Avalanche 1st to advance to 2nd round with sweep of Preds
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By TERESA M. WALKER
AP Sports Writer
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Valeri Nichushkin scored the game-winning goal with 7:58 left, and the Colorado Avalanche became the first team to advance to the second round Monday night by finishing a sweep of the Nashville Predators 5-3 Monday night. The Avalanche now are in the Western Conference semifinals for a fourth straight season and second consecutive after sweeping their first-round opponent. They now get to wait for either St. Louis or Minnesota to wrap up. Nashville was swept for the first time in franchise history in its 15th playoff appearance. Filip Forsberg gave Nashville its first lead of this series at 3:58 of the third.