Photo Credit: Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
The Predators flew into the Mile High City to begin the first of a home-and-home series against the Colorado Avalanche. After scoring 3 goals in the first and letting off the gas for the remainder, the Nashville Predators come out of Colorado with a 4-1 win, getting them in striking distance of the Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference, but not gaining any ground on St. Louis or Chicago, who both won tonight.
Nashville has now won five of their last six and finish out the home-and-home against Colorado on Thursday.
Special Teams:
Powerplay – 1 for 3, 33%
Penalty Kill – 1 for 3, 33%
Best Play of the Game: Nashville took only 23 seconds on their first powerplay to convert it as Ryan Ellis took a feed from Martin Erat and BLASTED it past Varlamov for a 2-0 lead.
Worst Play of the Game: Poor breakdown in the defensive zone led to Paul Stastny passing up to Ryan O’Reilly who converted on the powerplay to shorten the lead to 2 goals, making it 3-1 Predators at that point
My Three Stars:
#1: – Pekka Rinne – 32 saves on 33 shots. 1 blooper in the net was all that stood in Rinne’s way from a shutout tonight. Yet, Rinne made the important saves and earned a very big win tonight
#2: – Ryan Ellis – 1g, 1a, +2 on the night. The rookie doubles his NHL career point totals tonight, grabbing another powerplay goal and assisting on Hornqvist’s goal at the end of the third.
#3: – Martin Erat – 1g, 1a, +1 on the night. Steady play from the veteran including his bullet-like goal in the first.
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Stay tuned to The Predatorial Thursday morning for the gameday preview of the Avalanche game!
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Stay frosty, friends.
