PHO vs NSH3 things to know for Game 5 of Predators-Coyotes

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By Joshua Cooper

Rostislav Klesla's one-game suspension means Dave Schlemko will enter the lineup for the Phoenix Coyotes. Schlemko played Game 2 and was a minus-1 in that game. Klesla was suspended for boarding Predators forward Matt Halischuk in Game 4.

"It's an opportunity for Schlemko to come back in. Obviously, we're disappointed with that, but our focus is on what we have to do tonight to get a win," Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said. "It's unfortunate. We weren't expecting that, but there's nothing you can do about it."

The Nashville Predators will re-insert Alexander Radulov into their lineup. The forward was suspended for Game 3 by the team for a violation of team rules. For Game 4, the Predators held him out. The same was done with Andrei Kostitsyn. In talking to Radulov the morning before Game 5, he sounded more than ready for his opportunity.

"I have something to prove, not to you guys or to somebody, first of all it's to myself and that's about it," Radulov said.

The Phoenix Coyotes will look to make the Western Conference Final for the first time in team history. This could also be the first time since the team moved to Arizona that it can close a series at home. Phoenix has never done so in this state. "Anytime you give up a game at home it hurts. We've got to find a way to take care of business," forward Shane Doan said. "We've talked about how this has to be our best game of the series."

Prospective lineups:

Predators

Colin Wilson - Mike Fisher - Martin Erat

Gabriel Bourque - David Legwand - Patric Hornqvist

Andrei Kostitsyn - Nick Spaling - Alexander Radulov

Sergei Kostitsyn - Paul Gaustad - Brandon Yip


Ryan Suter - Shea Weber

Roman Josi - Hal Gill

Francis Bouillon - Kevin Klein


Pekka Rinne

Anders Lindback


Coyotes


Ray Whitney - Martin Hanzal - Radim Vrbata

Mikkel Boedker - Antoine Vermette - Shane Doan

Taylor Pyatt - Boyd Gordon - Marc-Antoine Pouliot

Kyle Chipchura - Daymond Langkow - Gilbert Brule


Derek Morris - Keith Yandle

Oliver Ekman-Larsson - David Schlemko

Michal Rozsival - Adrian Aucoin


Mike Smith

Jason LaBarbera

Josh Cooper reports for The Tennessean. Follow him @joshuacooper.

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