Avalanche @ Predators

Who will WIN this matchup?

Colorado Avalanche (13-6-4)

@ Nashville Predators (17-6-1)

Starting Goalies:

Semyon Varlamov (COL): Unconfirmed

Pekka Rinne (NSH): Likely

Current odds:

Colorado Avalanche: (+140)

Nashville Predators: (-160)

• The NHL’s top scoring line of Mikko Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon and captain Gabriel Landeskog continues to pile up video game numbers but the Colorado trio faces a stiff test when the Avalanche visit the Nashville Predators on Tuesday. Rantanen and MacKinnon are Nos. 1-2 in the league in points with 38 and 35 while Landeskog (14 goals) is in the top 10 in scoring after the trio combined for eight goals and 16 assists in the last four games – all victories. The line has helped springboard the Avalanche into third place in the Central, arguably the NHL’s toughest division, five points behind first-place Nashville.

• The Predators share the best record in the league with the Tampa Bay Lightning after kicking off a five-game homestand with a 5-2 victory over Anaheim on Sunday for their fourth victory in five contests. Nashville’s depth was on full display Sunday as Kyle Turris (third on the team with 17 points) was placed on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury, but Austin Watson took advantage of prime ice time to record his first career hat trick. The Predators prevailed in the first of four meetings this season 4-1 in Colorado on Nov. 7 behind Colton Sissons’ second career hat trick, the first encounter since Nashville ousted the Avalanche four games to two in the first round of the 2018 playoffs.

• One of Colorado’s lesser point-producers is coming through of late as J.T. Compher has scored four of his six goals this season in the last three games, including a pair of short-handed goals — during the same power play — Friday at Arizona. Landeskog, MacKinnon (15) and Rantanen (10) have combined for 39 of the Avalanche’s 86 goals this season with Carl Soderberg’s seven fourth-most on the club. Semyon Varlamov (8-5-2, 2.34 goals-against average, .926 save percentage) is expected to start in goal Tuesday after winning his fourth straight start, 3-2 over Dallas on Saturday.

• Nick Bonino, another of Nashville’s prized depth players, recorded a goal and an assist against his former team Sunday and has scored in consecutive games for the second time in six contests. Forsberg paces the team with 14 goals and shares the club lead in points (21) with Ryan Johansen (team-high 17 assists). P.K. Subban (upper body), who has 298 career assists, is eligible to return from injured reserve after missing the last six games but general manager David Poile said recently that the defenseman could be out “a little while longer.”

• Forsberg and C Calle Jarnkrok also have hat tricks for Nashville this season.

• Thirty-two of the combined 99 points recorded by Rantanen, MacKinnon and Landeskog have come on the power play, which is second in the league at 30.37 percent. The trio has 12 of the 24 man-advantage goals.

• The Predators are 6-for-18 with the extra man over their last five games, raising the league’s third-worst power-play percentage entering Monday to 15.2.