NHL Game Preview: Nashville Predators (6-4-5) vs. Colorado Avalanche (9-6-1)

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Colorado Avalanche logo

Puck drop is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. MT
Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado

This is the second of four scheduled meetings this season. Nashville won the first matchup 6-2 on October 25 at Bridgestone Arena, capitalizing on four power-play goals.

Records, Standings & Recent Form

Nashville Predators: 6-4-5 (17 points). Competitive in the Central Division with a balanced but not dominant profile (~2.9 GF/G and GA/G in some reports). They enter on a two-game win streak after a 4-1 home victory over Carolina on Nov. 3 and recorded points in four of five games on a recent homestand. Road form has been a challenge (looking to snap a multi-game road skid). Key contributors include Filip Forsberg (point streak), Roman Josi, Steven Stamkos, and Ryan O’Reilly.

Colorado Avalanche: 9-6-1 (19 points). Stronger overall record with elite offense (~4.1 GF/G, among the league leaders) and solid home play (strong record at Ball Arena). They are coming off a 7-2 road loss at Columbus after a prior winning stretch that included wins over Calgary and New Jersey. Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Martin Necas, and Artturi Lehkonen lead the attack. Home ice and offensive firepower give them the edge.

Colorado holds advantages in overall record, goal differential, and home performance. Nashville’s recent success against the Avs and special-teams execution in the first meeting keep the matchup competitive.

Injury Reports

Nashville Predators:

Jonathan Marchessault (F/C): Day-to-day / questionable (lower body).

William Trudeau (D): Out / IR (upper body).

Colorado Avalanche:

Josh Manson (D): Out (ankle; longer-term).

Zachary L’Heureux (LW): IR / out (upper body; short-term possibility).

Both sides are relatively healthy at the top of the lineup, though depth and defensive pairings are affected.

Key Player Matchups & Leaders / Projected Rosters

Predators leaders: Filip Forsberg, Roman Josi, Steven Stamkos, Ryan O’Reilly. Goalie: Juuse Saros (projected/expected starter).

Avalanche leaders: Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Martin Necas, Artturi Lehkonen, Nazem Kadri. Goalie: Mackenzie Blackwood (projected/expected).

Key matchups:

MacKinnon / top Avs line and Makar’s offense vs. Nashville’s structure, Josi, and Saros.

Nashville’s power play (strong in the first meeting) vs. Colorado’s PK—critical after the Preds scored four PP goals last time.

Skill and pace: Colorado’s high-event, high-scoring style against Nashville’s balanced attack and goaltending.

Blue-line battles: Makar–Toews pair vs. Josi and Predators defensemen.

Secondary scoring and depth responses given absences.

Projected lines

Avalanche: Top group featuring Lehkonen–MacKinnon–Necas; supporting lines with Kadri, Landeskog, Nelson, etc. D: Toews–Makar and others. Goalie lean Blackwood.

Predators: Combinations built around Stamkos–O’Reilly–Bourque (or similar), Forsberg with supporting centers, depth groups. D: Josi-led pairs. Goalie: Saros.

Series History

Nashville leads the 2026-27 series 1-0 (6-2 win on Oct. 25). All-time, the Predators hold a slight edge in the overall series, with competitive recent results (Nashville 5-4-1 in the last 10 meetings in some reports). High-scoring affairs and special-teams swings have been common.

Game Odds

Nashville Predators        6.5

Colorado Avalanche       – 210

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Wednesday, November 4, 2026

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