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PLAYOFF SERIES: Western Conference quarterfinal; Red Wings lead 2-1.
The playoff-tested Detroit Red Wings know their superior talent won't be the deciding factor in their first-round playoff series if they can't solve Nashville Predators goaltender Tomas Vokoun.

The Red Wings look to regain momentum in the series when they face red-hot Vokoun and the Predators, who will be looking to pull even with Detroit when the teams meet in Game 4.

The Wings went into Sunday's game looking to put a 3-0 stranglehold on the series, but Vokoun made 22 of his 41 saves in the third period, and the Predators celebrated the first home playoff game in the franchise's six-year history with a 3-1 victory.

``Vokoun played unbelievable,'' said Detroit's Manny Legace, who had 18 saves. ``He stood on his head and stole the game.''

The Red Wings ran into Los Angeles' Felix Potvin in 2001 and Anaheim's Jean-Sebastien Giguere in 2003, and suffered first-round upsets each time. They know they can't put much more pressure on Vokoun than they did in the third period Sunday.

``We had some good chances, pucks rolling through the crease, and just weren't able to capitalize,'' Detroit forward Darren McCarty said. ``We knew it was going to be a tough series and a tough place to win, so this puts an onus on Tuesday.''

Sunday's loss dropped the Wings to 7-7-2-1 all-time at Nashville's Gaylord Entertainment Center.

Vokoun played well in the first two games, allowing just five goals, but the Predators scored only once in each game for him.

On Sunday, David Legwand scored a short-handed goal, Adam Hall had a goal and an assist and Scott Hartnell padded the lead with a goal. Nashville gave Vokoun a 2-0 lead after two periods.

``It's all about scoring,'' said Vokoun, who had 34 victories in 73 regular-season appearances. ``If we had been able to put the puck in the net (Saturday), we would've won. If you score, you give yourself a chance to win.''

Detroit's Brett Hull scored the 101st playoff goal of his career 5:21 into the final period, but Vokoun stopped him three other times.

Detroit will need Legace to regain his dominant form of the first two contests if Vokoun continues to play as well as he did in Game 3. Legace stopped 50 of 52 shots in winning the first two playoff games of his career.

The Wings' power play, fifth-best in the NHL during the regular season, has managed one goal in 15 opportunities in this series. Detroit has outscored Nashville 5-1 in the third period, but the Wings have only six goals in the three games.

The Wings also know they can't allow themselves to be outworked by the Predators, a young team with good speed and a relentless approach.

``This is what happens in the playoffs,'' Detroit forward Brendan Shanahan said. ``I don't think there's anyone here that predicted a sweep by either team, so I mean someone's got to win one and lose one. The next game's a big one.''

The scene shifts back to Joe Louis Arena for Game 5 on Thursday night, and the Wings are hoping to be in position to close out the series. They don't have much interest in returning to Nashville for a Game 6 against a young club that is gaining confidence.

``Detroit is a veteran team, and they wanted to put a nail in the coffin today, and we didn't let them,'' Predators coach Barry Trotz said. ``Hopefully, we can continue to make this a series.''

HOW THEY GOT HERE: Red Wings - 109 points, 1st seed. Predators - 91 points, 8th seed.

PLAYOFF TEAM LEADERS: Red Wings - Robert Lang, 2 goals and 3 points; Kirk Maltby and Shanahan, 2 assists; Shanahan, 8 PIM. Predators - Hall, 2 goals and 3 points; Greg Johnson, 2 assists; Kimmo Timonen, 10 PIM.

PLAYOFF SPECIAL TEAMS: Red Wings - Power play: 6.7 percent (1 for 15). Penalty killing: 100 percent (12 for 12). Predators - Power play: 0.0 percent (0 for 12). Penalty killing: 93.3 percent (14 for 15).

GOALTENDERS: Red Wings - Legace (2-1, 1.69 GAA); Curtis Joseph (no appearances). Predators - Vokoun (1-2, 2.02); Chris Mason (no appearances).

Nashville 3, Detroit 0

By TERESA M. WALKER, AP Sports Writer
April 13, 2004

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Detroit Red Wings are taking most of the shots. The Nashville Predators are making theirs count.

Tomas Vokoun continued his suffocating play by stopping 41 shots and shutting out the Red Wings 3-0 Tuesday night as the Predators evened their first-round series 2-2.

Scott Sullivan, Vladimir Orszagh and Greg Johnson each scored and Dan Hamhuis had two assists. The six-year franchise ensured a return visit to Music City for Game 6 on Saturday against the 10-time Stanley Cup winners.

Game 5 will be in Detroit on Thursday night.

Nobody scored more goals in the regular season than the Red Wings in winning the Presidents' Trophy, but they haven't been able to crack Vokoun since the series shifted to Nashville.

The 27-year-old goalie stopped 41 shots in a 3-1 victory Sunday. Vokoun was better Tuesday night in his 13th career shutout and first in the playoffs -- even with the Red Wings outshooting Nashville 41-20.

He stopped Brett Hull early with a pad save among 16 stops in the first period. In the final minutes, Detroit turned up the pressure, and Vokoun answered. His last save came as he gloved a long shot from the other end of the ice by Mathieu Dandenault in the final seconds.

Not even having the man advantage helped the Red Wings. They went 0-for-5 and now are 1-for-20 in the series.

Even when it looked like Robert Lang scored at 3:41 of the third period, it was waved off for goaltender interference on Tomas Holmstrom.

The Predators fed off the energy from their ecstatic fans once again. Detroit had a few more supporters in the stands this time, but when they tried to start up the ``Let's go Red Wings'' chant, it was quickly drowned out by ``Chelios is a sissy.''

Sullivan gave Vokoun all the margin he would need, ending his own personal playoff drought at 10:44 of the first period.

He missed on a penalty shot in the opening minutes of Game 1 and had gone nine shots without finding the net in the series. But with the teams skating four-on-four, Scott Walker fed Sullivan for a breakaway, and Sullivan flipped a backhander high over a sprawling Manny Legace.

Orszagh made it 2-0 in the second period when he redirected a shot from Hamhuis, and the Predators chased Legace after he gave up a goal off his glove to Johnson at 2:04 of the third period.

Legace had seven saves on 10 shots.

Notes: Vokoun's last shutout was against Minnesota on Feb. 26 in Nashville. ... This was the first game of the series in which Detroit didn't score in the third period. The Red Wings have scored five of their six goals in the third period. ... Pavel Datsyuk had 30 goals in the regular season for Detroit, but he has only one assist in this series. ... Mathieu Schneider, Lang and Holmstrom each had at least one point in each of the first two games. They haven't had a single point in the last two games.

Uh oh, Rocket. Things have gotten a little tougher for your boys. This Nashville team is really showing me something.

The Wings seem to play better when they have to, so we'll see what happens in the next couple of games.

That said.....they have been playing patheticly (sp?) all series. They got lucky in game 2, should have probably lost that one too. Their defense has broken down several times and Nashville has had a lot of break aways, 2 on 1's, and even 3 on 1's. Legace can't be expected to save them all. And our offense is going through the motions; especially on the power play.

Even if the Wings somehow get past Nashville, I expect them to lose in the 2nd round.