For a moment, it looked like the Nashville Predators might be able to sneak out a win.
But only for a moment.
The Colorado Avalanche overcame a one-goal deficit in the third period and defeated the Nashville Predators, 5-3, to complete the sweep of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoff series.
Filip Forsberg gave Nashville its first lead of the series, 3-2, at 3:58 of the third period.
But the Avs responded. Devon Toews tied the game at three with a goal at 8:55. Then just over three minutes later, Cale Makar found Valeri Nichushkin with a brilliant cross-ice pass and Nichushkin buried the puck to give the Avalanche a 4-3 lead with 7:58 to go.
Nathan MacKinnon sealed it with an empty net goal with 56 seconds remaining.
Makar was terrific again, getting a goal and two assists. Andre Burakovsky also had a goal and a pair of assists.
Pavel Francouz started in net for the Avs and made 28 saves. Colorado held Darcy Kuemper out. He still had some swelling around his eye after taking a stick to the face in game three on Saturday.
The Avs polish off their second straight first round sweep, having eliminated St. Louis in four games a season ago.
Colorado will play the winner of the St. Louis-Minnesota series in the second round. Those teams are tied two games each with game five in Minnesota on Wednesday night.
Postgame comments from Avs defenseman Cale Makar.
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Postgame comments from Avs forward Nathan MacKinnon.
Postgame comments from Avs head coach Jared Bednar.