover // section303.com

Also, in our USA Baby & Kids in Franklin feature of the week, we answer YOUR questions via Twitter and e-mail.

As always, we encourage you to follow us on Twitter and to subscribe via iTunes. While you’re at iTunes, please rate and review us as well.

To hear the on-air version of The 303:30, keep your radio dial locked to 102.5 The Game this Saturday morning at 8:00am Central.

CREDITS:
Music: Seven Nation Army (The White Stripes), Salute Your Solution (The Raconteurs), Paul Revere (Beastie Boys), No Sleep Til Brooklyn (Beastie Boys), Brass Monkey (Beastie Boys), Time To Get Ill (Beastie Boys), Sabotage (Beastie Boys), Run This Town (Jay-Z)

The Preds won game three without their leading playoff scorer (Radulov) and without one of the leading playoff goal scorers (Kostitsyn) but is this the right for Trotz and the Predators? The Phoenix Coyotes lead the best-of-seven Western Conference Semifinal series, 2-1 and both games that the Predators lost were games in which Radulov and Kostitsyn were playing.

So is this the right move? Or has the punishment already fit the crime? In essence, are you worried that these two offensive weapons will not be at Nashville’s disposal in tonight’s critical tilt?

Leave your answer in the comments section below!

Without  team-suspended forwards Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn at their disposal, the Preds got back to their identity and beat the Phoenix Coyotes 2-0 in front of 17,113 at Bridgestone Arena. Phoenix now leads the series 2-1.

Pekka Rinne turned in 32 saves for his first career postseason shutout and the Preds got goals from David Legwand and Mike Fisher, pulling within one of the Coyotes in the best-of-seven series.

“We know we didn’t play well in game two,” Preds defenseman Ryan Suter said. “So, for us, it was kind of embarrassing, our effort. We knew we had to come out and play the way we’re capable of playing.”

In the first, Phoenix goaltender Mike Smith went wondering and, when he did, Gabriel Bourque forced a turnover and got it to Legwand in the slot. Legwand made no mistake and bagged his third goal of the postseason to give his team a 1-0 lead.

Still in the opening frame, Fisher scored his first goal of the playoffs when he took a Sergei Kostitsyn feed and tried to get it back to the Belarusian winger. His return pass went off of Smith’s stick, however, and into the net.

Nashville thought they had made it 3-0 thanks to Legwand jamming home a loose puck but the officials ruled “intent to blow” while Smith was down making the save. Instead of carrying a three goal lead into the locker room for the first intermission, the Preds brought a two goal lead but it was all they would need on this night, shutting the door the rest of the way.

“I thought we gave up two easy goals; unearned goals, really,” said Phoenix Head Coach Dave Tippett. “When you look at the situation, you knew they were going to come hard and we gave them that early energy.”

Colin Wilson, Matt Halischuk and Jordin Tootoo all played well so the big question now for Trotz is who does he put in the lineup for game four?

“It was a statement (by those guys),” Trotz said. “I think it’s a privilege to play in the Stanley Cup Playoffs — to play for the Cup — and those guys took advantage of the privilege of playing. It will be very hard to change a whole lot from that group.”

With a win on Friday night, the Predators can pull even in the series, 2-2. The Coyotes do not want to go back to Glendale, Arizona after dropping two games away from home. With that kind of momentum, the proverbial snowball may have picked up too much speed.

“Like every game, you’ve got to reset and adjust a couple of things,” Tippet said. “We’ll come back and look to get a split.”

Puck drops at 6:30pm Central.

MY THREE STARS (as voted on with 7:01 remaining in regulation):
1) Mike Fisher (NSH)
2) Martin Erat (NSH)
3) David Legwand (NSH)

THE THREE STARS OF THE GAME:
1) Pekka Rinne (NSH)
2) David Legwand (NSH)
3) Mike Fisher (NSH)

—

PHOTO CREDIT: Jeremy K. Gover // section303.com

Both Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn have been suspended from game three (with the option for game four) for violation of a team rule. Numerous reports have Radulov and Kostitsyn in a Scottsdale, Arizona bar the early morning of game two in Glendale. This has led to some to wonder how the team could possibly not know of their antics heading into the contest.

Nashville Predators Head Coach Barry Trotz, while answering another question, offered up the following:

“I’ll throw this out because I think it’s been asked on a lot of shows. We did not know before game two. We found out after game two. Hell would have had to freeze over if they would have played in game two if I would have known before. Plain and simple. That’s how I am, that’s how the management team is and that’s how the Nashville Predators are run.

“There’s been a lot of speculation that we knew and that’s a bunch of crap. We didn’t. I just wanted to throw that out there because it’s been asked a lot… but never to me.”

Alrighty then.

Radulov, the team’s leading scorer in the playoffs (six points), and Kostitsyn, tied for the team lead in playoff goal scoring (3), will both sit out game three and Coach Trotz fired a warning shot about game four.

“With our situation,” Trotz said. “Tonight, if (they) get it done, I would expect that I’d probably go back with the same group. The group that gets it done.”

And can you blame him? Tonight’s Predators squad (sans Paul Gaustad and Hal Gill) is basically the Predators squad that went 36-19-7 prior to the NHL Trade Deadline. In addition, Trotz has a long history of going back to a successful well. For example, he used to have “the shutout rule” where, if  a goaltender posted a shutout the game before, they were going to start the next game regardless.

Tonight will go one of two ways. Nashville will have a completely, 100% focused effort for 60 minutes or they’ll absolutely fold and Phoenix will run away with the series.

Here’s to hoping for the former.

—

SPECIAL THANKS to Fox Sports Arizona’s Todd Walsh who posted the audio via Twitter.

—

PHOTO CREDIT: Paul Nicholson // Flickr (used with permission)

In an official press release, General Manager David Poile said “The Nashville Predators have a few simple rules centered around doing the right thing. We have always operated with a team-first mentality and philosophy. Violating team rules is not fair to our team and their teammates.”

Nashville is taking a real gamble here but, at the same time, how often do we complain when teams slap their star players on the wrist as to not hurt their teams’ chances? While we don’t know exactly what rules they violated (Hockey Night In Canada’s Elliott Friedman is reporting it may be due to a curfew violation), it’s commendable to see the a franchise take this kind of action. It’s just a little unsettling that they take it at this critical time.

Radulov has just one point (an assist) in the Phoenix series but also happens to be the Predators’ leading scorer in the playoffs (6 points). Kostitsyn is tied for the team lead in goals (3) and is tied for second on the team in points (4).

If Nashville wins game three on Wednesday night, this will look like a brilliant move. If they lose, you can expect the fan base to be all over the team for holding out two of their biggest offense weapons.

But, after all, it isn’t a lack of offense that has this team down 2-0 in the series. It’s the lack of team defense. If they play 60 minutes of defense in games one and two, this series comes back to Nashville with a 2-0 score, alright. It would just be the other way around. Instead, the Predators have looked like a completely different team during this series, getting away from what makes them successful.

This may be the wake up call this team needed.

Wondering why they’re called “the black aces?” CLICK HERE.

The official press release is below.

***

NASHVILLE PREDATORS RECALL FIVE

-Bartley, Blum, Mueller, Kyle Wilson and Jeremy Smith join club-

Nashville, Tenn. (May 1, 2012) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announce today that the club has recalled defensemen Jonathon Blum and Victor Bartley, forwards Chris Mueller and Kyle Wilson, and goaltender Jeremy Smith from Milwaukee (AHL).

Bartley, 24 (2/17/88), ranked second among AHL rookie defensemen in points (39) and assists (30), and tied for fifth among all blueliners in power-play goals (7) in 2011-12. Signed as a free agent on May 24, 2011, Bartley spent the 2010-11 campaign with Rogle of Sweden’s second division (Allsvenskan), ranking second among league defensemen in points and assists, in addition to tying for third in goals (11g-23a-34pts, 52gp).

Blum, 23 (1/30/89), started the 2011-12 season with the Predators, posting seven points (3g-4a) in 33 games before being assigned to Milwaukee, where he had 26 points (4g-22a) in 48 games and one assist in three Calder Cup Playoff contests. Nashville first selection, 23rd overall (first round), in the 2007 Entry Draft dressed for all 12 of the club’s playoff contests one year ago, ranking fourth among team blueliners in average ice time (18:51).

Mueller, 26 (3/6/86), tied for fifth in the American Hockey League in goals (32), and tied for 13th in power-play goals (11) while also leading the Admirals in points (60) during his third season in the organization. The West Seneca, N.Y., native also spent time with the Predators for the second consecutive season, dressing for four games in 2011-12 (0g-0a) after playing his first 15 NHL contests with Nashville a season ago (3a).

Smith, 23 (4/13/89), led the AHL in minutes played (3,284), while tying for the league lead in games played (56), ranking second in wins (31), and fourth in goals-against average (2.17). Nashville’s second choice, 54th overall (second round), in 2007 Entry Draft was also recalled to Nashville twice this season, but did not make his NHL debut.

Wilson, 27 (12/15/84), paced the Admirals in assists (32) and ranked second on the club in both goals (22) and points (54) in 2011-12. The 6-0, 201-pound center also led Milwaukee in 2012 Calder Cup Playoff scoring with three points (1g-2a) in three games. Wilson started the season with Nashville, going pointless in five games; it was his third straight season playing NHL games after posting 11 points (4g-7a) in 32 games with Columbus in 2010-11 and a pair of games with Washington in 2009-10 (2a).

The Nashville Predators host Games Three and Four of their 2012 Western Conference Semifinals series with the Phoenix Coyotes, presented locally by Fifth Third Bank, this week at Bridgestone Arena. Game Three, brought to you by Nissan, kicks off tomorrow at 8 p.m. CT and will broadcast on 102.5 The Game and be nationally televised on CNBC (Comcast Channel 1115 HD, 46 SD). All fans in attendance at Game Three will receive Rally Towels courtesy of Nissan.  Game Four, brought to you by Bridgestone, is set for this Friday at 6:30 p.m. (102.5 The Game, NBC Sports – Comcast channel 1607 HD, 50 SD). Attendees of Game Four will receive Gold Out T-Shirts courtesy of Bridgestone.

Fans may also stop by the Nashville Predators Open House this Thursday, May 3 from 4-8 p.m. to scout out seats for the 2012-13 season, purchase tickets for upcoming Stanley Cup playoff games and skate on the same ice as the Predators. Visitnashvillepredators.com/publicskate to register.

Already down 1-0 in the best-of-seven Western Conference Semifinal series, the Nashville Predators lost a critical game two to the Phoenix Coyotes, 5-3. The two teams will now head to Music City a two game set starting on Wednesday.

The Coyotes haven’t led a series 2-0 since 1987.

Pekka Rinne made 34 saves on the night and gave up five goals for the first time since March 31. The five goals weren’t exactly his fault, however. In a completely uncharacteristic performance, the defense of the Predators was porous and their decision making was subject at best. Guys were looking at pucks instead of taking their men and there was even an instance in which David Legwand caught the puck on top of the goal cage and decided to literally throw it out in front of his own net, resulting in an immediate Coyotes goal.

Despite all of that, the Preds would remain within striking distance, further proving that if they could just put together a solid 60 minute effort, they could dispose of Phoenix rather easily.

The Coyotes carried a 4-2 lead into the third period but, to start the final frame, Ryan Suter gave his team life. Using the open ice of a 4-on-3 power play, the Preds played catch around the perimeter. Weber eventually found Suter for a one-timer that blew past Smith for the goal.

Being down one in the third period is nothing new for Nashville but Phoenix would answer, putting the nail in the coffin. After yet another loss in the face-off dot, Coyotes captain Shane Doan deflected a point shot by Derek Morris past Rinne to make it 5-3.

With Phoenix up 2-0, the series will now shift to Middle Tennessee as it’s Nashville’s turn to host a pair of games.

If there’s good news for the Preds it’s that they are not familiar with three game losing streaks. They haven’t lost three non-shootout games in a row since way back in November (a 6-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on November 22, a 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild the very next night and then a 4-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on November 26).

April and May is not the time to amass another streak.

The puck drops in Music City at 8:00pm Central on Wednesday.

Too bad the Coyotes already had a 3-2 lead.

“I thought in the first period — and even the first half of the game — I thought we were a little bit rusty and it showed,” Nashville Head Coach Barry Trotz said. “In the third, we ratcheted it up and I thought we were much better in overtime. We had lots of chances but they were able to capitalize on pucks.”

In front of 17,187 inside Jobing.com Arena, the host team beat the Preds, 4-3 in overtime. Nashville got goals from Brandon Yip, Andrei Kostitsyn and Martin Erat but, in the end, it was Ray Whitney’s overtime tally that put Nashville down 1-0 in the best-of-seven Western Conference Semifinal series.

“I think, when we took over the game and started playing in their end, we did a lot of good things,” Shea Weber said. “We just couldn’t score. That ended up biting us in the end.”

The captain speaks the truth. Combining the final period of regulation and the overtime session, the Predators outshot Phoenix 25-7, including a third period that saw the Coyotes muster just a single shot.

Pekka Rinne did all he could with the action he saw but his 20 saves weren’t enough, starting a playoff series 0-1 for just the second time in his career. Both of those 0-1 series starts have come in the second round.

At the other end of the ice, Phoenix netminder Mike Smith was spectacular. He collected 39 saves on the night, many of them being of the “difficult” variety.

The Coyotes leading goal scorer during the regular season, Radim Vrbata, was hardly a threat in the first round, tallying zero goals and managing just one assist. He kicked off the scoring in this one, however, with a perfect wrist shot, tucking the puck under Rinne’s armpit for the 1-0 lead.

Nashville would answer thanks to a fluky bounce. Defenseman Francis Bouillon went to dump it in for a line change but the puck took a weird hop off of the stanchion. Smith, expecting it to rim around the boards, had already come out to play it and Yip slammed the puck into the empty net to tie the game.

“Every time something like that happens with Smith, whether it’s a mistake playing the puck or a bad bounce, everybody thinks why would you ever let him wander out?” Phoenix Head Coach Dave Tippett said. “But I’ve set it lots of times before, that the amount of times he plays it and it helps us far outweigh the odd time you get a bad break. That’s a huge strength of his, and sometimes that happens.”

In the middle frame, former Columbus Blue Jacket blueliner Rostislav Klesla bagged his second career post season goal (both coming this year) on a fluky bounce that went Phoenix’s way. In an effort to take away the pass, rookie defenseman Roman Josi went down. Klesla’s pass slid off of Josi and into the net to make it 2-1, Phoenix.

The Predators would, once again, answer. After Smith made a great glove save off of the stick of Patric Hornqvist, Kostitsyn got his stick on the loose rebound to make it 2-2.

Things would not remain that way headed into the intermission, however. In an ill-timed decision, Josi decided to pinch but fumbled the puck along the boards. To make matters worse, Kostitsyn toe-picked while trying to get back on defense and the Coyotes broke up ice. Kevin Klein did what he needed to do while defending the 2-on-1: he took away the pass, leaving the shooter for the goaltender. The ultra-talented Mikkel Boedker slammed on the breaks at the top of the crease and somehow wristed a laser in the only daylight there was, putting his team up 3-2 headed into the locker room.

After the second intermission, the Preds poured it on.

“Spending over five minutes of the third on the penalty kill is not a recipe of success to start, after that they cranked up the desperation,” Tippett said.

Smith was at his best as well. Early in the frame, the Kingston, Ontario native made a mesmerizing glove save on Bouillon from point-blank range. Later, he denied Hornqvist in much the same fashion.

The Preds finally got the tying goal past him when Erat pounced on a rebound while on the power play. A bomb by Ryan Suter resulted in a juicy rebound amidst the chaos in front of Smith. Erat went un-checked and put it in the back of a wide open net to make the game 3-3 and force overtime.

Nashville controlled the play once again in the extra session but it was “The Wizard,” Ray Whitney, who found the twine first, giving the Pacific Division Champions their first second round victory in franchise history. Sergei Kostitsyn, still fuming from an alleged high-stick catching him in the face on his previous shift (it was actually the puck that hit him), fired the puck down the ice needlessly resulting in an icing. On the ensuing face-off in the Predators zone, Martin Hanzal chipped the puck over to Whitney, who got behind Weber, and deposited the puck into the back of the net for the winner.

Despite the loss, it was easy to see how, if the Predators play to their potential, they should have very little trouble disposing of the Coyotes. Sure, it may take six or seven games but, at the end of the day, Nashville is superior. But again, only if they play a full 60 minutes at their best, like they did in third period and overtime.

Game two is Sunday night in Glendale, Arizona. Puck drops at 7:00pm Central.

—

ALL QUOTES courtesy of the Phoenix Coyotes media relations staff.

Also, in our USA Baby & Kids in Franklin feature of the week, we answer YOUR questions via Twitter and e-mail.

As always, we encourage you to follow us on Twitter and to subscribe via iTunes. While you’re at iTunes, please rate and review us as well.

To hear the on-air version of The 303:30, keep your radio dial locked to 102.5 The Game this Saturday morning at 8:00am Central.

CREDITS:
Music: Seven Nation Army (The White Stripes), Salute Your Solution (The Raconteurs), Hello (Martin Solveig), Surfin’ Bird (The Trashmen), Telephone (Lady Gaga), Sixteen Salteens (Jack White), Ball and Biscuit (The White Stripes), Run This Town (Jay-Z)

Staff: Kent Harris (voice over)

The Nashville Predators will be well represented in Las Vegas come June.

The Preds captain is nominated for the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s best defenseman. His fellow finalists are Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins and Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators.

Chara, the captain of the Bruins, took third in last season’s voting but gladly accepted the Stanley Cup instead. Karlsson, a second year player for the Sens, had a whale of a season. His 78 points led the league in scoring among defensemen and was even 25 points ahead of the next closest blueliner Dustin Byfuglien.

Karlsson is considered the front runner for the award based on a couple of factors. One, he plays for a Canadian team. Two, that Canadian team is in the East. Third, the award often goes to a defenseman who’s among the league leaders in scoring. 13-time all-star, three time Stanley Cup Champion and one of the best defensemen this sport has ever seen, Scott Stevens, never won a Norris Trophy as he was never considered an offensive threat.

“For the most part, it seems to go with the guy who’s got a lot of points,” Stevens told the New York Times back in 1998. “I don’t think about it as much as I used to. I’ve been asked to play a certain role here, which doesn’t help in that area. But I feel that gives the team a chance to win every night. That’s the satisfaction I get.”

Weber, on the other hand, is getting his fair share of pub. He was sixth among his position in scoring (49 points), he led his team by a wide margin in plus/minus (plus-21), was fifth in the NHL in ice time (26:09 avg.) and led all National Hockey League blueliners in power play goals (10). Not only that but he’s a smooth, steady force who can beat you with defense and offense.

Weber took second in the Norris voting last year, losing to his 2011 NHL All-Star Game defense partner, Nicklas Lidstrom.

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PHOTO CREDIT: Sarah Fuqua // Flickr (used with permission)

As the Coyotes are seeded #3 in the West, they will have home ice advantage and kick off the series in Glendale, Arizona. The clubs will then head to Music City for two games inside Bridgestone Arena.

Remember, all road games can be watched with 100 of your closest friends at Brewhouse South in Franklin. They are the road game headquarters for section303.com all season (and post season) long. They not only feature a $3.03 menu on game days but we’re also 5-0 when watching playoff games there.

See you Friday!

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STICK TAP to our good friends over at Bink’s Outfitters for posting THIS and THIS via Twitter.

We’re talking about video games.

Rinne — along with names like Philadelphia’s Claude Giroux, Detroit’s Pavel Datsyuk and New York’s Henrik Lundqvist – is among the final 16 for the NHL 13 cover. If he were to win, Rinne would become the first goaltender to grace the cover of the EA Sports NHL video game franchise since John Vanbiesbrouck back on NHL 97.

“I’ve always been a big video game player and I love that game,” Rinne said. “A lot of times that’s the reason that you buy the game, who’s on the cover. And usually it’s one of the very top players in the NHL so it’s an honor.”

The voting is done by the fans and, starting on May 3, you can vote for Rinne to win his match-up against Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp. If he prevails, Rinne may see some stiff competition in the next round, meeting the winner of the Jordan Eberle (Edmonton) and John Tavares (New York Islanders) bracket.

A lot of us played installment X of NHL after school or after work. Heck, a lot of us still do. Sometimes by ourselves in an effort to win the Stanley Cup and sometimes with friends in an effort to win bragging rights. Rinne did both.

“It was so competitive against my buddies and we would always pick the best teams,” Rinne recalled. “If I would play a season though, I would always try to get a lot of Finnish guys and add them up. My (main) guy was always Teemu Selanne.”

When we asked Rinne who his team-of-choice was, he reluctantly answered.

“Every year, the ratings would change a little bit but Detroit had a good team in that game.”

Knowing that wasn’t the correct answer, especially before a critical game five against the Red Wings, he immediately backtracked.

“And a lot of other teams too. Another thing we would do is we would randomize teams or we’d use the national teams.”

Since the 1990′s, Finland and it’s next door neighbor Sweden have gone back-and-fourth in contending for world hockey supremacy, especially in Europe. Just last year Finland won gold at the World Championships while Sweden took home silver. In 2006, however, it was the other way around as Sweden took home gold and Finland was left with the bronze. Sweden has 15 total medals in World Junior Championship competition while Finland has 12. Both have two golds, however. Needless to say, hockey is pretty big in Rinne’s native Finland, as is the NHL video game franchise.

“It was very easy to get the game in Finland,” he said. “It’s one of the most sold sports games in Finland. They even had a Finnish play-by-play guy. He was the same guy who calls the national games on TV.”

That guy’s name is Antero Mertaranta. While in North America play-by-play duties are done by former NHL on ESPN broadcaster Gary Thorne, other countries have their own voice over talents featured in the NHL franchise. Some countries even have their very own cover athlete.

Since Switzerland seems to fancy their own country-exclusive cover (see: 1, 2 and 3), when can we start voting for Roman Josi? Just give us the word, EA. We’re ready for that too.

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GRAPHIC CREDIT: Bradley Field // special to section303.com
PHOTO CREDIT: Sarah Fuqua // Flickr (used with permission)

The Vezina Trophy is given out each year to the NHL’s top goaltender.

While completely deserving, there was some debate as to whether or not the Kempele, Finland native would be among the nominees this season. New York’s Henrik Lundqvist was considered the front runner through most of the season, Los Angeles’ Jonathan Quick posted a league leading 10 shutouts and a league leading 1.95 goals against average (among goalies with more than 40 games played) and Phoenix’s Mike Smith was tied for the league lead in save percentage (.930).

And then there was the two-headed monster in St. Louis.

Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott backstopped the Blues to a Central Division title, the lowest goals allowed in the Western Conference and even captured the Jennings Trophy for the league’s fewest goals against (165). If all that wasn’t enough, each posted a sub-2.00 GAA, an extremely rare feat.

But which of the two would become a finalist? Would either? Elliott set a modern day NHL record with a 1.56 GAA but only played in 38 contests. Was that a large enough body of work to warrant a nomination? His counterpart between the pipes, Halak, started all 46 games he played in and posted a .926 save percentage along with six shutouts. Was that a large enough body of work to warrant a nomination?

So with the three goaltenders mentioned above and the two Blues goalies, Rinne was hardly a lock as a finalist. But, in the end, his league leading 43 wins, his league leading 2,153 shots against and his league leading 1,987 saves were enough to force him into the Vezina conversation with fellow nominees Lundqvist and Quick.

He finished second in the Vezina voting last year. Will he take home the hardware this year?

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STICK TAP to Greg Wyshysnki of Puck Daddy for this photo.

PHOTO CREDIT: Sarah Fuqua // Flickr (used with permission)