What a finish for the Nashville Predators! After a rocky start, they clawed their way back to defeat the Seattle Kraken 4-2 at Climate Pledge Arena.
This victory not only marks their first win on a challenging five-game road trip but also edges them closer to a wild card spot in the Western Conference. With a 29-27-8 record, the Preds are keeping their playoff dreams alive.
Rookie Ryan Ufko was the hero of the night, netting his first NHL goal late in the second period to break the tie. Goalie Juuse Saros was a wall, making a season-high 43 saves. Tyson Jost, Reid Schaefer, and Steven Stamkos also found the back of the net in this comeback win, while Jonathan Marchessault chipped in with two assists.
"The guys were saying this is the biggest game of the year," Ufko shared. "Going down two early was tough, but the way we came back was something special."
Seattle's Kaapo Kakko and Matty Beniers struck first, putting Nashville in an early hole. The Predators struggled initially, trailing 6-0 in shots midway through the first period and finishing with a 45-27 shot deficit.
Fedor Svechkov ignited the Predators' offense in the second period, setting up Jost for a goal past Kraken goalie Joey Daccord. Matthew Wood then fed Schaefer, who crashed the net to score his fifth of the season, extending Wood's point streak to three games.
Ufko dazzled with his first career goal, maneuvering around two Kraken defenders before finishing with a slick backhand-forehand move. "Kinda practiced those moves a lot," Ufko said. "Marchy gave me the puck, and I saw a lane to the net and just took it."
Steven Stamkos sealed the deal with an empty-net goal, capping off a stellar team effort. Saros, with his 40-plus saves, was undoubtedly one of the game's stars.
"He was the best guy out there," Ufko praised. "Without him, we wouldn't have won."
Despite going 0/1 on the power play, snapping a six-game goal streak, Nashville remains in the league's top ten for power play percentages at 22.9%.
Next up, the Predators head to Canada for a three-game swing against the Canucks, Oilers, and Jets before returning home for a rematch with the Kraken. This win could be just the momentum boost they need as they continue their playoff push.