The Nashville Predators resume the Western Conference Final against the Anaheim Ducks without injured first-line center Ryan Johansen.
Game 5 is at Honda Center on Saturday (7:15 p.m. ET; NBC, CBC, TVA Sports). When teams are tied 2-2 in a best-of-7 series, the winner of Game 5 holds an all-time series record of 198-54, including 5-0 this postseason.
Johansen
will miss the rest of the Stanley Cup Playoffs
because of a left thigh injury sustained in Game 4 on Thursday that required emergency surgery. He had 13 points (three goals, 10 assists) in 14 playoff games.
NHL.com correspondent Dan Arritt looks at the options for Predators coach Peter Laviolette in his
5 Keys to Game 5
. Without Johansen,
the Predators are at a crossroads
and can rally or fold, writes NHL.com columnist Nicholas J. Cotsonika.
Having played each other four times in this series, there are few surprises the Ducks and Predators can pull on each other. Former NHL assistant Davis Payne, analyzing the series for NHL.com, says
execution and effort are the factors that will decide who wins
.
One big factor for the Ducks has been the play of defenseman Cam Fowler, who returned from a knee injury earlier in the playoffs and has been superb against the Predators. In Game 4, notes NHL.com staff writer Lisa Dillman, Fowler played 28:10, was credited with three shots on goal, blocked four shots and made an excellent stretch pass
that led to Rickard Rakell's first-period goal
.