The Colorado Avalanche face off against the Nashville Predators for the second time in three games tonight at Ball Arena to wrap up a quick two game homestand.

Yep, you read that right. The second time in three games.

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That is not a typo.

Colorado Avalanche (22-2-7)

The Opponent: Nashville Predators (12-14-4)

Time: 7:00 P.M. MST/9:00 P.M. EST

Watch: ALT, ALT+, KTVD (Avalanche Broadcast Area), FDSNSO, ESPN+, NHL Center Ice (Outside Avalanche Broadcast Area – US), SN+, NHL Centre Ice (Canadian Broadcast Areas)

Listen: Altitude Sports Radio KKSE-FM 92.5 FM

Colorado Avalanche

Tonight’s matchup against Nashville is the rubber match in the season series. The Avalanche won the first game at Bridgestone Arena on November 22 by a score of 3-0 on the second half of a back-to-back weekend of games. Mackenzie Blackwood stopped all 35 shots he faced, and Brent Burns scored what would prove to be the game-winning goal just 15 seconds into the contest. Nathan MacKinnon and Jack Drury added two empty-net goals late in the contest to secure the victory.

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The second game, which took place this past Tuesday (again at Bridgestone Arena), a valiant effort from Cale Makar in the waning seconds of regulation forced overtime between both clubs, but Nashville would prevail in the shootout to secure a 4-3 decision. Scott Wedgewood, who stopped 28 of 31 shots in the game, didn’t have a strong start in this contest, but rebounded well as the game went on. He was on the receiving end of a collision in the shootout from former teammate Filip Forsberg, and was forced to leave the game after being pulled by a concussion spotter. Blackwood came in to relieve him, but Gabe Landeskog’s shootout attempt fell short, resulting in Blackwood never seeing facing a shot. Despite the unusual conclusion, the Avs did secure a point to maintain the top spot in the Central Division.

Prior to tonight’s contest, the Avalanche defeated the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers by a score of 6-2 on Thursday night. On a night where the Avalanche honored the 1996 Stanley Cup-winning roster, the present-day Avalanche certainly echoed the strong play of their predecessors. Gavin Brindley made his return to the roster after missing the previous ten games with injury, and his impact was palpable as he scored what would prove to be the game-winning goal early in the second period. Nathan MacKinnon scored his 25th goal of the season and 392nd of his career, which broke Joe Sakic’s long-standing record for most goals scored since the franchise relocated from Quebec.

Fitting, on the night that the Avalanche honored the past, the present is looking pretty bright.

Projected Lineup

Forwards:
Artturi Lehkonen – Nathan MacKinnon – Martin Nečas
Gabe Landeskog – Brock Nelson – Valeri Nichushkin
Victor Olofsson – Ross Colton – Gavin Brindley
Parker Kelly – Jack Drury – Joel Kiviranta

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Defense:
Cale Makar – Devon Toews
Josh Manson – Brent Burns
Sam Girard – Sam Malinski

Between the Pipes:
Mackenzie Blackwood
Scott Wedgewood

Nashville Predators

Despite being last in the Central Division, Nashville has put together an admirable stretch of games of late. The Predators have won six of their last eight games, including the most recent matchup against Colorado this past Tuesday. Aside from a 5-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets at Bridgestone Area on November 29, Nashville has scored no fewer than three goals over that time span.

Tonight marks the first of a two game road trip for Nashville, who come into Denver fresh off a 7-2 victory over St. Louis at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday evening. Steven Stamkos recorded his fifteenth hat trick of his career and accounted for four of the team’s seven goals on the evening. Luke Evangelista had three assists on the night, and Juuse Saros stopped 24 of 26 shots between the pipes.

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Nashville’s lineup will have a slightly different look this evening compared to the previous matchup against Colorado. Defenseman Spencer Stastney (no relation to the other simiarly sounding family name) was traded to the Edmonton Oilers on Friday in exchange for a 3rd round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. The twenty-five year old defenseman spent parts of the past three-plus seasons in Nashville, recording 3 goals and 15 assists over 81 games played for the Predators.

Nashville concludes its road trip with a return match against St. Louis at Enterprise Center on Monday evening…for the second time in three games.

Even when it comes to sports, the past is prologue.

Projected Lineup

Forwards:
Steven Stamkos – Ryan O’Reilly – Luke Evangelista
Filip Forsberg – Erik Haula – Jonathan Marchessault
Reid Schaefer – Fedor Svechkov – Matthew Wood
Michael Bunting – Tyson Jost – Michael McCarron

Defense:
Nicolas Hague – Roman Josi
Brady Skjei – Adam Willsby
Nick Perbix – Nick Blankenberg

Between the Pipes:
Juuse Saros
Justus Annunen