Game info 

Who: Nashville Predators (12-14-4, 8th Central) at Colorado Avalanche (22-2-7, 1st in Central) 

When: 8 p.m. CST 

Where:  Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado 

TV: WTVF Channel 5 

Radio: 102.5 The Game 

Line (via BetMGM): Predators +1.5, Avalanche -1.5. Over/under 6.5 (+100/-120). 

First line flourishing 

The Nashville Predators' first line has been massive to the team's success over the last eight games. 

Steven Stamkos has 10 points in eight games, which included a four-goal game in Thursday's 7-2 win over the St. Louis Blues. Luke Evangelista now has 13 points in nine games, which include four multi-point games. Ryan O'Reilly, who has been the Predators' top player all season, has five points in five games. 

The trio has been the driving force behind the Predators' winning six of their last eight games, including a 4-3 shootout victory over the Avalanche on Tuesday. O'Reilly had the lone shootout goal in that game. 

Saros locked in 

Outside of the 6-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, where Saros was pulled for Justus Annunen, Saros has been playing some of his best hockey of the season. 

In December, in five games started, he has a 4-1-0 record with a 2.64 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage. It's a massive jump from the .873 save percentage and 3.35 goals against average from November. 

In the win over the Avalanche, he had a season-best 39 saves on 42 shots. Two nights later, he made 24 saves on 26 shots in the win over the Blues. In the five games played in December, Saros had three 30+ save performances. 

Preds playing short 

With Cole Smith still out and the Predators trading Spencer Stastney to the Edmonton Oilers on Friday, Nashville will be playing with 11 forwards and six defensemen on this two-game road trip. 

General manager Barry Trotz said that the roster should be filling up soon, with Justin Barron nearing a return and the Stastney trade allowing the team to work younger forwards into the system. 

However, ahead of their game against the Avalanche, the Predators' only roster transaction was sending an injured Zach L'Heureux down to Milwaukee. The Predators have been playing short over the last few games and have seemed to thrive with lower numbers. 

Facing top-ranked Avs 

Despite handing the Avalanche a loss on Tuesday, that has not dethroned them from the top spot in the NHL. Following the loss in Nashville, the Avalanche ripped off a 6-2 victory over the Florida Panthers on Thursday, seeing six different Colorado players score. 

Nathan Mackinnon leads the league in points (53 points) and goals (25 goals). Martin Necas is third in the league in assists with 29 and Avalanche players own four of the top five best plus/minuses in the NHL (MacKinnon 37, Necas 30, Cale Makar 29, Lehkonen 37).

In net, Scott Wedgewood, a former Predators player, has the second most wins in the league with 13, the fourth best goals-against average (2.11) and sixth best save percentage (.919).

Backup Mackenzie Blackwood is also ranked as one of the top goaltenders in the league with a 2.19 goals against average (sixth) and a .920 save percentage (tied-fourth). 

As a team, the Avalanche have only lost at home twice this season, once in regulation to the New Jersey Devils, 8-4, on Oct. 26 and the other to the Dallas Stars, 5-4, in a shootout on Oct. 11.