3-Goal Third Period Propels Stars Past Predators in 5-4 Win

The Dallas Stars (8-4-3) scored three goals in the third period to defeat the Nashville Predators (5-8-4) at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday afternoon.

Mavrik Bourque, Roope Hintz, Justin Hryckowian, Adam Erne, and Sam Steel scored for the Stars. Jake Oettinger made 17 saves.

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Luke Evangelista, Nicolas Hague, Filip Forsberg, and Steven Stamkos scored for the Predators. Justus Annunen made 17 saves.

Game Recap

Bourque opened the scoring with his second of the season at 6:26 of the first period, with a redirection at the top of the crease after a perfect pass from Miro Heiskanen.

The Predators tied the game at 17:46 on a shot from the high slot by Evangelista, which blew past a screened Oettinger.

The Stars started the second frame on the power play and needed only 13 seconds to take back the lead. Wyatt Johnston found Hintz at the Nashville blue line, and Hintz split the defense and beat Annunen for his third of the season.

Hague scored his first of the season, and first as a Predator, at 4:43 to tie the game once again. Nashville clearly game planned to get into Oettinger’s space, and it paid off for a second time, as Hague beat Oettinger with a perfect shot from the point top shelf.

27 seconds later, O’Reilly found Forsberg all alone in the mid slot, and Forsberg converted the opportunity into his seventh goal of the season, and Nashville’s first lead on the afternoon.

Hryckowian scored his second goal of the season, and of his young career, at 2:20 of the final period, after he collected his own rebound and lifted a wrist shot past Annunen.

Stamkos restored the Predators’ lead less than three minutes later with a vintage one-timer on the power play.

The hectic start to the period continued at 9:33 with Erne beating Annunen in the low slot as Blackwell hit him with a perfect feed from behind the net.

The Stars regained the lead 47 seconds later on a tic-tac-toe play from Mikko Rantanen to Johnston to Steel, who put the Stars up for good.

Up Next

The Stars are back in action on Sunday night when they host the Seattle Kraken. The Predators will be in New York on Monday to take on the Rangers.