Your Nashville Predators just keep grinding, buddy, and last night was another testament to it. The boys got a much-needed regulation win at home against the Seattle Kraken, 3-1. It wasn't the prettiest honky-tonk jig you've ever seen, but it got the job done. Rookies always make us proud, and Reid Ufko kicked us off, getting one past the Kraken early in the first, just what the doctor ordered, off some slick work from Brandon Skjei and Filip Forsberg. Seattle's Yanni Gourde found a way to tie it up before the first intermission, and for a minute there, you could feel that familiar knot in your stomach, like you're fixin' to get stuck in Broadway traffic on a Saturday night.
But then, the second period rolled around, and Ryan O'Reilly — that man is just pure grit, I tell you what — buried a power-play goal thanks to some sweet passing from Forsberg and Steven Stamkos. That felt like a big sigh of relief, buddy, putting the Nashville Predators back in front. The third period was a tight one, a real nail-biter, but then our captain, Filip Forsberg, sealed the deal with an empty-netter, and Bridgestone Arena absolutely erupted. It was the kind of win that might not get a statue on Lower Broadway, but it's the kind that keeps the engine humming.
Now, what does this mean for our Nashville Predators? Well, it keeps us in the thick of that wildcard hunt, sitting at 31-28-9 with 71 points. Every single point right now is like gold, bud. This W puts a little more distance between us and the teams nipping at our heels and keeps that four-game losing skid from becoming a full-blown meltdown. Our last ten games have been a bit of a mixed bag, but we're on a win streak now, and that's the kind of momentum we need as we head into the back stretch of the season. The mood in Nashville this morning is a little brighter, a little more hopeful, like the sun finally hitting the Cumberland River just right.
From Smashville — bless their hearts and let's go Preds.
Catch the morning show folks break down all this and more, live at mornings.live.