Forsberg's Hat Trick Performance Sinks Kraken in Wild Card Battle
The Seattle Kraken had a chance to make noise in the Western Conference wild card race on Thursday night in Nashville, but instead they ran into a Predators team playing with desperation and a backup goalie who came up huge. Filip Forsberg scored once and set up two more, and Justus Annunen stopped 25 shots to lift Nashville past Seattle 3-1 at Bridgestone Arena. The loss drops the Kraken to 2-6 over their last eight games, and with both teams now sitting at 71 points, the playoff positioning battle just got a whole lot tighter.
Nashville's Unexpected Goaltender Delivers in a Pinch
Here's the thing: Jusse Saros was supposed to start for the Predators. But an upper-body injury kept him out, leaving Nashville to turn to Annunen as an emergency starter. The move paid off in spades. Annunen made 25 saves and improved to 3-0-0 in his career against Seattle. Meanwhile, Joey Daccord was solid for the Kraken with 24 saves, but it wasn't enough to keep this one close.
Goals Early, Middle, and Late Seal the Deal
Nashville struck first when Ryan Ufko scored at 6:14 of the opening period on a one-timer from the left side off Brady Skjei's pass. That assist was the 300th point of Skjei's career. Frederick Gaudreau answered back with just 1:20 left in the first to tie things up at one. The Predators took control in the second when Ryan O'Reilly stuffed in a power-play goal at 7:11, battling through a pair of Kraken defenders in front after Steven Stamkos' shot bounced free. Forsberg put it away with an empty-net goal with 1:50 left in the third to finalize the 3-1 final.
The Kraken get a quick turnaround with a Saturday matchup against Columbus. Nashville heads home to face Vegas on Saturday. Both teams are desperate to keep their playoff hopes alive.
🐦 What fans are saying on X
See the latest reactions and highlights from Seattle fans about Seattle Kraken.
View X conversation →🔮 Trade Seattle Sports on Kalshi
Did you know you can trade on Seattle sports outcomes on Kalshi, the only federally regulated prediction market in the US? Kalshi is available in Washington state. Bet on Seahawks games, Mariners season outcomes, Kraken playoff runs, and more. No sportsbook account needed.
💰 Limited offer: Get a FREE $10 when you sign up!
👉 Sign up at Kalshi.com and use promo code SEATTLEONTAP to claim your free $10.
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.