Predators' Saros out first 2 games of series vs. Avalanche

The Nashville Predators will be without star netminder Juuse Saros for the first two games of their Round 1 series against the Colorado Avalanche, head coach John Hynes said Monday, per The Athletic's Adam Vingan.

Saros suffered a lower-body injury April 26 against the Calgary Flames and missed the final two contests of the regular season.

He went 38-25-3, recording a .918 save percentage and 2.64 goals against average while leading all NHL goalies with 67 games played.

Hynes said the team is still deciding who'll start Game 1 on Tuesday, according to Brooks Bratten of NHL.com. Veteran David Rittich and rookie Connor Ingram are the two other goalies on Nashville's roster.

Rittich posted an .886 save percentage in 17 games this season, while Ingram registered an .879 save percentage in three appearances - the only three starts of the 25-year-old's NHL career.