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Valeri Nichushkin scored the game-winning goal with 7:58 left, and the Colorado Avalanche became the first team to advance to the second round Monday night by finishing a sweep of the Nashville Predators 5-3 Monday night.

The Avs had a couple missed opportunities once Nashville pulled goalie Connor Ingram with more than 4 minutes remaining. KUEMPER HURTThe Avalanche goalie was hurt with 56.6 seconds left in the first period when Johansen's stick caught him through the mask. ROOKIE GOALIEIngram became the first rookie in Nashville history to start a playoff game in Game 2’s overtime loss on Thursday night. His 49 saves tied for most by a goalie in his first postseason start in the last 10 years and tied for the fourth-most saves by a Predators goalie in franchise history in the playoffs. Ingram stopped 79 of 83 shots faced over the first two games of this series after coming off the bench.

Gabriel Landeskog scored twice in the second period, and the top-seeded Colorado Avalanche beat the Nashville Predators 7-3 for a commanding 3-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference series.

Injuries are threatening to tip the balance of a handful of first-round series around the NHL playoffs.

Predators Avalanche Hockey Nashville Predators goaltender Connor Ingram (39) blocks a shot by Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar, bottom right, during the first period in Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series Thursday, May 5, 2022, in Denver. Nathan MacKinnon also scored for Colorado, which faced a more intense Nashville defense after winning 7-2 in Game 1. He allowed MacKinnon's goal on the first shot of the game and turned back everything until Makar's goal. The 25-year-old Ingram relieved David Rittich in the first game after the Avalanche scored five first-period goals. The first period was vastly different for the Predators than Game 1, when they allowed five goals.

Cale Makar scored 8:31 into overtime, Darcy Kuemper made 25 saves on his 32nd birthday and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Nashville Predators 2-1 to take a 2-0 lead in the first-round playoff series.

Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog built the lead to 6-0 when he was credited for a goal in the second period. MacKinnon scored his second goal of the game in the third period and, coupled with an assist, raised his playoff points per game average to 1.41. RECORD STARTThe goals by MacKinnon and Toews were in the first 2:42, making it the fastest pair of goals to start a playoff game in Colorado/Quebec franchise history. MAKAR'S MARKMakar became the third defenseman in team history to record three points in a period during a playoff game. On his 27th birthday, Avs forward Nico Sturm received a hard check in the second period that knocked him down.

Nathan MacKinnon and Devon Toews scored 22 seconds apart in a five-goal first period, sending the Colorado Avalanche to a 7-2 win over the Nashville Predators in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

Sidney Crosby scored the second of his two goals at 2:21 of overtime for his 1,400th career point, helping the Pittsburgh Penguins snap a four-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators.