Judging from what happened in Game 1, the Predators-Red Wings series isn't for the faint of heart or glass of chin.
This is going to be a fight to the finish. First one to four wins. BYOB — Bring Your Own Bandages.
Nashville's 3-2 win on Wednesday was barely in the books when emotions boiled over along the boards to the right of Predators goalie Pekka Rinne.
"It's a battle," said Nashville captain Shea Weber, a willing participant in the post-horn hostilities. "Both teams want to win. Both teams aren't going to back down."
We would expect nothing less. As the Predators franchise has come of age in recent years, closing and perhaps even eliminating the gap with Detroit, this has become one of the most intense rivalries in the NHL.
Add the pressure of the Stanley Cup playoffs and everyone is on edge.
"It's going to be like that every game," said Predators forward Patric Hornqvist, who assisted on Gabriel Bourque's second goal, which proved to be the game-winner. "If you lose, you're a little mad. There's a lot of emotion. That's part of the playoffs right there."
It remains to be seen if the NHL office will decide to let bygones be bygones. With Commissioner Gary Bettman in the house on Wednesday, referees were uncommonly busy, particularly for a playoff game. A total of 17 penalties were called. Might the league office step in after video is reviewed?
"For both teams, the tough guys are going to face each other all the time," Rinne said. "There are going to be a lot of battles between the whistles and hopefully not too much afterward. But that's part of the game.
"We were ready for it. They were ready for it."
Look for aggressions to continue in Game 2 on Friday at Bridgestone Arena. Nashville will be attempting to maintain the home-ice advantage it worked six months and 82 games in the regular season to get. Detroit will be desperate to gain a split on the road.
Game 1 lived up to expectations. What it may have lacked in artistic value, it more than made up for in intensity.
In such situations, it's not unusual for an unlikely hero to step up. Enter Bourque.
After scoring a grand total of seven goals in 43 games during the regular season, Bourque scored in both the second and third periods.
That's one of the biggest differences between the 2012 Predators and previous editions. This team has the kind of depth that is needed for a deep run in the playoffs.
And it's impossible to overlook the play of Rinne in net. His stop on a Henrik Zetterberg shot in the third period was one of the game's key moments.
"It was desperation," Rinne said. "… I knew half of the net was open."
Looking ahead, prevailing wisdom holds that the Predators need to leave town with a 2-0 lead in the series. But there is a sense in the Nashville locker room that the home-ice advantage does not carry an undue burden.
"I don't think you play to get home ice to put more pressure on yourself," Weber said prior to Game 1. "We're a confident team, both at home and on the road. … It's going to be a long, grueling series."
It should be noted that the Predators were 22-16-3 on the road during the regular season. Only five teams won more road games. And they won their last game at Joe Louis Arena 4-1 on March 30.
"Sometimes you're more relaxed on the road," forward Mike Fisher said. "We started on the road last year and won the first series. We've played real well at home but we feel comfortable on the road, too.
"There are going to be ups and downs throughout the series. We know that."
Stay tuned. This series is going to be the hockey version of a demolition derby.
Join Free Press special writer Nick Meyer for live blogs of Games 2 and 3 of the Red Wings-Predators series at freep.com/sports.
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