Predators 4, Avalanche 2
PREDATORS 4, AVALANCHE 2: Mike Fisher scored to cap his fifth career 20-goal season and Pekka Rinne turned aside 15 shots as host Nashville won its eighth straight meeting against Colorado.
Former Avalanche player Brandon Yip scored to snap a tie in the first period and Sergei Kostitsyn and Martin Erat also tallied for the Predators, who improved to 11-1-2 in their last 14 games at Bridgestone Arena.
Jamie McGinn netted his fourth goal in three contests and Paul Stastny collected a goal and an assist for the Avalanche, who fell for just the third time in nine games.
After the teams exchanged early goals, Yip gave Nashville a 2-1 lead at 6:58 of the first period by deflecting rookie defenseman Roman Josi's slap shot past Semyon Varlamov.
Kostitsyn then doubled the lead after taking advantage of a Colorado turnover late in the second period and beat Varlamov between the pads. The tally was his 16th of the season and second in as many games.
After Stastny trimmed the deficit to one at 4:58 of the third period, Cody McLeod hit the crossbar midway through the session and former Predator defenseman Shane O'Brien hit the post.
Erat's empty-net goal ended the suspense as Rinne improved to 7-1-1 in his last nine starts.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Avalanche C Matt Duchene will be sidelined for three-to-four weeks with an ankle injury, which occurred during Tuesday's 7-1 rout of the Minnesota Wild. ... McGinn, who also had two assists, has six points in his last three games. ... Colorado's last victory over Nashville came on Jan. 22, 2010. The Avalanche posted a 2-1 triumph.