Nashville Predators vs. Colorado Avalanche
Predators: 53-18-11, 117 points, first in Central
Avalanche: 43-30-9, 95 points, fourth in Central, second wild card
Season series: NSH 4-0-0; COL 0-3-1
The skinny
The Colorado Avalanche couldn't have written a better script in their return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, continuing their feel-good story won't be easy against the Nashville Predators.
The Predators won all four games against the Avalanche this season, outscoring them 17-8. They've been one of the League's best teams for more than a month, going 19-4-2 since Feb. 19, and went on to win the Presidents' Trophy for the first time.
"All year, we've talked about doing the best we can," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "It's always been about home ice and trying to stay in our building, giving ourselves the best chance to be successful in the playoffs. With that, those things happen. You end up winning the division, the conference and first place in the League. It's a long road when you play the 82 games, but the guys did an incredible job of staying focused and fairly consistent with their game. Because of it, we sit where we sit."
When the Avalanche won 10 straight games from Dec. 29-Jan. 22, it was a turning point. They played good hockey through most of the second half but were inconsistent late, going 4-5-1 in their final 10 games.
Much like the Predators last season, when they advanced to the Cup Final before losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games, the Avalanche had to fight to qualify as the second wild card from the Western Conference and will be looking to have similar playoff success.
"They've been a great team all season, but they went in as the eighth seed last year and it just goes to show that once you get in it's a completely new season," Avalanche defenseman Mark Barberio said. "It's going to be a lot of hard work but this group is definitely up for it."
Game breaker
Avalanche: Center Nathan MacKinnon is a candidate for the Hart Trophy as League MVP. The 22-year-old became a bigger part of the leadership group and was a force on the ice, setting NHL career highs in goals (39), assists (58) and points (97). He scored the most points by an Avalanche player since Joe Sakic had 100 in 2006-07
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