Nashville Salvages Road Trip, Now Faces Make-or-Break Showdown with Kraken
The Nashville Predators did what they had to do on March 17, beating the Winnipeg Jets 4-3 in a shootout to keep their playoff hopes alive. Ryan O'Reilly scored the game-winning goal in the shootout at Canada Life Centre, and suddenly the Predators are looking ahead to what could be the biggest game of their season: a March 19 matchup at Bridgestone Arena against the Seattle Kraken. This is the kind of game where two points feel like everything.
Staying Ahead of the Pack
Here's the situation: the Predators (30-28-9, 69 points) were getting pushed hard by Winnipeg in the wild card race. The Jets had crept to within one point before Nashville's shootout win. Two points in that game? That's the difference between staying in the hunt and watching from the outside. "We knew it was a big game," captain Roman Josi said after the win. "A team that's right behind us and chasing us. I loved our effort, I thought we played hard and we got rewarded for it." That's the kind of resilience a playoff team needs, especially when you're fighting for your postseason life.
Wood Delivers When It Counts
Nashville nearly let this one slip away. Erik Haula and Filip Forsberg scored to tie things at 2-2 through two periods, but the Jets answered back. Then rookie Matthew Wood stepped up with five minutes left in regulation, scoring his 15th goal of the season to put the Predators ahead. Wood's shot beat Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, the reigning Vezina and Hart Trophy winner. "He's using his size and his speed well, that gets him a little more involved," Forsberg said about Wood's performance. "A great shot, obviously, that's stuff that we see in practice all the time." Jonathan Toews tied it back up with just one minute to go, but O'Reilly finished it in the shootout.
The Real Test Comes Next
Now the Predators turn their attention to the Kraken on March 19 at 7 p.m. on FanDuel Sports Network. Nashville already beat Seattle 4-2 back on March 10, but that was mid-trip. This game matters differently. The Kraken are just ahead of Nashville in the playoff race, which means every point is crucial down the stretch. "Every point is going to be crucial all the way to the end," Forsberg said. This is the desperation playoff hockey the Predators needed to show, and now they have to do it again in front of their home crowd.
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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.