On Wednesday night in Denver, Pekka Rinne returned to form for the Nashville Predators and made 31 saves to defeat the Colorado Avalanche, 3-2.
The win gives the Predators a 3-1 series lead heading back to Nashville for Game 5.
“It was a battle tonight,” Rinne said. “The first two periods, great lead, 3-0. [Colorado’s] a good team. They came back and we battled. We did a really good job at the end there. We blocked a few and they missed the net a couple of times. We killed the clock pretty good at the end and did a really good job.”
Filip Forsberg, Colton Sissons and Craig Smith staked the Preds to a 3-0 lead heading into the third period.
“[Colorado’s] not going to go anywhere, we’re ready for that,” Forsberg said. “It’s been four really hard-fought games so far and we’re looking for another one Friday.”
That’s true because the Avs put two on the scoreboard in the final frame to close to within 3-2.
“We’re still in it, it’s not over yet. We can’t win the series if we don’t win Game 5,” Nathan MacKinnon said after the rally fell short for the Avs.
Alexander Kerfoot and Gabriel Landeskog struck for the Avs who made the final 10 minutes of the game a little more intense.
“I thought we came out strong,” Predators head coach Peter Laviolette said. “It was a good response from the game before when I don’t think we played very well.”
The Avs need a Game 5 win to get the series back home.
“They’re a good team, they’re a really good team,” Forsberg said. “We played really good for two periods and was dominating the game, but we knew they were a good team and not going to quit. A lot of good players on that side. It was a good push by them. It was a close one, but we got the win.”
[WATCH: All Predators vs. Avalanche Game 4 highlights | Complete Predators vs. Avalanche series coverage]
Jonathan Bernier made 23 saves in the start for the Avs but did not return to the game aft
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