January 8, 2026 – The Nashville Predators secured a hard-fought 2-1 shootout victory over the New York Islanders at Bridgestone Arena, with Filip Forsberg delivering the decisive goal in the skills competition before a crowd of 17,159.
In a defensive battle that saw both teams struggle to generate offense through regulation and overtime, the Predators extended their recent success at home with a gritty performance that showcased resilience and stellar goaltending.
Goaltending Excellence
Both netminders delivered exceptional performances in a game defined by defensive structure and timely saves.
| Goalie | Team | Decision | Saves | Shots Against | Save % | TOI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juuse Saros | NSH | W | 30 | 31 | .968 | 65:00 |
| David Rittich | NYI | OTL | 26 | 27 | .963 | 65:00 |
Saros was particularly sharp in the shootout, denying three consecutive Islanders attempts after Forsberg’s successful conversion to secure the victory for Nashville.
Defensive Stalemate Through Regulation
The game remained scoreless until the second period, when Simon Holmström broke through for the Islanders at 12:14, assisted by Scott Mayfield and Mathew Barzal. The Predators responded late in the frame with Ryan O’Reilly’s shorthanded marker at 19:19, assisted by Cole Smith, sending the contest to overtime tied 1-1.
Key Contributors
The game’s point producers made crucial contributions in the tight-checking affair.
| Player | Team | Goals | Assists | Points | +/- | Shots | TOI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan O’Reilly | NSH | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 23:52 |
| Simon Holmström | NYI | 1 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 4 | 16:10 |
| Cole Smith | NSH | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 2 | 15:17 |
| Scott Mayfield | NYI | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 0 | 17:01 |
| Mathew Barzal | NYI | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 24:51 |
O’Reilly’s shorthanded tally proved vital in erasing the Islanders’ lead, while his shootout attempt opened the door for Forsberg’s heroics.
The victory improves Nashville’s record to 20-19-4, while the Islanders fall to 24-15-5 despite their strong road effort. Roman Josi led all Predators skaters with 23:11 of ice time, while Matthew Schaefer paced the Islanders at 28:53.
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