Nashville Predators divert Colorado Avalanche with 4-2 win -NHL
Colorado were aiming to get into the playoff race but Nashville denied the Avalanche that opportunity as Predators won, 4-2, Thursday night, March 8, 2012, at the sold-out Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
Nashville is without a doubt, well into the playoff race but for them, securing their position is top priority as of now.
"We should have some desperation of our own," Nashville captain, Shea Weber, said. "I think we're still in striking distance to win our division, so we need to be desperate to do that and that'll give us home ice in the playoffs."
Jamie McGinn added the first of the night to give Colorado a one point lead for his 16th of the 2011-2012 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season, but unfortunately, it did not last as long as the Avalanche thought it would have.
Mike Fisher tied it up at 1-1 in the next two minutes while Brandon Yip took the lead in favour of Nashville at 6:58. Sergei Kostitsyn widened the gap with 32 seconds remaining in the second to give Nashville a comfortable lead heading into the third.
Paul Stastny attempted a Colorado comeback but was denied the chance when Martin Erat finalised the contest at 19:16 in the last period of regulation.
"In a game like this, that had such meaning, I didn't think we had enough guys giving a full 60 minutes, and that's not acceptable. We got off to a good start, but then they pushed back and we didn't have an answer for it. It's a game we're disappointed
with," Colorado coach, Joe Sacco, said.
Predators are on the move to take the Central Division lead but having a team like St. Louis Blues reign atop with 93 points, it seems like a distant dream. Nashville might give a tough time to Detroit Red Wings on Saturday as they have the home advantage.
Colorado, only two points away from overtaking eighth place San Jose Sharks in the Western Conference, will have that chance when they host the struggling Edmonton Oilers team on Saturday. It should not be a tough contest for the Avalanche in order to avail
the crucial points.
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