The thrill of playoff hockey returning to Colorado for the first time since 2014 is sure to keep the state abuzz with Avalanche fever after a sellout crowd Saturday inside Pepsi Center set the tone.
But the Avs’ celebration after a 5-2 victory against St. Louis will quickly turn to preparation.
Colorado — among the NHL’s youngest teams to begin the new year (average age 25) — has a grown-man challenge ahead: A first-round matchup with the Nashville Predators.
“We’re going to Nashville, they’re the best team in the league,” Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie said. “That’s no easy test, but we’re the underdogs. That’s a fun role to embrace.”
Nashville completed its most successful regular season in franchise history at 53-18-11 and clinched the Presidents’ Trophy by garnering a league-high 117 points to guarantee home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.
The Stanley Cup runners-up from a year ago tout a playoff-savvy roster and are among the most balanced teams in the NHL. Entering Saturday night, Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne was tied with a league-high eight shutouts and ranked No. 6 in save percentage (.927). The Predators also ranked No. 7 in team goals per game (3.17).
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon #29 and Colorado Avalanche defenseman Patrik Nemeth #12 swamp Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog #92 who scored an empty net goal against the St. Louis Blues in the third period at the Pepsi April 07, 2018. Av's won 5-2 to move on to the first round of the NHL playoffs.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog #92 celebrates his empty net goal against the St. Louis Blues in the third period at the Pepsi April 07, 2018. Av's won 5-2 to move on to the first round of the NHL playoffs.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog #92, bottom of pile, gets swamped by teammates including Colorado Avalanche defenseman Mark Barberio #44 after scoring an empty net goal against the St. Louis Blues in the third period at the Pepsi April 07, 2018. St. Louis Blues left wing Jaden Schwartz #17, right, tries to get out from the pile. Av's won 5-2 to move on to the first round of the NHL playoffs.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Colorado Avalanche goaltender Jonathan Bernier #45 celebrates with Colorado Avalanche defenseman Patrik Nemeth #12 moments after the Av's defeated the St. Louis Blues 5-2 at the Pepsi April 07, 2018. Av's move on to the first round of the NHL playoffs.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
The Colorado Avalanche clinched a spot in the NHL playoffs after defeating the St. Louis Blues 5-2 at the Pepsi April 7, 2018.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
The Colorado Avalanche celebrate their 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues to earn a spot in the NHL playoffs at Pepsi April 07, 2018.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog #92 celebrates with teammate Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon #29 after MacKinnon scored against the st. Louis Blues in the second period at the Pepsi April 07, 2018.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon #29 celebrates his goal against the St. Louis Blues in the second period at the Pepsi April 07, 2018.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie #4 celebrates his power play goal against the St. Louis Blues with teammate Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen #96 in the second period at the Pepsi April 07, 2018.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Colorado Avalanche right wing Sven Andrighetto #10 splits St. Louis Blues defenseman Joel Edmundson #6 and St. Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo #27 and goes after the puck against St. Louis Blues goaltender Jake Allen #34 in the second period at the Pepsi April 07, 2018.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Colorado Avalanche left wing J.T. Compher #37 and St. Louis Blues right wing Chris Thorburn #22 crash the boards in the second period at the Pepsi April 07, 2018.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog #92 hops over St. Louis Blues right wing Vladimir Tarasenko #91 chasing down the puck in the first period at the Pepsi April 07, 2018.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar, center, on the bench as officials announced Colorado Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie's goal after a long review in the second period at the Pepsi April 07, 2018. Av's won 5-2 to move on to the first round of the NHL playoffs.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon #29 skates past St. Louis Blues left wing Jaden Schwartz #17 at the Pepsi April 07, 2018.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Tyson Barrie #4 fires the puck past St. Louis Blues center Patrik Berglund #21 in the first period at the Pepsi April 07, 2018.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon #29 skates past St. Louis Blues left wing Jaden Schwartz #17, center, and St. Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo #27 in the first period at the Pepsi April 07, 2018.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post
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Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon #29 and Colorado Avalanche defenseman Patrik Nemeth #12 swamp Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog #92 who scored an empty net goal against the St. Louis Blues in the third period at the Pepsi April 07, 2018. Av's won 5-2 to move on to the first round of the NHL playoffs.
Nashville is especially tough at home with a 28-9-4 record. The fan base has responded in full force and set a Bridgestone Arena attendance record (17,594) on Saturday in the Predators’ regular-season finale victory against Columbus.
Colorado (43-30-9) is well aware of Nashville’s dominance this season. The Avalanche is 0-3-1, nabbing its only point after a March 4 home loss, 4-3, in overtime.
Where can the Avs draw inspiration?
Playoff-style pressure didn’t faze Colorado on Saturday, even for its most youthful players, with 19-year-old Samuel Girard netting Colorado’s first goal of the night with a rocket slapshot past St. Louis goalie Jake Allen.
And while the Avalanche will be without injured defenseman Erik Johnson (knee) indefinitely, Colorado coach Jared Bednar left the door open for goaltender Semyon Varlamov’s return after the regular season as he recovers from a lower-body injury. However, Bednar told reporters after the victory Saturday that Varlamov will not be available for the Nashville series.
Colorado’s final playoff push wasn’t pretty as it finished its last four games at 1-2-1. Meanwhile, Nashville is streaking with wins in five of its last seven. But the Avalanche can start anew in its pursuit of a first-round postseason victory — something it hasn’t accomplished since 2010.
To start the season, few believed the Avs would be playoff bound coming off a dismal 2016-17 season that finished with a franchise-low 48 points. Can Colorado’s youth shock the hockey world once more? That quest begins this week in Nashville.
“We really have no pressure other than what we put on ourselves,” Avs’ captain Gabe Landeskog said, “and that’s the mentality we had going into the season as well.”
