First RoundDetroit Red Wings will be in tough against Nashville Predators
By Tim Wharnsby
Posted: Sunday, April 8, 2012 | 10:33 AM
Categories: First Round, NSH VS DET
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Henrik Zetterberg is one of the veteran Wings who will be expected to use his experience in the first round of the playoffs. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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No. 4 Nashville (8-26-8--104 pts) vs. No. 5 Detroit (48-28-6--102 pts)
Three storylines
1. When Alexander Radulov was allowed to return to the Predators from Russia without passing through waivers last month, no team was angrier than the Red Wings. Behind the scenes Detroit general manager Ken Holland didn't agree a player who skated away from his existing contract should be allowed to return on his own accord. Plus, Holland knew the Predators would improve with Radulov back. He checked in with three goals and seven points in his nine regular-season games.
2. The Predators were busy before the trade deadline with the acquisitions of Andrei Kostitsyn, Paul Gaustad and Hal Gill. But the strengthened lineup didn't translate into a dominant late-season run. Nashville went 12-7-1 since the trade deadline. One player to watch will be Gill. He went to three straight conference finals in 2008, 2009 and 2010, and won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins in between. Only Chicago's Marian Hossa (72) has played in more playoff games the past four years than Gill's 69.
3. The Red Wings will perform in the post-season for the 21st consecutive season - the longest active streak of any teams in the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL. The next longest in the NHL is the Sharks at eight. Detroit also has won the first round five years in a row, the longest active streak in the NHL.
Season series - Tied at 3-3-0.
Nov. 26 - Red Wings 4-1 at Detroit
Dec. 15 - Predators 4-3 at Nashville
Dec. 26 - Red Wings 4-1 at Nashville
Feb. 17 - Red Wings 2-1 at Detroit
March 10 - Predators 3-2 at Nashville
March 30 - Predators 4-1 at Detroit
Prediction - Red Wings in seven
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About the Author
Tim Wharnsby
Tim's worked the sports beat at The Globe and Mail and the Toronto Sun, specializing in Canada's one true sporting obsession - hockey. He knows the players, the coaches, the backroom boys and most importantly, the fans. That's what he brings to his stories. Knowledge, fairness and understanding are trademarks of a Wharnsby story. That's what you will get here as he writes for CBCSports.ca.
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