3 Keys: Avalanche at Predators, Game 4 of Western First Round
Francouz starts for Colorado in place of injured Kuemper; Nashville tries to avoid sweep
Goalie Pavel Francouz will start for the Colorado Avalanche when they try to sweep the Nashville Predators with a win in Game 4 of the Western Conference First Round on Monday.
Francouz allowed two goals on 20 shots in Game 3, a 7-3 Avalanche victory, after Darcy Kuemper sustained a right eye injury late in the first period. The toe of Predators forward Ryan Johansen's stick blade poked through the eyehole of Kuemper's mask.
Avalanche coach Jared Bednar had left open the possibility Kuemper might play in Game 4 if the swelling went down, but Kuemper did not take part in the morning skate.
"He's doing better, but his swelling's still there, so just not good enough," Bednar said.
Justus Annunen, called up from Colorado of the American Hockey League on Sunday, will back up Francouz. Annunen has played two NHL games (one start) but is coming off two wins against Henderson in the Calder Cup Playoffs, when he allowed four goals on 60 shots.
"He's sharp and has been in the net recently, so in case something happens tonight, we want Annunen here to back up," Bednar said.
RELATED: [Complete Avalanche vs Predators series coverage]
Connor Ingram will start for Nashville. He has allowed 10 goals on 124 shots since relieving David Rittich in the first period of Game 1. No. 1 goalie Juuse Saros is out with a lower-body injury.
The Avalanche, who swept the St. Louis Blues in the Stanley Cup First Round last year, can become the first team to sweep a first round, best-of-7 series in consecutive years since the Detroit Red Wings swept the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 1999 and the Los Angeles Kings in 2000.
Here are 3 keys for Game 4:
1. Get a lead
Nashville is the only team in the Stanley Cup Playoffs that hasn't had a lead.
"We're playing a great team, as we all know," Predators center Ryan Johansen said. "Just got to find a way to win a hockey game. Focus is on having a good start, trying to get that first goal, play with a lead. You just need every part of your game to be dialed in."
The Predators were 32-9-2 when scoring first, 24-4-0 when leading after the first period and 31-1-1 when leading after two periods in the regular season.
"To get a lead and get a goal, I think, obviously ignites the building and settles guys down, lets guys settle in," Predators coach John Hynes said. "If we get to the game that we feel gives us the best chance to win, that's the first step."
2. Stay out of the box
Special teams were the difference for Colorado in Game 3. The Avalanche went 4-for-5 on the power play, the Predators 2-for-3.
Colorado is 6-for-14 on the power play in the series, Nashville 3-for-11.
"Obviously with the talent on their unit, we've got to do everything we can to play with discipline and stay out of that box, because they've done some good things that made us pay," Johansen said.
3. Don't let up
The Avalanche have turned this into a lopsided series, outscoring the Predators 16-6. Though they have a three-game margin for error, they can't let up now.
Their measure of success is the Stanley Cup, and to win it, they'll need to endure four rounds. The quicker they can close out the Predators, the more rest, the less wear and tear, and the less injury risk.
"We got to continue to play the same way we have in the first three games in the series," Bednar said. "I've liked all three games from our group. Just stay resilient."
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
Pavel Francouz
Justus Annunen
Scratched:Jack Johnson, Alex Newhook, Ryan Murray, Kurtis MacDermid, Hunter Miska
Injured: Andrew Cogliano (upper body), Darcy Kuemper (eye)
Predators projected lineup
Filip Forsberg -- Ryan Johansen -- Tanner Jeannot
Luke Kunin -- Mikael Granlund -- Matt Duchene
Yakov Trenin -- Colton Sissons - Mathieu Olivier
Eeli Tolvanen -- Cody Glass -- Philip Tomasino
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 Predators will dress the same lineup as Game 3.
