Ryan O’Reilly scored twice and factored in four points as the Nashville Predators beat the Colorado Avalanche 6-2 Sunday at Bridgestone Arena. Roman Josi added three assists, and Nashville scored four times on seven power-play chances to pull away.
The Predators broke the game open with a three-goal second period that turned a 2-0 lead into a 5-1 cushion. Jack Drury scored a backhand goal off a Ross Colton and Brady Skjei feed, sandwiched between two O’Reilly tallies, as Nashville piled up 35 shots on Colorado goaltender Scott Wedgewood. Martin Necas led the Avalanche with two assists, but Colorado could not solve Nashville’s penalty kill, going 0 for 4 with the man advantage.
Key Moments: How The Predators Pulled Away
Filip Forsberg opened the scoring at 4:01 of the first period on a snap shot assisted by Josi and Steven Stamkos. Stamkos made it 2-0 at 10:48 with a wrist shot off feeds from O’Reilly and Mavrik Bourque.
Nashville then buried Colorado in the second period. O’Reilly scored a backhand goal at 6:38, Drury struck at 16:36 and O’Reilly added his second of the night just 53 seconds later at 17:29, assisted by Jonathan Marchessault and Forsberg. Artturi Lehkonen answered for Colorado with a tip-in at 17:55 to cut the deficit to 1-5 heading into the third.
The Avalanche got within three when Devon Toews scored a wrist shot at 2:43 of the third, assisted by Sam Malinski and Necas. Stamkos closed out the scoring at 10:24, his second of the game, with helpers from O’Reilly and Josi, sealing the 6-2 final.
Top Performers
O’Reilly finished with two goals and two assists for four points, both figures leading all skaters. Josi did not score but recorded three assists, and Forsberg had a goal and two assists. Stamkos scored twice.
Predators goaltender Justus Annunen stopped 19 of 21 shots for a .905 save percentage in the win. Wedgewood stopped 29 of 35 shots for an .829 save percentage. Necas paced Colorado with two assists, while Toews scored the Avalanche’s second goal.
Nashville dominated at the faceoff dot, winning 61.7% of draws compared to Colorado’s 38.3%, and out-shot the Avalanche 35-21. The Predators’ power play finished 4 for 7, while Colorado’s penalty kill allowed four goals in four Nashville chances.
What It Means
The win lifts Nashville to 4-3-4 on the season, while Colorado falls to 6-5-1. Both teams sit in the Central Division, where the Avalanche remain fourth with 13 points and the Predators sit fifth with 12, according to the official standings. Nashville also took the season series opener, leading 1-0.
The lopsided special teams numbers, four power-play goals for the Predators against none for the Avalanche, decided the outcome as much as any individual sequence. Colorado’s nine total penalties compared to six for Nashville gave the home team repeated chances to extend the lead.
What’s Next
Colorado plays next; Nashville’s next opponent is not specified in the available data.
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