In one of the tightest series’ in the playoffs so far, the Anaheim Ducks and Nashville Predators will both aggressively look to break the 2-2 tie and take a commanding series lead on Saturday night.
When teams are tied at 2-2 in a best-of-seven playoff series, the team that wins Game 5 has gone on to win the series 78.7 per cent of the time.
It’s especially important for the Predators, because when the road team triumphs in Game 5, they go on to win the next game to take the series in six games at home 59.6 per cent of the time.
Here’s what to watch for in the ever-important Game 5.
vs.
Game 5: 7:15 p.m. ET on CBC
Will he Getz the MVP?
While this series has gone back and forth through the first four games, the two teams have shared many similarities answering one play with another, a save on one end with on on the other and scoring goal for goal. But there has been one thing that has been polar opposite: the play of the captains.
Predators captain Mike Fisher has failed to register a point in the 14 games Nashville has played in the playoffs this year and it’s not for a lack of opportunity. He is averaging just under 17 minutes and 24.5 shifts per game during which he has fired 22 shots on net (that’s a shooting percentage of zero; did the math for you.)
At the other end of the rink is Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf who is emerging as one of the few who is on track for the Conn Smythe. Through 15 games he has scored eight goals and 10 assists while leading the team in scoring by five points (Jakob Silfverberg and Rickard Rakell) and sits in solo-second in playoff scoring behind Evgeni Malkin.
[relatedlinks]
First team to crack
If you were wondering why this series has seemed so evenly matched through four games, it’s because of what each team is so good at doing. Both teams are each other’s kyrptonite.
The Ducks lead the the playoffs in scoring. So far, they are averaging 3.07 goals per game, almost an entire goal more than the average of 2.37.
The Predators, on the other hand, are allowing the fewest pucks in their net at 1.79 goals per game, almost an entire goal less than the average of 2.66.
The Ducks/Predators have a huge advantage over the Predators/Ducks because scoring/defence is so important in the playoffs.
Something has to give. When the Ducks manage to score at least three games in this series they have walked away with the win, but when the Predators managed to stop Anaheim’s scoring, the advantage falls to them. The series is eventually going to fall to which ever team is able to excel in their particular area of expertise.
Predators will have to lean on defence even more
There’s no doubt about it. The Predators have the most exciting blue line to watch. Their puck-moving ability and power-play effectiveness are at the elite level.
With the recent news that Nashville’s leading scorer Ryan Johansen is out for the remainder of the playoffs, that defence will have to do even more.
Johansen has scored three goals and 10 assists through 14 games this playoffs. Only he and Filip Forsberg have more than 10 (7 G, 5A).
The Predators top-three scoring defencemen (Roman Josi, Ryan Ellis, P.K. Subban) have collectively put up 29 points, the most of any of the remaining teams. If the Predators hope to keep up with Anaheims’s prolific scoring then this blue line will have to score even more while continuing to uphold their defensive duties.