Slow Start Leads Preds to Game 3 Loss in Colorado

Nathan MacKinnon scored twice to lead the Colorado Avalanche to a 5-3 win over the Nashville Predators in Game 3 of their Round One series on Monday night at the Pepsi Center. The result cuts Nashville's series lead to a 2-1 margin and sees their 12-game overall win streak against the Avalanche come to an end.
Skating in their first playoff game at home in four seasons, the Avs jumped on the Preds early and rode the energy to a three-goal first period. Nashville's effort eventually got better, and they put three past Jonathan Bernier before the end of the night, but the first 20 minutes was what did the visitors in as they suffered their first loss of these playoffs.
"We didn't play well at all in the first period," Preds Captain Roman Josi said. "They came out right away as the better team and got a couple goals. We deserve what we got. We didn't really show up in the first period."

It took the Avalanche less than two minutes into the contest to take a 1-0 lead as Blake Comeau steered a puck over the glove of Pekka Rinne. Goals from Gabriel Bourque and MacKinnon followed before the first frame was out, and MacKinnon's second goal of the night at 4:25 of the second stanza chased Rinne in favor of Juuse Saros in the Preds' net.
A 5-on-3 power-play opportunity led to Ryan Johansen getting the Predators on the board, and Colton Sissons cut the Colorado lead to 4-2 midway through the third period, but the push wasn't enough to find an equalizer.

After the Avalanche received an automatic fifth goal with a delayed penalty call and an empty Nashville net, Austin Watson gave the Preds their third before the find horn sounded.
Saros made 18 saves in relief, with Preds Head Coach Peter Laviolette stating he pulled Rinne in an attempt to change the momentum of the game, not because of the performance of his starter.
The Predators agreed they didn't provide much help in front of Rinne, with a rough start deciding the game.
"It's tough because it's nothing that we haven't talked about, but there's a difference between talking about it and going out here and performing and being ready to battle right from the drop of the puck," Watson said. "We got better as the game went on, but we weren't ready to go right away."
As JosI stated, the Predators will take Tuesday to review what went wrong, and then turn their attention to Game 4, which comes Wednesday night in Colorado. The effort from the visitors in the final 30 minutes of the contest could provide some room for optimism, and whether the Preds can use that effort for confidence or not, they know they simply have to be better from start to finish.
"There's a tremendous hockey team across from us," Johansen said. "If you're not on your best, you'll lose. So we just need to make sure we're ready for Game 4 to bring our best and from all the men in this room. We do that, we believe we'll be successful so that's what it comes down to."

Notes:
Nashville kept their same lineup they used in Games 1 and 2, with defenseman Yannick Weber (upper-body) and forward Calle Jarnkrok (upper-body) remaining out.
With an assist on Ryan Johansen's goal, Filip Forsberg became Nashville's all-time leader in Stanley Cup Playoff points with 29, passing Shea Weber and David Legwand for the mark.
The series continues on Wednesday night in Denver with Game 4 (at 9 p.m. CT) between the Preds and Avs, before things shift back to Nashville for Game 5, set for Friday night at Bridgestone Arena. A start time has not yet been announced for Game 5.