Sports
Nashville’s power play fuels 6-2 win over Colorado as O’Reilly and Stamkos score twice
Ryan O’Reilly recorded two goals and two assists, while Steven Stamkos scored twice as the Predators ended a two-game skid with a 6-2 home victory over the Avalanche. Nashville scored on four of seven power plays and got 19 saves from Justus Annunen.
The Nashville Predators ended a two-game losing streak Sunday night, defeating the Colorado Avalanche 6-2 behind two-goal performances from Ryan O’Reilly and Steven Stamkos.
O’Reilly also had two assists, and Stamkos added an assist. Filip Forsberg contributed a goal and two assists, while Jack Drury also scored for Nashville. Goaltender Justus Annunen stopped 19 shots to earn his first win of the season.
Forsberg opened the scoring at 4:01 of the first period, converting a power play after Stamkos disrupted Colorado’s attempted clearance and Roman Josi set up a shot from the high slot. Josi finished with three assists.
Stamkos made it 2-0 later in the first. The goal was initially waved off after Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar appeared to clear the puck near the goal line, but a video review showed it had crossed completely.
O’Reilly scored on the power play at 6:38 of the second period. Drury and O’Reilly added goals less than a minute apart late in the period, stretching Nashville’s lead to 5-0 before Colorado’s Artturi Lehkonen scored with 2:05 left in the frame.
Devon Toews scored for Colorado early in the third. Stamkos capped the scoring at 10:24, with Nashville holding a two-player advantage.
The Predators converted four of seven power-play chances. They had received just one power-play opportunity in each of their previous three games. Colorado, which has lost three of its past four, got 29 saves from Scott Wedgewood.
Annunen and Wedgewood were traded for each other in a one-for-one goalie deal last November. Sunday’s win gave Annunen his first victory of the season against his former team.