Avalanche at Predators

AVALANCHE (17-7-2) at PREDATORS (17-10-1)

Avalanche projected lineup
Andre Burakovsky -- Nathan MacKinnon -- Mikko Rantanen
Valeri Nichushkin -- Nazem Kadri -- Logan O'Connor
Nicolas Aube-Kubel -- Alex Newhook -- J.T. Compher
Tyson Jost -- Mikhail Maltsev -- Darren Helm
Samuel Girard -- Cale Makar
Justin Barron -- Erik Johnson
Jack Johnson -- Kurtis MacDermid
Darcy Kuemper
Pavel Francouz
Scratched:Jordan Gross
Injured:Bowen Byram (head), Gabriel Landeskog (lower body), Jacob MacDonald (upper body), Stefan Matteau (lower body), Ryan Murray (lower body)
COVID-19 protocol: Devon Toews
Predators projected lineup
Filip Forsberg -- Colton Sissons -- Eeli Tolvanen
Luke Kunin -- Cody Glass -- Tanner Jeannot
Mathieu Olivier -- Tommy Novak -- Yakov Trenin
Cole Smith -- Rocco Grimaldi
Roman Josi -- Dante Fabbro
Mattias Ekholm -- Alexandre Carrier
Mark Borowiecki -- Matt Benning
Philippe Myers
Juuse Saros
David Rittich
Scratched:None
Injured:Matt Duchene (upper body)
COVID-19 protocol:Mikael Granlund, Ryan Johansen, Matt Luff, Michael McCarron, Philip Tomasino, Ben Harpur, Nick Cousins
Status report
Landeskog is expected to be out at least another week. The forward was injured during a 7-3 win at the New York Rangers on Dec. 8 and was expected to be out two weeks. ... Cousins, a forward, was placed in NHL COVID-19 protocol Thursday. … Karl Taylor, coach of Milwaukee of the American Hockey League, will coach the Predators. Milwaukee assistant Scott Ford and Predators assistant general Scott Nichol will serve as assistants. Nashville coach John Hynes, assistants Dan Lambert, Dan Hinote and Todd Richards, and goaltending coach Ben Vanderklok are in COVID-19 protocol. … Duchene, a forward, is considered day to day.