It was a game that had all the makings of a Hollywood movie. Colorado, the number eight seed, down to their third string goaltender and facing elimination against the top team in the league, the Nashville Predators.
Colorado started Andrew Hammond in net as their top goalie, Semyon Varlamov was injured at the end of the season and second string goalie, Jonathan Bernier, did not start the third period of game four due to a lower body injury.
Hammond had only started one other game for the Avalanche during the regular season, a 2-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on March 28th. In that game, Hammond faced 33 shots on net and allowed just the two goals.
This was Hammond’s third career playoff start, and his first playoff start for the Avalanche. His previous two playoff starts happened when he was a member of the Ottawa Senators. He posted a 0-2 record and a .914 save percentage.
This was a crucial game for the Avalanche. Having only won game three in Denver, Nashville had a 3-1 series lead and was looking to finish the series and advance to the next round.
In the first period, Nashville came out to test Colorado’s goaltender, getting two quick shots on net during the team’s first possession in the Avalanche zone. The Predators outshot the Avalanche 11-8 in the period, yet neither team was able to score a goal in the period.
Pekka Rene also looked solid in net, but the goaltender has struggled a bit during this series. For the second consecutive game, the Avalanche did not score on their first or second shot on net. Rene has been able to keep Colorado’s offense in check in the series, with the exception of game three, allowing eight goals on 75 shots in the other three games. His save percentage for his three wins was only .893, well below his career average of .916, but good enough for three wins.
Second period saw more of the same, Nashville sending shots on net to test Hammond, and Rene doing his best to match. This period, Nashville was able to out shoot Colorado again in the second period 15-8. Both sides still could not get one past either goalie.
While the forwards were not able to put one in, Hammond came close to scoring on his own net. With about 5:45 left in the second period, Hammond came out to play the puck at the side of his net. While trying to push the puck around the back of the net, he misfires and hits the side of the net. With Austin Watson giving chase to the puck, Hammond had to dive and poke the puck away from the Nashville forward.
In the third period, Nashville was able to break the scoreless tie. Nick Bonio scored his first goal of the playoffs about halfway through the period. Colorado had not won a game in this series when trailing at any point of the game.
About five minutes later Gabriel Landeskog gets a pass from Nathan MacKinnon and puts the puck in the net while Rene had Ryan Ellias fall on top of him keeping Rene from making any attempt of blocking the shot. This was Landeskog’s fourth goal of the playoffs
With time winding down, Colorado’s Sven Andrighetto hammers home a rebound off Rene from a J.T. Compher shot to give Colorado their first lead of the game. This was Andrighetto’s first goal of the post season.
With the last minute of the game ticking away, Rene is pulled from the net to give Nashville an extra attacker. The effort fell short and Colorado came away with a 2-1 win. Hammond faced 45 shots in the game, stopping 44 of them. Rene took on 27 Colorado shots and turned away 25.
Game six will be at Pepsi Center in Denver on Sunday evening at 9 p.m. ET.
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