NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Minnesota Wild kept throwing them lifelife after lifeline, and the Colorado Avalanche couldn't grab on to a single one.

Despite Minnesota's fourth straight regulation loss in six nights, Colorado couldn't capitalize and was eliminated from the Western Conference playoff picture Tuesday night with a 4-3 setback at the Nashville Predators' hands in Bridgestone Arena.

Center Craig Smith supplied the game-winner for Nashville (40-26-14) at 4:17 of the third period with his 21st goal off a slick feed from left winger Filip Forsberg, ushering Minnesota into the conference's second wild-card spot despite its 3-0 home loss to San Jose.

While the Predators celebrated the end of their four-game losing streak, the Avalanche left the ice with heads bowed. Center Matt Duchene, who drew assists on the two goals that helped them wipe out an early 2-0 deficit, swung his stick off the boards behind the Colorado net in frustration.

"It's disappointing for all of us," Avalanche coach Patrick Roy said. "It's not what we expect from this team. It's such a fine line for any team to make the playoffs. A lot of good teams miss the playoffs -- look at Los Angeles last year.

"You need to be relatively healthy for all 82 games, or you have to have a lot of depth. Everybody wants to make the playoffs, but in order to make the playoffs, you have to play a strong 82-game season."

Colorado (39-37-4) couldn't accomplish it, undone by a losing record at home and injuries that cost it Duchene and center Nathan MacKinnon -- their top two goal-scorers entering Tuesday night -- for six straight games down the stretch.

Even as the Avalanche bounced back from a horrible opening 15 minutes in this one and evened the score, there were ominous signs.

They couldn't even manage a shot on a 4-on-1 rush midway through the second period as defenseman Petter Granberg slid to deflect a pass. Then a minute later, center John Mitchell steered a backhand wide of an open net at the right goalpost.

Roy pulled goalie Semyon Varlamov with 3:40 remaining for a sixth attacker, and Colorado got to play the last 1:57 6-on-4 after Nashville center Ryan Johansen high-sticked left winger Mikkel Boedker. But Predators goalie Pekka Rinne came up with the last two of his 25 saves, the toughest when he smothered a point-blank backhander from center Carl Soderberg with 22.6 seconds left.

"Obviously, not the way we wanted to end it," Avalanche left winger Gabriel Landeskog said. "It's so fresh right now that I don't even know what to say."

Meanwhile, Nashville picked up a much-needed two points to build some momentum for its playoff push despite a lackluster second period. Forsberg and center Colin Wilson each tallied a goal and an assist, while Johansen bagged two helpers.

Forsberg's 32nd goal at 10:19 of the first period was one for the highlight reels. After taking a Johansen pass into the slot, Forsberg maneuvered the puck between his legs and then slid a wrister past Varlamov as the sellout crowd of 17,113 roared in amazement.

"He was jammed up and that was the only way he could have put that in," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "That was a beautiful goal. Not a lot of players can do that."

It was preceded by Wilson's first goal since Feb. 27, a wrister that initiated scoring at 8:15. A healthy scratch for Thursday night's 5-2 loss in Pittsburgh, Wilson enjoyed his first multi-point outing in almost a month.

"It's always a lesson to be learned when you sit out," Wilson said. "You never want that to happen."

Nashville appeared on the verge of blowing this one out early, but then went more than 13 minutes without a shot on goal as Colorado owned play for about 25 minutes. Left winger Mikkel Boedker scored from a sharp angle at 16:48 of the first, followed by Jarome Iginla's tying tally at 17:30 of the second off a scramble in the slot.

Predators center Mike Fisher snapped a 2-2 tie 36 seconds into the third period, but the Avalanche equalized at 1:58 off a rebound goal from center Shawn Matthias. But Smith's marker ultimately doomed Colorado to Sunday tee times.

"This is the story of our season," Roy said. "We had plenty of chances, but we find a way to lose the game."

NOTES: Colorado D Nikita Zadorov drew back into the lineup after missing Sunday night's loss to St. Louis due to a hit to the head in the team's Friday night loss to Washington. ... Nashville D Ryan Ellis (head) returned after a two-game absence, with the team sending D Stefan Elliott to its AHL affiliate in Milwaukee. ... Avalanche scratches were Ds Chris Bigras, Eric Gelinas and Andrew Bodnarchuk. ... The Predators scratched RW Miikka Salomaki, C Colton Sissons and LW Austin Watson.