Marchessault Scores in Third Period to Lift Predators Past Avalanche, 2-1

The Nashville Predators defeated the Colorado Avalanche behind a tie-breaking third-period goal from Jonathan Marchessault Saturday at Bridgestone Arena.

Juuse Saros made 31 saves for the Predators, who have now won two in a row after snapping a six-game losing streak. Former Predators goaltender Scott Wedgewood, who was traded to Colorado in November, made 15 saves in the loss.

How the Predators lined up vs. Colorado

Forsberg-O’Reilly-Marchessault

Stamkos-Svechkov-Nyquist

Jankowski-Novak-Evangelista

Smith-McCarron-Sissons

Josi-Schenn

Skjei-Blankenburg

Englund-Barron

Saros

Annunen

Extra: Bellows, Livingstone, L’Heureux (week-to-week, upper-body)

IR: Lauzon, Wilsby

Defenseman Andreas Englund, claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings Feb. 10, made his Predators debut against the Avalanche. He played on the third defensive pairing alongside former Colorado Eagles (AHL) teammate Justin Barron.

Defenseman Jake Livingstone and forward Kieffer Bellows, recalled from the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals Feb. 21, were both healthy scratches.

Game Summary

After a scoreless first period that saw the Avalanche outshoot Nashville 11-8, Sam Malinksi got things going early in the second with a scorching one-timer from the face-off circle that beat Saros at the 1:15 mark. Justin Barron answered just 30 seconds later with a one-timer of his own from the blue line to tie the score at 1-1.

The Predators broke the tie at the 9:11 mark of the third period, when Marchessault cleaned up a rebound on a Luke Schenn shot that bounced off the boards and tucked it behind Wedgewood to give Nashville a 2-1 lead.

The Predators got a four-minute power play to end the period on a high stick from Artturi Lehkonen against Barron and managed to keep Colorado off the board to earn the 2-1 win.

Key Takeaways & Notes

• Marchessault has seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) during a four-game point streak dating back to Feb. 3.

• Marchessault’s goal was his 45th point of the season, good for second-most among Predators skaters.

They Said It

Head coach Andrew Brunette on the win…

“I thought it was a committed win… I thought we were to committed to managing the puck and limiting their quick strike, their rush offense that causes problems and that’s caused problems all year. So I think the emphasis was on staying above the puck and putting pucks in areas to give us an opportunity. I still think we can be a lot sharper and all those things, but I thought it was a real, gutsy, committed win with that checking mentality, and I think we can clean some things up all over the ice. But… we played tight, and it’s something we can build on. So it was a real positive win for our group.”

Brunette on the play of Saros…

“I thought he was sharp. Getting to know him here over the last couple years, you can kind of tell when he’s focused. I think when he’s just a little bit off, you see a little bit of guessing in his game. And I thought tonight he was dialed in, and he wasn’t moving too much… I thought tonight he he was laser sharp. I felt like he saw the puck really well. He reacted really well. And he has the ability to make the saves he makes that keep us in the game. That’s a skill set, that’s what he does; not too many guys in our league can do that. So that was a really good game for him.”

Schenn on the win…

“[Saros] played great for us, and guys had some big blocks toward the end. We’re trying to commit to playing the right way. Obviously we understand what the standings are but we have a lot of pride in this room. We just want to continue to build and play for one another and just give an honest effort.”

Schenn on the play that led to Marchessault’s goal…

“In all honesty, I was going for a shot on goal. It was a bit of a roller. It feels like breaks and bounces have been tough to come by this year. I’ll take that, and luckily [Marchessault] has quick hands in front to put her home.”

Barron on the play of the defense…

“I think with the way we play and the skilled forward group we have, our [defense corps] kind of has some freedom to play in the offensive zone and buzz around a little bit. I think our forwards have done a good job of getting pucks up to us [defensemen] and getting to the front of the net like they did tonight. Just a great screen from all those guys.”

Up Next

The Predators wrap up their weekend back-to-back set Sunday when they host the New Jersey Devils at Bridgestone Arena. The puck drops at 5 p.m. CT, and the game will be broadcast regionally on FanDuel Sports Network South and on ESPN+ for out-of-market customers in the United States.

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