O'Reilly nets hat trick as Predators hand Avalanche 1st home loss in regulation, 7-3

DENVER (AP) — Ryan O’Reilly scored three goals for his seventh career hat trick and added an assist as the Nashville Predators beat Colorado 7-3 on Friday night, handing the Avalanche their first home loss in regulation this season.

Filip Forsberg had a goal and two assists for Nashville. Juuse Saros made 39 saves.

It was O’Reilly's first hat trick since Jan. 4, 2025, versus Calgary, and second against his former team. O’Reilly spent his first six seasons with the Avalanche before being traded to Buffalo before the 2015-16 campaign.

Brock Nelson had two goals, Martin Necas also scored and Mackenzie Blackwood stopped 23 shots in his return to the lineup for Colorado. Blackwood had not played since Dec. 31 due to a lower-body injury.

He couldn’t prevent the Avalanche (33-5-8) from losing a second consecutive game at home, where they are 19-1-3.

O’Reilly scored his first goal 30 seconds into the game and got his second when he sent the puck from the goal line to the front of the net, where it deflected in off the stick of Colorado defenseman Sam Girard at 7:32.

Nelson answered those goals with two of his own, one when he cleaned up a rebound 54 seconds after O’Reilly’s first and later in the first period when he deflected Josh Manson’s shot.

Nelson has 14 goals in his last 16 games and 24 this season.

Saros made 15 saves in the second period, allowing his Nashville teammates to take the lead. O’Reilly made it 3-2 at 13:01 with his 16th of the season, and Michael Bunting gave the Predators a two-goal lead at 18:04.

Necas made it a one-goal game 1:09 into the third but Forsberg scored a power-play goal at 15:13. Steven Stamkos and Michael McCarron added empty-net goals.

Predators: At the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night.

Avalanche: Host the Washington Capitals on Monday afternoon.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi, left, battles for position with Colorado Avalanche center Gavin Brindley (54) in the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche center Brock Nelson, left, shoots past Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) and defenseman Nick Blankenburg (37) for a goal in the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Nashville Predators left wing Cole Smith, front left, fights for control of the puck with Colorado Avalanche center Ivan Ivan, right, in the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns, right, uses the blade of his skate to block a pass intended for Nashville Predators center Ryan O'Reilly (90) as Avalanche goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood (39) protects the net in the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Nashville Predators defenseman Nicolas Hague (41) and left wing Filip Forsberg, back left, celebrate after a goal by center Ryan O'Reilly (not shown) past Colorado Avalanche goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood (39) in the first period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jordan Kyrou scored the only goal in a shootout and the St. Louis Blues beat Tampa Bay 3-2 on Friday night to snap the Lightning's franchise record-tying 11-game winning streak.

Kyrou’s backhand shot beat Andrei Vasilevskiy.

Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov had a chance to extend the shootout but was stopped by Joel Hofer, who made 34 saves in regulation and overtime before delivering three more in the tiebreaker.

It was the Blues' first win in overtime or a shootout this season. They had been 0-8.

The Blues took 2-0 lead late in the first period with goals just 30 seconds apart.

Jake Neighbors got the first with 2:57 to play in the period and Nick Bjugstad scored when he was left alone in the slot with 2:27 left.

Tampa Bay tied it with a pair of power-play goals 62 seconds apart in the second.

Kucherov scored at 9:59 when the Lightning had a two-man advantage. He then assisted on Oliver Bjorkstrand’s goal 1:02 later. Darren Raddysh assisted on both goals.

Vasilevskiy made 19 saves.

Tampa Bay was trying for a team-record 12th consecutive win. The Lightning had not lost since a 2-1 setback to Los Angeles on Dec. 18. The last time they won 11 in a row was from Jan. 29 to Feb. 17, 2020. They went on to win the Stanley Cup that season.

Lightning: Visit the Dallas Stars on Sunday.

Blues: At the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday night.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Tampa Bay Lightning's Charle-Edouard D'Astous (51) passes the puck while under pressure from St. Louis Blues' Nathan Walker, left, during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Connor Hamilton)

St. Louis Blues' Alexey Toropchenko (13) watches as Tampa Bay Lightning's Nikita Kucherov (86) handles the puck during the third period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Connor Hamilton)

St. Louis Blues goaltender Joel Hofer (30) blocks a shot during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Connor Hamilton)

Tampa Bay Lightning's Anthony Cirelli, left, defends as St. Louis Blues' Jordan Kyrou (25) shoots during the second period of an NHL hockey game Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Connor Hamilton)

St. Louis Blues' Jordan Kyrou, left, scores the winning goal past Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, right, in a shootout during an NHL hockey game Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Connor Hamilton)