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Coyotes at Predators: What Bettors Need to Know
By Covers.com

Phoenix Coyotes at Nashville Predators (-157, 5)

Phoenix leads series 2-1

THE STORY: The Nashville Predators sat two of their top offensive players for Game 3 of their second-round series with Phoenix - then went out and blanked the Coyotes at home. Fans shouldn't expect Alexander Radulov of Andrei Kostitsyn to play in Game 4, either, as the Predators look to even their best-of-seven series with the Coyotes. The two forwards were banned after violating a team rule, but the rest of the team banded together to earn a 2-0 victory and trim the series deficit to 2-1.

ABOUT THE COYOTES: Phoenix pushed nine goals past Nashville netminder Pekka Rinne in the first two games of the series, but had no answer for the Finnish star as the series shifted to Tennessee. The Coyotes had their share of chances - firing 32 shots on net - but Rinne was equal to the task. The Predators put things on ice early with two goals in a 1:06 span early in the opening period - giving them the kind of quick start Phoenix coach Dave Tippett warned his team to expect. ''We gave them that early energy, that early momentum,'' he said. Coyotes netminder Mike Smith stopped 24 shots in defeat.

ABOUT THE PREDATORS: Nashville head coach Barry Trotz made it clear prior to Game 3 that if his team prevailed, he would reward the players involved by dressing them in Game 4. That all but rules out Radulov and Kostitsyn, who were reportedly spotted out on the town in Glendale, Ariz. until 4 a.m. prior to Game 2. ''It's very hard to change it if everybody is committed like they were,'' Trotz said afterward. ''It's a statement. It's a privilege to play in the NHL playoffs for the Stanley Cup.'' Rinne's best game of the playoffs resulted in his first postseason shutout since a 3-0 win over Detroit back in April 2004.

TRENDS:

* Under is 10-3-2 in the last 15 meetings in Nashville.
* Over is 3-1-1 in the last 5 meetings.
* Coyotes are 5-12-1 in the last 18 meetings in Nashville.

OVERTIME:

1. After the road team had won the previous six regular-season meetings between the clubs, the home team has prevailed in each of the first three games of this series.

2. Phoenix had scored 13 goals in its previous three games prior to Wednesday's shutout.