Filip Forsberg scores in OT, Predators beat Avalanche 4-3
DENVER (AP) - Nashville pulled off another comeback victory to remain the NHL's hottest team.
Filip Forsberg scored at 1:07 of overtime and the Predators matched the franchise record with their eighth straight victory, beating the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 on Sunday. They completed a 4-0 trip, winning the last two in overtime.
"We've proven to ourselves that we can come back," Forsberg said. "Getting four out of four wins on the road is ridiculous right now. But at the same time we can't get too high. We have to keep grinding and winning the games."
Nashville has won nine straight against Colorado, including three this season.
But Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said he still liked a lot of what he saw from his players in their latest effort against the Predators.
"I liked the way we played," Bednar said. "I thought we got a little better as the game went on. It was a pretty good all-around effort from our group. Pretty tight contest. They catch a break at the end and tie it up and end up getting the extra point."
Nashville's Ryan Ellis tied it with 1:06 left in regulation with goalie Pekka Rinne off for an extra attacker.
"It's 6 on 5 where we talk about getting pucks to the net," Ellis said. "I had one shot that got stopped by the goalie and the next shot we had traffic in front of him and it got in."
The Predators carried the momentum into overtime, when Forsberg charged down the ice and put in the winner with a shot from the side that got past goalie Semyon Varlamov.
"The confidence level of our team is reaIly hard. It shows our character, knowing there is no giving up," Rinne said.
Nathan MacKinnon helped set up Colorado's first lead of the game with a cross-ice pass to Mikko Rantanen, whose one-timer from the right circle to beat Rinne with 5:38 left in the third period.
Colorado tied it at 2 at 4:38 of the third when Matt Nieto, at the end of a rush, wristed a shot that Rinne managed to deflect. But the puck stayed around the goal and, as Predators winger Kevin Fiala tried to corral the rebound, his stick nudged the puck into the net.
Kyle Turris scored on a power play at 8:08 of the second to put the Predators in front. Turris gathered in a pass from Ellis and wristed a shot from the left circle. The puck went off the glove of goalie Semyon Varlamov before going into the net.
Nikita Zadarov had just left the penalty box and skated onto the ice after the Avalanche had killed off his high-sticking infraction. Carl Soderberg picked up a loose puck near the blue line, spotted Zadarov alone along the boards and sent a lead pass to him to ignite a breakaway. Zadarov pulled up at the top of the left circle and unleashed a slap shot that beat Rinne at 12:57 of the first to even the score.
Nashville broke on top 3:09 into the game when Austin Watson let fly a shot from the slot that glanced off defenseman Anton Lindholm's jersey before going into the net.
NOTES: Avalanche C Colin Wilson missed the game after leaving Friday night against Minnesota with a head injury. ... Five of the Predators' nine wins in a row against the Avalanche have come in Colorado. ... Forsberg has 11 goals in 19 games against Colorado. ... The Avalanche saw their three-game winning streak come to a halt. ... Nashville also won eight in a row from Oct. 5-25, 2005.
UP NEXT
Predators: Host Dallas on Tuesday night.
Avalanche: At Chicago on Tuesday night.