Game Day: Colorado Avalanche in Nashville to take on the Predators

It’s been a much needed two days off for the Colorado Avalanche. The team looked tired Saturday night against the Stars, but a little rest and a returning player should help rejuvenate the lineup.

The Predators will also be well rested as they haven't played since a 2-1 overtime loss to Chicago on Saturday. The Preds are 2-2-1 and in an unfamiliar position of looking up at the Avs in the standings. This is a divisional rivalry game between two well-rested rosters, so fans should be expecting a pretty exciting night.

After a season that saw the Avalanche go 0-5 against Nashville, it will be important to establish a new trend tonight.

Colorado Avalanche

The Avalanche come into the game after losing in Dallas on Saturday. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak and it would be nice to get rolling back in the right direction tonight.

We got good news yesterday as Tyson Jost practiced in full and is expected to return to the lineup tonight. He was on a line with J.T. Compher and Landy during practice and that is something that should be very exciting for fans. That combination has the potential to do some serious damage, especially when lining up against a bottom defense pair. Coach Bednar said that Jost playing tonight is probably, but still not 100%.

Unfortunately, the team is without Patrik Nemeth tonight as he flew back to Denver to get his shoulder checked out. Nemeth hurt it during his fight Saturday night. Lindholm will draw into the lineup for him.

Nashville Predators

Coming off of a season that saw them go all the way to the Stanley Cup finals, the Preds are trying to find their footing early in the year. After a rough first two games, the Preds have successfully come away with five of a possible six points in their past three games.

With the retirement of their captain and the loss of a few other pieces, this lineup doesn't look overly similar to the one that dominated the Avs last season. Filip Forsberg is a legitimate star and he is going to be the guy to watch for Avs fans.

The Predators are trying to make up for the loss of Ryan Ellis on the back end. As a result, Samuel Girard has been playing a big role for the team - and excelling in it. In an attempt to spread out the talent on the blueline, Alexei Emelin has been moved up to partner with P.K. Subban. Something Habs fans would likely grit their teeth at.

Starting Goalies

Semyon Varlamov has been confirmed as the Avs starter for today. He comes into the game with a 3-1 record and a very impressive .944sv%. He has been incredible this season and is a big reason why the Avs are off to their hot start.

For the Predators, we expect to see Pekka Rinne between the pipes. He has a 2-1-1 record and a far less impressive .913 sv%. If the Avs can put a lot of shots on the net and get to him early, Rinne might be the downfall of his team tonight. He was in net for all five wins against the Avs last season, so maybe it’s time to end the streak.

How to Watch/Listen

As always the game will be on, puck drop at 6:00 pm MDT. For those of you looking for a different perspective, you can catch the Predators broadcast on NHL.tv

You can also listen to the game with our friend Marc Moser on Altitude Sports Radio 950AM.