Colorado @ Nashville preview

Last Meeting ( Jan 21, 2019 ) Nashville 4, Colorado 1

The Nashville Predators are starting to resemble a Stanley Cup contender as they continue their three-game homestand Saturday against the Colorado Avalanche in a big Central Division clash. Nashville has won two straight and three of its last four games after Thursday's 2-1 victory over Los Angeles as it continues to jockey with Winnipeg for Central supremacy.

"We talked about having some consistency and having a couple of good games in a row," Predators captain Roman Josi told reporters. "I thought we played two good games, and now we've got to focus on the next one and do it again." Colorado is one point behind Minnesota for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference after Friday's 5-3 victory at Chicago. The Avalanche, who have won four of their last five games after losing eight straight (0-5-3), are among four teams within four points of the Wild - with Dallas one ahead of Minnesota. Nashville won two of the first three meetings this season, including 4-1 at Colorado on Jan. 21 behind a 35-save performance by Pekka Rinne as the road team has won the last six encounters.

TV: 5:30 p.m. ET, Altitude (Colorado), FS Tennessee (Nashville)

ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (26-24-11): J.T. Compher scored two goals in his homecoming on Friday, giving him a career-high 14 after he recorded 13 last season. "It's always fun coming back to play here," Compher, who grew up some 25 miles away from United Center in Northbrook, Ill., told reporters. "I've done it a few times now, and to get a big win like this is extra special." Carl Soderberg, the oldest player on the team at 33, also scored twice against Chicago to increase his career-high goal total to 21.

ABOUT THE PREDATORS (36-22-5): Josi (51 points) has collected six goals and nine assists in 11 games this month and notched one of each on Thursday to become the first defenseman in club history with four seasons of at least 50 points. Ryan Johansen (team-high 53 points) hasn't hit the scoresheet in three contests since recording two goals and seven assists during a six-game point streak. Viktor Arvidsson (club-best 26 goals) hasn't scored in three contests after tallying seven times in his first eight games in February.

OVERTIME

1. Nashville is 4-for-28 on the power play over its last nine games after going 0-for-31 in the previous nine contests.

2. Colorado RW Mikko Rantanen (team-high 78 points - one more than Nathan MacKinnon) recorded an assist Friday for his 200th career point.

3. Rinne (22-15-3, 2.44 goals-against average, .917 save percentage this season) is 25-8-2 with a 2.23 GAA and .918 save percentage in 38 games versus the Avalanche - including marks of 2-1-0, 1.69 and .942 in 2018-19.

PREDICTION: Predators 3, Avalanche 2