3 Keys: Avalanche at Predators, Game 3 of Western First Round
Nashville sticks with Ingram, needs to be more aggressive, patient with puck
The Nashville Predators will return home to Bridgestone Arena for Game 3 of the Western Conference First Round on Saturday looking for their first win against the Colorado Avalanche.
"Definitely a huge boost," defenseman Roman Josi said. "Playoffs in Nashville are always so much fun. The crowd is going to be loud. So many great memories of Nashville in the playoffs. We're excited to be home. We're excited to play in front of our fans."
The Predators dropped the first two games in Denver by a combined score of 9-3, losing 7-2 in Game 1 on Tuesday and 2-1 in overtime in Game 2 on Thursday.
Coach John Hynes brought up what happened in the first round last season. The Predators dropped the first two games on the road against the Carolina Hurricanes by a combined score of 8-2, then won the next two at home (before losing the series in six).
Connor Ingram, who has stopped 79 of 83 shots since relieving David Rittich in the first period of Game 1, will start for the second straight game. No. 1 goalie Juuse Saros remains out with a lower-body injury.
Nashville needs more puck possession and offense. Colorado has controlled 66.7 percent of the shot attempts 5-on-5. Two of the three goals the Predators have scored came in Game 1 after they fell behind 6-0.
The Avalanche will not be intimidated by the atmosphere at Bridgestone Arena.
"I love playing in hostile buildings," center Nazem Kadri said. "I think it's so much fun. … It doesn't matter where we play. I think we're a pretty poised group."
Here are 3 Keys for Game 3:
1. Be aggressive without the puck
The Predators must put more pressure on the Avalanche to get the puck back.
"I think just in general we've been taking on way too much water and being too passive," Josi said. "I think we've got to be aggressive. Obviously, they're dangerous off the rush. They're a skilled team. [But] it starts in the [offensive zone], being more aggressive and not letting them break out as easy."
2. Be patient with the puck
The Predators can improve their poise and execution on breakouts, in the neutral zone and entering the offensive zone.
"[The Avalanche are] fast and quick, and sometimes you feel like you don't have as much time as you do," Hynes said. "So, I think that's one area we can continue to improve on to give ourselves a chance to be able to get up and get out on the attack.
"Other times … we made some plays out, but then we didn't connect on the next play. It bounced off our stick, or it was a little bit of an errant pass. Our puck play is something we addressed between [Games 1 and 2]. It was good at times [in Game 2], but it certainly needs to be better as we move forward."
3. Stick with it
The Avalanche don't need to change much. They generated 103 shot attempts in Game 2 and finally were rewarded when defenseman Cale Makar, who had 23 shot attempts himself, including 12 shots on goal, scored 8:31 into overtime.
"You can get too antsy at times, I think," coach Jared Bednar said. "You're shooting a lot. Lots are getting blocked. Goalie's making saves. You could look to try and get too fancy and start passing it off more, and I don't think that's the solution. I think you've just got to keep working for those shooting lanes and stick with it."
Avalanche projected lineup
Valeri Nichushkin -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Mikko Rantanen
Gabriel Landeskog -- Nazem Kadri -- Artturi Lehkonen
Andre Burakovsky -- J.T. Compher -- Nicolas Aube-Kubel
Darren Helm -- Nico Sturm - Logan O'Connor
Devon Toews -- Cale Makar
Samuel Girard -- Josh Manson
Bowen Byram -- Erik Johnson
Darcy Kuemper
Pavel Francouz
Scratched: Jack Johnson, Alex Newhook, Ryan Murray, Kurtis MacDermid
Injured: Andrew Cogliano (upper body)
Predators projected lineup
Filip Forsberg -- Mikael Granlund -- Matt Duchene
Eeli Tolvanen -- Ryan Johansen -- Luke Kunin
Yakov Trenin -- Colton Sissons -- Tanner Jeannot
Nick Cousins -- Michael McCarron -- Mathieu Olivier
Roman Josi -- Dante Fabbro
Mattias Ekholm -- Alexandre Carrier
Jeremy Lauzon -- Matt Benning
Connor Ingram
David Rittich
Scratched: Ben Harpur, Philippe Myers, Matt Luff
Injured: Mark Borowiecki (upper body), Juuse Saros (lower body)
Status report
The Avalanche are expected to dress the same lineup they used in a 2-1 overtime win in Game 2 on Thursday. ... Cogliano, a forward, is day-to-day … Ingram will make his second straight start after making 49 saves Thursday. ... Saros, a goalie, remains sidelined. ... The status of Borowiecki, a defenseman, will depend on how he feels Saturday, Hynes said. ... Nashville is considering lineup changes.
NHL.com correspondent John Glennon contributed
