In a thrilling contest at Rogers Arena, the Nashville Predators saw a two-goal lead slip away in the third period, ultimately falling to the Vancouver Canucks, 4-3, in a shootout on Thursday night.
The shootout was a tense affair, with Nashville's Ryan O'Reilly, Filip Forsberg, and Steven Stamkos unable to find the back of the net. Jake DeBrusk capitalized for Vancouver, scoring the decisive goal.
This marks Nashville's first shootout loss of the season, adding to their streak of five consecutive overtime/shootout defeats. Meanwhile, it's only the fourth win for the Canucks in 2026, highlighting a tough stretch for the team.
Tyson Jost was a standout for the Predators, netting two goals and achieving his first multi-goal game since May 2021, when he was with the Colorado Avalanche. Jost has been on a roll, with three goals in his last two games.
Matthew Wood contributed with his 14th goal of the season, a crafty shot from the left corner that deflected off Vancouver's Liam Öhgren, giving Nashville a two-goal cushion.
However, the Canucks clawed back with Marco Rossi scoring off a rebound, narrowing the gap with five minutes left. Filip Hronek then tied the game in dramatic fashion, scoring with just a minute remaining and an extra attacker on the ice.
Despite the loss, Juuse Saros delivered an impressive performance between the pipes for Nashville, stopping 24 of 27 shots. His efforts were crucial, especially in the first period where the Predators were outshot 12-5, keeping Vancouver from gaining an early advantage.
A win would have put the Predators level with the San Jose Sharks for the final Wild Card spot in the West, both at 68 points. However, the Sharks hold the tiebreaker with more wins.
Currently, Nashville finds itself in a three-way tie with Seattle and Los Angeles at 67 points. Unfortunately, with the most losses and more games played, the Predators are at a disadvantage in tiebreak scenarios.
The Predators aim to bounce back and keep their playoff hopes alive as they prepare to face the Edmonton Oilers on Sunday at 7 p.m. CST.