5 Keys: Avalanche at Predators, Game 1

AVALANCHE at PREDATORS
9:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, TVAS, SN, ALT, FS-TN
NASHVILLE -- The Nashville Predators begin their attempt to reach to the Stanley Cup Final for the second consecutive season when they play the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1 of the Western Conference First Round at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday.

RELATED: [Complete Predators vs. Avalanche series coverage]
The Predators swept the season series (4-0-0) and have won 10 consecutive games against the Avalanche since April 5, 2016 while outscoring them 42-22. Colorado is in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2014.
Here are 5 keys for Game 1:

1. First place carryover

The Predators finished the regular season with team records of 53 wins and 117 points to win their first Presidents' Trophy. They want to carry that momentum into the playoffs.
"What's going to matter as we approach the playoffs is just to keep our focus and keep our game where it's been all year," coach Peter Laviolette said. "And if we do enough of the right things, we can find success in Game 1. And I think that's really important. But our guys did work hard through the course of the year to win games and be successful."

2. MacKinnon's line

Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon and his line have been reliable offensively all season.
MacKinnon was fifth in the NHL with 97 points (39 goals, 58 assists) and emerged as a Hart Trophy contender. Mikko Rantanen had 84 points (29 goals, 55 assists) and Gabriel Landeskog had 62 points (25 goals, 37 assists).
That line will be the Avalanche's biggest threat against the Predators.
"Anything can happen now," MacKinnon said. "We're excited. We're excited for the challenge. Obviously, it's not going to be easy against the Presidents' [Trophy] winning team but like I said, we're excited."

3. Forsberg ramping up

Predators forward Filip Forsberg had nine points (five goals, four assists) in his final five games of the season, including at hat trick in the finale against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He led the Predators with 64 points (26 goals, 38 assists) and is expected to skate on a line with Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson
"I think it's just about working hard," Forsberg said. "I think that's been the biggest thing, just the hard work that the whole team has been putting down all year. No point in changing that now."

4. Backup plan

Goalie Jonathan Bernier will start for the Avalanche with starter Semyon Varlamov out because of a knee injury. Bernier went 19-13-3 with a 2.85 goals-against average and .913 save percentage in 37 games (34 starts).
Bernier is 9-4-0 with a 2.17 GAA, .917 save percentage and two shutouts against the Predators, but went 0-2 with the Anaheim Ducks against Nashville in the 2017 Western Conference Final.

5. Home-ice advantage

The Predators were 28-9-4 at Bridgestone Arena and 9-2 at home during their run to the 2017 Cup Final. They earned home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs, which was their goal from the beginning of the regular season, and want to make the most of it starting in Game 1.

Avalanche projected lineup

Gabriel Landeskog -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Mikko Rantanen
Tyson Jost -- Alex Kerfoot -- Sven Andrighetto
Matt Nieto -- Carl Soderberg -- Blake Comeau
Colin Wilson -- J.T. Compher -- Gabriel Bourque
Nikita Zadorov -- Tyson Barrie
Patrik Nemeth -- Samuel Girard
Mark Barberio -- David Warsofsky
Jonathan Bernier
Andrew Hammond
Scratched:Vladislav Kamenev, Anton Lindholm, Duncan Siemens, Dominic Toninato, Mark Alt, Nail Yakupov
Injured:Erik Johnson (knee), Semyon Varlamov (knee)

Predators projected lineup

Filip Forsberg -- Ryan Johansen -- Viktor Arvidsson
Kevin Fiala -- Kyle Turris -- Craig Smith
Colton Sissons -- Nick Bonino -- Austin Watson
Miikka Salomaki -- Mike Fisher -- Ryan Hartman
Roman Josi -- Ryan Ellis
Mattias Ekholm -- P.K. Subban
Alexei Emelin -- Matt Irwin
Pekka Rinne
Juuse Saros
Scratched:Scott Hartnell, Anthony Bitetto, Eeli Tolvanen
Injured:Calle Jarnkrok (upper body), Yannick Weber (upper body)

Status report

Warsofsky will play in place of Alt. … The Predators held an optional morning skate.