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NASHVILLE —The Nashville Predators return to Bridgestone Arena tonight for a 7 p.m. CT game against the Colorado Avalanche, but the timing is not ideal. The Predators are trying to stop a slide against one of the league’s most dangerous offenses, and they have little room to get this one wrong.
Nashville enters at 3-3-4, having lost five of its last six (1-2-3). That stretch includes a 6-0 shutout at Boston on Thursday and a 3-2 overtime loss at Pittsburgh.
Saturday’s loss in Pittsburgh offered at least a few encouraging signs. Steven Stamkos put Nashville ahead in the first period, and Jayden Struble scored his first goal since coming over from Montreal in an Oct. 9 trade. Juuse Saros made 34 saves. Even so, the Penguins tied it late in the third and won in overtime, so Nashville left with one point after leading in the second period.
Colorado arrives in better shape. The Avalanche are 6-4-1 after a 6-3 win over Tampa Bay on Friday, snapping a two-game skid. Coach Jared Bednar called it probably the team’s most complete effort of the year, even with a penalty-heavy second period. That is a confident team walking into Nashville.
Nathan MacKinnon is the engine, as usual. After a career-high 53 goals last season, he has seven goals and 20 points so far this year, including a goal and three assists against the Lightning. The supporting cast is producing too. Martin Necas had a goal and two assists, and Nazem Kadri scored his first of the season. The Avalanche also scored 23 goals in their first four games, so the firepower is real.
The goaltending matchup is Nashville's clearest path to victory. Colorado was outshot 34-24 by Tampa Bay and still won, with Mackenzie Blackwood making 31 saves. If Saros and the Predators can keep the game close, they can turn this into a one-goal night. The Avalanche also took six minor penalties in the second period alone on Friday, so special teams could matter.
The numbers lean Colorado’s way. One win-probability model gives the Avalanche roughly a two-in-three chance tonight. That is a real gap, but the Predators are 2-2-1 at home and have shown they can hang with good teams in tight games. Their issue has been finishing those games, not staying in them.
Tonight is about the Predators getting off to a fast start at home and giving the crowd something to cheer about against a team that is rolling.
This section will be updated during pregame warmups.
This section will be updated during pregame warmups.
Nashville
Colorado
Source: DraftKings
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