Forsberg's Masterclass Sinks Kraken in Nashville: Seattle's Playoff Push Just Got Tougher
The Kraken walked out of Nashville with nothing Thursday night, dropping a 3-1 decision to the Predators in a game that felt like it could define their playoff hopes. Filip Forsberg was absolutely unstoppable, collecting a goal and two assists to lead Nashville past Seattle in a Western Conference wild card showdown that nobody in the Emerald City wanted to lose. Joey Daccord made 24 saves in a losing effort, but it wasn't enough. This one stings.
Forsberg Takes Over When It Matters Most
Here's what's infuriating: the Kraken had a chance to create some separation in the wild card race, and instead they got dominated by a guy who was basically unstoppable. Forsberg's game-sealer came with 1:50 left in the third, an empty-netter that put this thing away. But the real damage was done earlier when Justus Annunen, getting the unexpected start due to an upper-body injury to Nashville's Juuse Saros, was locked in defensively. Annunen stopped 25 shots and improved to 3-0-0 against Seattle in his career. Let that sink in.
Kraken Can't Recover After Going Down Early
Ryan Ufko got Nashville on the board first at 6:14 of the opening period on a one-timer from the left side off a Brady Skjei pass (Skjei's 300th career point, by the way). Frederick Gaudreau tied it 1-1 with 1:20 left in the first period, giving Seattle a spark. But Ryan O'Reilly answered back with a power-play goal at 7:11 of the second, wrestling the puck loose in front after Steven Stamkos' shot. That made it 2-1, and from there the Kraken just couldn't find the answer.
The numbers tell the story: Seattle is 2-6 over its last eight games. With this loss, Nashville pulled even with the Kraken at 71 points, both sitting just outside the wild-card spots in a brutal Western Conference. The Predators are winners of two straight. The Kraken? They're sliding at exactly the wrong time.
Next Up: Must-Have Win in Columbus
The Kraken visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. If Seattle wants to stay in this playoff race, it has to turn this around fast. There's still time, but performances like Thursday night's aren't going to cut it.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.