2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs Western Conference: Central #1 Colorado Avalanche vs WC2 Nashville Predators
How To Watch
| Game | Date | Time (ET) | Host | TV |
| 1 | Tuesday, May 3 | 9:30 p.m. | COL | ESPN |
| 2 | Thursday, May 5 | 9:30 p.m. | COL | TNT |
| 3 | Saturday, May 7 | 4:30 p.m. | NSH | TNT |
| 4 | Monday, May 9 | 9:30 p.m. | NSH | ESPN |
| 5* | TBD | |||
| 6* | TBD | |||
| 7* | TBD |
*If necessary
Tale of the Tape
| Avalanche | STAT | Predators |
| 56-19-7 (119 pts) | Record | 45-30-7 (97 pts) |
| 3.80 (4th) | Goals Per Game | 3.23 (13th) |
| 2.86 (10th) | Goals Allowed Per Game | 3.09 (17th) |
| +78 | Goal Differential | +14 |
| 32-5-4 Home, 24-14-3 Away | Home/Away Record | 25-14-2 Home, 20-16-5 Away |
| 24.36% (6th) | Power Play | 24.61 (5th) |
| 79.22% (16th) | Penalty Kill | 79.0%% (18th) |
Can’t Miss Offer From Caesars
Avalanche leaders
- Mikko Rantanen, RW: 36 goals, 56 assists, 92 points, 16 power-play goals
- Nathan MacKinnon, C: 32 goals, 56 assists, 88 points
- Cale Makar, D: 28 goals, 58 assists, 86 points, 25:40 TOI
Predators leaders:
- Roman Josi, D: 23 goals, 73 assists, 96 points, 25:33 TOI
- Matt Duchene, C: 43 goals, 43 assists, 86 points, 16 power-play goals
- Filip Forsberg, C: 42 goals, 42 assists, 84 points
Key Injuries
- Juuse Saros, G (NSH): Nashville’s starting goaltender will miss the first two games of the series vs. Colorado due to a lower-body injury.
- Gabriel Landeskog, LW (COL): Colorado’s captain is out indefinitely due to a knee injury that required surgery back in March.
Series Odds
- NSH to win: +380
- COL to win: -475
*Courtesy of DraftKings, for more, click here.
Series Prediction
Avalanche wins in 5 games (4-1)
- Colorado was supposed to be here and they’re supposed to go much further. The best team in the Western Conference shouldn’t receive much resistance from Nashville, but the fact that the Predators went 3-1 vs. the Avalanche during the regular season should at least get them one game.
- It’ll be incredibly difficult, though, as starting netminder Juuse Saros is out for the first two games of the season. Nashville will now have to turn to David Rittich, who played in 17 games and posted a disheartening .886 save percentage. Asking him to try and shut down the Avalanche will be an enormous task.
- While the Avalanche have been with Gabriel Landeskog since March, their attack hasn’t slowed down. Whether it’s Mikko Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon, or Nazem Kadri, there’s enough firepower up front. But what makes the Avalanche so dangerous is their two-way defensemen that supplement the attack. Not only is Cale Makar the best offensive defenseman in the league and will once again garner Norris Trophy consideration, but Devon Toews added 13 goals and 44 assists from the blue line as well this season.
- What a matchup it’s going to be as two of the best defenseman in the league square off. While Makar posted 86 points this season, Roman Josi — who appears to be a lock for the Norris — had 92 points and is a key cog in the Nashville machine.
