Game 28 Preview: The Bleeding Prey

Nothing seems to be going the Avs' way lately. After an embarrassing loss to Winnipeg Friday night, the Avs have been hit with the loss of their number one goaltender yet again. Calvin Pickard has been recalled from Lake Erie to start Tuesday night's game against the Nashville Predators. The Avs will be missing more than just their goaltender Tuesday though. With the plethora of injuries and the lack of urgency in having a proper number of forwards called up, the Avs will dress just 19 players; eleven forwards (really ten and Nick Holden), six defensemen, and two goaltenders.

The Avs will pit their shorthanded line-up against the much improved Predators. The Predators are coming off a 3-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks at home Saturday. Despite being in the basement of the Central division for most of last year, the Predators are going through a resurgence this year behind Rookie-of-the-Year front-runner, Filip Forsberg. The twenty-year-old Swedish forward leads all rookies and the Predators with 25 points in 26 games. Playing with offseason pick-up Mike Ribeiro, the Predators have added some much needed offensive attack to go along with their stable of defensemen and solid goaltending from Pekka Rinne. With the Avs already shorthanded, the Predators may prove to be the toughest match-up for the Avs so far this season.

LINES

O'Reilly-Duchene-Tanguay

Landeskog-MacKinnon-Iginla

McLeod-Talbot-Briere

Carey-Holden

Hejda-Johnson

Guenin-Barrie

Stollery-Redmond

Pickard

Berra

NOTES

- Iginla is now in sole possession of 21st all-time in goals with 566. Next man on the list is the great Mike Bossy with 573.

- The Avs are one of six teams that have a defenseman leading the team in scoring (Arizona, Calgary, Carolina, Florida, Ottawa).

- The NHL goal scoring leader, Tyler Seguin has more goals than any Avalanche player has points this season.

GAME INFO

Game Time: 7pm, MT

TV: ALT