Avalanche vs. Predators: Game 2 Prediction, NHL Playoffs Odds
The Western Conference top-seeded Nashville Predators took a while to get going but pulled away from the No. 8 Colorado Avalanche on Thursday to take a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 of this NHL matchup is Saturday before the series shifts to Denver.
Avalanche vs. Predators Betting Analysis
The most dangerous game for a heavy favourite in a Stanley Cup playoff series is the opener. The underdog has nothing to lose as it’s not expected to win on the road anyway. Plus, coaches will tell those teams that if they can win Game 1, the entire dynamic of the series will change with added confidence and in stealing home-ice advantage.
Of the eight Game 1s in these playoffs, the biggest underdog was West No. 8 Colorado at No. 1 Nashville. No surprise, considering the Predators had won 10 straight games in the series. It was also the first playoff game for the Avalanche franchise since 2014 and many of their young players didn’t have postseason experience.
The Avs put up a fight for two periods in Thursday’s opener in Nashville before the Predators pulled away for a 5-2 victory. On the updated Sports Interaction NHL futures, the Predators remain favourites to win the Stanley Cup, now at +333, and the Western Conference (+137). Colorado is +4000 for the Cup and +2500 in the West. Nashville has now won 21 of the past 28 at home in this series.
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche would have faced long odds to win this series regardless, but the fact they are without No. 1 goaltender Semyon Varlamov and top defenceman Erik Johnson … well, realistically winning two games would be considered a success. The Avs jumped to a 1-0 first-period lead Thursday on a goal from Nikita Zadorov and led again 2-1 early in the second as Blake Comeau found the net, but then Pekka Rinne shut the door. Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon was held to an assist and was minus-2. Colorado can’t afford to be short-handed against a superior team, but the Avs had 16 penalty minutes to Nashville’s six. The Avalanche allowed one power-play goal and were 0-for-3 with the man advantage themselves.
Nashville Predators
Perhaps the Predators took the Avalanche a bit lightly in the early going with the recent series domination, but they scored the final four goals of the game Thursday. Craig Smith tied it 2-2 with a power-play marker at 8:50 of the second, then Filip Forsberg (the game’s No. 1 star) added two third-period goals and Colton Sissons a third on an empty net. Forsberg has 28 career playoff points (17 goals), tying for the most in franchise history. Rinne stopped 25 shots and now has the most postseason wins of any Finnish goaltender in league history. Two injured Predators sat out: centre Calle Jarnkrok and defenceman Yannick Weber, both with upper-body injuries. It was Nashville’s seventh straight conference quarterfinals victory.
