5 Keys: Predators at Avalanche, Game 6

PREDATORS at AVALANCHE
7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVAS, ALT, FS-TN
Nashville leads best-of-7 series 3-2
DENVER -- The Nashville Predators will try to close out the Western Conference First Round against the Colorado Avalanche with a win at Pepsi Center on Sunday.

RELATED: [Avalanche looking ahead after Game 5 comeback | Complete series coverage]
The Avalanche rallied for a 2-1 win in Nashville on Friday to avoid elimination.
Predators forward Ryan Hartman is eligible to return after serving a one-game suspension for an illegal check to the head of Avalanche forward Carl Soderberg in Game 4.
Here are 5 keys for Game 6:

1. Solving Hammond

The Predators want to make it even more difficult for Avalanche goalie Andrew Hammond than they did Friday when he made an NHL career-high 44 saves, 18 in the third period, for his first Stanley Cup Playoff win. But he's confident of playing well again.
"For whatever reason, [the pressure] just seems to bring out the best in me," said Hammond, who stopped all eight shots he faced in relief of injured Jonathan Bernier in Game 4. "I guess I enjoy the pressure of it and you enjoy kind of knowing you need to be a difference-maker. You want to be the one to make that last save to win the game."

2. Keep calm, carry on

The Predators remain in control of the series, but they don't want to have to depend on winning Game 7 at home to advance. Nashville has a 2-0 series record all time after taking a 3-1 lead in a best-of-7 playoff series and has won 13 of 15 games against Colorado dating to April 5, 2016.
"Playoffs are tough," Predators center Mike Fisher said. "We're playing a great hockey team, and things happen. It's just how you regroup. You just keep your mindset and confidence going into that one game. We're only concerned about one game, and that's [Sunday]. That's our focus."
Counting their 5-2 win against the St. Louis Blues in the April 7 regular-season finale to clinch a playoff berth, the Avalanche have won two elimination games in the past two weeks.
"I hope we're getting the hang of it," coach Jared Bednar said. "We have no choice because now we're playing another one. I've liked the way we've responded. Our guys should feel good about what we're doing."

3. Predators drought on defense

The Predators need to get more production from their defensemen, who have 11 assists but no goals on 57 shots after setting the Nashville record by leading the NHL in goals (55) and points (206) from defensemen in the regular season.
The Avalanche don't depend as much on their defensemen to score, but they've combined for nine points (one goal, eight assists).

4. Keeping MacKinnon line in check

The Avalanche's No. 1 line of Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen has combined for 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists). Landeskog has four goals and three assists in a four-game point streak.
"This time of year, everyone wants to step up, everybody wants to play better," Landeskog said. "For me personally, after missing the postseason for a handful of years … you know how hard it is to get to the playoffs, and you just want to make sure you leave it all out there. That could be said for a lot of guys in our dressing room."

5. Power plays fizzling

Each team is struggling on the power play. The Predators have gone 3-for-16, and the Avalanche are 2-for-20, with the two goals coming on 5-on-3s.

Predators projected lineup

Filip Forsberg -- Ryan Johansen -- Viktor Arvidsson
Kevin Fiala -- Kyle Turris -- Craig Smith
Colton Sissons -- Nick Bonino -- Austin Watson
Calle Jarnkrok -- 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, Miikka Salomaki, Eeli Tolvanen
Injured:Yannick Weber (upper body)

Avalanche projected lineup

Gabriel Landeskog -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Mikko Rantanen
Tyson Jost -- Alex Kerfoot - Colin Wilson
Matt Nieto -- Carl Soderberg -- Blake Comeau
Sven Andrighetto -- J.T. Compher -- Gabriel Bourque
Nikita Zadorov -- Tyson Barrie
Patrik Nemeth -- Mark Barberio
Duncan Siemens -- Samuel Girard
Andrew Hammond
Spencer Martin

Scratched:Mark Alt, Vladislav Kamenev, Anton Lindholm, Dominic Toninato, David Warsofsky, Nail Yakupov
Injured:Jonathan Bernier (lower body), Erik Johnson (knee), Semyon Varlamov (knee)

Status report

Hartnell likely will be scratched after making his 2018 postseason debut in Game 5 with Hartman suspended. … The Avalanche are expected to use the same lineup from Game 5.