NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Filip Forsberg scored one goal and provided two assists, while Justus Annunen made 25 saves, leading the Nashville Predators to a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night.
The matchup featured two teams contending for a wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
In addition to Forsberg, Ryan Ufko and Ryan O’Reilly contributed goals for the Predators, marking their second consecutive win. The Kraken’s lone goal came from Frederick Gaudreau, and Joey Daccord recorded 24 saves as the team struggled, now holding a 2-6 record in their last eight games.
Game Overview
The victory allowed Nashville to equal Seattle’s points total, with both teams sitting at 71 points and just outside the wild-card positions. The Predators faced an unexpected challenge as starting goalie Juuse Saros was ruled out due to an upper-body injury, making Annunen the starter.
Prior to the game, Saros participated in the morning skate but was a late scratch, prompting the team to recall Matt Murray from the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals. Murray arrived at the arena after the game had already begun and took a position on the Predators’ bench at the start of the third period.
Key Performances
Annunen improved his career record against Seattle to 3-0-0. The game opened with Ufko scoring at 6:14 in the first period, utilizing a one-timer from the left side after receiving a pass from Brady Skjei, who achieved his 300th career point with the assist.
Gaudreau, a former Predator, equalized for the Kraken with 1:20 remaining in the first period. In the second period, O’Reilly scored a power-play goal at 7:11, reclaiming the lead for Nashville after successfully maneuvering against two Kraken defenders to gain control of the puck following a shot by Steven Stamkos.
Forsberg sealed the win for the Predators with an empty-net goal with 1:50 left in the game.
Next Matches
Looking ahead, the Kraken will face the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday, while the Predators will host the Vegas Golden Knights the same day.