NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Avalanche can play with the Nashville Predators. That much we know after the first two games of a playoff series.
They just can’t win.
Nashville won 5-4 in Game 2 Sunday afternoon, to take a 2-0 lead in the series. The Predators have now won the last 12 – count ’em, twelve – games against the Avalanche.
For the second straight game, the Avs held a 1-0 lead after the first period. Gabriel Bourque scored at 2:34, a nice shot over the shoulder of former teammate Pekka Rinne. The Avs outshot the Preds 11-9 and looked good overall.
Then the second period happened. Kevin Fiala, Viktor Arvidsson and Ryan Johansen scored successive goals for a 3-1 Preds advantage. The first goal, by Fiala, deflected in off the skate of Avs D-man Patrik Nemeth. It came with 10 seconds left on a power play that started late in the first, when Gabe Landeskog (who had a bad first two games) was called for tripping.
Johansen’s goal was a killer. It came on the rush back up the ice after Tyson Barrie had his feet taken out from under him by a sliding tackle by P.K. Subban, on a scoring bid in close. The play went the other way and Johansen beat Jonathan Bernier on the backhand.
Nathan MacKinnon cut the deficit to 3-2 with a great backhander past Rinne off the rush at 17:08, but the Preds upped the lead to 4-2 again in the third. MacKinnon got one back with a goal on a 5-on-3 advantage, and the Avs had some chances to tie it from there, including a power play for a remaining 1:10 on the second part of the 5-on-3.
The Avs just couldn’t get that equalizer, though. The Preds got an empty-netter with 1:08 left from Ryan Hartman.
The Avs got one back with 35.8 seconds left, a tip by Alexander Kerfoot. Too little, too late.
Game 3 is Monday night in Denver.
“They got the momentum on their power play,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “But you have to give them credit. They skate hard and they take away options. But if we clean up a couple of mistakes, we win that hockey game.”
0 Comments (4 conversations)
Heavy Metal Avs Fan
There were some ugly moments by the Avs in that one but I have to say I’m coming away from this game feeling pretty good with the series heading back to Denver for the next two games. Avs just can’t allow 5 goals a game and expect to have a chance.
JDC15
Seriously what is Bednar doing? Nemeth leads team in ice time. Z is playing the best of the dmen and he has less minutes than Nemeth, Barrie who was awful, and the freaking train wreck Barberio. A to many men on the ice penalty, and another almost one that led to a Preds goal. That an Bernier with his killer 875 save percentage.
David C McKinnis
Turned it off after the Predator’s 4th. I can only handle so much stupid.
Colorado_Gary
Avs have shown they can elevate their game and play playoff-style hockey. With Varly and EJ in this could easily be tied or Avs up. How about a little what if? What if you add Varly & EJ and subtract Rinne and Subban. Not as much awesomeness for the Preds and their SEC fans, eh? The Avs especially miss Varly as a lot of his in game technique and positioning could have led to some pucks being stopped that Bernie was unable to. Puck stop vs goal – in a game – is like a 4 point game in the standings. Momentum shift or boost.
Regroup, find a little luck, and take 2 in Denver. I’m confident the Avs are ready to keep playing the grind that is playoff hockey. Now if the results can just smile on them.