NASHVILLE — Nashville took another step on the blue line on Sunday, physically dominating the Colorado Avalanche in a 6-2 home victory. The Predators killed all four Avalanche penalties, preventing Colorado from mustering a single shot on the first three, blocked 10 shots, and outhit their Central Division rivals 18-15.
Nashville built a 2-0 lead in the first period, but the Predators pressed the gas in the second period as defenseman Jayden Struble brought the fight to the Avalanche. Struble found himself in the middle of a fracas after delivering a hit to Martin Necas in his own defensive zone. Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog jumped into the fray to threaten Struble, but was met by a host of Predators before the officials separated everyone.
The Avalanche were penalized for too many men on the ice, and Ryan O'Reilly capitalized for the Predators, extending the home side's lead to 3-0. Struble turned up the physicality even further after exiting the penalty box when he and Colorado center Parker Kelly dropped their gloves and squared up to fight.
The fight lasted seconds, but Struble delivered three right hands to Kelly's face before the pair tumbled to the ice in a heap of violence.
"Yeah, that fight was great," Jack Drury said. "I think since he's been here, he's been really physical, really fast, kind of doing the things he does well at all times. So that's kind of why we got him, and I think he's done a great job of fitting in here."
Nashville used the momentum from Struble's victory to slam the door shut on the scoreboard. Drury tacked on the Predators' fourth goal, and O'Reilly added the fifth, helping the home side take a 5-0 lead.
"I thought it [the fight] was great," Andrew Brunette said. "I thought all our defensemen stepped up in different ways. I thought him and [Nic] Hague were physical and hard to play against. I thought Brady [Skjei]; it was one of his best games of the year, his skating. Perby [Nick Perbix] did a great job on penalty kill and moved pucks, and Roman [Josi]; that was his best game. Obviously, we had [Daemon] Hunt coming in, it was good to get your eyes on him, and Willy [Adam Wilsby] did some really good things in containing gaps. I think they all, again, probably my expectations of what I think they can do, and they've all kind of hit that peak today, and now we've got to continue to grow on it. It's one game, and we've got a big week ahead."
The Predators have shuffled pairings and players on the blue line all season, and Sunday's win over the Avalanche suggests they might be on the right path as the first month of the season enters its final week.
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