from David Ammenheuser of The Tennessean,

Nashville has never advanced in the playoffs beyond Game 6 of a Western Conference semifinal series. Saturday's 5-1 loss at San Jose puts the Predators in a 3-2 hole in the best-of-seven series. The Predators need a win at home on Monday to keep their season going and to earn a trip back to San Jose for Game 7 on Thursday.

“I don’t think you look to put (yourself) in that position," James Neal told Tennessean reporter Adam Vingan after Saturday's loss. "I think we just didn’t have our best game tonight for whatever reason, so we just need to go back into Nashville and have a better game and be ready. Our team will. I believe in the guys that we’ll regroup and get some rest and be ready to go, so that’s all that is.”

This is just the second time the Predators are still playing this late into May. The last time came on May 9, 2011, when Vancouver won 2-1 at Bridgestone Arena and eliminated Nashville from the Western Conference semifinals in Game 6.

While the odds are stacked against them, the Predators have been in this must-win-two scenario before.

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