Avalanche Overwhelmed by Predators in 6-2 Loss as Special Teams Prove Costly
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The Colorado Avalanche entered Sunday night's game against the Nashville Predators looking to build on their victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning two nights earlier. Instead, they found themselves chasing the game almost from the opening faceoff.
The Predators scored twice in the first period and three more times in the second, defeating the Avalanche 6-2 Bridgestone Arena.
Special teams played a significant role in the outcome, as the Predators scored four power-play goals while keeping the Avalanche off the scoreboard with the man advantage.
Filip Forsberg opened the scoring at 4:01 of the first period after the Avalanche's Parker Kelly was sent to the penalty box for hooking. With Nashville maintaining possession in the offensive zone, Roman Josi found Forsberg in the high slot. The Predators forward beat Avalanche goalie Scott Wedgewood with a snap shot to give Nashville a 1-0 lead.
Steven Stamkos doubled the advantage at 10:48 as he took a pass from former Avalanche center Ryan O'Reilly and fired a one-timer from below the left circle. Wedgewood got a piece of the shot, but the puck continued toward the goal line. Cale Makar attempted to clear it, but a video review confirmed the goal.
Things deteriorated further in the second. A scrum involving Martin Necas and Jayden Struble preceded an Avalanche bench minor for too many on the ice. The Predators capitalized at 6:38 when O'Reilly scored from the doorstep, slipping a backhand attempt past Wedgewood to make it 3-0.
The Predators extended their lead at 16:36 when another former Avalanche forward, Jack Drury, finished a play set up by Ross Colton. Less than a minute later, O'Reilly struck again. With Brock Nelson serving an interference penalty, O'Reilly scored his second power-play goal of the period at 17:29, putting Nashville ahead 5-0.
The Avalanche responded 26 seconds later when Nathan MacKinnon started an odd-man rush before Nathan Necas sent a cross-ice pass to Artturi Lehkonen, who finished from close range for his team-leading 10th goal of the season. At 2:43 of the third, Devon Toews carried the puck into Nashville's zone during four-on-four play and scored from the left circle, bringing the Avalanche within three goals.
Any hopes of a comeback ended midway through the period. With Brent Burns and Logan O'Connor serving penalties, the Predators received a five-on-three advantage. Stamkos scored his second goal of the night at 10:24, finishing from a sharp angle near the left goal line to make it 6-2.
The loss dropped the Avalanche 6-5-1 and served as another reminder that offensive talent alone cannot overcome costly penalties and defensive breakdowns. They'll look to respond Wednesday when they return home to face newly acquired Connor Hellebuyck and the New Jersey Devils.
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Jason Fink is an NHL writer and lifelong hockey fan who fell in love with the game when he watched Wayne Gretzky’s Edmonton Oilers defeat the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1987 Stanley Cup Final. When he’s not writing, Jason enjoys spending time with his wife Michelle and their son Theo and daughter Stella. Whether he’s following the latest NHL news or cheering from the rink, his passion for the sport has been a constant throughout his life.