Nashville goalie Juuse Saros stones Avalanche in first game back from 4 Nations break

NASHVILLE — The Colorado Avalanche controlled its first game back from the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off break, but the inability to convert chances into enough goals at times returned as well.

Juuse Saros made 32 saves to help the Nashville Predators hold off the Avs in a 2-1 win Saturday night at Bridgestone Arena.

Jonathan Marchessault put Nashville in front midway through the third period. Luke Schenn’s shot from the right point went wide, but the carom off the back boards came right to Marchessault near the left post, and was able to tuck it into the net before Avs goalie Scott Wedgewood could recover.

Logan O’Connor hit the post with just over three minutes left in the third period, but Artturi Lehkonen’s double-minor for high-sticking with 2:24 remaining effectively ended the Avs’ hopes of a comeback.

After a low-event opening period, both teams scored quickly to start the second. Sam Malinski put the Avalanche in front just 1:15 after the intermission.

Casey Mittelstadt started the sequence by absorbing a hit in the defensive zone but still igniting a rush in the other direction. Ex-Predators forward Jusso Parssinen collected his pass and then connected with Jonathan Drouin on the far side of the ice.

Malinski teed up a drop pass from Drouin and blasted a shot into the top-left corner of the net for his second goal of the season.

Colorado’s lead didn’t last long. Justin Barron, a 2020 first-round pick by the Avalanche, evened the score for Nashville 30 seconds after Malinski’s tally. Barron, who was traded to Montreal in the Artturi Lehkonen deal ahead of the 2022 trade deadline, collected a pass from Colton Sissons and placed a shot through a maze of bodies in front of Wedgewood.

The Avs began the stretch run in the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference, two points behind Minnesota for third place in the Central Division and four back of Dallas for second, though both of those teams have games in hand.

Saros began the 4 Nations tournament as Finland’s goaltender, but he allowed six goals in the first game against the United States and was replaced as the starter for the final two contests. This has been Saros’ worst season since becoming Nashville’s starter five years ago, but he looked a lot more like the goalie who finished in the top-six of the Vezina Trophy voting each of the past four campaigns.

Wedgewood got his first start for the Avs since Jan. 25, the day after Colorado traded Mikko Rantanen to Carolina for Martin Necas and Jack Drury. He missed the final few games before the 4 Nations break with an injury. This was Wedgewood’s first time playing against the Predators since Colorado traded backup goalie Justus Annunen for him on Dec. 1.

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