Forsberg's OT goal lifts Predators past Avalanche

Filip Forsberg scored 1:07 into overtime Sunday as the Nashville Predators won their eighth straight game, rallying for a 4-3 decision over the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center in Denver.

It was the 18th goal of the season for Forsberg, who beat Semyon Varlamov with a wrister as Nashville closed out a perfect 4-0-0 road swing. The Predators also won their ninth consecutive game against Colorado, dating back to April of 2016.

Nashville forced overtime when Ryan Ellis tallied his sixth goal at 18:54 on a slapper with a sixth attacker on the ice. Ellis finished with a goal and two assists, including the primary helper on Forsberg's game-winner.

Colorado wiped out a 2-1 deficit with two goals to grab a one-goal edge late in the game. Matt Nieto equalized at 4:38 with the help of a lucky bounce. Goalie Pekka Rinne saved his wrister from the left circle, but Kevin Fiala's attempt to clear the puck instead knocked it into the net for Nieto's 13th marker of the season.

The Avalanche took the lead at 14:22 on the power play. Mikko Rantanen potted his 22nd goal with a one-timer from the right circle off Nathan MacKinnon's 46th assist, but they couldn't hold off the Predators.

Rinne made 22 saves for the win and Varlamov stopped 27 of 31 shots.

Nashville needed just 3:09 to initiate the day's scoring. After a long stint in Colorado end of the rink, Austin Watson fired a wrister from the point that deflected off a defenseman and eluded Varlamov. It made Watson the Predators' ninth 10-goal scorer of the season.

The Avalanche tied it at 12:57, seconds after killing a Nashville power play. Carl Soderberg sent Nikita Zadorov down the left wing and Zadorov rifled a slapper past Rinne on the blocker side for his sixth goal of the season.

Nashville regained a one-goal advantage on the power play at 8:08 of the second period. Ryan Ellis teed up Kyle Turris for a one-timer from the left circle. The puck knuckled off Turris' stuck and struck Varlamov's glove on its way to the net for Turris' 12th goal.

--Field Level Media