Predators Suspend Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn for Game 3 vs. Coyotes

The Nashville Predators have suspended forwards Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn for Game 3 of their Western Conference semifinals series against the Phoenix Coyotes on Tuesday night for breaking team rules, according to a press release from the team.

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Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that forwards Alexander Radulov and Andrei Kostitsyn will not play Game 3 of the team’s Western Conference Semifinals series vs. the Phoenix Coyotes as a result of violating team rules.

“The Nashville Predators have a few simple rules centered around doing the right things,” Poile said. “We have always operated with a team-first mentality and philosophy. Violating team rules is not fair to our team and their teammates.”

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UPDATE: Tuesday, May 1 at 1:05 p.m. ET by Nicholas Goss

John Shannon of Sportsnet reports that Radulov and Kostitsyn were spotted in Scottsdale (AZ) at 4:00 a.m., which I'm guessing is well past whatever curfew time the Predators enforce.

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Radulov and AKostitsyn were spotted in Scottsdale at 4am on the eve of Game 2. Suspended for Game 3 by club.

— John Shannon (@JSportsnet) May 1, 2012"

This is a big decision by the Predators, who will now be without two of their best offensive players in a must-win Game 3, because a loss would give the Coyotes a commanding 3-0 series lead.

Although Radulov leads the Predators with six points in seven games during the playoffs, he has been awful in the first two games of the Coyotes series. 

His level of effort is embarrassing, and his play in the defensive zone has been atrocious. He's treated this series like an early regular season stretch of games.

Hopefully this suspension will wake him up and force Radulov to realize that in the playoffs, one mistake or one bad game can ruin your team's season.

As for Kostitsyn, this is not the behavior that the Predators expected when they acquired him from the Montreal Canadiens near the trade deadline to add some offensive depth to their roster.

The actions of Radulov and Kostitsyn might end up costing the Predators in Game 3, and maybe even their chance of winning the Stanley Cup this season.

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Nicholas Goss is an NHL Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and was also the organization's on-site reporter for the 2011 Stanley Cup Final in Boston.