Filip Forsberg scored twice in a three-point game to pace the host Nashville Predators to a 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Thursday that snapped a three-game skid and strengthened their playoff chances.
Roman Josi, Anthony Beauvillier, Michael McCarron and Mark Jankowski also scored for the Predators (44-28-4, 92 points), who hold the Western Conference’s first wild-card spot.
Goaltender Juuse Saros sparkled with 44 saves, while Gustav Nyquist collected three assists, including the 300th of his career. Ryan O’Reilly added two assists for the Predators.
Brandon Saad, Jake Neighbours and Jordan Kyrou scored for the Blues (40-32-4, 84 points), who are clinging to their flickering playoff hopes with only six games remaining. Goalie Jordan Binnington stopped 25 shots and Justin Faulk had two assists.
The Predators swept the season series between the Central Division rivals, winning all three meetings.
Forsberg’s power-play goal 73 seconds into the second period broke a 1-1 tie. Upon getting the puck in the right circle, he unloaded a shot from the faceoff dot that ricocheted off Robert Thomas’ stick en route to the goal.
Beauvillier notched another man-advantage marker with 31 seconds remaining in the second period to extend Nashville’s lead. He scored his first goal since being acquired at the trade deadline, and fifth of the season, by pouncing on a loose puck during a flurry.
McCarron made it a 4-1 game at 4:09 of the third period when he took advantage of a Torey Krug giveaway to score his 12th of the season.
To their credit, the Blues battled back. After Neighbours notched his 27th of the season a little more than two minutes later with a shot off the rush, Kyrou netted a power-play goal, his 26th of the season, with 2:15 on the clock to make it a one-goal game.
However, Forsberg collected his career-best 43rd goal of the season with the first of his team’s two empty-net goals. Jankowski rounded out the scoring.
The clubs traded first-period goals, with Josi netting his 20th of the season 31 seconds into the clash and Saad responding with his 26th of the campaign — and sixth in seven outings — at 7:27 of the opening frame.
–Field Level Media
