All but one player on the Nashville Predators would like to forget their 6-3 loss to the New York Rangers on Nov. 10.
That player is forward Matthew Wood, who became the youngest in franchise history to score a hat trick at 20 years and 277 days old.
“Obviously it’s a special moment. Kind of speechless about that,” Wood said on FanDuel Sports Network at Madison Square Garden after the loss.
In a game where the Predators could do nothing right, Wood could do nothing wrong. He scored three goals on six shots in 17:09, his first multi-goal effort in just his 17th NHL game.
Each goal showcased Wood’s dynamic goal-scoring abilities. His first, a chipped rebound on the power play that lobbed over Igor Shesterkin to tie the game 1-1 in the first period. His second, a powerful one-timer that beat Shesterkin high on the blocker side, looking like a Steven Stamkos shot from the left circle.
The third, a perfectly placed wrist shot to beat Shesterkin in close, completed the hat trick with 45 seconds left in the game.
While the rest of the Predators could hardly register a shot on goal, Wood had no problem getting pucks in the net.
Matthew Wood is a bright spot in Predators’ disappointing start
After the game, Wood said his goal scoring comes from seeing the game naturally, rather than over-analyzing every shot.
“(I am) not trying to think too much,” he said. “I’ve worked my whole life to be able to play my game. There’s a lot of great players, it’s fun to play at the highest level with great players. (I am) just trying to go out there, have fun, and give it my best effort.”
This is the key to his offensive abilities so far. Too many attacking players for Nashville are passing when they should shoot, or are over-thinking the best play during a scoring chance. But Wood just attacks the net, using his shooting skills to capitalize.
He has six goals and four assists, third-best on the Predators. As they make their way through what appears to be another season of struggles, Wood may be the one player worth watching.
The Predators’ selection at No. 15 overall in 2023, he played three years of collegiate hockey, two at UConn and one at Minnesota. He scored 44 goals and 57 assists in 109 NCAA games as a 6-foot-4, 202-pound right-handed shooter from the wing.
Wood signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Predators on March 29, beginning his pro career.
After an injury sidelined him for two weeks in training camp, he was placed on injured reserve ahead of the season, then assigned to the Milwaukee Admirals. He scored his first professional goal for the Admirals on Oct. 18 before being recalled by Nashville, scoring his first goal against the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 30.
Nashville, following the loss to New York, drops to 5-9-4 (14 points) and has lost five straight. The Predators head to Sweden for the NHL’s Global Series, where they will play a two-game series against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 14 (1 p.m. CT, FanDuel Sports Network) and Nov. 16 (8 a.m. CT, FanDuel Sports Network).
Alex Daugherty is the Predators beat writer for The Tennessean. Contact Alex atjdaugherty@gannett.com. Follow Alex on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, @alexdaugherty1. Also check out our Predators exclusive Instagram page @tennessean_preds.