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If any No. 1 seed should know not to overlook an opponent that was last into the playoffs Authentic Leighton Vander Esch Jersey , the Nashville Predators fit that bill.

After all, Nashville got the last invitation to the NHL postseason ball last season and then stuck around all the way into the middle of June, winning the Western Conference title before falling to the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

This time, the Predators were first in line for the postseason, winning their first Presidents’ Trophy with 117 points. They are in the position of overwhelming favorites as they welcome the Colorado Avalanche to Bridgestone Arena for Thursday night’s opener of the Western quarterfinals.

“There’s so many good teams, it doesn’t matter if you’re eighth or first,” Nashville captain Roman Josi said. “You saw what happened last year. For us, it’s not a different approach. We know the first round, it doesn’t matter who we are going to play, it’s going to be extremely hard.”

Some would say that Josi is just being politically correct when it comes to this series. Nashville (53-18-11) owns 10 consecutive wins over Colorado (43-30-9) dating to the last week of the 2015-16 season. It outscored the Avalanche 17-8 in four wins this season, including two last month in Denver during a stretch in which it ripped off 14 wins in 15 games.

Despite all of the Predators’ advantages — arguably the most depth in the NHL Authentic Kolton Miller Jersey , the best 1-through-4 defense corps in the league and home ice — there is a window through which Colorado can climb to make this a series and perhaps pull the upset.

First things first: Avalanche goalie Jonathan Bernier must be the best player on the ice in at least one game. While that might seem laughable, since many fans remember him allowing four goals on 16 shots in Nashville’s Game 6 win over Anaheim last spring in the conference finals, Bernier actually has a good track record against the Predators.

In his career, Bernier is 9-4-0 in 14 starts with a 2.37 goals-against average, a .917 save percentage and a pair of shutouts. With Semyon Varlamov on the shelf for the season’s remainder, Bernier is the man in net, and he came up big in the regular-season finale, making 32 saves to beat St. Louis 5-2.

“I think if we play the way we played tonight, we have a good chance,” Bernier said. “If you want to get further, you have to beat the best team. We start with the best team.”

For the Avalanche to beat the best Calvin Ridley Youth Jersey , they might want to do something about Filip Forsberg, who has shredded them in his career. In 20 games, Forsberg has 13 goals and 11 assists. That includes an overtime game-winner on March 4 in Denver and two goals in a return engagement March 16.

Secondly, Hart Trophy candidate Nathan MacKinnon must play like it against Nashville’s top two defense pairings of Josi and Ryan Ellis, and Mattias Ekholm and P.K. Subban. MacKinnon ended a nine-game goalless streak against St. Louis. If he finds his scoring touch, Colorado’s chances increase.

Finally, the Avalanche must win at least one game in Bridgestone, where they’ll have to deal with arguably the loudest crowd in the league and perhaps even dodge the flying catfish.

“It’s the best team in the league this year and we know they have all the pressure,” Colorado right winger Mikko Rantanen said. “It’s going to be a huge test for us.”

If this was John Tavares‘ final game with the New York Islanders, he certainly made it memorable.

Tavares scored 3:16 into overtime as the Islanders rallied for a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Red Wings in the season finale on Saturday night.

Tavares, set to be a free agent in the offseason Richard Rodgers Jersey Eagles , broke down the left wing and snapped a wrist shot past Red Wings goalie Jared Coreau on the stick side.

The New York captain, who has repeatedly said he hopes to remain with the only franchise he’s played for, downplayed any suggestion that it might be his last goal as an Islander, while still savoring the moment.

”I think it’s just a good feeling to win and when you get the winner, it makes it feel a little extra special,” Tavares said. ”Just a good way to finish the year.”

Ryan Pulock’s power-play goal with 29.7 seconds left in regulation sent the game to the extra period as Detroit squandered a 3-1 lead. It was his 10th of the season, which leads all NHL rookie defensemen.

Anders Lee got his 40th goal and Andrew Ladd also scored for the Islanders (35-37-10), who are missing the playoffs for the second straight year and eighth in the last 11. Thomas Greiss stopped 36 shots to help New York win its third straight, its best streak since a three-game run Jan. 7-15.

Mathew Barzal had two assists for the Islanders to give him 63, tying Bryan Trottier’s franchise record for a rookie set in 1975-76. It also tied Barzal with Penguins star Sidney Crosby (2005-06) for the second-most in the NHL by a rookie since the 1983-84 season. Joe Juneau leads that list with 70 for Boston in 1992-93.

”Those are pretty impressive players to be tied with,” Islanders coach Doug Weight said.

Henrik Zetterberg 49ers Jeremiah Attaochu Jersey , Justin Abdelkader and Dylan Larkin scored for the Red Wings (30-39-13), who are also missing the postseason for a second straight season after making it in 25 straight. Larkin’s goal was his seventh in the last 10 games. Coreau finished with 35 saves.

The loss was Detroit’s 27th one-goal setback of the season.

”We’ve kind of seen it before,” Zetterberg said. ”There’s probably a lot of things that can change. I think the inconsistency we have is hurting us.”

Lee started the comeback with a backhander over Coreau’s shoulder at 6:25 of the third to pull the Islanders to 3-2. He became the franchise’s first player with 40 goals since Jason Blake in 2006-07.

”That’s a big number in today’s game,” Weight said. ”Forty goals is something not a lot of people in our league can say they did.”

Detroit opened the scoring 7:13 into the game when Zetterberg threw the puck toward the Islanders’ net from the side boards and it deflected off Tavares past Greiss.

The Islanders tied it 3:51 into the second period as Ladd took a feed from Cal Clutterbuck in the slot and zipped a quick shot by Coreau on the glove side.

Zetterberg’s pass in front to Abdelkader banked into the net off Abdelkader’s right skate to give the Wings a 2-1 advantage with 8:02 left in the second.

Larkin made it 3-1 at the 4:10 mark of the third period, chipping a loose puck over Greiss as the goaltender was reaching out with his stick to poke it away to safety.

NOTES: Zetterberg played in all 82 of Detroit’s games for the third straight season. … Red Wings C Luke Glendening returned after missing one game with an upper body injury. … Detroit placed Coreau on waivers Saturday. If he clears, he will be assigned to AHL Grand Rapids for the Calder Cup playoffs. … Abdelkader’s goal was his 100th in the NHL. … The Red Wings and Islanders combined for 29 goals in three games this season. . Barzal leads all NHL rookies with 27 power-play points.

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Islanders: End of regular season. Did not qualify for the playoffs.

Red Wings: End of regular season. Did not qualify for the playoffs.

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