Avalanche 1, Predators 0
DENVER -- Tyson Barrie's goal 50 seconds into overtime gave the Colorado Avalanche a 1-0 win over the Nashville Predators on Saturday.
Barrie scored when he came down the right side and knocked in Greg Zanon's rebound past Pekka Rinna. It was Barrie's second goal of the season and ended a four-game skid for the Avalanche.
Semyon Varlamov stopped 34 shots for his third shutout of the season and the 11th of his career.
Rinna had 23 saves for Nashville, which has dropped two straight.
The Avalanche had only 12 shots through the first two periods. Nashville's six power plays was one reason for the lack of offense for a team that had averaged 33 shots in its previous 13 games.
Nashville didn't capitalize on any of its power plays, including 33 seconds of a 5-on-3 late in the first period.
Varlamov had something to do with it. The young goaltender was sharp, keeping his team in the game.
The Predators are still fighting for a postseason berth heading into the last month of the shortened regular season. They came into Saturday having won three of their last four to move within two points of St. Louis for the last playoff seed.
Colorado has struggled since reaching .500 three weeks ago. The Avalanche ended the Chicago Blackhawks' record run to start the season and followed that with a win over the San Jose Sharks but has struggled since. They lost eight of their next nine to fall to last in the Western Conference.
Notes: Avalanche forward Milan Hejduk sustained a shoulder injury in the first period and did not return. ... Nashville center Mike Fisher was scratched because of an upper-body injury suffered in Thursday's loss to Phoenix. He is considered day-to-day. ... The Predators recalled forward Craig Smith from Milwaukee of the AHL, where he was on a conditioning assignment. They also activated forward Paul Gaustad from injured reserve and placed defenseman Scott Hannan on injured reserve. ... Colorado center Paul Stastny was out because of a foot injury. He missed the previous two games and is expected to be out 10 days. ... Colorado forward David Jones was scratched for the fourth straight game because of a knee injury.
