The Nashville Predators [http://nhl.com/predators] will be forced to make a personnel change in Game 4 of their first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series against the Vancouver Canucks [http://nhl.com/canucks]. During Game 3 on Friday, a hit from Canucks forward Dakota Joshua [https://www.nhl.com/canucks/player/dakota-joshua-8478057] knocked Predators defenseman Spencer Stastney [https://www.nhl.com/player/spencer-stastney-8481056] into the boards – and out of the game. Joshua was initially assessed a major penalty for the hit, but officials downgraded the penalty to a two-minute minor for boarding. Stastney returned to the game briefly, but left after the 10:40 mark of the second period and did not return. The Predators announced the following day that Stastney was out week-to-week with an upper body injury. Stastney, one of Nashville's most mobile defensemen, had four points (2 goals, 2 assists) in 20 regular-season games and has no points in three playoff games, averaging 10:59 of ice time. Let's take a closer look at Nashville's options to replace Stastney on the third defensive pairing with Luke Schenn [https://www.nhl.com/player/luke-schenn-8474568] for Game 4 on Sunday. DANTE FABBRO Dante Fabbro [https://www.nhl.com/player/dante-fabbro-8479371] has been in and out of Nashville's lineup this season, typically slotting in on the first defensive pairing opposite Roman Josi [https://www.nhl.com/predators/player/roman-josi-8474600]. A reliable presence on the back end, Fabbro is a solid defender with playmaking upside. He has recorded three goals and 10 assists in 56 games this season, averaging 16:21 of ice time per game – including 1:17 minutes per game on the penalty kill. Fabbro has one point in 14 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, and putting him in the lineup would result in minimal disruption to the Predators' blue line. As a right-handed defenseman, Fabbro can reunite with Josi on the top pairing, moving Ryan McDonagh [https://www.nhl.com/predators/player/ryan-mcdonagh-8474151] into Stastney's vacated spot opposite Schenn and keeping Jeremy Lauzon [https://www.nhl.com/predators/player/jeremy-lauzon-8478468] with Alexandre Carrier [https://www.nhl.com/predators/player/alexandre-carrier-8478851]. TYSON BARRIE Tyson Barrie [https://www.nhl.com/player/tyson-barrie-8475197] has appeared in 41 games for the Predators this season, scoring one goal and 14 assists. Once considered as good as gone at the NHL trade deadline, Barrie remained with the Predators after general manager Barry Trotz was unable to get a deal done; now, he has a chance to help Nashville make a deep playoff run. Barrie is one of the best power-play defensemen in the NHL, with 42% of his 505 career points coming on the man advantage. He also has substantial postseason experience, recording 20 points (2 goals, 18 assists) in 46 career playoff games. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Predators head coach Andrew Brunette and his staff have a decision to make before Nashville looks to even the series with Vancouver in Game 4 on Sunday. Which is the bigger priority: jumpstarting a struggling power play that has gone 1-for-13 in the series, or bolstering the defense and the penalty kill against a Canucks team that is dangerous both at 5-on-5 and on the man advantage? Put simply: If the Predators want to score more goals, they will go with Barrie. If they want to prevent more goals, they will give the nod to Fabbro. Nashville Predators defenseman Luke Schenn speaks to the media following a team practice on April 27. "Nothing changes, I don't think," Schenn said when asked about Nashville's defensive strategy at a team practice on Saturday. "We've had a long rotation of partners throughout the year. It's a long season. At different times, we've all kind of mixed and matched and played with one another, so I don't think it's going to really be that big of an issue. That's one nice thing about our [defense] corps, too, we've got a lot of depth. We've got eight solid NHL defensemen that have played a lot of hockey. That's one of the benefits of our team is the depth on D. Whoever is playing [Sunday], we're all going to have a job to do and have to execute." The Predators will look to pull even with Vancouver, who currently holds a 2-1 series lead, in Game 4 Sunday at Bridgestone Arena.
