Schedule and 2008 Results
Regular Season Records: Detroit 54-21-7=115pts, Nashville 41-32-9=91pts
Game 1 on Thursday, 10 April: Nashville loses at Detroit, 3-goals-1
Game 2 on Saturday, 12 April: Nashville loses at Detroit, 4-goals-2
Game 3 on Monday, 14 April: Detroit loses at Nashville, 5-goals-3
Game 4 on Wednesday, 16 April: Detroit loses at Nashville, 3-goals-2
Game 5 on Friday, 18 April: Nashville loses at Detroit, 2-goals-1 (OT)
Game 6 on Sunday, 20 April: Detroit wins at Nashville, 3-goals-nil

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 6: Achieving the first road victory of MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1027, the Detroit Red Wings visited and defeated the Nashville Predators 3-goals-nil for a 4-games-2 series 1027 victory. The series 1027 victory improves the Detroit Red Wings series record to 46-37 overall and 13-7 in the Preliminary round; the series 1027 loss lowers the Nashville Predators series record to 0-4 overall and 0-4 in the Preliminary round. The win order for the victorious Detroit Red Wings in series 1027 was WWLLWW: Series 1027 thus becomes the 12th NHL Preliminary-round series, the 33rd NHL series (all rounds) and the 61st MLB/NBA/NHL series (all rounds) to follow this win order to completion. The thirteen best-of-7 Preliminary-round series victories by Detroit are an NBA/NHL-high. Series 1027, in its win/site order of WWLLWW @ HHVVHV from the Detroit perspective, mirrors series 910 (the first best-of-7 NHL playoff series for the Nashville Predators in the 2004 NHL Preliminary round) in which the Red Wings had also defeated Nashville.

After Game 5: The Detroit Red Wings hosted and defeated the Nashville Predators 2-goals-1 with a goal early in the first overtime period. Detroit thus takes a 3-games-2 lead in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1027. When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-2, the Detroit Red Wings have a 19-4 series record with an active ten-series winning streak, and a 15-8 Game 6 record with an active ten-Game 6 winning streak. Nashville trails a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 3-games-2 for only the second time: In series 910 (the very first Nashville best-of-7 NHL playoff series, in the 2004 NHL Preliminary round against Detroit), the Predators likewise trailed 3-games-2, and lost Game 6 and the series in Nashville against the Red Wings. Through five games of series 1027, the win/site order for Detroit is WWLLW @ HHVVH: The Red Wings had followed the same win/site order through five games in both the 2004 and 2007 NHL Preliminary rounds, and prevailed in each case, ousting Nashville in 2004 and Calgary (in series 994) in 2007. The Wings had also followed this win/site order in series 166, leading 3-games-2 over the Chicago Blackhawks in their 1965 NHL Semifinals series, whereupon Chicago won Games 6 and 7 to take the series. The 1965 Chicago Blackhawks thus set a favorable precedent for the 2008 Nashville Predators. No such precedent, however, is to be found in best-of-7 NHL Preliminary-round series history: From 1987 through 2008, inclusive, teams with a WWLLW @ HHVVH win/site order have a perfect 12-0 series record.

After Game 4: Scoring two goals in under forty seconds of each other in the third consecutive game, and answering the first Detroit goal in only eleven seconds, the Nashville Predators hosted and defeated the Detroit Red Wings 3-goals-2 to even MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1027 at 2-games-all. When tied 2-games-all in a best-of-7 NHL playoff series, the Detroit Red Wings have a series record of 18-13 and a Game 5 record of 15-16, while the Nashville Predators have a series record of 0-1 and a Game 5 record of 0-1. Only once before had Nashville been tied 2-games-all in a best-of-7 NHL playoff series: In series 910 in the 2004 NHL Preliminary round, the first best-of-7 NHL playoff series for the Predators, they were likewise tied 2-games-all after four games. In series 910, Nashville would lose Game 5 in Detroit and lose Game 6 in Nashville. In series 1027, Game 5 is scheduled in Detroit and Game 6 in Nashville. Only once before in a best-of-7 NHL playoff series had one team scored two goals within forty seconds or less of each other in three consecutive games: In series 308 (in the 1976 NHL Quarterfinals), the Philadelphia Flyers scored at 11:24 and at 11:37 into the second period of Game 5 (and then again at 7:24 and 7:51 of the third period) against the Toronto Maple Leafs in Philadelphia en route to a 7-goals-1 win, at 16:43 and 16:51 of the second period of Game 6 en route to an 8-goals-5 loss in Toronto, and at 5:48 and 6:04 of the second period of Game 7 en route to a 7-goals-3 and 4-games-3 win over the Leafs in Philadelphia.

After Game 3: With MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1027 in Tennessee for Games 3-4, the Nashville Predators hosted and defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-goals-3 in Game 3, thus narrowing the Detroit series 1027 lead to 2-games-1. When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 2-games-1, the Detroit Red Wings have a 21-9 series record and a 12-18 Game 4 record. When trailing a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 2-games-1, the Nashville Predators have a 0-3 series record and a 1-2 Game 4 record. In series 1027 Game 2, Nashville tallied two goals 11 seconds apart to tie Detroit, but eventually lost to the Red Wings; in series 1027 Game 3, Nashville tallied two goals only nine seconds apart to take a one-goal lead over Detroit, and eventually defeated the Red Wings. Those two goals in series 1027 Game 3 occurred at 16:03 and 16:12 into the third period, and they tie for the fifth-shortest duration between two goals by one team in the history of best-of-7 NHL playoff games (1939-2007, inclusive). The shortest such duration occurred in series 166 Game 5, in which the Detroit Red Wings - ironically - scored two goals within five seconds of each other en route to a 4-goals-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Detroit ice in their 1965 NHL Semifinals series. Nashville trailed series 1027 Game 3 by a goal as late as 16:02 into the third period. In the history of best-of-7 NHL playoff series from 1939 through 2007, inclusive, teams trailing by one goal as late as 16:02 into the third period had a game record of only 70-839 (.077).

After Game 2: The Detroit Red Wings hosted and once again defeated the Nashville Predators, this time by a 4-goals-2 score, thereby taking a 2-games-nil lead in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1027. When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 2-games-nil, the Detroit Red Wings have a 22-6 series record and a 15-13 Game 3 record; when trailing a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 2-games-nil, the Nashville Predators have a 0-1 series record and a 1-0 Game 3 record. The six series losses by the Detroit Red Wings after having led a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 2-games-nil tie the Red Wings with the Boston Bruins for most best-of-7 playoff series lost after having led 2-games-nil. Nashville tied series 1027 Game 2 at 2-goals-all with goals just 11 seconds apart, at 2:19 and 2:30 in the second period. Those two goals were the fastest two goals by one team in a best-of-7 NHL Preliminary-round game since series 752 Game 5, in which the San Jose Sharks scored at 11:26 and 11:34 into the second period (eight seconds apart) at Dallas against the Stars in their 1998 NHL Preliminary-round series (Dallas won that game, 3-goals-2). Those two goals were the fastest two goals by one team in a best-of-7 NHL playoff game (any round) since series 757 Game 1, in which the Montreal Canadiens scored at 14:16 and 14:26 into the third period (ten seconds apart) at Buffalo against the Sabres in their 1998 NHL Quarterfinals-round series (Buffalo won that game, 3-goals-2). In each case did Nashville [just now], San Jose [1998], and Montreal [1998] sting an opponent with two quick goals to tie a game; in each case did Detroit [just now], Dallas [1998], and Buffalo [1998] shut them out the rest of the game and rebound to win the game.

After Game 1: The Detroit Red Wings hosted and defeated the Nashville Predators 3-goals-1 to take a 1-game-nil lead in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1027. Ironically, in the very first best-of-7 NHL playoff game ever played by the Nashville Predators, the Red Wings also defeated them 3-goals-1 in Detroit for a 1-game-nil 2004 NHL Preliminary-round series lead (in series 910, which Detroit would win in six games). When leading a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 1-game-nil, the Detroit Red Wings have a 30-13 series record and a 28-15 Game 2 record; when trailing a best-of-7 NHL playoff series 1-game-nil, the Nashville Predators have a 0-2 series record and a 1-1 Game 2 record.

Pre-series assessment: In the 2007-08 regular season, Detroit finished 24 points ahead of Nashville. From 1939 through the 2007 NHL Finals, when NHL teams such as Detroit led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by 24 regular-season points, they have posted a 5-4 (.556) best-of-7 series record in those series against those opponents. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1027 is the fourth best-of-7 playoff series for Nashville, and the 83rd for Detroit. In best-of-7 playoff series, Nashville has a 0-3 series record, a 0-3 Prelim-round series record, and a 1-2 Game 1 record, while Detroit has a 45-37 series record, a 12-7 Prelim-round record, and a 43-39 Game 1 record. Series 1027 is the second best-of-7 meeting between Nashville and Detroit; in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 910, Detroit defeated Nashville in the 2004 NHL Preliminary round.