Game Day: Preds vs. Avalanche Preview

The Nashville Predators (14-13-4) will look for their third straight win as they host the Colorado Avalanche (18-11-2) Friday at Bridgestone Arena.
The puck drops at 7 p.m. CT, and the game will be broadcast on Bally Sports South, 102.5 The Game and El Jefe Radio. Here's everything you need to know:

Line 'Em Up

Below are Nashville's lines from Wednesday's game at Chicago:
Forsberg - Novak - Granlund
Niederreiter - Glass - Jeannot
Smith - Johansen - Duchene
Trenin - Parssinen - Sissons
McDonagh - Josi
Ekholm - Carrier
Lauzon - Fabbro
Saros

The Good Guys

• Roman Josi recorded his 566th and 567th career points on Wednesday at Chicago to pass David Legwand (566) for the most in Predators history. Josi became the second defenseman to lead an active NHL franchise in points, joining Boston's Ray Bourque. He has 24 points (7g-17a) in his last 23 games after tallying a goal and an assist against the Blackhawks. His goal on Wednesday was the 27th game-winner of his career, moving him past Martin Erat for sole possession of third place on Nashville's all-time list.
• Goaltender Juuse Saros is 8-3-3 with a 2.38 goals-against average and .926 save percentage in his last 13 games dating back to Nov. 12. He's made at least 30 saves in eight of his last 14 games; he's faced at least 30 shots in 10 of those outings. Additionally, Saros owns a 9.65 goals saved above average (GSAA) since Nov. 12, the third-best mark in the League (per Natural Stat Trick).
• Filip Forsberg (483) passed Martin Erat (481) and moved into sole possession of third place on the Predators' all-time points list on Nov. 8 at Seattle. He is six points from becoming the third player in team history to reach the 500-point milestone. Forsberg is tied with Josi and Matt Duchene for Nashville's lead in points with 25 (9g-16a).

The Other Guys

The Avalanche are coming off a 2-1 overtime defeat of the Montreal Canadiens Wednesday. Colorado's last win in regulation came against Nashville on Dec. 17 at Ball Arena.
Colorado's Mikko Rantanen recorded his team-leading 22nd goal of the season and fourth game-winning goal Wednesday vs. Montreal. His 40 points (22g-18a) are also a team high. Goaltender Alexandar Georgiev ranks among the Top-10 in the NHL in both goals against average (2.39) and save percentage (.924).

All-Time Meetings

This is the third of four matchups between Nashville and Colorado in 2022-23; it is the first of two at home. Nashville vs. Colorado, originally scheduled for Nov. 25, will now be played on April 14 at 7 p.m. CT.
The Predators are 47-35-(5)-3 all-time against the Avalanche, including a 24-15-(3)-1 record at Bridgestone Arena. Nashville is 0-2-0 against Colorado this season, dropping both contests at Ball Arena.

Notables vs. Colorado

• Duchene was drafted third overall by the Avalanche in the 2009 NHL Draft. He recorded 428 points (178g-250a) in nine seasons with Colorado from 2009-17. Duchene has 10 goals and 11 points in 11 career games against his former team.
• Josi recorded a 12-game point streak vs. Colorado (5g-11a) from March 28, 2016-Jan. 21, 2019. He's recorded a point in 28 of his 40 career games against the Avalanche, registering 14 goals and 38 points.
• Colton Sissons posted a career-high three assists on Dec. 16, 2021 vs. the Avs. He has 14 points (8g-6a) in 21 career regular-season games vs. Colorado.
• Forsberg notched his fourth career hat trick on Feb. 23, 2017 vs. the Avalanche. He's averaged more than a point per game in his career against Colorado, recording 33 points (16g-17a) in 31 games, including five game-winning goals.
• Mikael Granlund skated in his first career NHL game and scored his first career NHL goal on Jan. 19, 2013 vs. Colorado.
• Predators Assistant Coach Dan Hinote won the 2001 Stanley Cup as a player for the Avalanche.
• Colorado defenseman Samuel Girard was selected by the Predators in the second round (47th overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft. He skated in five games for Nashville in 2017-18, tallying three points (1g-2a).

Last Time Out

Nashville improved to 6-8-2 on the road in 2022-23 with Wednesday's win at Chicago. The Predators extended their point streak against the Blackhawks to 15 games (12-0-3), the longest active point streak by any NHL team against a single opponent.
Josi tallied his 566th and 567th career points to pass David Legwand for the most in franchise history, and Tommy Novak scored his first goal of the season. Matt Duchene scored his third goal in as many games, and Juuso Parssinen recorded two assists for his second multi-point game of the season. Cody Glass tallied an assist to give him three points (3a) in his last two games, and Ryan McDonagh returned the lineup after missing seven games with an upper-body injury.

Watch & Listen

Coverage for Friday's game begins at 6:30 p.m. CT with the Predators LIVE! pregame show on Bally Sports South, hosted by Lyndsay Rowley alongside analyst Hal Gill. Play-by-play announcer Willy Daunic and analyst Chris Mason will have the call on the television side.
Pete Weber and Jay More will call the game on 102.5 The Game and the Predators Radio Network with pregame, postgame and intermission coverage by Max Herz. The game will also be broadcast in Spanish on El Jefe which airs on 96.7 FM, 105.3 FM and 810 AM.