Predators Look to Reset as Avalanche Come to Town
So tonight feels like one of those nights in Nashville where the energy in Bridgestone Arena is already buzzing before the puck even drops. The Predators are back home after wrapping up a two-game road trip, and now they’re kicking off a short homestand against one of the toughest opponents in the league: the Colorado Avalanche. It’s the second time these two teams meet this season, and interestingly, they’ll face each other again later this same week. So, the stakes are high and the familiarity is fresh.
Nashville’s road trip had a mixed outcome. It started on a high note with an overtime win in Florida, but momentum slipped a bit with Saturday’s loss to the Hurricanes. And after that game, Head Coach Andrew Brunette didn’t sugarcoat anything. He talked about the need to refocus—especially around penalty issues that have been creeping back into their play. It’s that classic coaching tone where you know the team is getting a firm but necessary reset.
There was a bit of good news, though. Forward Cole Smith, who has been out with an upper-body injury, practiced with the team for the first time since going on IR. Brunette said it was great to have him back in the mix, even though he’s still considered day-to-day and won’t be playing tonight.
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Offensively, Nashville has had some bright spots. Filip Forsberg, Michael Bunting, and Matthew Wood all scored in that third period against Carolina—Forsberg even hit a milestone with his 700th NHL point. Ryan O’Reilly continues to lead the team in scoring, with Forsberg and Luke Evangelista close behind. And there’s a nice cluster of players sitting on seven or eight goals so far, giving Nashville some well-distributed firepower.
But then there’s Colorado—the top team in the league at the moment. They’ve only lost twice in regulation all season, and they come into Nashville riding back-to-back wins. Nathan MacKinnon has been playing like a man on fire, leading not just the Avalanche but the entire NHL in goals and points. Cale Makar and Martin Necas are adding to that offensive avalanche—no pun intended—with huge numbers of their own. And in net, former Preds goaltender Scott Wedgewood has been nearly unbeatable.
Still, Nashville has had some good history against Colorado, especially at home, where they’ve won four of the last five matchups. Forsberg, O’Reilly, and even recent addition Justus Annunen all have interesting personal ties to this matchup, which adds an extra layer of storyline to the night.
And since it’s API Music Heritage Night, the arena will be buzzing even before warmups. Fans are getting special posters, live performances are scattered around the concourse, and there are plenty of fun activities, prizes, and auctions happening throughout the evening.
So, with the lights bright, the music loud, and the stakes high, Nashville is stepping onto home ice with one clear mission: reset, refocus, and try to take down the NHL’s top team. It should make for one exciting showdown.
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