Avalanche vs. Predators Recap: Stamkos Powers Nashville Power Play

The Predators beat the Avalanche 6-2 in regulation, and the power play did most of the damage. Nashville scored twice in the 1st, added three more in the 2nd and led 5-0 before Colorado got on the board. The Predators scored four power-play goals on seven chances, while Colorado came up empty on four tries. Nashville outshot Colorado 35-21 and won 61.7 percent of the faceoffs. Scott Wedgewood made 29 saves on 35 shots for Colorado. Justus Annunen stopped 19 of 21 for Nashville. Two DARIMARKET plays cashed on this game.

What cashed

Steven Stamkos 1+ points (-145 at DraftKings): CASHED - Our read: Stamkos came in with a point in 8 of his 10 games this season, including 5 of his last 6. - What happened: 2 G, 1 A, 3 points, 4 shots on goal in 17:46 of ice time, with 6:33 on the power play. That is 2.5 points over the line. The prop was settled at 4:01 of the 1st, when he picked up the secondary assist on Filip Forsberg's power-play goal. He then scored at even strength at 10:48 of the 1st and added a power-play wrister at 10:24 of the 3rd for the final goal of the night. - Worth watching: He logged the same 6:33 of power-play time as Ryan O'Reilly and Roman Josi. Point props for a shooter with that much power-play time are worth a look when the price stays in this range.

Artturi Lehkonen 1+ points (-125 at DraftKings): CASHED - Our read: Lehkonen had a point in all of his last 5 games and in 8 of 11 this season, and Nashville was on the second night of a back-to-back. - What happened: 1 G, 0 A, 5 shots on goal in 18:32, with 1:41 on the power play. That is 0.5 over the line. His even-strength tip-in at 17:55 of the 2nd, set up by Martin Necas and Nathan MacKinnon, ended the shutout just 26 seconds after Nashville's fifth goal. - Worth watching: His 5 shots on goal led Colorado, and most of his work came at even strength. A forward with that kind of shot volume stays on our radar for point props.

How the game played out

The 2nd period swung it. Ryan O'Reilly scored on the power play at 6:38, Jack Drury added an even-strength goal at 16:36, and O'Reilly struck again on the power play at 17:29 to make it 5-0. Lehkonen answered late in the period and Devon Toews scored at 2:43 of the 3rd to cut it to 5-2, but Stamkos closed it out on the power play at 10:24.

Trends to watch

• Nashville's top power-play group was heavily used. Stamkos, O'Reilly and Josi each played 6:33 on the man advantage, and Forsberg played 6:16. Josi finished with 3 assists and O'Reilly with 2 goals and 2 assists.
• O'Reilly won 11 of his 12 faceoffs, and Nashville won 61.7 percent as a team.
• Goalie workload was lopsided. Wedgewood faced 35 shots and posted a .829 save percentage, while Annunen saw 21. Shot volume against Colorado is worth tracking in the next few games.

Stats are from the ESPN box score. For more, see our NHL board, the NHL recaps, and our guide to the player prop.