Preview: Swinging into Music City

The steamrolling Colorado Avalanche hit the road for the first time in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. This round one matchup with the Nashville Predators heads to Central Tennessee for Game 3 in this afternoon matinee.

The Predators will look to get things back on track and take a game out of this series. Game 3 might be their best chance to get closer in the series returning to home ice a Bridgestone Arena.

Colorado Avalanche

The Avs, of course, are up in the series two games to none. After a dominant Game 1, things were certainly more even in Game 2 thanks to the Avs making Connor Ingram look good. They thankfully would come out on top thanks to Cale Makar’s miraculous overtime winner.

Makar was dominant all of Thursday night and was certainly deserving of that goal. He will look to lead from the back once again this afternoon, and hopefully not play more than 30 minutes like he did last game.

With the Avs visiting Nashville, the physicality will be even higher than it was at Ball Arena. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Jared Bednar wants to throw out enforcer Kurtis MacDermid on the ice to protect his players. While we will see what the official line-up will be when the teams come out for warm-ups, I wouldn’t be caught off guard by that move if it happens.

Projected Forwards

Valeri Nichushkin (13) - Nathan MacKinnon (29) - Mikko Rantanen (96)

Gabriel Landeskog (92) - Nazem Kadri (91) - Artturi Lehkonen (62)

Andre Burakovsky (95) - J.T. Compher (37) - Nicolas Aube-Kubel (16)

Darren Helm (43) - Nico Sturm (78) - Logan O’Connor (25)/Kurtis MacDermid (56)

Projected Defenders

Devon Toews (7) - Cale Makar (8)

Samuel Girard (49) - Josh Manson (42)

Bowen Byram (4) - Erik Johnson (6)

Nashville Predators

The Preds will be kicking themselves after not taking a golden chance to head back home with an even series. Thanks to a dominant game from Ingram in net, they had the chance to steal a win but couldn't do so.

In the two games Ingram has played in, he’s stopped 79 of 83 shots in the almost 110 minutes he’s been on ice. After coming in in relief of Dave Rittich, he and his team have to feel comfortable with him behind them.

Game 1 star Matt Duchene will look to return to form after falling off for Game 2 and get things going forward. Yakov Trenin, the only goalscorer for the Preds in Game 2, played well and will look to give the Preds depth towards a win in Game 3.

Projected Forwards

Filip Forsberg (9) - Mikael Granlund (64) - Matt Duchene (95)

Luke Kunin (11) - Ryan Johansen (92) - Philip Tomasino (26)

Tanner Jeannot (84) - Colton Sissons (10) - Yakov Trenin (13)

Nick Cousins (21) - Michael McCarron (47) - Mathieu Oliver (25)

Projected Defenders

Roman Josi (59) - Dante Fabbro (57)

Mattias Ekholm (14) - Alexandre Carrier (45)

Mark Borowiecki (90) - Matt Benning (5)

Goaltending

The Avs will continue to run with Darcy Kuemper but need to be aware of their goaltending depth, especially with the Predators and Carolina Hurricanes down to their third-string goaltenders.

For the Preds, it will be Ingram going again after his heroics. Juuse Saros had been re-evaluated between Games 2 and 3. However, it was determined he still can't play according to head coach John Hynes on Friday, giving Ingram another chance to shine.