Mackenzie Blackwood (37 saves), Avs top slumping Predators

Mackenzie Blackwood had 37 saves in his Colorado debut and the Avalanche beat the Nashville Predators 5-2 in Denver on Saturday night.

Blackwood, acquired from the San Jose Sharks on Monday, just missed a chance for his second shutout of the season. Nathan MacKinnon had two goals and an assist, Artturi Lehkonen also had two goals, Ross Colton added a goal and Mikko Rantanen had three assists for Colorado.

Steven Stamkos and Luke Evangelista scored goals and Juuse Saros turned away 29 shots for the Predators, who lost for the ninth time in 10 games.

Stamkos and Filip Forsberg had early chances to beat Blackwood, but he made two quick saves to set the tone for the night. Stamkos then had a breakaway in the second period that Blackwood saved.

The Predators played without defenseman Roman Josi, who missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury, but were able to hold Colorado in check until midway through the second period.

Casey Mittelstadt battled defenseman Adam Wilsby for the puck behind the Nashville goal before gaining control of it. He passed it to Colton in the slot, whose one-timer beat Saros at 11:32 to give the Avalanche a 1-0 lead.

It was Colton’s 10th of the season and second since coming off the injured list on Dec. 7.

Cale Makar nearly made it 2-0 minutes later, but Saros got a pad on his shot from the top of the right circle, and he made another save on a short-handed chance late in the second.

Minutes later, MacKinnon gave the Avalanche a two-goal lead when he beat Saros with a roof shot from close range at 18:52.

Blackwood made a glove save on a shot from the point early in the third period to keep Nashville off the board, and soon after, Lehkonen scored on a slapshot at 3:30.

Stamkos scored his eighth goal at 13:03 and Evangelista got his third 2:02 later on a delayed penalty. MacKinnon and Lehkonen scored empty-net goals to seal it. For MacKinnon, it was his 13th and Lehkonen now has 10.

–Field Level Media