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• Behind Mike Smith, the Coyotes beat the Predators, 2-1, to advance to the conference finals for the first time in franchise history. Smith did not allow a goal in Game 5 until 14:01 of the 3rd period, extending his shutout streak to 164 minutes, 45 seconds, the longest postseason streak in the history of the Phoenix/Winnipeg franchise.

• Brad Richards scored the game-tying goal with 6.6 seconds remaining in the 3rd period and then Marc Staal scored the game-winner just 1:35 into overtime as the Rangers shocked the Capitals, 3-2, taking a 3-2 lead in the series. Both goals were power-play goals, following a double-minor penalty to Joel Ward with 21.3 seconds left in the 3rd period. Not only that, but those goals were historic: This was the first game in the history of the NHL playoffs in which a team scored a tying goal in the last 10 seconds of the third period, then scored the game-winner within the first two minutes of overtime.

The previous record for the earliest overtime goal by a team that had tied the score in the last 10 seconds of regulation time was held by the Kings in the "Miracle on Manchester," when Daryl Evans scored at 2:35 of overtime to beat Wayne Gretzky's Oilers, 6-5. Steve Bozek had tied that game with 5 seconds remaining in the third period, as the Kings scored 5 times in the 3rd period to wipe out the Oilers' 5-0 lead.

This is the first postseason in NHL history in which there were three games in which a game-tying goal was scored in the final 15 seconds of regulation.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- They’re b-a-a-a-c-c-c-k-k-k!

Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn, as expected, will suit up Monday night with the Nashville Predators’ season on the line against the Phoenix Coyotes.

"I got something to prove, not to you guys or to somebody, but first of all to myself, and that's about it," Radulov said after the morning skate at Jobing.com Arena.

"In light of everything that's happened, we expect [Radulov] to be real, real good," said center Mike Fisher. "He loves to play, and we expect him to bring some energy and enthusiasm, like he normally does, and same as Andrei."

Radulov and Kostitsyn were suspended for Game 3 after breaking team curfew and didn’t dress for Game 4 as coach Barry Trotz decided not to mess with success.

But the Predators were shut out 1-0 on Friday and trail the series 3-1.

Back in go the two offensive players.

"Rad’s a pretty proud guy," Trotz said Monday morning. "He wants to be part of this series and he’s going to be part of this series. He wants to make a difference."

Trotz hopes reinserting the two late-season pickups will be the turning point his team needs.

"It’s a big challenge for them," Trotz said. "They’re coming into a situation where we’re behind the 8-ball. They can make a difference tonight in a very positive way. If they do, it might be the thing that changes the whole series. What we did in the past and why we did it were for all the right reasons and that won’t change. But we’ve got to look forward."

Trotz told the players Saturday morning, wisely wanting both players to spruce up and get their focus sharpened for Monday's game.

"I just told them, 'You’re back in. You can make a difference. It’s not going to be easy and people aren’t going to let you off the hook. You’re going to be judged, you’re going to be weighed, all those things,'" Trotz said. "I needed to tell them early so they could get in the right frame of mind."

Radulov and Kostitsyn will begin with defensively aware Nick Spaling as their center. Other changes see Colin Wilson replacing Sergei Kostitsyn on the top line with Fisher and Martin Erat. Sergei Kostitsyn was dropped to the fourth line after an ineffective Game 4.

The Preds sounded like a confident group despite being on the brink of elimination.

"We’re feeling good," Fisher said. "We know our position. Our focus is just tonight. We feel like the series could be the other way around with a bit of luck, and that’s not an excuse. That’s just the way it is. They’re playing well, they’re finding ways to win. And that’s what we need to do. They’re not outplaying us heavily, by any means."

The Preds’ mantra over the past few days, clearly, is that they’re the ones who can be the first team this spring to reverse a 3-1 series hole.

"Why not us? Every year someone does it," Fisher said. "No one has this year. Someone has to do, might as well be us."

Trotz has obviously been sharing that message with his players.

"I don’t think there’s a team that’s done anything special in sport that has won anything that hasn’t gone through some adversity," he said. "Well, this might be our adversity. There’s moments that pass you by. You’ll look back 20 years and say, 'That was the moment.' The moment that you can make a difference. Tonight might be their moment where they can be a difference and we get back into the series a little bit and get it back to 3-2. That’s all we can do. We’re not going to win the series tonight. No team has ever won three games in one night in the NHL, that I know of. So we just got to win a hockey game."

The Coyotes, who skated Monday morning across town in Scottsdale, will have to do without Rostislav Klesla, who was suspended one game by the NHL for a hit from behind in Game 4. David Schlemko will replace the veteran Klesla in the lineup.

"It’s unfortunate, we weren’t expecting that, but there’s nothing we can do about it,’’ Coyotes coach Dave Tippett told reporters in Scottsdale on Monday morning regarding Klesla’s suspension.

Schlemko has played in two playoff games this spring.

"He’s champing at the bit to make an impact," Tippett said. "He gets an opportunity tonight."

Coyote Ugly: Phoenix can finish off the Predators at home tonight, but they’ll need to reverse some history first. Since moving to Phoenix in 1996-97, the Coyotes are 0-5 with a chance to clinch a series at home. The last such win for the franchise? The 1987 Smythe Division semifinals against Calgary, when they were the Winnipeg Jets.

NASHVILLE -- The night owls may be back Monday.

Nashville Predators coach Barry Trotz, on a media conference call Saturday, said there is a "high probability" both Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn will return to the lineup Monday night with his team down 3-1 in the series to the Phoenix Coyotes.

Trotz said the Predators had a lot of chances in Friday night's 1-0 loss at home, but several of his top players failed to finish. So he may re-insert Radulov and Kostitsyn. Both players were suspended for Game 3 after breaking the team curfew on the eve of Game 2. Trotz sat them out again for Game 4, because -- like most NHL coaches at playoff time -- he was not willing to change a winning lineup from Game 3.

The Predators managed 25 shots on goal on red-hot netminder Mike Smith in Game 4, but also had 14 missed shots.

“I thought we did a good job to pressure them to make those bad shots,” Smith said after the game. “It’s one thing to have time and get a good look and get a shot away, but we forced them tonight where they got in situations where they had to shoot the puck quick. When you have to shoot the puck quick, you can’t get it on target. My D were outstanding tonight, back pressure was great and we found a way to sneak one out.”

Preds winger Patric Hornqvist missed five shots by himself, wasting a few golden chances.

"I have to score," Hornqvist said after the game. "If I get that opportunity, I have to put one in the back of the net to get us to overtime. It was bad. I tried to get it up. I'm so close to [Smith on one play]. He's so big. So I tried to get it over. So, yeah, I missed the net. And then when Leggy [David Legwand] gave it to me backdoor, I didn't really see it -- it was bouncing and couldn't finish and one hit the post. Yeah, that happens. Now we have to get three games in a row."

Discipline for Klesla?

Coyotes defenseman Rostislav Klesla will have a disciplinary hearing Sunday for pushing Predators winger Matt Halischuk into the boards from behind during the first period of Friday night's game.

Klesla got a two-minute boarding minor on the play. Halischuk was shaken up on the play and briefly went to the locker room but returned to the finish the game.

Trotz said Saturday that he thought it was a dangerous hit.

"When I looked at it on film, I thought it was a very dangerous hit," Trotz said. "I played defense, not well mind you, but I’ve played defense before. Klesla grabs the back of Halischuk’s shirt, and pulls him back. That’s that whiplash effect that when you push him right between the numbers when he’s facing the boards, I looked at it and it was a really dangerous hit in my eyes. How the referees or the league will view it, I can’t really speak on that, but from my eyes and knowing from playing defense, drilling him when you do that whiplash effect of pulling the shirt and then driving him, it was really fortunate that Halischuk did sort of spin at the last moment or that could have been very similar to a Kris Draper type of hit when he was playing for the Red Wings against Colorado and [Claude] Lemieux hit him. He could have took the edge of the boards right across the face there and it could have been a lot worse than it was. I think Matt was very fortunate and it was a dangerous hit in my eyes. From my perspective, I’m obviously partial to our players and our team. We’ll let the league decide what they’re going to do with it, but if they’re looking at it, I think it’s the right thing to do and I’m sure they’ll deal with it with the way they always have with the thoroughness of all the other situations. A hard game to call and I respect all the decisions no matter what the decision is. But personally, I thought it was a dangerous hit."

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- It’s rare you change a winning lineup in the playoffs unless forced by injury.

And for the Nashville Predators, that means no Alexander Radulov or Andrei Kostitsyn again Friday night in Game 4 against the Phoenix Coyotes.

"The decision for me was pretty simple: The group that went in there was very committed and got the job done, plain and simple," Predators coach Barry Trotz said Friday morning. "Alex and Andrei are good players, they’re top players. At the same time, I felt the group responded really well, and I expect the group to respond again."

Neither player is suspended further, Trotz added. This is now simply a hockey decision.

My guess is, if the power play continues to struggle -- the Preds have only five goals on 34 chances this postseason -- it opens the window win or lose for Trotz to at least reinsert Radulov for Game 5 Monday night in Phoenix. But that’s just a guess at this point.

"They’re ready, obviously they want to be in," Trotz said of his two curfew breakers. "They want to have some vindication if you will. But at the same time, they’re good about being good pros. ... As long as we’re winning, they’re OK. If someone doesn’t play well or if we have an injury, they’re ready to go."

Trotz said he was going with the same lineup as Game 3. And with that, the Preds coach said he was done talking about the Radulov-Kostitsyn affair. At least for Friday.

"Can we talk more about hockey? That’s the last question I’m answering about those two," Trotz said.

Both the Predators and Coyotes had optional skates with several regulars missing, although Radulov and Kostitsyn took part.

Phoenix head coach Dave Tippett said he was leaning toward the same lineup as Game 3, although he wasn’t 100 percent sure yet.

"We’ll look at all the options, I won’t rule out a change possibly, but right now it looks like the same lineup," Tippett said.

On the Nashville side, the one concern after Game 3 was the health of winger Matt Halischuk after he left the game for a while following a scary collision into the boards. But he returned to finish the game and also skated Thursday and Friday morning.

"Yeah, I feel good to go, ready to go if I get the call tonight," Halischuk said after the morning skate.

He went to the "quiet room" after that collision in Game 3.

"It’s never a good situation when you’re flying like that, out of control, into the boards,” he said. "I was kind of winded. Took a second to get everything back together.’’

• The Rangers’ victory continued the pattern of wins by the road team in marathon overtime games. Visiting teams have won 31 of the 45 playoff games in NHL history which lasted three overtimes or more and the road team has prevailed in 20 of 28 such games since 1987.

• Wednesday's win was only the second postseason shutout in Nashville franchise history. The first Predators playoff whitewash was a 3–0 win by Tomas Vokoun against Detroit in a first-round series in 2004.

NASHVILLE -- Jordan Tootoo and Matt Halischuk replaced suspended players Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn in the Nashville lineup Wednesday night.

Both checkers had a positive presence, especially Tootoo, who played 10:11 and led the team with five hits.

"He was really good tonight," said coach Barry Trotz. "He was on the puck hard. He was detailed in the defensive zone, he was detailed all over the ice in terms of the reloads and finding people. That’s the way I expect him to play. When he’s hard on people and detailed, he can have an impact on a game. And I thought he did today.’’

On Wednesday morning, Trotz indicated he likely wouldn’t tinker with a winning lineup if his team took Game 3. While he didn’t come out and definitely say that again after the game, he was certainly leaning that way. Which means Radulov and Kostitsyn could sit out Game 4, as well.

"It’s a privilege to play in the Stanley Cup playoffs, to play for the Cup, and those guys took advantage of the privilege of playing," said Trotz. "That’s a sacred part of the playoffs. It will be very hard to change a lot from that group."

Coyotes felt generous

The Coyotes coughed up the puck on both Nashville goals. It’s not something they’re used to doing.

"They did come hard, and at home they come a little bit harder," said Coyotes captain Shane Doan. "At the same time, the goals they got, we gave them. We know that we’ve got to eliminate the mistakes."

Rinne shuts the door

Pekka Rinne earned a 32-save shutout and kept his best for a 5-on-3 Coyotes power play in which he made a series of superb saves.

"Pekka was tracking the puck really well," said Trotz. "Big save, I think he got the toe up on that one. He did a great job; he was smothering things, he was finding pucks that were bouncing around. I just thought he was sharp tonight."

Defense returns

After surprisingly combining for 15 goals in the opening two games, Wednesday night saw the kind of affair both teams were expected to deliver.

"Predator hockey is similar to the Coyotes', you base everything on a real good work ethic, you base everything on trying to play a real good team defense and piggyback the offense off of that," said Trotz. "That’s a little bit more the formula that both teams rely on."

Rebounding effort

Predators star defenseman Ryan Suter said his team was motivated to respond Wednesday night.

"We know that we didn’t play good in Game 2," said Suter. "For us, it was kind of embarrassing, our effort. So we knew we had to come out and play the way we’re capable of playing. You play good teams, you have to match their desperation. Tonight, we did that."

NASHVILLE -- We should not assume that Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn are benched for only one game.

There’s no way Nashville Predators head coach Barry Trotz messes with his lineup if his team wins Game 3 on Wednesday night to get back in the series.

“Obviously with our situation, tonight if we get it done, I would expect I would probably go back with the same group, the group that gets it done,” Trotz said Wednesday morning.

And then, as if he was just waiting for someone to ask, the coach decided to stamp out a rumor that’s been circulating: That somehow he knew before Sunday’s game that Radulov and Kostitsyn had broken curfew the previous night.

“I’ll throw this out because it has been asked on a lot of shows: We did not know before Game 2,” Trotz said. “We found out after Game 2. Hell would have had to freeze over if they would have played Game 2 if I knew before. That’s how I am; that’s how the management team is and that’s how the Nashville Predators are run.

“There’s been a lot of speculation that we knew and that’s a bunch of crap. We didn’t. I just wanted to throw that out there because it’s been asked a lot, but not never to me.”

To say Trotz is disappointed in those two players is a massive understatement. But I also think he’s a clever coach. He’s making the best out of a bad hand here. He knows this is a moment that can galvanize his team, which needs a spark down 2-0.

From player to player Wednesday morning in the Predators' dressing room, you got the sense that’s exactly what’s transpiring.

I expect a much better effort from the Preds on Wednesday night. They deviated from their game in Phoenix. Perhaps because most people picked them to win the series, I feel like the Preds tried to put on a show in Phoenix instead of playing Predators hockey, which is a defense-first philosophy.

By benching Radulov and Kostitsyn, two late-season additions, the Preds can go back to almost their original lineup. And that can be a good thing when you’re trying to re-establish your team identity.

“The guys that are out tonight, Andrei and Rad, they weren’t with us for 65 games or so,” Trotz said. “The guys who are going in have been together. A Craig Smith has been on the power play. We’ve had different people do that. They are going to be put in roles. They did it for 65 games. They’re going to be fine tonight."

The Coyotes, of course, know what’s coming at them. It’s not rocket science. The Preds are down 2-0, they’re desperate and they’re at home. Buckle up, boys.

“Yeah, if it was coming home to my building I know the home team would come out flying, and we expect that tonight from them,” Coyotes captain Shane Doan said Wednesday morning. “We have to ready for it. We can’t sit back and wait. We have to go after it ourselves.”

And the fact they’re going to miss Radulov and Kostitsyn isn’t seen as a positive in the Coyotes' room.

“You look at what they did before those guys got there; they were a great team already,” Doan said. “Sure those two guys made them better, but it’s not as if they were struggling beforehand. They’ve got a great team over there. We’re going to have to be real good tonight.”

Trotz would not confirm his lineup, but I expect Jordin Tootoo to play his first game of the series. He’s going to bring the kind of energy at home that the Preds can feed off.

“I’m not going to put a lot of pressure on myself,” Tootoo said after the morning skate. “I’m going to do what I’ve been doing all year long: bringing energy. The playoffs are physically demanding, and I think I’m a player that can bring some of that game and wear those guys down. If I’m in the lineup, I’ll be ready.”

The right decisions in life are often the hardest ones.

And on Tuesday, the Nashville Predators made the right call under the most excruciating circumstances.

They are down 2-0 in their second-round series with the Phoenix Coyotes. Their season hangs in the balance. They need all the offense they can muster. Yet they decided to sit their two leading scorers, Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn, for Game 3 on Wednesday -- for violating a team curfew Saturday night on the eve of Game 2.

You might have noticed that both players were brutal in that game, even though Kostitsyn scored Sunday night.

"I’ve been a manager for 30 years. I care about each individual player, but I’ve never put an individual player above the team," Predators GM David Poile told ESPN.com on Tuesday. "In this case, the players violated a team rule. It’s disappointing any time a player has to miss a game because of violating a team rule, and it’s even more significant at playoff time, but the decision between the coach and myself was very easy. We have to do the right thing. Their actions spoke volumes in terms of their lack of commitment and focus to give our a club a chance to win."

Radulov has only one goal in these playoffs, although his six points (1-5) lead the team. He’s been up and down -- real good in the series-clinching win over Detroit but mostly invisible in the two losses in Phoenix.

Radulov was supposed to be more than this. The former KHL MVP in Russia was signed to be the missing offensive dynamo the Preds had craved. At times, he’s shown flashes of that. But overall, he has not had quite the impact most had expected.

Now with this lack of judgment from Radulov that forced the hand of the Predators to sit him, you wonder what the future holds for him in Nashville. He’ll be a restricted free agent July 1. You have to imagine he’s likely headed back to Russia and that the Preds would have reservations shelling out big dough to keep him. That’s certainly my guess.

But Poile warned against overreaching conclusions because of this one incident.

"Let’s not blow it out of proportion, it’s not the first time a player has missed a game because of a team rule violation," said the veteran hockey man. "We’re full of second chances in this business."

Poile then pointed to my personal life (sorry, folks) to make his point.

"It’s not different than your family; someday you and your wife may have to have your twins sit in the corner for a timeout because of their behavior," Poile said. "And you might not like the crying and how it makes you feel, but you know as a parent you’re doing the right thing. And it’s no different in this case. You still love your kids. It’s not that we dislike Andrei or Rad; we’re disappointed in their behavior, and we hope that because we’re punishing them, if you will, by missing this game that this will not be a repetitive situation. If and when they get a chance to put on a Predators uniform again, both their play on the ice and their behavior off the ice will be at the highest standard possible.”

Here’s what I think might happen Wednesday night with Nashville’s season essentially on the line: The Predators will rediscover their true identity. Before they added the likes of Radulov and Kostitsyn, they were the blue-collar Preds. They understood how they won games in this league, with a grind-it-out, defense-first style. My guess is they'll go back to that Wednesday.

The guy I feel bad for right now, though, is Predators captain Shea Weber. Behind the scenes over the past few years, he contributed to trying to persuade Radulov to come back to the Predators. He certainly didn’t have this in mind when doing so.
But Poile and head coach Barry Trotz ran their decision by Weber and the leaders before announcing it. Everyone is apparently on board.

"We talked to the leadership group in terms of their knowledge of it and what-have-you," Poile said. "Everybody was very much aware of the situation. We had to do the right thing."

Yes, the Predators might lose Game 3. And if that’s the case, their season would be essentially over. But Poile and Trotz will have zero regrets.

From drafting and developing players to fostering the type of hockey culture (with limited finances) that they believe breeds success, the Predators in my books have always done it the honorable way.

This is no different. The team comes first.

"Win or lose, we made the right decision," Poile said.

Flyers 4, Devils 3 (OT); PHI leads series 1-0
* Danny Briere: 2 goals (6, 7), including 3rd career postseason OT goal (both previous goals were in 2006 with Sabres)
* Briere: 3rd multigoal game this postseason
* Claude Giroux: goal (7); leads NHL in playoff points (15), tied with Briere for most goals
* Flyers: have won past 5 playoff series after winning Game 1
* Devils: have lost past 5 playoff series after losing Game 1, including losing to the Flyers 4-1 in 2010 Eastern Conference quarterfinals

FROM ELIAS: Danny Briere scored his second goal of the game 4:36 into overtime to give the Flyers a 4-3 victory in the opener of their second-round series against the Devils. Briere, who had a pair of two-goal games as Philadelphia beat Pittsburgh in six games in the first round, is the first player in Flyers history to record three multiple-goal performances in the team's first seven games of a playoff year. In fact, he's only the second Flyer since 1998 to register three multigoal games over an entire playoff year, joining R.J. Umberger, who had three in 2008.

Coyotes 5, Predators 3; PHX leads series 2-0
* Coyotes: According to Elias, Coyotes are up 2-0 in a series for 1st time since 1986-87 season
* Coyotes: won 3 straight playoff games for first time since 1999
* Antoine Vermette (PHX): 5th goal of postseason (9th of postseason career)
* Predators: all 5 power-play goals have come on road
* Pekka Rinne (NSH): has allowed 9 goals in 1st 2 games of this series (allowed 9 goals in 5-game series vs DET)

FROM ELIAS: Antoine Vermette opened the scoring with a first-period goal in the Coyotes' 5-3 win against Nashville. It was Vermette's NHL-leading fourth go-ahead goal during this year's playoffs.

Series preview for the Predators-Coyotes series, which begins Friday night in Phoenix.

No. 8 Los Angeles Kings vs No. 2 St. Louis Blues
• The Kings beat Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo for seven goals in the first two games of their first-round series (and also scored an empty-net goal). Six of those seven goals beat Luongo to the stick side. The Kings also scored three of their four goals against replacement Cory Schneider to his stick side.
• The battle in front of the net could decide the series. The Blues scored nine of their 14 first-round goals against the Sharks either in front or through a screen, while the Kings allowed only four such goals against the Canucks.
• On the other side, neither Brian Elliott nor Jaroslav Halak gave up a rebound goal in the first round. St. Louis was the only team that didn’t allow one.
• The Kings were the only team in the Western Conference to advance to the second round despite losing over half of their faceoffs in the series (48.2 percent).
• Dustin Brown was one of two players (Maxime Talbot was the other) to score multiple shorthanded goals in the playoffs. The Canucks as a team scored on only three of their 21 power-play opportunities, and surrendered Brown’s two shorthanded goals.

No. 4 Nashville Predators vs No. 3 Phoenix Coyotes
• Black-and-blue collar: The Coyotes led all Western Conference teams with 246 hits and 128 blocked shots in their first-round series with the Blackhawks, and killed a playoff-best 94.7 percent of Chicago’s power-play opportunities (1-for-19).
• The Predators allowed only four 5-on-5 goals in their five games against the Red Wings, the lowest of any playoff team.
• The Coyotes were outshot in all six first-round games against the Blackhawks. During the regular season, Phoenix averaged being outshot by 2.0 shots per game, 21st in the NHL. The only team in the Western Conference with a bigger deficit was their second-round opponent: Nashville was outshot by 3.2 shots per game, 26th in NHL.
• Nashville has four of the top nine plus/minus players in the playoffs. Defenseman Francis Bouillon is currently tied for the playoff lead with a plus-6 with Philadelphia’s Claude Giroux while Alexander Radulov, David Legwand and Gabriel Bourque all were plus-5 in the first round series with Detroit.
• The Coyotes scored 12 of their 17 goals either in front of the net or through screens, most in the Western Conference.

From the official NHL release:

2012 STANLEY CUP CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS SCHEDULE


NEW YORK (April 26, 2012) – The National Hockey League today announced the dates, starting times and television coverage for the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoff Conference Semifinals, which begin Friday, April 27, when the Phoenix Coyotes host the Nashville Predators. For the first time NBC Sports Group will have exclusive coverage of the Conference Semifinals in the U.S. CBC, TSN and RDS televise exclusive coverage throughout Canada.
2012 EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

SERIES I TIME (ET) #1 NY Rangers vs. #7 Washington Networks
Saturday, April 28, 2012 3 p.m. Washington at NY Rangers NBC, CBC
Monday, April 30, 2012 7:30 p.m. Washington at NY Rangers NBC Sports Network, CBC
Wednesday, May 2, 2012 7:30 p.m. NY Rangers at Washington NBC Sports Network, CBC
Saturday, May 5, 2012 12:30 p.m. NY Rangers at Washington NBC, CBC
*Monday, May 7, 2012 7:30 p.m. Washington at NY Rangers NBC Sports Network, CBC
*Wednesday, May 9, 2012 TBD NY Rangers at Washington TBD, CBC
*Saturday, May 12, 2012 TBD Washington at NY Rangers TBD, CBC

SERIES J TIME (ET) #5 Philadelphia vs. #6 New Jersey Networks
Sunday, April 29, 2012 3 p.m. New Jersey at Philadelphia NBC, CBC
Tuesday, May 1, 2012 7:30 p.m. New Jersey at Philadelphia NBC Sports Network, CBC
Thursday, May 3, 2012 7:30 p.m. Philadelphia at New Jersey NBC Sports Network, CBC
Sunday, May 6, 2012 7:30 p.m. Philadelphia at New Jersey NBC Sports Network, CBC
*Tuesday, May 8, 2012 TBD New Jersey at Philadelphia NBC Sports Network, CBC
*Thursday, May 10, 2012 TBD Philadelphia at New Jersey TBD, CBC
*Saturday, May 12, 2012 TBD New Jersey at Philadelphia TBD, CBC

2012 WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

SERIES K TIME (ET) #2 St. Louis vs. #8 Los Angeles Networks
Saturday, April 28, 2012 7:30 p.m. Los Angeles at St. Louis NBC Sports Network, TSN
Monday, April 30, 2012 9 p.m. Los Angeles at St. Louis CNBC, TSN
Thursday, May 3, 2012 10 p.m. St. Louis at Los Angeles NBC Sports Network, TSN
Sunday, May 6, 2012 3 p.m. St. Louis at Los Angeles NBC, TSN
*Tuesday, May 8, 2012 TBD Los Angeles at St. Louis CNBC, TSN
*Thursday, May 10, 2012 TBD St. Louis at Los Angeles TBD, TSN
*Saturday, May 12, 2012 TBD Los Angeles at St. Louis TBD, TSN

SERIES L TIME (ET) #3 Phoenix vs. #4 Nashville Networks
Friday, April 27, 2012 9 p.m. Nashville at Phoenix NBC Sports Network, TSN
Sunday, April 29, 2012 8 p.m. Nashville at Phoenix NBC Sports Network, TSN
Wednesday, May 2, 2012 9 p.m. Phoenix at Nashville CNBC, TSN
Friday, May 4, 2012 7:30 p.m. Phoenix at Nashville NBC Sports Network, TSN
*Monday, May 7, 2012 10 p.m. Nashville at Phoenix NBC Sports Network, TSN
*Wednesday, May 9, 2012 TBD Phoenix at Nashville TBD, TSN
*Friday, May 11, 2012 TBD Nashville at Phoenix TBD, TSN

* If necessary
ALL TIMES LISTED ARE EASTERN TIME
TBD = To Be Determined

From the official NHL release:

CHARA, KARLSSON AND WEBER NAMED NORRIS TROPHY FINALISTS


NEW YORK (April 26, 2012) -- Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins, Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators and Shea Weber of the Nashville Predators are the three finalists for the 2011-12 James Norris Memorial Trophy, awarded “to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position,” the National Hockey League announced today.

Members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association submitted ballots for the Norris Trophy at the conclusion of the regular season, with the top three vote-getters designated as finalists. The winner will be announced Wednesday, June 20, during the 2012 NHL Awards from Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas. The 2012 NHL Awards will be broadcast by NBC Sports Network in the United States and CBC in Canada.

Following are the finalists for the Norris Trophy, in alphabetical
order:

Zdeno Chara, Boston Bruins

Chara's strong two-way play helped the Bruins capture their third Northeast Division title in the past four seasons. The Boston captain led all defensemen and tied for third in the NHL in plus-minus (+33) -- matching his League-leading rating from 2010-11 -- and recorded a career-high 52 points (12 goals, 40 assists) to rank fourth among all defenders in scoring. In addition, he led the Bruins in power-play goals
(eight) and average ice time per game (25:00). Chara is a Norris Trophy finalist for the fourth time in the past five seasons and for the fifth time overall; he captured the award in 2009, finished second in 2004 and was third in 2008 and 2011.

Erik Karlsson, Ottawa Senators

Karlsson enjoyed a breakout season, leading all NHL defensemen in scoring with 78 points (19 goals, 59 assists) in 81 games. He recorded 25 points more than any other League defenseman -- the widest winning margin since Pittsburgh's Paul Coffey lapped the field by 38 points in 1988-89 -- and set Ottawa franchise records for blueline assists and points. The 21-year-old also is the youngest defenseman to tally as many as 78 points in a season since Coffey's 96 with Edmonton in 1982-83. Karlsson topped NHL defensemen in shots (261), was ninth in the League in average ice time per game (25:19) and posted a +16 rating.

Shea Weber, Nashville Predators

Weber ranked near the top of several categories, helping the Predators earn their seventh Stanley Cup Playoff berth in the past eight seasons. The Nashville captain placed sixth in scoring among all defensemen with 49 points (19 goals, 30 assists), with his 19 goals tied with fellow Norris finalist Erik Karlsson for first place. He ranked fifth in the NHL in average ice time per game (26:09), tied a career high and led all defensemen with 10 power-play goals and posted a team-leading and career-best +21 rating. Weber is a Norris Trophy finalist for the second consecutive season; he finished second to Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom in 2010-11.

History

The James Norris Memorial Trophy was presented in 1953 by the four children of the late James Norris in memory of the former owner-president of the Detroit Red Wings.

Friday, April 27: Game 1, Nashville at Phoenix
Saturday, April 28: Game 1, Los Angeles at St. Louis
Sunday, April 29: Game 2, Nashville at Phoenix
Monday, April 30: Game 2, Los Angeles at St. Louis
Wednesday, May 2: Game 3, Phoenix at Nashville
Thursday, May 3: Game 3, St. Louis at Los Angeles
Friday, May 4: Game 4, Phoenix at Nashville
Sunday, May 6: Game 4, St. Louis at Los Angeles

From the official NHL release. Note that times have not yet been set:

PHOENIX COYOTES - NASHVILLE PREDATORS CONFERENCE SEMIFINAL BEGINS FRIDAY;
ST. LOUIS BLUES - LOS ANGELES KINGS SERIES STARTS SATURDAY

NEW YORK (April 25, 2012) - The National Hockey League today announced the schedule for the first four games for both of the Stanley Cup Playoff Western Conference Semifinals.

The series between the Phoenix Coyotes and Nashville Predators will begin on Friday, April 27th, and will continue with Game 2 on Sunday, April 29th, with both games being played in Phoenix. Game 3, in Nashville, is scheduled for Wednesday, May 2nd and Game 4 will be Friday, May 4th, also in Nashville.

The series featuring the St. Louis Blues and Los Angeles Kings will begin on Saturday, April 28th, in St. Louis. Game 2 will be Monday, April 30th, also in St. Louis. Games 3 and 4 will be played in Los Angeles on Thursday, May 3rd and Sunday, May 6th, respectively.

The complete Eastern and Western Conference Semifinals schedule, including start times and television information, will be released upon conclusion of the Conference Quarterfinal round Thursday night.