The Colorado Avalanche needed OT to get a firm grasp on a two-nothing series lead. Cale Makar got them there through, getting a high screen of goalie Connor Ingram and putting one in the top corner to give the Avs a 2-1 lead.
The story of the game though resided firmly between Nashville’s posts as Connor Ingram faced 51 shots on the night and made 49 saves. Including an incredible sliding pad stop on Nazem Kadri in the third period.
The Avs kept up consistent pressure on the Preds throughout the game though. Consistently impressive within the win was the Av’s ability to forecheck which forced nine takeaways on the Preds.
All playoff series are physical, it’s the nature of the sport of hockey, this game however was particularly brutal. The Avalanche totaled 53 hits on the night and the Preds put up 57 hits. Standing out would be a first-period collision in which Nazem Kadri and Gabriel Landeskog double-teamed and absolutely smoked a Preds player along the boards, a legal hit.
Naz Kadri with his colorful suspension history has to be careful in those sorts of situations, but he remained calm, cool, and collected and took care of business against the Preds as that would tally as his only hit of the night.
Neither power play was particularly impressive as both teams went 0 for four on their man advantage attempts.
The only other Avs goal of the night came as Nathan Mackinnon swept into the offensive end and fired one past the low blocker of Ingram.
Darcy Kuemper, has earned my respect. I have been consistently worried about him throughout the season. However, tonight it is impossible to be critical, in huge moments when the Avs needed momentum saving stops he came up with them.
The TNT crew commented throughout the night that Kuemper is a goalie that has struggled with a focus in the past and does better when he faces more rubber. He has seemed to fix that critique, seeing long stretches of the game in which he was not called on, and yet still in OT he made crucial saves to keep the Avs alive.
The Avs advance, and will play game three of the series in Nashville at 2:30 pm. Mountain Time. A game in which the Preds will certainly be bringing their best effort being down 2-0.
You cannot go away from Ingram though, even if Juuse Saros is available. Riding the hot hand is the best way for the Preds to stay alive in these playoffs.
More on the night before in the NHL, in the AM.