Nashville’s Hartman beats Avs with first playoff goal
Ryan Hartman got a bit nervous with the puck so close to the empty net after a shot by P.K. Subban.
The Nashville forward wound up with not only the first playoff goal of his career but the winner with 1:09 left as the Predators held off the Colorado Avalanche 5-4 Saturday for a 2-0 lead in their first-round Western Conference series.
Hartman’s goal gave the Predators a 5-3 lead until Alexander Kerfoot pulled Colorado to 5-4 with 35.8 seconds left. But the Avalanche couldn’t get another puck past goalie Pekka Rinne.
“I knew he made a shot toward the net, and I just wanted to be there in case he missed the net to beat out the icing,” Hartman said. “Sometimes those pucks don’t bounce far enough to the front of the net, luckily it did. Those are the ones you get nervous about, the ones that are laying right there. You just want to make sure you put it in.”
The Presidents’ Trophy winners gave up a goal on Colorado’s first shot for a second straight game. Yet the Predators rallied again to take their first 2-0 lead when starting a best-of-seven series in their own building.
“It was nice to start here for sure in front of our fans, and it was nice to get the job done,” Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said. “We did what we’re supposed to do. Now we got to go on the road and do what I said, you got to win some road games along the way too.”
Kevin Fiala had a goal and an assist, and Viktor Arvidsson, Ryan Johansen and Austin Watson scored a goal apiece. P.K. Subban and Mattias Ekholm each had two assists for Nashville, which has won 12 straight over the Avalanche.
“It’s fun playing in this building,” Watson said. “It’s tough to come in here as an opposing team. For us to be able to hold up our end of the bargain and get the two wins is great.”
Rinne made 26 saves for the win.
Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and an assist, and Gabriel Bourque and Gabriel Landeskog each added a goal for Colorado.
Game 3 is Monday night in Denver.
“We’re going to go put our best foot forward,” Colorado coach Jared Bednar said. “To me, if we would clean up a couple of mistakes, we win that hockey game. That’s the way I look at it. We’re certainly capable of doing it.”
Nashville struggled early yet again despite having country star Brad Paisley singing the national anthem and wrestler Jeff Jarrett revving up the fans before the game.
LIGHTNING 5, DEVILS 3 >> Alex Killorn scored twice during a four-goal second period, helping Tampa Bay beat New Jersey for a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference series.
The Lightning scored three times in a 2:47 span in the second period, and the reeling Devils pulled goalie Keith Kinkaid after Killorn’s third goal in two games made it 5-1 with 6:48 remaining in the period. Kinkaid, whose stellar play since January helped New Jersey finish strong and claim its first playoff berth since 2012, yielded five goals on 15 shots.
Game 3 is Monday night in Newark, New Jersey. BRUINS 7, MAPLE LEAFS 3 >> David Pastrnak had a hat trick and three assists to help Boston blow out the Toronto Maple Leafs for the second straight game, leading the Bruins to a victory and a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference playoff series.
Pastrnak shattered his previous career high of four points, scoring his third goal with 1:36 left.
Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron each had four assists, and Torey Krug had three.