Avs Sweep Predators, 5-3 In Game Four

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.