On the Forecheck, a Nashville Predators community

By having eliminated the Detroit Red Wings in five games, the Nashville Predators have earned themselves a respite before the campaign for the 2012 Stanley Cup continues in the second round.

The Nashville Predators took a step forward as a franchise tonight, knocking off a Detroit Red Wings team which has, until now, always played King of the Hill against them.

The Preds will have their hands full against an experienced opponent which has too much pride to simply fold up the tents and call it a season.

Pekka Rinne held off a furious barrage of shots from Detroit to give the Predators a chance to close out the Red Wings Friday night at Bridgestone Arena.

With today's morning skate an optional affair on both sides, we won't have any further information on possible changes to line combinations heading into tonight's Game 4 between Nashville & Detroit.

While other series have guys throwing elbows to the head, pulling hair, or cross-checking opponents in the face, the rivalry between the Nashville Predators and Detroit Red Wings is perhaps taking a more genteel turn.

The Nashville Predators can put a stranglehold on this series with a win tonight at Detroit, but it sounds like both head coaches are doing a little tinkering to squeeze more performance out of their team.

A temporary(?) demotion for David Legwand, a pat on the back for Shea Weber, and continued controversy over the decisions made by Brendan Shanahan, Lord of Supplementary Discipline. Those stories kick off your afternoon hockey notes...

Yesterday was one of the best days of the year for hockey fans - intense NHL playoff action on national networks, spread out relatively evenly over the course of the afternoon and evening.

It was hardly pretty, but the Nashville Predators took back home ice advantage with a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings this afternoon at Joe Louis Arena.