Predators at Avalanche
The Nashville Predators have been in control of the Central Division for much of the season but their latest losing streak has them looking up at the St. Louis Blues with three games to play. Trailing the Blues by one point and sitting just two ahead of third-place Chicago, the Predators look to halt a three-game skid when they visit the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night.
Nashville rebounded from a 2-8-1 swoon by winning four in a row to move back atop the division before going winless on its three-game homestand (0-2-1), capped by Saturday's 4-3 setback to Dallas on a penalty shot in overtime. "Three straight losses are not good," Predators rookie forward Filip Forsberg said. "We've got to get it done. These points could be huge in the end." Colorado was officially eliminated hours before Saturday's game against Los Angeles and looked like a team with nothing for which to play, managing only 10 shots on goal in a lackluster 3-1 defeat.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Nashville), Altitude (Colorado)
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (47-22-10): Nashville does have something to build upon from the loss to Dallas, having scored twice in the final 9:14 of the third period to force overtime. James Neal, who had been sidelined for the previous nine games due to an upper-body injury, set up one third-period tally before scoring the tying goal to give him 23 on the season. Captain Shea Weber also returned to the lineup following a three-game absence along with forward Matt Cullen (five games), but Paul Gaustad (head) sat out and was to be evaluated after Monday's practice.
ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (36-31-12): Colorado, which finishes the season with three home games against playoff contenders, was never able to overcome an awful start to the season and suffered a pair of costly losses to lowly Edmonton at the end of last month to all but seal its fate. "We've become a better team throughout, but it's disappointing to have a start like that, and now we know better when we move forward," forward Matt Duchene said. Ryan O'Reilly provided the lone goal against Los Angeles, his sixth tally in the past 11 contests following a 17-game drought.
OVERTIME
1. Nashville won three of the first four meetings versus Colorado this season.
2. Avalanche F Jarome Iginla has 35 goals and 60 points in 56 games against Nashville.
3. Forsberg, who leads the Predators with 24 goals, has tallied three times in five games against Colorado.