The Predators fall behind 4-0 and are unable to tie the score despite a strong third period. Read & Watch
1st Period
1st Period 20:00 -1 End of 1st period
PP 1st Period 20:00 -1 Penalty to Nikita Zadorov 2 minutes for Roughing Austin Watson
PP 1st Period 20:00 -1 Penalty to Austin Watson 2 minutes for Roughing Nikita Zadorov
PP 1st Period 19:56 -1 Mike Fisher won faceoff in defensive zone
1st Period 19:56 -1 Stoppage - Goalie Stopped
PP 1st Period 19:56 -1 Shot on goal by Gabriel Bourque saved by Pekka Rinne
PP 1st Period 19:45 -1 Filip Forsberg credited with hit on Duncan Siemens in offensive zone
PP 1st Period 19:19 -1 Shot missed by Ryan Johansen
PP 1st Period 19:11 -1 J.T. Compher won faceoff in defensive zone
1st Period 19:11 -1 Penalty to Tyson Barrie 2 minutes for Cross checking Kevin Fiala
1st Period 19:11 -1 Stoppage - Offside
1st Period 18:45 -1 Giveaway by Colton Sissons in offensive zone
1st Period 18:32 -1 Gabriel Bourque credited with hit on Alexei Emelin in defensive zone
1st Period 18:30 -1 Colton Sissons credited with hit on Mark Barberio in offensive zone
1st Period 18:20 -1 Nick Bonino won faceoff in neutral zone
1st Period 18:20 -1 Stoppage - Puck in Benches
1st Period 18:17 -1 Nick Bonino credited with hit on Tyson Barrie in offensive zone
1st Period 18:07 -1 Nick Bonino won faceoff in neutral zone
1st Period 18:07 -1 Goal scored by Nathan MacKinnon assisted by Gabriel Landeskog
1st Period 18:04 -1 Takeaway by Gabriel Landeskog in defensive zone
1st Period 17:55 -1 Miikka Salomaki credited with hit on Nikita Zadorov in offensive zone
1st Period 17:40 -1 Shot missed by Viktor Arvidsson
1st Period 17:14 -1 Kyle Turris won faceoff in offensive zone
1st Period 17:14 -1 Stoppage - Puck in Netting
1st Period 17:13 -1 Kevin Fiala shot blocked by Patrik Nemeth
PP 1st Period 16:45 -1 Alexander Kerfoot shot blocked by Mattias Ekholm
PP 1st Period 16:31 -1 Alexander Kerfoot won faceoff in neutral zone
1st Period 16:31 -1 Stoppage - Puck in Netting
PP 1st Period 16:20 -1 Alexander Kerfoot won faceoff in defensive zone
1st Period 16:20 -1 Stoppage - Goalie Stopped
PP 1st Period 16:20 -1 Shot on goal by P.K. Subban saved by Jonathan Bernier
PP 1st Period 16:17 -1 Ryan Johansen credited with hit on David Warsofsky in offensive zone
PP 1st Period 15:59 -1 Shot on goal by Nathan MacKinnon saved by Pekka Rinne
PP 1st Period 15:10 -1 Nathan MacKinnon credited with hit on Roman Josi in offensive zone
PP 1st Period 15:00 -1 Gabriel Landeskog credited with hit on Austin Watson in offensive zone
PP 1st Period 14:46 -1 Colton Sissons won faceoff in defensive zone
1st Period 14:46 -1 Stoppage - TV timeout
1st Period 14:46 -1 Penalty to Kyle Turris 2 minutes for Slashing Alexander Kerfoot
1st Period 14:45 -1 Shot on goal by Alexander Kerfoot saved by Pekka Rinne
1st Period 14:38 -1 Takeaway by Sven Andrighetto in offensive zone
1st Period 14:24 -1 Shot on goal by Craig Smith saved by Jonathan Bernier
1st Period 14:16 -1 Kyle Turris shot blocked by Sven Andrighetto
1st Period 13:54 -1 Alexander Kerfoot won faceoff in defensive zone
1st Period 13:54 -1 Stoppage - Goalie Stopped
1st Period 13:52 -1 Ryan Johansen shot blocked by Patrik Nemeth
1st Period 13:45 -1 P.K. Subban shot blocked by Matt Nieto
1st Period 13:38 -1 Carl Soderberg won faceoff in defensive zone
1st Period 13:38 -1 Stoppage - Puck in Netting
1st Period 13:38 -1 Ryan Ellis shot blocked by Matt Nieto
1st Period 13:24 -1 Mike Fisher won faceoff in neutral zone
1st Period 13:24 -1 Goal scored by Gabriel Bourque assisted by J.T. Compher and Patrik Nemeth
1st Period 13:14 -1 Giveaway by Pekka Rinne in defensive zone
1st Period 12:59 -1 J.T. Compher won faceoff in defensive zone
1st Period 12:59 -1 Stoppage - Goalie Stopped
1st Period 12:59 -1 Shot on goal by Roman Josi saved by Jonathan Bernier
1st Period 12:31 -1 Ryan Johansen won faceoff in offensive zone
1st Period 12:31 -1 Stoppage - Icing
1st Period 12:14 -1 Nathan MacKinnon won faceoff in offensive zone
1st Period 12:14 -1 Stoppage - Icing
1st Period 12:06 -1 Sven Andrighetto shot blocked by Colton Sissons
1st Period 11:57 -1 Sven Andrighetto credited with hit on Austin Watson in neutral zone
1st Period 11:52 -1 Nikita Zadorov credited with hit on Nick Bonino in neutral zone
1st Period 11:46 -1 Colton Sissons won faceoff in defensive zone
1st Period 11:46 -1 Stoppage - Goalie Stopped - TV timeout
1st Period 11:45 -1 Shot on goal by Gabriel Landeskog saved by Pekka Rinne
1st Period 11:41 -1 Miikka Salomaki credited with hit on Carl Soderberg in neutral zone
1st Period 11:41 -1 Miikka Salomaki credited with hit on Gabriel Landeskog in offensive zone
1st Period 11:17 -1 Blake Comeau credited with hit on Matthew Irwin in offensive zone
1st Period 10:35 -1 J.T. Compher shot blocked by Roman Josi
1st Period 10:32 -1 Ryan Johansen credited with hit on Colin Wilson in defensive zone
1st Period 10:25 -1 Shot on goal by Tyson Barrie saved by Pekka Rinne
1st Period 9:46 -1 Colton Sissons won faceoff in defensive zone
1st Period 9:46 -1 Stoppage - Icing
1st Period 9:44 -1 Patrik Nemeth credited with hit on Colton Sissons in offensive zone
1st Period 8:49 -1 Shot missed by Nikita Zadorov
1st Period 8:43 -1 Gabriel Landeskog credited with hit on Craig Smith in defensive zone
1st Period 8:39 -1 Nikita Zadorov credited with hit on Kyle Turris in defensive zone
1st Period 8:11 -1 Colton Sissons won faceoff in neutral zone
1st Period 8:11 -1 Stoppage - Offside
1st Period 7:55 -1 Nathan MacKinnon won faceoff in neutral zone
1st Period 7:55 -1 Penalty to Blake Comeau 2 minutes for Unsportsmanlike conduct Kevin Fiala
1st Period 7:55 -1 Penalty to Kevin Fiala 2 minutes for Unsportsmanlike conduct Blake Comeau
1st Period 7:55 -1 Stoppage - Net Off - Video Review
1st Period 7:55 -1 Shot on goal by Viktor Arvidsson saved by Jonathan Bernier
1st Period 7:46 -1 Ryan Johansen credited with hit on Nikita Zadorov in offensive zone
1st Period 7:38 -1 Carl Soderberg won faceoff in defensive zone
1st Period 7:38 -1 Stoppage - Goalie Stopped
1st Period 7:38 -1 Shot on goal by Miikka Salomaki saved by Jonathan Bernier
1st Period 7:34 -1 Gabriel Bourque shot blocked by Ryan Hartman
1st Period 7:27 -1 Mike Fisher credited with hit on David Warsofsky in defensive zone
1st Period 7:19 -1 Gabriel Bourque credited with hit on Matthew Irwin in offensive zone
1st Period 7:01 -1 J.T. Compher won faceoff in neutral zone
1st Period 7:01 -1 Stoppage - Offside
1st Period 6:59 -1 Nikita Zadorov credited with hit on Craig Smith in defensive zone
1st Period 6:51 -1 Gabriel Landeskog credited with hit on Ryan Ellis in defensive zone
1st Period 6:48 -1 Shot missed by Craig Smith
1st Period 6:41 -1 Kevin Fiala shot blocked by Nathan MacKinnon
1st Period 6:32 -1 Kyle Turris won faceoff in offensive zone
1st Period 6:32 -1 Stoppage - Icing
1st Period 6:27 -1 Patrik Nemeth credited with hit on Viktor Arvidsson in defensive zone
1st Period 6:07 -1 Shot missed by Mark Barberio
1st Period 6:03 -1 Nathan MacKinnon won faceoff in neutral zone
1st Period 6:03 -1 Stoppage - High Stick - TV timeout
1st Period 5:39 -1 Giveaway by Matthew Irwin in defensive zone
1st Period 4:21 -1 P.K. Subban credited with hit on Matt Nieto in defensive zone
1st Period 4:13 -1 Carl Soderberg shot blocked by Ryan Johansen
1st Period 4:10 -1 Filip Forsberg shot blocked by Nikita Zadorov
1st Period 3:44 -1 Carl Soderberg won faceoff in offensive zone
1st Period 3:44 -1 Stoppage - Goalie Stopped
1st Period 3:44 -1 Shot on goal by J.T. Compher saved by Pekka Rinne
1st Period 3:19 -1 Shot missed by Gabriel Bourque
1st Period 3:18 -1 Takeaway by David Warsofsky in offensive zone
1st Period 3:09 -1 Mike Fisher won faceoff in defensive zone
1st Period 3:09 -1 Stoppage - Goalie Stopped
1st Period 3:09 -1 Shot on goal by Nathan MacKinnon saved by Pekka Rinne
1st Period 3:03 -1 Giveaway by Gabriel Landeskog in offensive zone
1st Period 2:47 -1 Takeaway by P.K. Subban in defensive zone
1st Period 2:39 -1 Nathan MacKinnon shot blocked by Mattias Ekholm
1st Period 2:24 -1 Giveaway by Alexander Kerfoot in offensive zone
1st Period 2:08 -1 Takeaway by Tyson Jost in neutral zone
1st Period 1:50 -1 Alexander Kerfoot won faceoff in neutral zone
1st Period 1:50 -1 Goal scored by Blake Comeau assisted by Matt Nieto and Carl Soderberg
1st Period 1:38 -1 Shot on goal by Carl Soderberg saved by Pekka Rinne
1st Period 1:17 -1 Shot on goal by Austin Watson saved by Jonathan Bernier
1st Period 0:46 -1 Gabriel Landeskog credited with hit on Ryan Hartman in defensive zone
1st Period 0:14 -1 J.T. Compher credited with hit on Nick Bonino in offensive zone
1st Period 0:00 -1 J.T. Compher won faceoff in neutral zone
CLOSE Adam Vingan lays out what fans need to watch for when the Nashville Predators in Game 4 try to keep the Colorado Avalanche at bay.
The goal by Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon (29) gets by Nashville Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne (35) during the first period of game 3 of the first round NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Pepsi Center, Monday, April 16, 2018, in Denver, Colo. (Photo: Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com)
Nashville’s Mike Fisher had the puck. Colorado’s Gabriel Landeskog took it. Nashville’s other four skaters drifted helplessly. Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon went in for the knockout.
MacKinnon, fed deftly by Landeskog, was all alone to beat Pekka Rinne, a mismatch on a night full of them. And in that swooping finish he took Pepsi Center back to the good old days and this series to a new place.
More: Predators catfish tradition continues in Colorado: Return of 'Catfish Jake'?
The Stanley Cup playoffs can thrill, create stars and bring existing stars to greater heights. And they can surprise. Most of the hockey world that unanimously picked the Cup-favorite Predators to win this series gave the Avalanche a game. So maybe Monday’s 5-3 Colorado win is just that, the one game the young Avs are going to get before the Predators drop the hammer and move on to bigger challenges.
But when you actually see that game happen, you have to consider it as part of the whole. And the truth through three games is that Colorado has been there stride for stride or better, with a few gaffes — and resulting Predators pounces — that cost the Avalanche twice at Bridgestone Arena.
Now that we’ve seen the Avs take a game – with the quickest 1-0 lead yet of the three, with the Predators bumbling about in embarrassing fashion for the entire first period, with MacKinnon continuing to show why he might be this league’s MVP – how can Wednesday’s attempt at a series equalizer in the same rocking building be dismissed as unlikely?
More: Predators making a habit of falling behind early against Avalanche in Stanley Cup playoffs
"In my opinion, we've been the better team five on five," Colorado coach Jared Bednar said after the teams followed up 14 combined penalties in Game 3 with 13 in Game 4, the Predators taking most of their seven because of frustration or defensive inadequacy or both.
"There’s a tremendous hockey team across from us," Ryan Johansen said after scoring one of Nashville's three goals to help make the final score look better. "It doesn’t matter who you play in our league, that’s the beauty of it –if you’re not on your best, you’ll lose."
Even without starting goalie Semyon Varlamov and defensive aces Erik Johnson and Samuel Girard, Colorado is 60 comparable minutes away from establishing a brand-new, three-game series with all pressure on the Predators.
More: Predators preach improvement despite playoff series lead against Avalanche
And the Predators can’t let that happen. They have to be better than this. This was 25 minutes of garbage creating 35 minutes of garbage time. Another turnover led to MacKinnon’s second goal and a 4-0 lead with 15:35 left in the second period, and that was it for Rinne. He gave up four goals on 15 shots, and there will be plenty of freaking out about his play, but please understand: He. Had. No. Chance.
His teammates treated him to a torching.
"We just weren't very good in front of him. I didn't think we were giving him the support he needed," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said of the decision to send in Juuse Saros, who played well in relief.
“Obviously we gave up some Grade-A chances right in front of Pekks," Colton Sissons said, "and hung him out to dry with some pretty talented players."
The Predators can’t have Roman Josi and Ryan Ellis failing to clear and failing to cover while Filip Forsberg is beat to the net less than 2 minutes into the game. They can’t be this slow to pucks, or lose this many puck battles when they arrive in time. They can’t have P.K. Subban losing his mind and punching MacKinnon in the back of the head. They can’t wait until garbage time to start playing.
“They have a lot of team speed and they were just faster and more competitive than us in the first period," Johansen said. "Obviously if that’s the case, they’re going to score some goals and get a lead. ... They gained a lot of momentum, used their atmosphere to their advantage and we weren’t able to respond in that first period. That can’t happen.”
It’s time, in Wednesday’s Game 4, to see the team that won the Presidents’ Trophy and established itself as the one to beat in these playoffs.
More: Predators pounded early, dominated by Avalanche in Game 3 loss
The Predators would never talk about anything other than that, the next game, but we can. Everyone knows what’s next if the Predators and Winnipeg Jets don’t blow their 2-0 series starts, a second-round meeting that would be worthy of a Stanley Cup Final. And neither side wants to be at a distinct rest disadvantage.
The Jets lost 6-2 on Sunday at Minnesota and face their own pivotal moment Tuesday against the Wild. They were awful in Game 3. The Predators were awful in their own Game 3. They will sneak subtle glances at each other over the next two nights. Eventually they should meet.
Boston and Tampa Bay also had 2-0 leads in their series entering Monday and took road beatings from Toronto and New Jersey, respectively. It happens.
CLOSE Ultimate Predator started the first "Let's Go Predators" chant at the Bridgestone Arena watch party for Game 3.
But the Predators are going to have to earn this. These Avalanche aren’t nearly in the realm of the teams that brought two Stanley Cups to Denver and contended for more with great players (Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg), repugnant villains (Claude Lemieux) and mixtures of both (Patrick Roy). But Sakic the GM has put together a fast, young group that just matched the fourth-best regular-season turnaround in NHL history, and just thumped the Stanley Cup favorite in a playoff game.
The Avs must be taken seriously. There’s no indication the Predators have failed to do so. Laviolette grumbled before flying to Denver about media not giving the Avalanche enough respect, but that’s not true either.
CLOSE Fans at the Bridgestone Arena started chanting "We want the cup" during the first period of Game 3 between Nashville and the Colorado Avalanche.
The hockey world expected this series to be quick and easy because of how much respect it has for the Nashville Predators. That’s all. They earned it with a consistently excellent regular season on the heels of a Stanley Cup Final run, and it’s time for them to prove everyone right. It’s time to be the team of the past six months — a team that stinks to this degree only on rare occasions, and always cleans up right afterward.
Reach Joe Rexrode at jrexrode@tennessean.com and follow him on Twitter @joerexrode.
The Nashville Predators traveled to Denver to continue their first round series, falling 5-3 to the Avalanche.
The game started off in similar fashion to the other two. A loud crowd with the Avs scoring first, this time with Blake Comeau scoring on Colorado’s second shot. The Predators settled down quickly, preventing the Avalanche from getting any high danger chances. They put one past Jonathan Bernier, but Viktor Arvidsson crashed into Bernier during the play and it is waved off both on the ice and after a review. On the ensuing faceoff, Blake Comeau and Kevin Fiala exchanged a few stick whacks to give fans 2 minutes of 4-on-4 hockey.
After a few minutes of scoreless hockey, a failed clear by Pekka Rinne led to the second goal of the night for Colorado, as former Pred Gabriel Borque fired one past Rinne. A few minutes later, a high-danger chance for Colorado leads to a slashing penalty on Kyle Turris, but the Predators are able to hold the Avalanche to one shot on goal, keeping it at 2-0. The score would not remain there, however, as a Nathan MacKinnon goal on a breakaway extended the lead at the end of the 1st to 3-0 Colorado.
The Predators tried to score immediately starting the second period, but Arvidsson couldn’t finish on the breakaway, and neither could anyone else so the score remained the same. A few minutes later, MacKinnon put another shot past Rinne to put the Avs up 4-0, and Juuse Saros made his way to the crease, coming in for Rinne. Kyle Turris drew a penalty a few minutes later, and in the post-whistle aftermath, Patrik Nemeth picked up a penalty of his own to give Nashville a 5-on-3 advantage for 2 full minutes. Ryan Johansen put the Preds on the board, but shortly after the Avalanche regained even strength, Nashville gifted them a power play after a Nick Bonino elbow connected with Kerfoot.
The Preds killed off that penalty, but Forsberg connected with Bernier shortly thereafter, giving the Avs another powerplay. With just over a minute remaining in the penalty kill, P.K. Subban sent both himself and Nathan MacKinnon to the box for holding.
Early on in the 3rd period, a Salomaki charging call put the Predators in the box for the 8th time. After killing off the penalty, the Predators scored off of a Sissons goal from a great Roman Josi feed to bring the game another goal closer. An automatic empty net goal off of an Ellis hook gave the Avalanche a 5-2 lead, but a quick answer by Austin Watson pulls Nashville back within 2, which is where the score stood.
Random Observations
We’re 30 minutes from puck drop, I’ve finished my pregame ritual and have the FS-TN pregame show on. Let’s get this thing going
No change in the lineup, hopefully that 4th forward line can play better
Props to the Pepsi Center, the crowd is feeling it
Well, at least they didn’t score on the first shot this time
Fiala slipped on the ice, but the ensuing altercation was funny
A failed clear led to a Colorado goal? No way
Upon looking at a replay, that redirected off of Emelin’s glove, because, well, of course it did
Penalty = kilt
Someone has got to cover him there
And after a chorus of boos every time he touched the puck that period, Subban gets a chant telling him that he sucks to end the first
Juuse is in, unfortunate for Peks
Penalty = kilt (x2)
THANK YOU
Penalty = kilt (x3)
Fil, come on man
PK WHAT ARE YOU DOING
Penalty = Kilt (x4)
Alright, 20 more minutes. You scored one, add some more. Please.
Penalty = kilt (please stop this)
COLTON SISSONS FROM EL CAPITAN
This is the most stressed I’ve been in a while. For anything
WE WON A GOALTENDER INTERFERENCE CALL
That was rough
OTF’s Super Duper Stars of the Game
Juuse Saros - He was perfect in place of Rinne (who by the way was left out to dry by his dmen) Roman Josi - The captain was all over the ice tonight, and he picked up an assist. Austin Watson - He’s scored in every playoff game so far. No one saw that coming.
Tweets of the Night
Seeing a good smattering of gold in the Pepsi Center already with about 10 minutes to go until warm-ups. Not even remotely full yet — Kristopher Martel (@kmartel_sports) April 17, 2018
Interesting to have Alex Tanguay sing the anthem in Denver — J.R. Lind (@jrlind) April 17, 2018
After letting up the first goal I just have question preds fans...Fees or No Fees? — p- Not Pekka Rinne (@Not_Rinne) April 17, 2018
Not sure which one I prefer: pic.twitter.com/26uLwmtaom — Dan (@DanDBradley) April 17, 2018
