Colorado Avalanche (6-4-1) @ Nashville Predators (3-3-4)
6 p.m. MDT | Bridgestone Arena | Watch: Altitude, Altitude+ | Listen: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM), Altitude Sports Radio App
After a win on Friday, the Avalanche travels to Nashville to face the Predators on Sunday. This is the first of four regular-season meetings between the Central Division teams, as they’ll play in Colorado on November 5th and January 10th before facing off in Tennessee on March 2nd.
Latest Result (COL): TBL 3, COL 6
Latest Result (NSH): NSH 2, PIT 3 (OT)
Win to Start the Weekend
The Avalanche defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-3 on Friday at Ball Arena. Nathan MacKinnon scored a goal and added three assists, while Devon Toews, Nazem Kadri, Fedor Svechkov and Martin Necas all added tallies for Colorado. In net for the Avs, Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 31 of the 34 shots he faced.
Toews opened the scoring at 1:08 of the first period with his third goal of the season via a left-circle shot off the rush, set up by Necas’ cross-ice feed. Colorado doubled its lead on the power play at 5:52 of the opening frame when Kadri scored his first goal of the season via a left-circle one-timer. Svechkov made it 3-0 at 24 seconds of the middle frame with his second tally of the season when he batted a puck out of midair from below the right goal line.
Jake Guentzel put the Lightning on the board with a power-play goal at 8:13 of the second period via a shot from the left doorstep. The Avs took a 4-1 lead at 13:57 of the second period when Lehkonen scored his ninth goal of the season via a one-timer from the left slot. Guentzel made it 4-2 at 19:17 of the middle frame with a shot from the right doorstep.
MacKinnon gave the Avs a 5-2 lead at 4:18 of the third period with his seventh goal of the season via a left-slot shot off the rush. The Lightning made it 5-3 at 15:13 of the third period when Charle-Edouard D’Astous scored with a shot from the slot. At 17:19 of the third period, Necas gave Colorado a 6-3 lead with his sixth goal of the season via an empty-net tally.
Leading the Way
Nate the Great
MacKinnon is fourth in the NHL in points (20) and tied for fourth in assists (13).
All Hail Cale
Among NHL defensemen, Cale Makar ranks tied for second in goals (3), tied for sixth in points (11) and tied for eighth in assists (8).
Good Stick, Lehky
Lehkonen is tied for third in the NHL in goals (9).
Series History
In 103 previous regular-season games against the Predators, the Avalanche has a record of 45-43-5-10. The teams have met twice in the playoffs, including in Round One in 2022 when the Avalanche defeated the Predators in four games.
A Point in Pittsburgh
The Predators lost 3-2 in overtime to the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday. Nashville’s Steven Stamkos opened the scoring at 9:24 of the first period. In the middle frame, Pittsburgh’s Connor Dewar tied the game at 18 seconds before Jayden Struble gave Nashville a 2-1 lead at 6:40. The Penguins tied the game at 18:54 courtesy of a goal from Rickard Rakell and won the contest when Ville Koivunen scored at 3:44 of overtime.
Finding the Net Against Nashville
MacKinnon has posted 52 points (21g/31a) in 42 regular-season games against the Predators, in addition to 12 points (8g/4a) in 10 playoff contests.
Makar has recorded 25 points (7g/18a) in 19 regular-season contests against Nashville, along with 10 points (3g/7a) in four playoff games.
Brock Nelson has posted 20 points (10g/10a) in 24 regular-season games against the Predators.
Music City Scorers
Stamkos leads Nashville in points (11) and goals (5) while ranking third in assists (6).
Roman Josi leads the Predators in assists (8) and is second in points (9).
Filip Forsberg ranks second on Nashville in assists (7) and is tied for third in points (8).
A Numbers Game
4.27
Colorado’s 4.27 goals per game this season are the second most in the NHL.
40
The Avalanche’s 40 even-strength goals this season are tied for the NHL lead.
7
MacKinnon’s seven multi-point games this season are the second most in the NHL.
Quote That Left a Mark
“He’s very underrated. He’s always in a good spot. He creates so much space out there for me and MacK (MacKinnon) to play a little bit around and have the puck on our stick. It feels like every time he gets the puck, it’s a chance. He’s a great player. He plays great defense. You don’t really find players like him."
-- Martin Necas on Artturi Lehkonen
