Give the Colorado Avalanche credit for putting up a gallant fight in their first-round Western Conference series with the Nashville Predators. In fact Cheap Derwin James Jersey , Colorado came within a post of forcing overtime in Game 4 and possibly evening the series Wednesday night.

But Colin Wilson’s point-blank chance clanged off the right post, enabling Nashville to leave Denver with a 3-2 victory and a 3-1 series lead. The Predators can eliminate the Avalanche on Friday night with a win in Game 5 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.

All the odds appear to be stacked against Colorado. Nashville is 15-2 in its last 17 playoff home games, including 5-2 and 5-4 wins in Games 1 and 2 of this series. The Predators are averaging four goals per game and have been better on special teams.

What’s more, the Avalanche are down to their third goalie for this elimination game. Starter Semyon Varlamov is out for the series with a lower-body injury and backup Jonathan Bernier, who started the first four games, departed after two periods Wednesday night with his own lower-body injury.

That means Andrew Hammond, who made a name for himself three seasons ago by going 20-1-2 for Ottawa and helping it steal an Eastern Conference playoff berth, will get the call for Game 5. Hammond stopped all eight shots he faced in the third period Wednesday night.

“Any chance you get in the net Cheap Customized Miami Dolphins Jerseys , you want to take advantage of it,” Hammond said. “So I tried doing that tonight, and just unfortunate that we weren’t able to get the win there at the end.”

Colorado can blame its inability to convert second-period power plays and the work of Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne. The Avalanche whiffed on a lengthy five-on-three early in the period – they converted a second one early in the third period to jump-start its comeback – and also missed another man-advantage later in the second.

The Predators scored immediately after killing both penalties, and also got a return to form from Rinne. After being hooked from Game 3 when he ceded four goals on 15 shots, Rinne came up with 31 stops in Game 4, looking more like the goalie favored to take home the first Vezina Trophy of his career.

“I think we did a really good job at the end,” Rinne said. “At the end of the day, only a couple of pucks got all the way to me. We blocked a few and they missed the net a couple of times, so we killed the clock pretty good.”

While Colorado will be without Bernier in Game 5 Arden Key Jersey Raiders , Nashville will play without forward Ryan Hartman. He was suspended one game for an illegal check to the head of center Carl Soderberg in the third period of Game 4.

With Hartman out, veteran Scott Hartnell could draw into the lineup for his first action of the series. Regardless, the Predators should be motivated to close the series out and rest for a potential second-round matchup with the Winnipeg Jets.

“I’t’s going to be another battle Friday night,” Nashville captain Roman Josi said. “They are a great team over there and every game is tough.”

Shane Bieber has made believers out of the Cleveland Indians. In return, they plan on making him a fan of the Grammy-winning singer with his surname.

The rookie right-hander walked onto the field with ”Baby” by Justin Bieber blaring on the sound system, and then struck out nine in a career-high seven innings as Cleveland rolled to a 10-0 win over the Detroit Tigers on Friday night.

Bieber (2-0) allowed four hits and walked one in his third major league start. He jokingly dedicated the performance to shortstop Francisco Lindor, who sang along with the pregame music selected by staff ace Corey Kluber.

”I was laughing because Frankie was near the mound, singing along, making fun of me Luis Gonzalez Jersey ,” the 23-year-old said Bieber said with a smile. ”I thought it was him who picked it because he was enjoying it so much, but I found out it was one of the starting five.

”Being able to laugh something off early kind of helps, but you still have a job to do, to go out and be serious and try to execute a game plan.”

Bieber became the third Indians pitcher with six or more strikeouts in his first three big league appearances, joining Herb Score (eight in 1955) and Luis Tiant (three in 1964). His ERA is a tidy 2.45 through 18 1/3 innings.

Yonder Alonso hit a seventh-inning grand slam, and Edwin Encarnacion and Lindor also went deep for the Indians, who lead second-place Detroit by six games in the AL Central. Encarnacion finished with two hits and three RBIs.

”Shane is obviously fun to play behind because he works fast and he knows how to execute pitches,” said Alonso, who went 2 for 4 with his second slam of the season. ”The best thing I see is he’s always moving out there Falcons Cheap Jerseys , attacking the hitters.”

Zach McAllister and George Kontos each got three outs to finish the five-hitter for Cleveland’s eighth shutout of 2018. The Indians are 5-0 against the Tigers at Progressive Field this year, outscoring them by a 28-5 margin.

Detroit right-hander Mike Fiers (5-4) surrendered four runs in five innings, including a two-run homer by Encarnacion and a solo shot by Lindor. He has one victory in his last seven starts.

”Their lineup is great from 1-through-9, so those two home runs kind of sealed the deal for them,” Fiers said. ”And hat’s off to (Bieber). No one has seen that guy, but he threw the ball great. He was awesome.”

Cleveland third baseman Jose Ramirez reached base for the 29th straight game, walking in his first four plate appearances and scoring twice.

The Tigers have dropped three in a row and fell to 2-4 on their eight-game road trip. The first pitch was delayed 1 hour, 41 minutes due to rain.

AILING

Bradley Zimmer, who opened the season as Cleveland’s starting center fielder Cheap Chase Edmonds Jersey , will miss four to six weeks with an inflamed right shoulder. Zimmer was optioned to Triple-A Columbus on June 5 to work on his swing after hitting .226 in 32 games in the majors.

”We know he’s a tough kid and all that, but it’s going to be a little while until he’s back,” Indians manager Terry Francona said. ”He’s going to be OK, but he’s missing out on the at-bats we really want him to get.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Tigers: RHP Johnny Barbato (sore arm) gave up Alonso’s grand slam and was placed on the disabled list. Detroit also optioned 3B Ronny Rodriguez to Triple-A Toledo and recalled RHP Artie Lewicki.

Indians: RHP Carlos Carrasco (bruised right elbow), who was struck by a line drive from Minnesota’s Joe Mauer on June 16, is still experiencing swelling but could throw a bullpen session next week.

UP NEXT

Tigers LHP Francisco Liriano (3-2, 3.90 ERA) will be activated off the DL to take on Indians RHP Trevor Bauer (6-5, 2.50 ERA). Liriano suffered a strained right hamstring against the White Sox on May 26 and will be restricted to 75-80 pitches in his return.

—

.