Free NHL Picks Today: Colorado Avalanche vs Nashville Predators 12/17/22

The Nashville Predators (12-12-4) will be out to end their losing run when they travel to take on the Colorado Avalanche (15-11-2) at Ball Arena on Saturday. Nashville is coming off a 2-1 overtime loss against the Jets on Thursday, their fifth consecutive defeat.

The Predators committed seven penalties in the game, though they held Winnipeg without a power play goal. Filip Forsberg was the only player to find the net for the Predators. Juuse Saros saved an impressive 39 of 41 shots (.951%) in the loss.

Colorado fell 4-2 to the Sabres on Thursday. Evan Rodrigues and Mikko Rantanen each scored once for the Avalanche. Valeri Nichushkin had two assists to lead the team in scoring. Alexandar Georgiev only had 17 saves on 20 shots against (.850%) in the loss.

HEAD TO HEAD

The Avalanche won the first meeting between the teams this season, a 5-3 victory in November, their fifth straight win against Nashville. Rantanen led Colorado with three points (2G 1A). Ryan Johansen, Roman Josi, and Eeli Tolvanen were on the scoresheet for Nashville. Georgiev got the win, saving 32 of 35 shots (.914%).

FACING OFF

Nashville is averaging 2.46 goals per game for the season, 29th in the NHL, and they are taking on an Avalanche team that is allowing 2.82 goals a game (10th).

Meanwhile, Colorado has found the net 3.04 times a game on average, 20th in the league, and the Predators are allowing opponents to score 3.07 goals per game (17th).

The Avalanche’s 27.55% power play percentage is the fifth-best in the league, while the Predators rank 30th with a conversion rate of only 14.56%. In terms of penalty killing, Nashville has the league’s 19th-ranked PK% at 77.55%, while Colorado is 22nd at 75.53%.

TOP PERFORMERS:

Forsberg and Josi have been the top skaters for the Predators this season with 25 and 23 points. In the net, Saros (9-8-3) is Nashville’s top goaltender. He has a 2.93 GAA and a .908% save percentage.

Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon lead the Avalanche in scoring with 37 and 34 points, respectively. Georgiev (11-5-2) has the best goals against average for Colorado at 2.65. He has a save percentage of .920%.