Coyotes know Predators will come out strong in Game 3
May 2, 2012, 3:41 PM | Updated: 5:09 pm
A Game 3 victory by the Phoenix Coyotes would all but put
them in the Western Conference Finals.
After all, just three teams have ever come back from an 0-
3 deficit to win a best-of-seven series in the Stanley Cup
Playoffs.
Needless to say, the Desert Dogs expect the Nashville
Predators to come out firing Wednesday night.
“We realize that Nashville is going to come out and play
probably the best game of the series in Game 3 out of
desperation,” Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said. “We have to
make sure our game is where it needs to be to give us the
best chance to win.”
Playing like they did in Game 2 would be a start, as the
Coyotes played arguably their best game of the postseason
in the 5-3 win.
And, with the Predators suspending forwards Andrei
Kostitsyn and Alexander Radulov due to violating team
rules, it would seem things are lining up perfectly for
the ‘Yotes to go down to Nashville and steal this game.
But, as the team will remind you, that’s easier said than
done.
“Especially in their building,” captain Shane Doan said of
this game being difficult. “They’ve got so much emotion in
that building and they play with so much emotion as a
group when they really get going.
“They come wave, after wave, after wave, after wave and
we’re going to have to make sure we find a way to make
sure we’re ready.”
The Coyotes, who won three games in Chicago last series
and topped the Predators twice in Nashville during the
regular season, should have little trouble with the
atmosphere, despite what they may say.
And, they’re not naive to the fact that they are in a good
spot right now, even though there is still plenty of work
to be done.
“We’re happy that it’s 2-0, we recognize that we just did
what we’re supposed to, we won our games at home,” Doan
said. “Now you’ve got to go on the road and do everything
you can to win that next one.
“Everyone talks about it that it’s the most important
game, and it’s the next one.”
Arizona Sports’ Craig Grialou contributed to this
report
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