The Colorado Avalanche are massive underdogs as the eighth seed against the Nashville Predators in the first round of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, but that isn’t going to stop the Avalanche from taking their shot and competing with the best team in hockey.

With a major focus of the series on the top lines on both teams and neutralizing one of the best players in hockey this year in Nathan MacKinnon, Nashville certainly will have their hands full with the Hart Trophy candidate.

In an interview with Eric Goodman and Les Shapiro of Mile High Sports AM 1340 | FM 104.7, Adam Vingan of the Tennessean discusses the series and how the Predators are very aware of the dangers that an eighth seed can present.

“The Predators are acutely aware of the position that the Avalanche are in. Because that’s what the Predators were like last year,” Vingan said. “They were an eighth seeded team, facing the top seeded Blackhawks, nobody gave the Predators a shot, and they engineered one of the most dominate upsets in NHL history in terms of sweeping Chicago.”

But while neutralizing the top line of the Avalanche becomes priority for the Predators, Vingan says that Nashville is fully aware of other potential playmakers for Colorado.

“I do think they are aware of players that can step up, I know that they are a top heavy team, but you do have other players that can pitch in. I look at players like Tyson Jost, and J.T. Compher, as players that can make an impact. The Predators are very aware of what Colin Wilson can do in the playoffs.”

Vingan does anticipate that Nashville will do all they can to neutralize the top line for Colorado.

“There are other players that can provide offense, but the Predators are going to do everything they can, to make players that are not on the top line, beat them in this series.”

Sorry – this audio content is no longer available., including what he had to say about what the Predators must do to neutralize the Avalanche, what the Avalanche must do to neutralize the Predators and his series prediction, or listen to the podcast below.

Sorry – this audio content is no longer available.

Catch Afternoon Drive with Goodman and Shapiro every weekday from 4p-6p on Mile High Sports AM 1340 | FM 104.7 or stream live any time for the best local coverage of Colorado sports from Denver’s biggest sports talk lineup. Download the all-new free Mile High Sports Radio mobile app for Apple or Android.