Murray: Predators need to simplify with Weber out
A Q&A with Blackhawks broadcaster Troy Murray.
Q: You said Saturday that anybody who thinks Nashville won't miss Shea Weber is fooling themselves. You were right, obviously, as we saw what the Hawks' first line did in Game 3. Do you think the Predators have to do what the Hawks did when they lost Patrick Kane and try to win more of a low-scoring game, or is it tough to change at this point?
A: When you lose a player of that caliber - whether it's Shea Weber or whether it's Kane - you have to simplify your game because you're taking a different dimension away from your lineup. You just have to have a better focus on your entire team game. I think they were probably happy with their overall performance in that game; they responded nicely a couple times.
They're an aggressive team. They want to have their defense jumping into the play. I don't think they can completely change their style. …
You make sure you have better puck management as a team. I know dumbing it down wasn't the way (Blackhawks coach Joel) Quenneville wanted to do it, but (Nashville should) make sure there's a major focus at playing a stronger team game without an individual like Shea Weber.
Q: Marian Hossa seems to get lost in the shadows on this team. Can you tell the fans what this 36-year-old veteran means not only on the ice, but what he shows some of the young guys just in general?
A: How to be a professional, how to prepare yourself. It's what you need to do away from the rink. How hard you have to work to be in the best shape and give your team the best opportunity to win. … These younger players can obviously look at (him) and say, 'Wow. Marian also works as hard off the ice (as he does on it). He's taking care of himself. If you look at this guy, he doesn't have an ounce of fat on him. Why is that and what's he doing and how can I be like him?'
That mentality gets inside the locker room.
Q: What were your thoughts about Nashville's Mike Ribeiro punching Andrew Shaw while Shaw was on the bench?
A: It's an emotional game and there's always two sides to the story. You can't get a good camera angle, but it appears Andrew Shaw is holding Mike Ribeiro's arm. If that's the case, he's a little bit frustrated and trying to get away.
But you have to roll with the punches in playoff hockey. If your emotions get the best of you with Andrew Shaw or somebody else getting under your skin because of something they're doing on the ice, they're succeeding in what they want to accomplish.
I don't think the incident is a big incident.
Q: Huge Game 4 for Nashville. What would you say if you're the coach as they somehow try to get a win at the United Center?
A: You don't want to go down 3-1 to the Blackhawks, that's just the simple side of it. If you lose that game if you're Nashville, you're going to say, 'One game at a time. All we have to do is win our next game.'
The reality of it is (if the Predators do lose), you're going to have to beat a really great team three straight times. We've seen it happen. But they have to play like this is their playoff life. They have to play with desperation. There's nothing that they can do in that game to say, 'I didn't give it my best.' That's the attitude that you have to have.
• Troy Murray is in his 15th year as a member of the Blackhawks broadcast team and his eighth as the color analyst for the team's radio broadcasts. The Selke Award winner was a five-time 20-goal scorer who played 15 years in the NHL. Follow him on Twitter@muzz19.