DALLAS — Ryan O’Reilly made a significant impact for the Nashville Predators as he netted two goals within just three minutes in the second period, helping the team to break an eight-game losing streak with a strong 4-1 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night.

O’Reilly also contributed an assist on Zachary L’Heureux’s goal scored into an empty net, and Tommy Novak added another goal for the Predators, who have struggled this season with only eight wins — the lowest total in the NHL.

Justus Annunen, recently acquired from the Colorado Avalanche on November 30, made 37 saves to secure his first victory in two starts with Nashville.

For Dallas, defenseman Lian Bichsel marked his NHL debut with a goal, but the team’s four-game winning streak at home came to an end. Goaltender Jake Oettinger stopped 22 shots but suffered his first loss of the season at the American Airlines Center after a remarkable 10-game winning streak there.

O’Reilly has been a consistent performer, scoring in three of his last five games despite missing the previous three due to a lower-body injury.

Two goals for Nashville were disallowed upon challenges from the Stars; one was ruled offside in the first period, and another was called for goaltender interference in the third. Nashville rookie Adam Wilsby also marked a milestone with an assist, recording his first point in the NHL.

Key observations included the Predators’ solid defensive effort, even with the absence of captain and leading scorer Roman Josi, who missed his first game since March 19, 2023, and is currently listed as day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Conversely, the Stars have now lost to the last-placed teams in both the Central and Pacific Divisions, including this recent defeat to the Predators and a prior loss to the Anaheim Ducks.

One crucial moment in the match came from Jonathan Marchessault, who won a battle for the puck against Nils Lundkvist and set up O’Reilly for the first score, breaking the initial tie.

A noteworthy statistic from the game reveals that the Predators hold a record of 5-1-1 when leading at the end of two periods.

Looking ahead, the Predators are set to face the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday night, while the Stars will host the St. Louis Blues in their third matchup of a six-game homestand, marking the longest stretch at home this season.