Preds Fall at Home

Nathan MacKinnon scored twice and the Nashville Predators fell to the Colorado Avalanche by a 3-2 final on Tuesday night at Bridgestone Arena. The result ends Nashville’s 11-game, regular-season win streak against the Avalanche and also sees their six-game home win streak come to a close.
On a night that saw both teams trade chances – including 38 shots for the Preds – it was Colorado who simply got the extra shots to fall and earn two points in the divisional matchup.
“There was looks both ways and they took one more,” Predators Head Coach Peter Laviolette said. “I thought it was a game that went back and forth. There was lots of chances and special teams was the difference.”
Ryan Hartman got the scoring started when he threw a puck at the net and got a member’s bounce off a Colorado defender for a 1-0 lead. However, Nathan MacKinnon scored the game’s next two goals – one in the first and another in the second – to give Colorado a 2-1 advantage.
Before the middle frame was out, Kevin Fiala redirected a Filip Forsberg feed top shelf for his third tally of the season and first in eight games to even the score at two all after 40 minutes.
“I thought Kevin was really strong,” Laviolette said of Fiala. “He was probably our most noticeable guy out there tonight – just with his speed. The puck was on his stick all the time. He generated scoring chances and turned in a really solid game.”
In the third, Tyson Jost capitalized on the man advantage to give the Avalanche the last lead they’d need, and although the Predators continued to press until the final horn, Semyon Varlamov turned aside 36 Nashville shots to earn the win.
“I thought that we had enough chances to win the game, but I have to give them credit,” Preds goaltender Pekka Rinne said. “Their power play was very effective tonight. It’s a good team. Obviously, it’s disappointing when it’s a division game and you come up short and it’s played at home, but we battled until the end and just couldn’t get the tying goal.”
Nashville’s homestand continues on Thursday and flows right into next week with three games left in the set, three more opportunities for the Preds to find success at Bridgestone Arena once more.
“Tonight, we came a little short which is disappointing,” Rinne said. “It’s just nice to know we have a few games at home here.”
Roman Josi now has points (4g-11a) in 11 straight regular-season games vs. Colorado, including four multi-point contests. He has 28 points in 30 career meetings with the Avs.
Filip Forsberg now has 25 points (13g-12a) in 22 games against Colorado, including four game-winning goals.
Nashville’s homestand continues on Thursday night when the Arizona Coyotes come to town before Chicago visits on Saturday, followed by Buffalo on Monday.