Predators' Kevin Fiala returns to lineup against Winnipeg Jets

We officially have entered the Predators' version of Bizarro World. 

On Thursday, observers of this Predators-Jets series were astonished by coach Peter Laviolette's decision to scratch Kevin Fiala for Scott Hartnell.

On Saturday, those same observers were astonished by Laviolette's decision to scratch Hartnell for Fiala.  

But that's where things stood in Game 5 at Bridgestone Arena. Laviolette declined to get into specifics when asked about the swap. 

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"Kevin Fiala's a terrific hockey player," he said. "He was before last game as well, so got a lot of confidence in him. There's a lot that goes into lineup decisions. Sometimes it has to do with the player. Sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it has to do with the player that's going into the lineup. Sometimes it has to do with the situation that you're playing in on that particular night."

To his credit, Fiala acknowledged Saturday that he needs to find another level to his game. 

"I've just got to be better, you know?" Fiala said. "Just be more competitive, better strides and win more puck battles and just help the team out more."

Predators' fourth-line contributions

When Laviolette was willing to address his lineup choices Thursday evening, he praised his fourth line. 

And for good reason. Miikka Salomaki, Mike Fisher and Ryan Hartman have been a very effective combination on both ends. 

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Through four games against the Jets, the Predators were on the right side of shot attempts (18-16) and scoring chances (8-6) at even strength when that line was on the ice, according to naturalstattrick.com. 

"We just keep it simple and work really hard," Salomaki said. "I feel like we all have good skills, too."

Jets stuck in neutral 

The Predators' smothering defensive effort Thursday left the Jets exasperated. 

Hartman can relate. As a member of the Chicago Blackhawks last April, he and his ex-teammates barely could maneuver through the neutral zone. The Predators held the Blackhawks to three goals in four first-round playoff games. 

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"It makes it hard when you're constantly having to dump it in or you get the puck and someone's hitting you right away," Hartman said. "It makes it hard. I've experienced that, and it does get frustrating. As the game goes on, you get more and more frustrated. We did a really good job of it. That was our game plan." 

Predators, Jets on Bruins' Brad Marchand licking

Boston's Brad Marchand licking opponents in the face has become the talk of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and that means Predators and Jets were going to be asked about it Saturday morning.

"Um, I’d probably enjoy it to be honest with you,’’ P.K. Subban joked. "I don’t know. If someone licks you in a game, obviously it’s something that’s not expected. I don’t know if I really want to be licked by someone else on the ice. In that situation, I think (Tampa Bay's Ryan) Callahan did exactly what any other guy would do.

"It would kind of be funny but in the moment it probably wouldn’t be very funny. I’m sure looking back you’re like, `I got licked in a hockey game.’ It’s just weird, you know?"

More pointedly, Winnipeg's Adam Lowry said of how he would respond to a face licking: "Probably punch him in the face."

Even Laviolette was asked what he would do if one of his players were licked.

"Luckily," Laviolette said, "I do not have to answer that question."

Reach Adam Vingan at avingan@tennessean.com and on Twitter @AdamVingan.