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Nashville Predators season ends with hard-fought loss to Colorado Avalanche

gentry estes, nashville tennessean
·2 min read

As happens at season’s end, the Nashville Predators dawdled on the ice a little while longer Friday night at Bridgestone Arena, looking up and acknowledging their reciprocating fans.

Even this customary moment, like most everything around here lately, felt different.

There was no Roman Josi out there on the ice. No Filip Forsberg or Matt Duchene or Mattias Ekholm or Mikael Granlund. The Predators that opened this season in Europe barely resembled the ones that finished it without a playoff spot. That was unsurprising, considering all the key injuries and midseason trades. And yet, it was just barely.

Friday's 4-3 loss to the Colorado Avalanche in the regular-season finale left the Predators with 92 points, three short of the Western Conference’s final wildcard spot. Their spirited chase of the Winnipeg Jets had already been lost just a few days ago.

Meanwhile, the Avs (51-24-7) were competing Friday for the top spot in the Central Division. And they showed up like it, scoring two goals in the game’s first 3:20. The baby Predators (42-32-8) didn't go away. Kiefer Sherwood scored twice -- matching the first two from Colorado superstar Nathan MacKinnon -- and Luke Evangelista added another as Nashville fought back to tie the score entering the third period.

McKinnon got the hat trick against Preds backup goalie Kevin Lankinen with 1:42 remaining, giving him 42 goals on the season and giving the Avalanche the victory.

And now ... it’ll be an eventful summer. The NHL Draft is headed to Nashville with change in the air and a franchise in transition.

With GM David Poile’s upcoming retirement (and former coach Barry Trotz’s hire to replace him), Poile was honored with a standing ovation during the third period of his final game as GM. He was shown on the big screen at Bridgestone Arena after a recorded message from Josi thanking the fans and Poile.

At that moment, Josi, Forsberg, Duchene and other injured Preds stars appeared behind the bench.

Reach Tennessean sports columnist Gentry Estes at gestes@tennessean.com and on Twitter @Gentry_Estes.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville Predators season ends with loss to Colorado Avalanche