Rinne strong as Preds silence Avalanche

Denver, CO (SportsNetwork.com) - Pekka Rinne stopped all 26 shots he faced as Nashville recorded a 3-0 win over Colorado at Pepsi Center.

It was Rinne's third shutout of the season and the 35th in his career.

The eventual game-winning goal was scored just 2:23 into the game by Filip Forsberg.

Gabriel Bourque and James Neal later added empty-net goals for the Predators, who were coming off a loss against Chicago on Saturday and have not lost two games in a row yet this season.

In the loss, Calvin Pickard made 33 saves on 34 shots for the Avalanche, who are suffering a four-game losing streak.

Minutes into the game, Bourque's pass through the neutral zone found Forsberg behind the Colorado defense, and Forsberg made no mistake on the breakaway, lifting the puck over Pickard's shoulder for a 1-0 lead.

"I played against him last year in the minors," said Pickard. "I know what he can do. That was a tough one to stop."

Late in the second period, the Avalanche had their best opportunity to tie the game. The rebound from Nathan MacKinnon's shot bounced right to Gabriel Landeskog with a wide-open net and Rinne down on the ice. Instead of burying it to even the score, his shot rang off the post.

"When you hear the noise of the post, I know I got away with one," said Rinne. "It was a big relief that thing didn't go in."

With time winding down in the game, Avalanche coach Patrick Roy pulled Pickard with two minutes remaining, and it did not take long for the Predators to take advantage. A Colorado turnover at the blue line sent Nashville the other way, and Bourque put the puck in the net just as Pickard arrived at the bench.

A minute later, Roy tried again, and it had the same result. Forsberg won a battle along the boards by kicking the loose puck to Mike Ribeiro, and Ribeiro's cross-ice pass entering the Colorado zone hit Neal, who buried the puck to seal the win.

"We can skate with any team in the league, but here we are at home," said Landeskog. "We should get at least one."

Game Notes

This was the first of five meetings this season between these division rivals ... The Predators power play is now scoreless in its last 28 attempts ... Colorado was shut out for the fourth time this season ... Tonight's shutout was the first in Rinne's career against Colorado.