Open Thread: Colorado Avalanche vs. Nashville Predators (7:00 p.m. MT)
Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images
It’s another Colorado Avalanche game day! The Colorado Avalanche have one more home game before turning around quickly and heading back on the road. This time, they face off against an all-too-familiar opponent: the Nashville Predators. This will be the third regular-season matchup between these two teams, with Nashville winning the first game and Colorado winning the second game.
Colorado Avalanche
After coming off a really successful road trip where they won four out of five games on the road, Colorado returned home to take on the Utah Hockey Club on Thursday night, ultimately losing 4-1. Now, they can bounce back here tonight against the Nashville Predators.
Seeing where both of these teams are at this point in the season has been fascinating to watch. While both of them struggled to start the year, Colorado managed to turn that tough start around and put themselves in a position to keep pace with the top teams in the division. On the other hand, Nashville struggled to start the season similarly and has been unable to turn it around so far this season. Hopefully, Colorado can take advantage of this struggling Predators team tonight and bring home another two points.
Saturday night hockey against the Preds.#GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/BO9YvsN1Z6— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) December 14, 2024
Projected Lines
Artturi Lehkonen - Nathan MacKinnon - Mikko RantanenRoss Colton - Casey Mittelstadt - Valeri NichushkinJoel Kiviranta - Parker Kelly - Logan O’ConnorGivani Smith - Ivan Ivan - Chris Wagner
Devon Toews - Cale MakarSamuel Girard - Sam MalinskiKeaton Middleton - Calvin De Haan
Nashville Predators
As previously discussed, it’s not exactly a secret that this Nashville team has been struggling all season so far. After an offseason that saw them sign three of the biggest names available in Steven Stamkos, Brady Skjei, and Jonathan Marchessault, the results have been arguably disappointing so far this season.
However, they are coming off a big 4-1 win against the Dallas Stars, which snapped their previous five-game losing streak. Despite their struggles, they have some incredibly elite talent on their team that Colorado will have to look out for in this game tonight.
Projected Lines
Filip Forsberg - Steven Stamkos - Jonathan MarchessaultZachary L’Heureux - Ryan O’Reilly - Gustav NyquistMark Jankowski - Tommy Novak - Luke EvangelistaCole Smith - Michael McCarron - Colton Sissons
Brady Skjei - Nick BlankenburgMarc Del Gaizo - Luke SchennKevin Gravel - Adam Wilsby
Goaltenders
After Scott Wedgewood got three starts in a row, we’ll probably see Mackenzie Blackwood in the net tonight for the Avs, assuming he’s not still sick, of course. If he is still ill, Wedgewood will be back in net for Colorado. For the Predators, it will likely be Juuse Saros going in net across from Blackwood, seeing as how Justus Annunen got the start for their game against the Dallas Stars.
...
Want the trending hockey news in your inbox daily?.
Just add your email, and we'll start sending you the most important hockey news of the day.
