Was it a crafty veteran move by Dallas center Tyler Seguin to take advantage of a gray area in the rules? Or was it an interference penalty that should have prevented Mikko Rantanen from scoring the go-ahead goal?
That’s an easy answer for Nashville Predators coach Andrew Brunette.
“That was one that probably should have been called,” Brunette said after the Predators fell 3-2 to the Dallas Stars at Bridgestone Arena on Oct. 26.
“Especially where we were in the game, how the game was in the balance at that point. It was similar to one called the other way,” he said.
With the game tied 2-2, the Stars earned a power play when Nicolas Hague was called for delay of game. Then at the 11:00 minute mark, 15 seconds into the power play, Seguin lodged his stick — inadvertently or intentionally — into Cole Smith’s skates, sending him tumbling to the ice.
Here was the moment it appeared Tyler Seguin interfered with Cole Smith on the Dallas power play. No call.
Moments later, Mikko Rantanen scores to make it 3-2. Tough break for Nashville there. pic.twitter.com/dVt9wFhneC
— Alex Daugherty (@AlexDaugherty1) October 27, 2025
Smith was furious. So was Brunette and the Nashville bench, all pleading for officials to call what looked like interference. Even Seguin looked back, almost like he was expecting a call to come.
But the officials either didn’t see it or didn’t agree, so play continued. Rantanen scored 1:44 later, putting the Stars up 3-2 with nine minutes left. Dallas held on to win, frustrating a Nashville team that was on the verge of winning three straight.
“You just kind of want fair play,” Brunette said.
As it happens, Smith was called for tripping on a similar play earlier in the game, likely the source of his anger in the moment. Filip Forsberg also was caught tripping Sam Steel in the first period. Nashville killed off those penalties, but couldn’t do the same late in the third period.
In the end, it’s another loss for the Predators where their usual problems surfaced. Lack of offense — they’ve now scored two goals or fewer in seven of their first 10 games — is what cost them the game, not a missed call by the official.
And Brunette acknowledged that.
“Our identity, it’s kind of there,” he said. “But it’s not consistent enough to play 60 minutes against really good teams. You can get away with it certain nights. Other nights you can’t. That’s a team you can’t really get away with it.”
Next up, Nashville (4-4-2, 10 points) hosts the Tampa Bay Lightning at Bridgestone Arena on Oct. 28 (6:45 p.m. CT, FanDuel Sports Network).
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex at jdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.