Avalanche top Predators in Game 5, extend Western series

NASHVILLE -- Sven Andrighetto scored with 1:28 remaining in the third period, and the Colorado Avalanche avoided elimination with a 2-1 win against the Nashville Predators in Game 5 of their Western Conference First Round series at Bridgestone Arena on Friday.
J.T. Compher took the original shot and Andrighetto scored on the rebound to break a 1-1 tie.

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"It's fun," Andrighetto said. "Coming back from 1-0, even when we got the goal against we knew it wasn't over. We believed in us, and that's a huge thing in our group in here. We believe in ourselves, and we came back in time."
The Predators lead the best-of-7 series 3-2. Game 6 is at Colorado on Sunday.
"We got the lead with nine minutes left and with four minutes left we have to close games," Nashville forward Nick Bonino said. "Hats off to them, they didn't stop working. We knew how hard it would be, and for stretches of that game we didn't play our best hockey."

Andrew Hammond made 44 saves in his first start of the series for Colorado. It was his first NHL playoff win.
"You want to play meaningful hockey," Hammond said. "When the games mean more, I think I try and take my game to another level, and obviously I was able to do that tonight. The guys just kept battling, didn't waver. Even when we got down 1-0 I think we were playing the right way, so I just think it speaks to the character we have here and the no quit. That's the same approach I expect for Game 6 now."
Gabriel Landeskog tied the game 1-1 at 15:49 of the third period. Nathan MacKinnon held the puck long enough to find Landeskog, who scored his fourth goal.
"We've got a series again going home, and it's going to be exciting," Landeskog said. "This is what we talked about before tonight, just to win one. We don't have to win three in one night. We've just got to win one, take it back to Denver and then we'll take it from there."
Bonino gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 10:18 of the third period on a rebound. Mattias Ekholm took the original shot, and the puck deflected off Bonino's right skate for his first goal.
The goal was originally waved off because of a kicking motion but was overturned after video review.
"[Hammond] is a good goalie with good numbers," Bonino said. "It's not a mistake he's in the net right now. We've just got to get to the net and get some greasy goals."
Pekka Rinne made 25 saves for the Predators.

Goal of the game

Landeskog's goal at 15:49 of the third period.

Save of the game

Hammond's save on Filip Forsberg at 18:58 of the third period.

Highlight of the game

Andrighetto's goal at 18:32 of the third period.

They said it

"It's one of the better performances I've seen from a goaltender in a long time. Just so calm and steady all night long, and the one that they do get there at the end is a tough bounce and obviously a good rebound shot and goes in off their skate. But even after that, I mean, he's so calm. Just keeps working, keeps playing. You think with a 2-1 lead there with a minute and a half left they found some scoring chances and he was just so solid. It was fun to see."-- Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog on goaltender Andrew Hammond
"You have a game in hand with four minutes to go in the playoffs in an elimination game. We've got to close those games. I'm sure we'll take a look at it [Saturday], regroup and put it behind us and go into a hostile building against a desperate team and have probably a much similar game." -- Predators forward Nick Bonino

Need to know

MacKinnon had six shots on goal, nine shot attempts and an assist in 18:59. … Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard returned after missing three games because of an upper-body injury. He had one shot on goal in 22:21. ... Colorado had lost seven in a row in Nashville, including the first two in this series. … The Avalanche are the first team to win a playoff game in regulation where they were losing in the final 5:00 of the third period since the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 6 of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final (3-2 win at the Boston Bruins). … Forward Austin Watson had an assist to give him six points (three goals, three assists) in the series, which leads the Predators. … Nashville forward Ryan Hartman served a one-game suspension for an illegal check to the head of Avalanche forward Carl Soderberg in Game 4. Scott Hartnell replaced Hartman. … The Predators were 3-0 in the 2017 playoffs when having a chance to eliminate an opponent.

What's next

Game 6 of the Western Conference First Round at Pepsi Center on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVAS, ALT, FS-TN)