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Trotz: “High possibility” Radulov and Kostitsyn return for Game 5

Marc Joannette, Barry Trotz, Martin Erat, David Legwand, Alexander Radulov, Patric Hornqvist

Nashville Predators head coach Barry Trotz, top, argues about a penalty call with referee Marc Joannette (25) as Martin Erat (10), of the Czech Republic, David Legwand (11), Alexander Radulov (47), of Russia, and Patric Hornqvist (27), of Sweden, listen in during the first period in Game 2 in an NHL hockey Stanley Cup Western Conference semifinal playoff series against the Phoenix Coyotes, Sunday, April 29, 2012, in Glendale, Ariz. The Coyotes won 5-3. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

AP

After seeing the Nashville Predators drop Game 4 to Phoenix without the help of Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn, coach Barry Trotz thinks it might be time to switch things back.

Trotz tells Joshua Cooper of The Tennessean that after sitting Radulov and Kostitsyn out for Games 3 and 4, there’s a very good chance they’ll be back in to help the Predators try and avoid elimination.

“They’re not happy we’re down 3-1 in this series,” Trotz said. “When you’re a player and been a good player for a long time, you want to be on the ice. You don’t want to be in the stands, so they’re back in the right mindset that they can make a difference here.”

Trotz came under fire after last night’s loss as the Predators struggled mightily on offense and failed to score a goal in losing to the Coyotes 1-0. Instead of putting Radulov and Kostitsyn back in, Trotz stuck with his Game 3 lineup that got Nashville back in the series for a day. With the team on the brink of elimination and heading on the road to save the season, there’s no reason to hold back now.