Gameday Recap: Nashville Predators vs. Dallas Stars (First Round: Game 5)

Dallas Stars at Nashville Predators
(Series tied 2-2)

 

Game Recap:

The first period in this game starts off with good possession between both teams in a critical Game 5.  Three minutes into the game, Nashville’s Filip Forsberg had a great chance for a goal but would be called for a slashing penalty mere seconds after his chance to score.  Dallas would go on to be unsuccessful in their first extra man advantage of the afternoon and Nashville would open up the scoring with Rocco Grimaldi scoring his third goal in the postseason at the 6:25 mark of the period.  Ryan Turris would get an excellent chance to score to make it a 2-0 Nashville game but Dallas goaltender Ben Bishop, would make a great stop, and get rid of the puck down the ice.  Dallas would make is a 1-1 game with Jason Dickinson’s first Stanley Cup playoff game at the 13:08 mark and Dallas would narrowly make it a 2-1 game but Predators G Pekka Rinne would have a few good saves.  Nashville was very sloppy in the last ten minutes of the contest, with the costly turnovers that they had.  If Nashville wants to win this game, they need to do a better job of having better puck possession and they need to attack the net.

The second period of the contest would start off with Alexander Radulov giving the Stars the 2-1 lead just 40 seconds in.   There would some big hits at center ice between Nashville’s Nick Bonino and Dan Hamhuis and Dallas’ John Klingberg and Mats Zuccarello.  As far as puck possession goes, Filip Forsberg has had costly turnovers happen.  Forsberg, at the 7:14 mark of the second period, has had 3 giveaways in the contest, the most out of all skaters in this contest.  Alexander Radulov would score his second goal in the contest at the 7:41  mark, his second in the contest.  This goal would come from a missed assignment by Kyle Turris and a turnover by Rocco Grimaldi.  Nashville’s Ryan Johansen would bring the Predators within one with Johansen’s goal and about two minutes later, he and Dallas’ Radek Faska would both be called for minor penalties at the 11:52 mark in the period.  Dallas would regain their two goal lead with a goal when the puck went in and out of the net quickly at the 15:56 mark and Nashville’s Mattias Ekholm would be assessed an Unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at the 16:21 mark in the period.  That would be Ekholm’s sixth penalty that he would be assessed in this series.  On the power play, Dallas has a lot of crisp and clean passes to try and make this contest a 5-2 game, but the Stars would be unable to gain a bigger lead on this power play opportunity.   Dallas has been playing a great 40 minutes of hockey and they are one period away from gaining the 3-2 series lead.  Dallas, if they want to win this contest, need to pressure the Predators and take any advantage in flaws that they see on the ice.

Going into the third period, Dallas’ Jason Dickinson would score his second goal in the contest off of Nashville’s 17th giveaway in the contest and 28 seconds later, Nashville’s Kyle Turris would score his first goal of the postseason.  Nashville would go on their first power play of the contest at 3:39 in the period when Stars D Miro Heiskanen would be called for Hooking on Nashville’s Colton Sissons and the Predators would be unsuccessful on that power play opportunity, only getting off one shot.  The Predators would spend a good majority of the period preventing the Stars from getting down their side of the ice and would do whatever they could score but Ben Bishop would make great stops and saves.  Nashville would pull Pekka Rinne with 2:39 left in the contest but that would not be enough as the Predators would fall in this contest and the Stars would go on to win Game 5 by the score of 5-3

 

 

Dallas will look to win the series when Game 6 takes place Monday night.

 

Dallas Stars Lines and Defensive Pairings

Jamie Benn-Tyler Seguin-Alexander Radulov

Jason Dickinson-Roope Hintz-mats Zuccarello

Andrew Cogliano-Radek Faksa-Blake Comeau

Justin Dowling-Jason Spezza-Valeri Nichushkin

Esa Lindell-John Klingberg

Miro Heiskanen-Roman Polak

Jamie Oleksiak-Ben Lovejoy

Ben Bishop

Anton Khudobin

Injuries: Stephen Johns (upper body), Marc Methot (lower body), Martin Hanzal (back), Brett Ritchie (hand)

Scratched: Julius Honka, Jason Spezza, Taylor Fedun, Landon Bow, Valeri Nichushkin

 

 

Nashville Predators Lines and Defencive Pairings

Filip Forsberg-Ryan Johansen-Viktor Arvidsson

Mikael Granlund-Colton Sissons-Calle Jarnkrok

Austin Watson-Nick Bonino-Craig Smith

Brian Boyle-Kyle Turris-Rocco Grimaldi

Roman Josi-Ryan Ellis

Mattias Ekholm-P.K. Subban

Dan Hamhuis-Dante Fabbro

Pekka Rinne

Juusa Saros

Injured:  Wayne Simmonds (lower body)

Scratched: Miikka Salomaki, Rem Pitlick, Zac Rinaldo, Cody McLeod, Matt Irwin, Yannick Weber, Frederick Gaudreau

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dallas Goal: Alexander Radulov (4) assisted by Jamie Benn (4) —  7:41

 

Nashville Goal: Ryan Johansen (1) assisted by Filip Forsberg (1) and Roman Josi (2) —  9:18

 

 

 

Nashville Penalty: Ryan Johansen for Roughing  —  2 min minor  —  11:52

Dallas Penalty: Radek Faksa for Slashing  —  2 min minor  —  11:52

Dallas Goal: Tyler Seguin (2) assisted by Jamie Benn (5)  —  15:54

 

 

Nashville Penalty: Mattias Ekholm for Unsportsmanlike conduct  —  16:21

 

End of 2nd– DAL – 4       NSH – 2

 

Dallas Goal: Jason Dickinson (2) unassisted —  1:57

Nashville Goal: Kyle Turris (1) assisted by Mikhail Granlund (1)  —  2:25

Dallas Penalty: Miro Heiskanen for Hooking  —  2 min minor  —  3:39

 

End of 3rd – DAL – 5       NSH – 3