NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- James Neal's return from a four-game absence helped return the Nashville Predators to the win column.

Neal scored his team-high 11th goal Tuesday night as Nashville salvaged the finale of a three-game homestand, holding off the Colorado Avalanche 4-3 at Bridgestone Arena.

Neal, who sustained an upper-body injury Nov. 25 in a 5-1 win over Winnipeg, was said to be week-to-week on Thursday. But his recovery accelerated from that point and he was activated hours before this game.

And like a true goal scorer, Neal hit the scoresheet in his return, beating Semyon Varlamov on a wrister from a bad angle at 18:26 of the first period.

"I was just trying to get it off as quick as I could," Neal said. "It was good to be back with the guys in front of the home crowd."

Coach Peter Laviolette decided to slot Neal with center Mike Fisher and Colin Wilson, a combination that worked wonders last spring in the playoffs when they were on the ice for seemingly every critical goal the Predators scored.

And on this goal, it was Wilson that drew the assist, further evidence of the line's chemistry.

"Neal doesn't need a lot of room or a lot of space," Laviolette said. "He provides a nice balance in our lines."

Neal's presence helped Nashville (12-9-4) control even-strength play most of the night, although it tallied the game-winner with a two-man advantage after Colorado defensemen Cody Goloubef and Francois Beauchemin took minors on the same shift to give the Predators two minutes of 5-on-3 time.

With 13 seconds remaining in the penalties, defenseman Roman Josi slotted Ryan Johansen's feed for his fourth goal at 1:04 of the third period for the game-winning marker.

Nashville protected the lead from there, killing a pair of minors in the last 10 minutes after giving up two power-play goals to Matt Duchene in the second period. The Avalanche (9-14-1) had 93 seconds of 6-on-4 time to end the game after Johansen was called for high-sticking Duchene.

But Duchene was called for playing the puck with a high stick with 23.8 seconds left as Colorado pressured for the equalizer, forcing a faceoff back in its defensive zone and wasting valuable time. A couple of Avalanche players slammed their sticks to the ice as the horn sounded on their sixth straight loss.

Duchene leads Colorado with nine goals -- all on the road.

"It's a bit of a crazy stat," first-year Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. "He's competing, and he's finding a way on the road. Hopefully, he can find a way to continue doing that."

Viktor Arvidsson initiated scoring at 10:08 of the first period, blocking Goloubef's point shot and collecting the puck for a breakaway. He beat Varlamov to the stick side for his eighth goal, matching his total for all of last season.

Nathan MacKinnon equalized for Colorado at 12:08 after a Calle Jarnkrok turnover. Rene Bourque collected the whiffed pass and fed an open MacKinnon in the slot.

Neal's goal put the Predators up 2-1 after the first, but Duchene tied it with his first man-advantage tally at 3:46 of the second period. The goal was originally waved off, but a replay revealed the puck barely crossed the goal line before Johansen swept it away.

After P.K. Subban notched his seventh goal at 5:59 with a slapper that hit off the stick of Avalanche defenseman Eric Gelinas, Duchene pounced on a rebound in the slot for his second goal at 13:56 to even the score for the third time.

But there wouldn't be a fourth tie as Nashville held its last lead. Pekka Rinne (11-5-4) made 13 of his 25 saves in the third period to beat Colorado for the third time in five weeks.

"Those are the type of wins we need," said Rinne. "We need to shut teams down with a lead at the end of the game. We had a good penalty-kill at the end."

Varlamov (5-12-0) stopped 28 of 32 shots for the Avalanche, which started a four-game road trip. Mike Ribeiro picked up two assists for the Predators, giving him five in the last four games.

NOTES: Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog (lower-body injury) missed his ninth consecutive contest. He is expected to return during the team's four-game road trip that started Tuesday night. ... The Avalanche scratched D Fedor Tyutin. ... The Predators' scratches were D Adam Pardy and C Reid Boucher.