Nathan MacKinnon is counting on 18
Ian Thomas Jersey ,000 of his rowdy friends to give the Colorado Avalanche a little bit of an extra buzz.
Maybe even throw Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne off his game.
Trailing the top-seeded Predators 2-0 in the first-round series, the Avalanche return Monday (10 p.m. EDT, NBCSN) to a building that’s certainly been
something to write home about this season. Their 28 wins at the Pepsi Center in
the regular season tied the franchise mark held by the 2000-01 squad that went
on to capture the Stanley Cup.
”We have lots of confidence here,” said MacKinnon , whose team has dropped 12 straight to the Predators. ”The building has been a lot of fun this year.”
Colorado isn’t the only team hoping a change of scenery provides a change in momentum – Toronto returns to friendly confines down 2-0 in the series against
Boston (7 p.m., NBCSN). The New Jersey Devils are in the same boat versus Tampa
Bay (7:30 p.m., CNBC) heading into their first playoff home game since 2012.
Then there’s the San Jose Sharks, who are sitting pretty after two road wins against Anaheim (10:30 p.m., CNBC). Now at home, the Sharks get last change and
the opportunity to dictate matchups.
”It’s a nice luxury being at home
Damien Wilson Jersey , having those matchups,” Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. ”The bigger advantage is the crowd and the environment and being able to
sleep in your own bed.”
For New Jersey, climbing back in the series boils down to this – avoiding big early deficits. They trailed the Lightning 3-0 in Game 1 and 5-1 in Game 2
before staging a comeback.
”We need to play as a group,” said coach John Hynes, who plans to make some lineup changes. ”We can’t have passengers.”
MacKinnon said the Avs need to clean up the little things against a savvy Predators team.
”We’re in a tough spot right now,” MacKinnon said. ”Two games at home. Hopefully, we can even up the series.”
The Predators fully expect a more tenacious rush from a youthful Colorado squad.
”They’re persistent,” Nashville forward Austin Watson said. ”There’s no quit in them.”
ENCORE
Boston hopes David Pastrnak packs his Game 2 performance for the trip to Toronto. The 21-year-old had three goals and three assists to become the
youngest NHL player with six or more points in a playoff game, surpassing Wayne
Gretzky, according to the Bruins website.
”When you’re breaking a Wayne Gretzky record
Mike Singletary Jersey , I hope he realizes at his young age how cool it is,” forward David Backes told reporters. ”Hopefully he had fun last night and
enjoyed that moment because it is special.”
REASON FOR OPTIMISM
The Ducks can latch on to some recent history for optimism in coming back from an 0-2 deficit. They lost the first two games at home in the second round
last year to Edmonton before rallying to win the series in seven games.
”That’s the situation we’re in. We have a good team,” Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano said. ”We have a team that’s been in these situations before.”
CAKE WALK
This definitely takes the cake: At the start of the playoffs, IndyCar driver Josef Newgarden, a Nashville fan, proposed a wager to fellow racer, James
Hinchcliffe, a Toronto Maple Leafs supporter. The driver with the team that
bowed out of the Stanley Cup playoffs first had to bake the other a homemade
cake and present it at an autograph session while wearing the opposing team’s
sweater.
”Challenge accepted,” Hinchcliffe responded. ”They (Maple Leafs) are going to win it all. Nobody goes further than the team holding the Cup.”
Hinchcliffe added: ”Personally, I’m a red velvet guy.”
Newgarden said he prefers vanilla.
SAVING THE DAY
Avalanche coach Jared Bednar thought goaltender Jonathan Bernier played ”OK” in the first two games.
”If you look at the importance of goaltending this time of year
Logan Thomas Jersey , good is usually not good enough,” Bednar said.
Goaltending is on the minds of the Devils, too. Keith Kinkaid played well down the stretch, but has struggled in the postseason. He was lifted in the
second period Sunday after giving up five goals on 15 shots.
Cory Schneider, who was the starter most of the season until a hip and groin injury in January sidelined him for a month, finished and did not allow a goal
on 10 shots.
”There is still a lot of hockey to be played,” Devils forward Taylor Hall said, ”and a lot of hockey on home ice as well.”
—
AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno and AP Sports Writers Teresa M. Walker, Josh Dubow Tom Canavan and Fred Goodall contributed to this report.
—
??Vontaze Burfict is appealing a four-game suspension from the NFL for violating its policy on performance-enhancing substances, the third straight
season that the Cincinnati Bengals linebacker is facing punishment from the
league.The suspension was first reported by ESPN. The Bengals had no comment on
Burfict. They signed free agent linebacker Preston Brown to a one-year contract
Friday
DeAndre Hopkins Jersey , giving them depth at the position.The Bengals have steadfastly supported Burfict, even giving him a three-year contract extension
while he was suspended last year. They’ve had plenty of chances to get
accustomed to playing without him.He missed the first six games of the 2015
season while recovering from knee surgery. He played a key role in the Bengals’
playoff meltdown against the Steelers that season, hitting Antonio Brown in the
head after an incompletion. The penalty moved Pittsburgh into range for a
winning goal in the closing seconds.The NFL responded by suspending Burfict for
the first three games of the 2016 season, citing his history of egregious hits.
He got another three-game suspension to start last season after an egregious hit
on Kansas City running back Anthony Sherman during a preseason game.Burfict also
was ejected last season during a game at Tennessee for contact with an official,
drawing a fine but no suspension for that infraction.Unless he wins his appeal,
the Bengals will have to plan to do without him in September again.By signing
Brown on Friday, they gave themselves another experienced linebacker to help
out.Brown has started 62 games for the Bills, who took him in the third round
from Louisville in 2014. He’d made 58 straight starts for Buffalo.The Bengals
also have tried to upgrade their offense by adding a player from Buffalo. They
got tackle Cordy Glenn in a deal this week that involved swapping first-round
draft picks. The Bills moved up nine spots to the No. 12 selection. The Bengals
got Buffalo’s pick at 21st overall.
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