Forsberg's second straight hat trick lifts Predators past Avalanche
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Filip Forsberg's torrid week continued Thursday night.
The Nashville Predators' right winger registered his second straight hat trick, lifting his team to a 4-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche at Bridgestone Arena.
Forsberg, who notched a hat trick Tuesday night in a 6-5 overtime loss to Calgary, enabled Nashville (29-22-9) to stay a point ahead of the Flames for the Western Conference's first wild-card spot. The result also allowed the Predators to tie idle St. Louis for third in the Central Division with 67 points.
Forsberg capped the fourth three-goal game of his career with an empty-netter at 19:23, his 22nd of the year, inspiring a shower of hats from the sellout crowd.
Viktor Arvidsson also scored for Nashville, while Roman Josi and Ryan Johansen each bagged two assists. Pekka Rinne (23-15-6) stopped 20 shots to earn the win as the Predators swept the season series from Colorado (16-40-3) 5-0-0.
Jarome Iginla led the Avalanche with a goal and an assist, while Patrick Wiercioch also contributed a goal. Goalie Jeremy Smith (0-2-0) saved 25 of 28 shots in only his second NHL start.
Nashville opened the scoring nine seconds after a failed power play. Craig Smith's feed to the goalmouth was converted by Arvidsson at 10:31 for his 19th goal of the season.
Colorado equalized at 17:52 with a weird goal. John Mitchell's soft backhander from behind the left faceoff circle deflected off the skate of Iginla and through Rinne's legs. It was Iginla's eighth goal of the season and the 619th of his career.
Wiercioch gave the Avalanche a 2-1 edge at 2:34 of the second period with his fourth goal, a backhander off the right wing that bounced off the ice and over Rinne's glove.
But Forsberg wiped out that lead at 5:26 with a wrister just in front of the goal line on the right wing, then restored a one-goal advantage for the Predators at 10:59 with another wrister from atop the left faceoff circle that appeared to hit the glove of Smith and skitter across the goal line.
NOTES: Colorado's Jarome Iginla played in his 1,534th career game, 13th all-time and second among active players only to Florida's Jaromir Jagr. ... Nashville LW Harry Zolnierczyk drew back into the lineup Thursday night after being scratched from Tuesday night's 6-5 OT loss to Calgary, replacing C Colton Sissons. ... The Avalanche scratched D Nikita Zadorov and RW Rene Bourque, who remain out with injuries. ... Predators scratches besides Sissons were Ds Anthony Bitetto and Brad Hunt.