Eurolanche

Avs Landeskog questionable vs. Preds

Season series: The Nashville Predators won three of five games against the Colorado Avalanche last season, led by forward Filip Forsberg's three goals and forward Mike Ribeiro's six points. Nashville won the two games played at Bridgestone Arena. Colorado was led by forward Jarome Iginla's three goals and forward Matt Duchene's four points.

Avalanche team scope: Semyon Varlamov will start in goal, coach Patrick Roy said Friday. Forward Gabriel Landeskog, who missed a 4-2 loss Wednesday to the Pittsburgh Penguins because of a back injury, is doing better and Roy said he will be on the road trip as he continues to be evaluated. If Landeskog isn't in the lineup, Mikhail Grigorenko will start on the top line with Duchene and Nathan MacKinnon. "I think he's got great IQ, he's got great talent, he's got a great shot; he has all the tools to play at our level," Roy told the Avalanche website when asked about Grigorenko's potential. Duchene, who scored 11 goals in November, has three goals in five December games. Colorado begins a three-game road trip and will have played 20 of 32 games away from Pepsi Center by the time it returns to face the New York Islanders on Dec. 17. 

Predators team scope: Forward Eric Nystrom has goals in consecutive games for Nashville, which opened a stretch in which it plays seven of eight on home ice with a 5-1 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday. The Predators are 9-3-2 at Bridgestone and goalie Pekka Rinne credited the atmosphere the fans have created for a lot of their success. "Having this awesome crowd that we can feed off, they work as an advantage for us," Rinne told the Predators website. "If you can match that energy level, that intensity, I think for the most part we're going to be in good shape." Nashville entered games Friday third in the NHL averaging 31.6 shots per game and fifth on the power play at 21.6 percent.

-- by Brian Hunter for NHL.com --