5 Keys: Predators at Avalanche, Game 4

PREDATORS AT AVALANCHE
10 p.m. ET; NBCSN, FS-TN, ALT, SN, TVAS
Nashville leads best-of-7 series 2-1
DENVER --The Colorado Avalanche will look to even the Western Conference First Round against the Nashville Predators in Game 4 at Pepsi Center on Wednesday.

The Avalanche ended a 12-game losing streak to the Predators, which dated back to April 5, 2016, with a 5-3 victory in Game 3.
RELATED: [Rinne, Predators looking to bounce back | Complete Predators vs. Avalanche series coverage]
Here are 5 keys for Game 4:

1. Girard out again

Avalanche rookie defenseman Samuel Girard took part in the morning skate wearing a non-contact jersey but will miss his third game straight game with an upper-body injury. Role players David Warsofsky and Duncan Siemens need to pick up the slack.

"I don't know if there's any more pressure. You just want to play your game and contribute as much as you can," said Warsofsky, who played in 16 regular-season games but spent most of the season with San Antonio of the American Hockey League. "Everyone has to elevate their game just a little bit more."

2. Rinne looks to rebound

Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne, a Vezina Trophy finalist, expects to return to form after allowing four goals on 15 shots and being pulled at 4:25 of the second period in Game 3. He has a 4.17 goals-against average and .861 save percentage in the series.
"You have to have a short memory," he said. "It was a disappointing night for all of us. We need a bounce back, myself too. One of those things where the puck seemed to find the net. It was frustrating. Today is a new day and we're in a good spot. It's behind me."

3. Predators seek better start

Nashville has allowed the first goal in each game during the series, permitting a goal on the first shot in each of the first two games and on the second shot in Game 3. Colorado has outscored Nashville 5-0 in the first period.
"Obviously we don't want to be down a goal right away," Predators forward Filip Forsberg said. "They've been doing a good job being ready to play. … You have to give them credit; they came out ready to play and punished us hard for not being ready."

4. Discipline lacking

In the first three games of the series, the Avalanche have taken 17 penalties totaling 42 minutes, the Predators 18 penalties for 36 minutes.
"I just want to make sure we're disciplined," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. "I like the way we're playing 5-on-5, I want us to make sure we do that as much as possible, using our physical play protecting pucks and stealing pucks to try and draw penalties, but not getting engaged in stuff after the whistle. If some of the nastiness comes after the whistle, I'm good with our guys skating away as long as we're sticking up for one another."

5. Special-teams play

The Predators have gone 3-for-10 on the power plays. The Avalanche are 1-for-13, with their lone goal with the man advantage coming on a 5-on-3 in Game 2.
"We do need better from our power play," Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog said. "Sometimes you go through a couple games where we may be looking a little too much for that perfect play or on certain plays you want to run instead of creating things off the top. But I'm not worried."

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: Anthony Bitetto, Scott Hartnell, Anders Lindback, Eeli Tolvanen
Injured: Calle Jarnkrok (upper body), Yannick Weber (upper body)

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 - Mark Barberio
Duncan Siemens -- David Warsofsky
Jonathan Bernier
Andrew Hammond
Scratched:Mark Alt, Vladislav Kamenev, Anton Lindholm, Dominic Toninato, Nail Yakupov
Injured: Samuel Girard (upper body), Erik Johnson (knee), Semyon Varlamov (knee)

Status report

Jarnkrok practiced again and could return to the lineup. He was injured March 13 against the Winnipeg Jets … Rinne needs one win to tie Nikolai Khabibulin for 27th place on the NHL's all-time playoff list for goaltending victories (39).