The Avalanche’s tough times continued Tuesday night to begin a three-game homestand against division foes. Nashville superstar rookie Filip Forsberg did all the necessary damage to Colorado first-year goalie Calvin Pickard in the Predators’ 3-0 victory at the Pepsi Center.
Pickard, who was called up from the minors for the third time this season Monday, was sensational after allowing Forsberg’s breakaway goal 2:23 into the game. But the Avs couldn’t give him anything to work with and lost their fourth consecutive game.
“I maybe went down a little early, and good players make you pay,” Pickard said of Forsberg’s breakaway. “He made me pay, and I guess that’s the difference in the hockey game.”
PHOTOS:
Colorado is injury-plagued, with six third- and fourth-line forwards out of the lineup. But the six who make up the top two lines are intact and couldn’t get it done in front of Predators goalie Pekka Rinne.
“We didn’t have nearly enough. We have to generate more,” Avs center Matt Duchene said. ” ‘Picks’ gave us a chance to win. We gave ourselves a chance to win by the way we played defensively and how we penalty killed. The goose egg is on the board for a reason. It’s tough right now. That’s a game that takes the wind out of your sails.”
The Avs hit iron beside Rinne three times, but didn’t have enough bodies around the Predators’ goalie at other times.
With Pickard pulled for a sixth attacker during a stretch late in regulation, Gabriel Bourque and James Neal scored empty-net goals to clinch it for the visitors.
The Avs only generated 15 shots after two periods. But Pickard was outstanding, stopping 20-of-21 shots at that point, and the penalty killing was perfect (5-of-5).
“He made some great saves,” Avs coach Patrick Roy said of Pickard. “But I thought we defended pretty well in front of him. They had a lot of power plays. I thought defensively we had a good game.”
A key stretch of the game was when Colorado improved to 6-of-6 on the penalty kill after Jarome Iginla bloodied Nashville’s Neal with a high stick late in the second period. Pickard and the PK were plenty good throughout, but the offense failed to solve Rinne.
Forsberg scored on a breakaway, roofing a wrist shot after taking a long lead pass from Bourque and beating defenseman Tyson Barrie to the net. It was the type of shot only a twitch of the head could have possibly stopped.
Avs captain Gabe Landeskog was in excellent position to tie it late in the second, but his shot from just outside the crease caromed hard off the near post. That kept Rinne’s shutout going, but the defense in front of him had much to do with keeping Colorado off the board.
Led by elite defenseman Shea Weber, the Preds blocked 14 shots after two periods. Weber had five. The Avs blocked nine at that point.
Colorado continues its three-game homestand Thursday against the Winnipeg Jets. Paul Stastny and the St. Louis Blues are in town Saturday.
Mike Chambers: mchambers@denverpost.com or
