Eurolanche

Loss in Music City

Filip Forsberg scored his second straight hat trick for the Nashville Predators in a 4-2 win against the Colorado Avalanche at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday.

Forsberg had a hat trick in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday. It is his fourth NHL hat trick. The last player to score a hat trick in consecutive games is Vancouver Canucks forward Alexandre Burrows (Jan. 5-7, 2010).

"I just try to attack the game," Forsberg said. "I think our line did a good job of that today. Just try to play fast and go forward and obviously try to find each other. I think we got a couple of goals and a couple of good looks earlier than that as well."

The Predators (29-22-9) tied the St. Louis Blues for third place in the Central Division with 67 points.

The Avalanche (16-40-3) have lost eight of their past nine games (1-7-1).

Forsberg tied the game 2-2 at 5:26 of the second period. He tracked down a loose puck and beat Jeremy Smith above the shoulder for his 20th goal.

"It's tough to explain," Forsberg said. "Sometimes it feels great but you don't score, and sometimes you feel bad but you still score. Tonight was a lot of fun."

Forsberg gave the Predators a 3-2 lead at 10:59. The shot went off of Smith's glove and in the net for Forsberg's second goal of the game and 21st of the season.

Forsberg scored an empty-net goal with 36.5 seconds remaining in the third period.

"I think I always felt a responsibility, and I think that goes for every player in this locker room," Forsberg said. "Everyone wants to contribute and help the team win. Obviously I can't expect myself to score a hat trick every game, but I just try to work hard and if I can score goals, I'll take that as well."

Viktor Arvidsson gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 11:31 of the first period on a one-timer from the slot. Forward Craig Smith made the pass and Arvidsson beat Smith for his 19th goal.

Jarome Iginla made it 1-1 at 17:52 of the first on a redirection from in front of the net. John Mitchell took the initial shot that Iginla redirected past Pekka Rinne for his eighth goal.

"It looked to me like in the second period we were looking off options to move the puck up the ice," Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. "Our play in our own end became softer with the puck, especially when we had those turnovers and they just kept coming back onto us."

Patrick Wiercioch gave the Avalanche a 2-1 lead at 2:34 of the second period on a backhand shot. The puck hit the ice in front of Rinne and bounced above his glove for Wiercioch's fourth goal.

They said it

"They're a dangerous team offensively. Their [defense] get up and get involved. They can move the puck real well. Their transition game is really strong, and that's what hurt us in [the second period]. We turned the puck over, we didn't use the best option and we make hard plays." -- Avalanche coach Jared Bednar on the costly turnovers in the second period

"That's probably why he's got a nice steak beside him right now. That's winning hockey. You need a lot of guys to be sacrificing like that. Sometimes those plays get thrown under the rug kind of and you forget about them. I'm happy you brought it up because just unbelievable effort and sacrifice by him." -- Predators forward Ryan Johansen on Austin Watson's blocked shots

Need to know

The Avalanche are 1-11-1 in their past 13 road games. ... Forsberg is tied with forward Steve Sullivan for the most hat tricks in Predators history.

What's next

Avalanche: Host the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday (10 p.m. ET; MSG-B, ALT, NHL.TV)

Predators: Host the Washington Capitals on Saturday (5 p.m. ET; SN, CSN-DC, FS-TN, NHL.TV)

Smith still chasing first win

--by Robby Stanley for NHL.com, photos: nhl.com--