NASHVILLE, Tenn. — In a decisive victory on Monday night, Jonathan Marchessault was instrumental in the Nashville Predators’ 5-2 triumph over the Carolina Hurricanes, contributing two goals and an assist. Alongside Marchessault, teammates Steven Stamkos, Ryan O’Reilly, and Mark Jankowski also found the back of the net, while Juuse Saros made an impressive 25 saves. This win marks the Predators’ third victory in their last four matches, with Filip Forsberg adding three assists to the mix.
For Carolina, Jordan Staal and Sebastian Aho managed to score, while goaltender Dustin Tokarski recorded 20 saves during the game.
Stamkos initiated the scoring with a goal at 6:26 remaining in the first period. Marchessault extended Nashville’s lead to two goals at 8:15 into the second period, finishing off a cross-ice assist from Tommy Novak with a quick tap-in shot.
The Predators’ offense continued into the third with O’Reilly and Jankowski adding goals to give Nashville a commanding 4-0 lead. Soon after, Staal and Aho netted goals just 40 seconds apart to close the gap to 4-2, but Marchessault sealed the game with an empty-net goal.
In a notable development, the Hurricanes saw their first power-play goal allowance of December when O’Reilly scored during a man advantage just 30 seconds into the third period. This marked a shift in their recent defensive trend.
The Predators, for their part, celebrated back-to-back wins for the first time since a three-game streak from October 22-26, signaling a pivotal moment in their season as they vie for a playoff contention spot.
One of the key moments came early in the third period when Jankowski scored at 2:52, pushing Nashville to a 4-0 lead. This goal proved crucial as it provided the Predators an insurance buffer following the Hurricanes’ goals.
A key statistic highlighted Marchessault’s impressive performance, as he has registered points in seven consecutive games, matching a personal best. Over the last four games, he has accrued seven goals and four assists, demonstrating a strong rhythm in his play.
Looking ahead, the Hurricanes are set to face the New Jersey Devils on Friday night after a brief holiday break, while the Predators will travel to take on the St. Louis Blues the same evening.
