Rantanen, Newhook goals lift Avs over Predators, 3-1

By MICHAEL KELLY
Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — Mikko Rantanen and Alex Newhook scored goals in the second period, and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Nashville Predators 3-1 on Saturday night.

Cale Makar scored into the empty net in the final minute and Alexandar Georgiev stopped 25 shots for Colorado, which bounced back from a loss to Buffalo in the opener of its five-game homestand on Thursday night.

Juuse Saros made 27 saves and Matt Duchene scored the lone goal for the slumping Predators, who are 0-4-2 since a three-game winning streak in late November and early December.

Rantanen hit the post on his first shot attempt on the power play and moments later beat Saros high from the right circle at 8:38 of the second period. It was his 21st of the season and sixth goal in the last five games.

The goal broke an 0-for-18 stretch on the power play. Newhook scored Colorado’s last power-play goal Dec. 5 at Philadelphia.

Nashville turned it over late in the second and Newhook capitalized with a one-timer on a pass from Evan Rodrigues at 19:44. Rodrigues has a goal and an assist since returning from a nine-game absence on Thursday night.

Duchene got the Predators within a goal when he scored off his own rebound 3:25 into the third. He has 10 goals in 11 regular season games against his former team.

Nashville twice pulled Saros for an extra skater in the final minutes and had a shot on goal but Makar scored into the empty net with 32 seconds left to clinch it.

NOTES: Avalanche G Pavel Francouz served as Georgiev’s backup after missing Thursday’s game due to illness. … Nashville C Mikael Granlund played in his 700th career game. … Colorado recalled D Brad Hunt from the AHL on Saturday morning. He played on the third pairing with Andreas Englund.

UP NEXT

Predators: Host Edmonton on Monday night.

Avalanche: Host the New York Islanders on Monday night.