Nashville Predators: Four X-Factors to Upsetting Colorado Avalanche

Can Duchene and Forsberg stay red hot?

This x-factor ties into the previous slide as the Nashville Predators will undoubtedly need high goal totals to win these games. I don’t expect a low-scoring, defense first series like I was expecting against the Calgary Flames.

Unfortunately, this style of game doesn’t fit the Predators, but fits the Avalanche perfectly. The Predators can try to match their fast playing style,  but they don’t have enough personnel to match the Avalanche toe-to-toe in this area.

With that said, Matt Duchene and Filip Forsberg carrying over what they accomplish in the regular seaosn will go a long way into keep the score close, even if the Avalanche do get their goals.

Both Duchene and Forsberg easily broke the single-season franchise goal record previously held by Viktor Arvidsson. We watched all season these two dynamic players trade goals, and in the end Duchene finished with 43 goals, and Forsberg with 42.

For comparison, the Avalanche actually had zero 40-plus goal scorers, but are way deeper with three 30-plus goal scorers, and seven 20-plus goal scorers. Predators had five.

We have to see Duchene and Forsberg carry the heavy load offensively. They absolutely cannot go on a goal drought in this series or it will be quick and painful. A sweep, and a rather uncompetitive one, if these two don’t carry over what they did in the regular season.