NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Jonathan Marchessault netted the decisive goal at 9:11 of the third period, leading the Nashville Predators to a 2-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night.

Justin Barron also found the back of the net for Nashville, and goaltender Juuse Saros made an impressive 31 saves, securing the Predators’ second consecutive victory.

On the other hand, Colorado’s Sam Malinski scored their only goal, with Scott Wedgewood stopping 15 shots. Unfortunately for the Avalanche, this loss interrupted their two-game winning streak.

As the third period approached its midpoint, a slap shot from Luke Schenn went wide, ricocheting off the end boards straight to Marchessault, positioned near the left post, marking a crucial moment in the match.

Marchessault extended his points streak to four games with this goal.

Malinski opened the scoring with a one-timer goal just 1:15 into the second period, assisted by Jonathan Drouin. This goal was notable for Malinski, as it was his second of the season and his first after a 39-game drought.

The Predators quickly responded with Barron scoring just 30 seconds later, equalizing the game.

For the Avalanche, their recent run followed a period focused on the 4 Nations Face-Off, now sitting in the top wild card slot in the Western Conference and trailing the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars by four points in a competitive Central Division.

As for the Predators, Saros has had a challenging season but stepped up against the potent Colorado offense, helping the team remain in contention, albeit far from the playoff chase.

A pivotal moment came late in the third period when Colorado’s Artturi Lehkonen received a double-minor for high-sticking, leaving the Avalanche at a disadvantage as they sought to tie the game.

In terms of individual performance, Saros had previously faced a five-game losing streak but played strongly throughout the match, despite the Avalanche nearly doubling the Predators in shots on goal.

Looking ahead, the Avalanche will travel to St. Louis to take on the Blues on Sunday, while the Predators will host the New Jersey Devils later that same day.