By the end of Friday’s game, pride, a positive sendoff and good health were the remaining objectives. By the end of the night, everyone knew the location and matchup for next week’s 2022 playoff opener.

The Colorado Avalanche will play the Nashville Predators in the first round of the postseason. Game 1 is Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Ball Arena and set to air on ESPN.

“We’re only looking forward to that most fun part of the year,” Colorado goaltender Pavel Francouz said. “Really happy that it’s going to start soon and we’re really looking forward to that.”

The Predators eliminated the Avalanche in six games in the first round of the 2018 playoffs.

The St. Louis Blues lost before the Minnesota Wild finished taking down the visiting Avalanche in Friday’s regular-season finale, handing the Wild home-ice advantage. Backstopped by Marc-Andre Fleury (27 saves), Minnesota held back Colorado and capped the regular season with a 4-1 victory.

The Avalanche were long assured of the best record in the Western Conference. They were waiting on the outcomes of two other games involving wild-card teams – Dallas and Anaheim, then Nashville and Arizona. The Stars broke a late tie and won 4-2, and bolstered by a shootout win in Denver the previous night, the Predators jumped out to an early 4-0 lead on the Coyotes. Nashville then allowed five unanswered goals.

Dallas held onto the top wild-card spot and will face the Calgary Flames.

Francouz, sporting the remnants of a black eye, made his first start for Colorado since he was hit by a deflected puck on the bench April 22. He finished with 18 saves against the Wild. Fifty-eight seconds in and on the second shot of the game, Jordan Greenway sneaked the puck through Francouz, who looked to be pressed against the goalpost.

“I wished for a better start for sure,” Francouz said.

Jared Bednar left several key players off the roster, a decision he called a “no-brainer.”

“In the standings it didn’t mean anything for us,” the Colorado coach said.

“If it was a home game, maybe we do something different.”

Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, Devon Toews, Valeri Nichushkin and Bowen Byram were among the scratches. Justus Annunen was recalled from the Colorado Eagles (AHL) to back up Francouz instead of Darcy Kuemper, who was in net for the shootout loss Thursday against Nashville.

Players like Ben Meyers, who is ineligible for the postseason, got the nod. Kurtis MacDermid, who was scratched recently, saw his night end after 1:01 of ice time due to a kneeing major on Marcus Foligno and a game misconduct. Foligno had to be helped down the tunnel.

Nazem Kadri scored the Avalanche’s only goal to make it 3-1. Tyson Jost recorded Minnesota’s second goal of the night against his former team.

Meanwhile, back in Denver, it was an extra day off for some of the team’s biggest names.

“Less wear and tear on some of the guys we left behind,” Bednar said.

“We’ll have to get to work on the ice with some meetings already Sunday, Monday. To give them that extra 24 hours to just kind of decompress, get mentally and physically ready, I think is really important.”

First-round schedule

Tuesday, May 3, 7:30 p.m., Nashville at Colorado – ESPN

Thursday, May 5, 7:30 p.m., Nashville at Colorado – TNT

Saturday, May 7, 2:30 p.m., Colorado at Nashville – TNT

Monday, May 9, 7:30 p.m., Colorado at Nashville – ESPN

*Wednesday, May 11, TBD, Nashville at Colorado – TBD

*Friday, May 13, TBD, Colorado at Nashville – TBD

*Sunday, May 15, TBD, Nashville at Colorado – TBD

Note: *if necessary