The Colorado Avalanche and Nashville Predators met at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville Monday night for Game 4 of their first-round playoff series. It was a do-or-die game for the Predators, who were trailing the Avalanche 3-0 in their best-of-seven contest.
The Predators played their best game of the series, taking the lead in the third period, the team’s only lead in the four games, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the juggernaut that is the Avalanche. A game-tying goal from defenseman Devon Toews and a game-winner from Valeri Nichushkin secured the series sweep for Colorado. The Avalanche defeated the Predators 5-3 and now advance to the second round of the playoffs. Here are four takeaways from the game.
Avalanche Defense Continues Its Dominance
Picking up where they left off in the regular season, Avalanche defenders made their presence known in this series. In addition to the goal from Toews, his linemate and Norris Trophy finalist Cale Makar had a goal and an assist in the game. The goal was Makar’s third of the playoffs, and the assist, a brilliant seeing-eye pass on the tape of Nichushkin’s stick, gave him his 10th point of the postseason, which leads the team.
Cale Makar, Colorado Avalanche (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
Toews led the team with 26:02 of ice time (TOI), followed closely by Makar, who had 25:10. The only player with more TOI was Nashville’s Roman Josi also a Norris Trophy finalist – Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning is the third and final Norris Trophy finalist.
The Avalanche defense surrendered only nine goals in the series. The only teams to surrender fewer goals this postseason are the Dallas Stars and Calgary Flames, who have surrendered seven goals each in their four games. That series is knotted at two games apiece.
Avalanche Special Teams Shine
The Avalanche had only two power plays in the game, converting on one of them. The goal — an empty-net tally scored by Nathan MacKinnon, who already has five postseason goals…
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