Our Predators vs Avalanche prediction starts in the crease, where neither starter is locked in yet. Nashville (6-4-5) visits Ball Arena on Thursday night as a +180 moneyline underdog. Colorado (9-6-1) sits at -220, with the total parked at 6.5. The Predators won the first meeting convincingly in October. Below, we break down the goaltenders, the special-teams gap and the market before landing on two plays.
Nashville Predators vs. Colorado Avalanche — Time and How to Watch
| Where | Ball Arena, Denver Colorado |
| When | November 5 – 9:30 PM ET |
| TV | ESPN+ |
Nashville Predators vs. Colorado Avalanche Betting Preview
The goaltending matchup comes first, and it is still provisional. As of Thursday morning, Daily Faceoff lists Juuse Saros and Mackenzie Blackwood as unconfirmed starters. Saros carries a .908 save percentage and a 2.76 goals-against average through a 4-3-4 record. Blackwood is 8-3-0, but his .893 save percentage and 2.80 GAA show a goalie winning behind a big offense rather than stealing games.
Saros is coming off a sharp night. He made 29 saves in Nashville’s 4-1 home win over Carolina on Tuesday. Notably, neither of Thursday’s projected starters played in the October meeting. Justus Annunen faced Scott Wedgewood that night, so the read below depends on Saros and Blackwood actually starting.
The schedule is even. Colorado last played Tuesday, a 7-2 loss in Columbus, and returns home for this game. Nashville also last played Tuesday. Both teams get a day of rest before puck drop.
The Avalanche offense is the headline. Colorado scores about 4.1 goals per game, among the top two marks in the league. Martin Necas has 18 points, and Artturi Lehkonen has eight goals over his last 10 games. However, Colorado allows more than three goals per game, and its team save percentage ranks in the bottom half of the league. The Avalanche are 6-1-1 at home but 5-4-1 over their last 10. Defensemen Josh Manson (lower body) and Zachary L’Heureux (upper body) remain out.
Nashville wins with special teams. The Predators convert 30.6% of their power plays, fourth in the NHL, and kill 89.4% of penalties, third in the league. Colorado sits 17th in both categories at 21.2% and 76.6%. Filip Forsberg has 19 points and just tied a franchise record with his fifth straight multipoint game. Meanwhile, Jonathan Marchessault is day to day and missed Tuesday’s game, and newly acquired Shane Wright made his Nashville debut. Our Avalanche vs. Blackhawks breakdown covers Colorado’s goalie split earlier this week.
Recent form is close. The Predators are 4-3-3 over their last 10, scoring 3.1 goals per game and allowing 3.2. Colorado is 5-4-1 in that span, scoring 3.7 and allowing 3.2. The shot share tells a different story, however. Colorado averages about 30.5 shots per game, third in the league, while Nashville generates only 25.9 and allows 28.9. That gap is the strongest argument for the Avalanche, and it explains much of the price on the home side.
Nashville Predators vs. Colorado Avalanche Odds
| Puck Line | Moneyline | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Predators | +1.5 (-140) | +180 | O 6.5 (-103) |
| Avalanche | -1.5 (+120) | -220 | U 6.5 (-117) |
Odds accurate as of November 5, 2026 via TheSpread.com. Odds change, get the latest NHL Odds – Futures – Props
Predators vs. Avalanche Prediction — Can a Power Play That Went 4-for-7 in October Do It Again?
The first meeting is a useful template. Nashville beat Colorado 6-2 on October 25, going 4-for-7 on the power play as Ryan O’Reilly and Steven Stamkos each scored twice. Eight goals hit the board, and Nashville’s special teams did most of the damage. That matchup has not changed. The league’s fourth-best power play still meets a penalty kill that ranks 17th.
The broader numbers point the same way. Colorado’s games have averaged roughly 7.4 combined goals this season, built on 66 goals scored in 16 games. Over the last 10, the Avalanche have scored 3.7 per game and allowed 3.2. Blackwood’s .893 save percentage also leaves room for a crooked number. In addition, a late empty-net goal is a real factor here. If Colorado leads by one late, or Nashville pulls Saros chasing a goal, the final minute can push the score higher.
The case against is real, though. Nashville’s own games average about six total goals, and Saros has been the better goalie this season. The Predators’ 89.4% penalty kill can also cancel Colorado’s power play. The market leans that way too. The total has not moved since it opened, and the books are shading the under side. With no market confirmation behind it, this is a lean rather than a strong play.
The Pick: Over 6.5 (-103)
Predators vs. Avalanche Prediction — What Do Five Overtime Losses in 15 Games Say About Nashville?
Nashville rarely gets blown out. Five of its 15 games have gone past regulation and ended in an overtime or shootout loss, and the Predators have collected points in five of their last six. They are only 1-1-3 on the road, but that record reflects tight games more than lopsided ones. Colorado’s price of -220 implies roughly a 68.8% win probability. That is steep for a team allowing more than three goals per game and coming off a 7-2 loss.
Goaltending supports Nashville in this spot. Saros has posted the better save percentage of the two projected starters, and the Predators’ penalty kill ranks third in the league. That combination limits the ways Colorado can build a multi-goal lead. Nashville also proved in October that it can handle this opponent, though that game came against Wedgewood rather than Blackwood.
Colorado opened at -210 and is now -220. That modest move toward the favorite is not a strong signal on its own. The risk is obvious, too. Colorado’s attack can win by three, and an empty-net goal can turn a one-goal game into a two-goal game late. The break-even bar on this play sits close to our read, so the edge is thin.
The Pick: Predators +1.5 Puck Line (-140)