In a season where the Colorado Avalanche have looked nearly untouchable-especially at home-the Nashville Predators walked into Ball Arena and delivered a statement.
Coming into Friday night, the Avs had a pristine 19-0-3 record on home ice and were sitting comfortably atop the NHL with a league-best 33-5-8 mark. They hadn’t lost in regulation at Ball Arena all season. That changed in emphatic fashion, as Nashville handed Colorado its first home regulation loss in a dominant 7-3 win.
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t a fluke. This was a full-team effort by a Predators squad that’s been quietly turning a corner. And at the center of it all was Ryan O’Reilly, who put together a vintage performance with a hat trick and an assist, leading by example and setting the tone from the opening puck drop.
“Obviously, a great win for us. Thought everyone competed, everyone played hard tonight,” O’Reilly said postgame. “To give that team their first regulation loss here is something to be proud of.”
And he’s right. Colorado isn’t just another good team-they’ve been the gold standard this season.
With Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar leading the charge, the Avs have been rolling over opponents, especially on home ice. But Nashville didn’t blink.
They matched Colorado’s intensity, played with structure, and capitalized on their chances.
This wasn’t just about O’Reilly’s big night, either. The Predators got scoring from up and down the lineup-Michael Bunting, Filip Forsberg, Steven Stamkos, and Michael McCarron all found the back of the net. That kind of depth scoring is exactly what this team needs if it’s going to claw its way back into the playoff picture.
The win capped off a strong stretch for Nashville, who’ve now rattled off three straight victories-each one against a quality opponent. First it was the Capitals, then the high-flying Oilers, and now the Avalanche. That’s not just a win streak-that’s a confidence builder.
“When we're all pulling the rope together, five guys on the ice are working, communicating, we can compete with anyone,” O’Reilly added. “And tonight, that was a great team we beat.”
It’s the kind of performance that can shift a locker room’s mindset. Nashville still sits outside the Western Conference playoff picture, but this stretch shows they’re not out of the fight. If they keep playing with this level of cohesion and compete, they’re going to make things interesting down the stretch.
As for Colorado, this loss might sting, but it doesn’t change the big picture. They’re still the NHL’s top team, and one regulation loss at home doesn’t erase months of dominance. But it does serve as a reminder: even the best can be beaten when a hungry opponent shows up ready to work.
And on Friday night, the Predators did exactly that.