Nashville Predators at Colorado Avalanche: Potential 1st Round Preview

This is a huge matchup for the psqyche if you're the Nashville Predators. The legendary point streak is over, and the Colorado Avalanche are up next.

It probably doesn't take much of a reminder on how the Predators completely dismantled the Predators at the beginning of March in a 5-1 win and a Cody Glass hat trick.

The Avalanche have plenty to play for today as well with a few different playoff clinching scenarios, with the most direct one being just to defeat the Predators in regulation or overtime. So expect playoff level hockey from both squads today in Denver.

Preds Looking for the Season Sweep of the Avs in a Potential 1st Round Preview

The last time out the Predators once again had all sorts of trouble with the Arizona Coyotes. Tons of defensive breakdowns and shaky goalie play from Juuse Saros led to an eventual 8-4 final score. Except for some stat sheet stuffing from Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi and some others, it was a game to quickly forget and shift the focus to the Avalanche.

The Predators excelled on the power play in the last meeting with the Avs, going 2-for-3 with goals from Ryan O'Reilly and Tommy Novak.

This was right before the trade deadline and Yakov Trenin being dealt to the Avalanche. He has nine games under his belt for the Avs and has recorded just one goal.

The Avalanche have fallen behind the Dallas Stars by three points in the race for the Central Division crown. They do have an extra game in hand, but they really need these two points against the Predators to keep the heat on the Stars.

If the Predators can beat the Avs in regulation today, it will further add to the probability that they avoid the Avs in the first round and raise the probability that they instead will take on the Stars or Canucks in the first round.

Let's not gloss over that the Predators haven't technically locked up a playoff spot yet. They are eight points ahead of the St. Louis Blues and 11 points ahead of the Minnesota Wild. They also have just a three-point cushion over the L.A. Kings for the top wildcard spot.

The Blues are 7-2-1 in their last 10, so they haven't let the Predators just coast in. There is still plenty of work to be done despite the overwhelming playoff probabilities that say the Predators will make it in.

The Predators also still have an outside chance to catch the Winnipeg Jets for third place, which would put the Avs right back into the picture as the first round opponent. So this could very well be a sneak preview into a seven-game first round series and feel like a playoff atmosphere in Denver today.

Take your pick. Who would you rather see the Predators face in the first round and who do they have the BEST chance against? I did a poll question, and overwhelmingly the voters chose the Jets, who are the least likely first round opponent.

Back to Glass, who finally got back into the starting lineup on Thursday against the Coyotes after being benched since March 7. He tallied two assists in 11:51 of ice time coming in over Anthony Beauvillier.

Neither starting goalie has been confirmed as of yet for the 6 P.M. Eastern puck drop, but seeing a matchup between Juuse Saros and Alexander Georgiev is expected.