Predators Erupt for 5 First-Period Goals, Top Sharks

Nashville cruises to 6-3 win over San Jose for fifth straight victory

Mar. 25, 2026 at 8:35am

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The Nashville Predators scored five goals in the first period and went on to defeat the visiting San Jose Sharks 6-3 on Tuesday night. Filip Forsberg had a goal and two assists, while defenseman Brady Skjei and Matthew Wood, Roman Josi, Luke Evangelista, and Steven Stamkos also scored for the Predators, who won their fifth straight game. Jonathan Marchessault had three assists and Ryan O'Reilly added two for Nashville. Will Smith scored twice and Adam Gaudette had a goal for the Sharks, who have lost five in a row.

Why it matters

The Predators' dominant first-period performance highlighted their offensive firepower and ability to quickly pull away from opponents, a key factor in their current five-game winning streak. For the struggling Sharks, the loss extends their skid and raises questions about their ability to compete with the top teams in the league.

The details

The Predators scored five goals in the first period to jump out to a 5-1 lead. Forsberg opened the scoring 2:34 into the game, but Gaudette tied it for the Sharks at 6:25. Nashville then scored three times in less than five minutes, with goals from Wood, Josi, and Evangelista. Skjei capped the first-period scoring with a one-timer set up by O'Reilly's persistent forecheck. Stamkos added a power-play goal in the second period to make it 6-1 before Smith scored twice for the Sharks to cut the deficit to 6-3.

  • The Predators scored five goals in the first 20 minutes of the game.
  • Forsberg opened the scoring 2:34 into the game.
  • Gaudette tied the game for the Sharks at 6:25 of the first period.
  • Nashville scored three goals in less than five minutes in the first period.
  • Skjei scored with 3:24 remaining in the first period to make it 5-1.

The players

Filip Forsberg

A forward for the Nashville Predators who had a goal and two assists in the game.

Brady Skjei

A defenseman for the Nashville Predators who scored a goal and had an assist.

Will Smith

A forward for the San Jose Sharks who scored two goals in the game.

Jonathan Marchessault

A forward for the Nashville Predators who had three assists.

Ryan O'Reilly

A forward for the Nashville Predators who had two assists.

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What they’re saying

“We must have been feeling it in the first period. Scoring five goals like that really set the tone and allowed us to control the game.”

— Filip Forsberg, Forward, Nashville Predators

“We just couldn't recover from that early onslaught. The Predators were firing on all cylinders and we couldn't match their intensity.”

— Will Smith, Forward, San Jose Sharks

What’s next

The Predators will look to extend their winning streak to six games when they host the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night. The struggling Sharks will try to snap their five-game skid when they visit the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday.

The takeaway

Nashville's dominant first period showcased their offensive firepower and ability to quickly pull away from opponents, a key factor in their current hot streak. For San Jose, the lopsided loss highlighted their struggles to compete with the league's top teams and the need to find more consistency in their game.