Valeri Nichushkin broke the deadlock with 7:58 remaining in the game and the Colorado Avalanche became the first team to advance to the next round by beating the Nashville Predators 5-3 on Monday night.
Thanks to its four-game sweep, the Avalanche reached the Western Conference Semi-Finals for the fourth consecutive season. She will now cross swords with the Minnesota Wild or the St. Louis Blues.
The Avalanche also swept the St. Louis Blues in the first round of playoffs in 2021, the Vancouver Canucks in the Western Quarterfinals in 2001, and the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final. , in 1996.
Andre Burakovsky had a goal and two assists, Cale Makar added a goal and an assist while Devon Toews had one goal for the Avalanche. Nathan MacKinnon sealed the outcome of the game in an empty net.
Yakov Trenin, twice, and Filip Forsberg flashed the red light for the Predators, who were swept for the first time in 15 postseason appearances. Colton Sissons participated in two goals for his team.
The Avalanche scored three goals in 11 minutes to end the series with a 21-9 goal advantage. After Toews tied the score, Nichushkin threaded the needle with a shot from the right circle.
The Colorado squad opened the scoring on its first pitch of the game for the second time in this series. And the video replay was necessary.
Burakovsky’s wrist shot went through the net, but his teammates celebrated anyway. The referees, who initially disallowed the goal, confirmed on replay that the puck had entered Connor Ingram’s net.
Trenin brought both teams back to square one when his wrist shot beat Pavel Francouz with just 61 seconds left in the first period.
Makar gave the Avalanche a 2-1 lead on a point shot 13:33 into the second period and almost scored again on a breakaway about two minutes later.
Trenin tied the game again with 3:11 remaining in the second period and Forsberg gave the Predators a 3-2 lead in the third period.