(My Sportsbook) - It seems as if playing without two of its top offensive players has finally caught up to the Colorado Avalanche. They will try to end a three-game losing streak tonight in a road test with the Nashville Predators at the Sommet Center.

Colorado has lost three straight on the heels of a three-game winning streak and has played the last five games without leading scorer Paul Stastny, who is on injured reserve due to right forearm surgery. That club has already been without Joe Sakic since December due to first a herniated disc in his back and then three broken fingers suffered in a snow blower accident.

Stastny leads Colorado with 21 assists and 31 points in 34 games this year, and he and Sakic combined for 111 points last season.

However, the Avalanche have been outscored 11-2 over their three-game slide and were blanked, 2-0, by Minnesota on Sunday. Peter Budaj stopped 35-of-37 shots in the loss and he has allowed all 11 goals over the slide. He is 6-3-0 with a 2.18 goals against average versus Nashville.

In addition to having Sakic, Stastny and Cody McCormick (foot) all on injured reserve, Adam Foote left Sunday's game due to a triceps injury and is out for tonight's game, along with Ian Laperriere (back). Chris Stewart also left Sunday's game because of a right leg injury suffered while blocking a shot and is questionable tonight, as is Darcy Tucker (hand).

Colorado has dropped three of its last four on the road and is 8-11-1 as the visiting team this season.

While the Avalanche's scoring woes are more recent, the Predators have had trouble scoring for the last month. Nashville has been held to two goals or fewer in 10 of its last 13 games and has gone 4-8-1 in that span.

The Predators were in action on Saturday to begin a five-game homestand and were defeated by the Calgary Flames, 3-2. Jerred Smithson and Jason Arnott lit the lamp for the Predators, who have lost a season-high four games in a row and have been outscored 15-6 in that time. That includes a 5-1 setback to Colorado on December 29, the Avs' last win.

Dan Ellis allowed three goals on 26 shots, letting the last two get by him over the final eight minutes. Ellis has split his two career starts versus the Avs, taking a loss this year despite halting 19-of-20 shots in the game.

Pekka Rinne was in net for the Preds' last loss to Colorado and has also split two lifetime starts against the Avalanche.

Nashville is 10-6-1 as the host team this year.

Colorado has won two of three and four of its last six meetings with Nashville, but has also dropped two of three and six of its last eight at the Sommet Center.