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 It could cost them a chance at a division title and home-ice
advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Colorado right winger Jarome Iginla and center Ryan O'Reilly scored
nine seconds apart, center Joey Hishon's first NHL goal was the
winner as the Avalanche beat the Predators 3-2 at Pepsi Center.
Center Calle Jarnkrok and defenseman Ryan Ellis scored, and goalie
Pekka Rinne made 20 saves for the Predators, who lost their fourth
straight.
"It's really frustrating," Rinne said. "We've had a bunch of these
games of late where we have more shots and overall play a really
good game and the result ends up like this."
Tuesday's result might have been different had the officials not
waved off an apparent goal early in the third period. Predators
defenseman Roman Josi's shot from the boards beat Semyon Varlamov as
the goaltender fell to the ice, but the officials ruled Varlamov was
interfered with by Nashville center Paul Gaustad.
Replays showed Gaustad was just in the wrong place at the wrong
time. He was skating past Varlamov when the goaltender simply lost
an edge and hit the ice.
No penalty was called on the play.
"I got an explanation, which didn't match with what we saw,"
Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "It's disappointing. We're
battling for home ice, everybody is battling for something in the
league. It's just a frustrating, disappointing turn of events right
there."
Nashville missed a chance to move ahead of St. Louis in the battle
for the Central Division title. The Blues lost to Winnipeg at home
Tuesday night, but they maintain a one-point lead on Nashville with
two games remaining.
Nashville (47-23-10) holds the tiebreaker on St. Louis. The
Predators are two points ahead of the Chicago Blackhawks in the race
to finish second in the division.
Varlamov made 40 saves for Colorado (37-31-12), which is winding
down a disappointing season a year after surprising everyone by
winning the Central Division with 112 points.
Nashville had the first nine shots on goal. The Predators swarmed
around Varlamov and outshot the Avalanche 14-5 in the first period.
Even though the Predators controlled the play, they led only 1-0
heading into the second. They took the lead when Jarnkrok, on a nice
feed from center Matt Cullen down low, beat Varlamov with a shot off
the inside of the right post at 5:02 of the opening period. It was
his seventh on the season.
The Avalanche tied it late in the second when Iginla beat Rinne with
a shot over the goalie's left shoulder at 15:32. It was his
team-leading 27th of the season and got him closer to the 30-goal
plateau, which he has reached 12 times in his career.
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O'Reilly made it 2-1 with his 17th goal nine seconds later.
"Obviously, we didn't start the way we wanted, but after the first,
it was very entertaining for our fans," Colorado coach Patrick Roy
said. "Our guys gave a great effort, played hard and found a way to
score two goals and get the lead."
Ellis tied it with his ninth goal on a power play 1:20 into the
third. The Predators appeared to take the lead 18 seconds later, but
Josi's goal was waved off.
"Paul said he didn't think he ran into the goalie, but the ref
thought he saw something," Nashville defenseman Shea Weber said.
"Everyone can see for themselves."
The call proved pivotal when Hishon's wrister beat Rinne at 7:06 of
the third to give Colorado a 3-2 lead.
"I tried to get a shot on net, and luckily it went in," said Hishon,
who got more ice time after right winger Dennis Everberg sustained a
shoulder injury in the second period. "I couldn't stop smiling
after. There were 11, 12 minutes left in the game, so I had to try
and focus on my breathing and come back down to earth.
"I had a lot of adrenaline running through my veins, so it was good
to get that first one. To get it in a win is even bigger."
Rinne came off for an extra skater with 1:35 left, but Nashville
couldn't get the equalizer.
NOTES: Avalanche D Erik Johnson likely will not play for the rest of
the season. Johnson, the team's lone All-Star, had minor knee
surgery Jan. 21 with an initial recovery time of three to eight
weeks. However, he hasn't played since, and the Avalanche probably
will avoid using him in the last two games. ... Nashville C Paul
Gaustad returned to the lineup after missing one game with an
upper-body injury. ... Colorado RW Daniel Briere missed his eighth
straight game with a foot injury sustained March 23. ... Predators D
Ryan Ellis played in his 200th career game.
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