{"id":519497,"date":"2026-03-24T02:47:12","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T02:47:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/519497\/"},"modified":"2026-03-24T02:47:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T02:47:12","slug":"nashville-predators-continue-push-for-playoffs-defeat-blackhawks-3-2-in-overtime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/519497\/","title":{"rendered":"Nashville Predators continue push for playoffs, defeat Blackhawks 3-2 in overtime"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are the Nashville Predators ever going to run out of fuel? The Predators remain in a wild card spot thanks to a four-game win streak, including Sunday’s overtime thriller in Chicago against the Blackhawks.<\/p>\n

Filip Forsberg scored the game-winning goal in the extra period, skating behind Chicago goalie Spencer Knight before going top shelf.<\/p>\n

“I think he wasn’t expecting someone to come on him pretty quick,” Forsberg said. “I was there, got a stick to be able to get the puck loose and then he was kind of out of the play. Skjei was driving hard in the backside, gave me some room and found the top corner.”<\/p>\n

Nashville Predators YT<\/p>\n

Forsberg scored two goals and tallied an assist in the win. He was named the NHL’s Second Star of the Week with four goals and nine points in his last four games. He now has 32 goals on the season, surpassing last season’s total of 31.<\/p>\n

Stars in our eyes for Fil Forsberg \ud83e\udd29<\/p>\n

With 4 goals and 5 assists in the last 4 games, Fil is the @NHL<\/a>‘s Second Star of the Week! pic.twitter.com\/BwGJcwmh9e<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) March 23, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Steven Stamkos also scored and Juuse Saros saved 27 of 29 shots in the 3-2 final.<\/p>\n

It is Saros’ first game back from an upper-body injury which saw him miss Thursday and Saturday’s game. Preds Head Coach Andrew Brunette did not hold back his praise for the netminder.<\/p>\n

“Little Juice made some big saves, which the way our team is, we’re going to need goaltending,” Brunette said. “Juice coming back kind of right where he left off. I thought he was playing as good as I’ve been around him here since the Olympics.”<\/p>\n

Nashville Predators YT<\/p>\n

The game remained scoreless at first intermission. Nashville held shot totals close with Chicago in the period, falling short 10-9. This follows the team’s low-shot first period against Vegas Saturday where they were outshot 20-4.<\/p>\n

“It can’t be much worse than yesterday’s to be fair,” Forsberg said. “I think we got some good O-zone shifts early on. [Chicago is] a really offensive, incredibly high skilled team, so we want to try to make them defend as much as we possibly can.”<\/p>\n

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Blackhawks defenseman Nick Lardis drew first blood on a two-on-one, with the puck bouncing off Preds defenseman Nicolas Hague’s stick on the initial shot and past Saros’ glove.<\/p>\n

Forsberg responded 2:03 later after receiving a pass from Jonathan Marchessault<\/a> in front of the net. <\/p>\n

Chicago took the lead back with help from forward Connor Bedard, who got on a breakaway after a Predators turnover.<\/p>\n

In the third stanza, Stamkos found the back of the net near the halfway point of the period to tie it at two. The forward extended his point streak to three games, racking up three goals and five points in the process.<\/p>\n

The Predators forced overtime with an offensive comeback, leading the second and third period in shots 14-12 and 8-7 respectively. In overtime, Nashville entered the Chicago zone and applied pressure, ultimately leading into Forsberg’s wraparound snipe at 3:55.<\/p>\n

“We just got to keep making these kinds of efforts,” Forsberg said. “It’s not going to be smooth water the whole time through, but a lot of good things right now and getting rewarded for it. So, we got to keep that up.”<\/p>\n

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Nashville starts its three-game homestand with a crucial matchup against the San Jose Sharks Tuesday, who are also fighting to remain in the playoff hunt. The Predators are five points ahead of the Sharks, who currently sit outside a wild card spot. Securing two points will help bring more divide in the Western Conference wild card race, relieving some pressure off of Nashville’s shoulders as the season nears its end.<\/p>\n

“We want to keep moving forward. We don’t want to look back,” Brunette said. “We’ve been a resilient group that has a lot of belief in ourselves and we’re going to keep moving forward. Even when we’re kind of at the bottom and looking up, we’re going to keep that same attitude here going forward.”<\/p>\n

Nashville Predators YT