Blackwood makes 35 saves as Avalanche shut out Predators 3-0
In a masterclass of goaltending that would make Patrick Roy nod in approval, MacKenzie Blackwood authored a 35-save symphony against the Nashville Predators, backstopping the Colorado Avalanche to a commanding 3-0 victory that felt less like a routine regular-season game and more like a statement of intent. The shutout, Blackwood's first of the campaign and the 15th of his career, was the cornerstone of Colorado's eighth consecutive win, their most potent streak since a nine-game romp last March, and it was built on a foundation of sheer resilience.The game's trajectory was set just 15 seconds after the initial faceoff—a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment where Brent Burns, collecting a loose puck from a scrum in the right corner, unleashed a wrist shot from the circle that whistled past a startled Juuse Saros. From that explosive start, the contest settled into a tense, gripping narrative of siege and resistance.Nashville, desperate to halt a slide that has seen them lose seven of their last eight and return listlessly from a Global Series trip to Stockholm, threw everything they had at Blackwood, outshooting the Avalanche 16-6 in the first period alone. Yet, the netminder stood as an impenetrable fortress, his most crucial denial coming with under six minutes left in the third when he stymied Michael McCarron's backhand from the low slot, a save that preserved the fragile one-goal lead and ultimately broke the Predators' spirit.The final minutes saw the inevitable empty-net daggers from Nathan MacKinnon—who now has three goals in two games, operating with the cold efficiency of a Joe Sakic—and Jack Drury, sealing a fate that felt deserved. While Cale Makar's remarkable point streak on the road finally ended, it was a mere footnote in a game dominated by defensive structure and one man's brilliance between the pipes.For a Colorado team that is now a perfect 5-0-0 when being outshot this season, this victory underscores a terrifying duality: they can win with explosive offense or, as demonstrated in Nashville, with granite-like defense and elite goaltending, a combination that evokes memories of their 2022 Stanley Cup-winning identity. The Predators, despite the return of captain Roman Josi from a 12-game absence, looked like a team still searching for its soul, consecutively shut out and now facing a daunting recalibration as they prepare to host the Florida Panthers.
#featured
#Colorado Avalanche
#Nashville Predators
#MacKenzie Blackwood
#shutout
#winning streak
#Nathan MacKinnon
#Juuse Saros
