Predators beat Sharks for 15th straight time in 6-3 victory

Nashville takes over second wild-card spot in the West with the win

Apr. 5, 2026 at 9:55am

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The Nashville Predators defeated the San Jose Sharks 6-3 on Saturday night, extending their winning streak against the Sharks to 15 games. The Predators jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period, but the Sharks rallied to tie the game in the third period before Nashville regained the lead and sealed the victory with a short-handed goal and an empty-netter.

Why it matters

The win moves the Predators into a tie for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference playoff race, while the Sharks remain two points back but with a game in hand. The Predators' dominance over the Sharks is also noteworthy, as they have now won 15 straight games against their division rival.

The details

Nashville's Filip Forsberg scored two goals in the first period to give the Predators an early 2-0 lead. Steven Stamkos then added a power-play goal late in the first to make it 3-0. The Sharks rallied in the second and third periods, with goals from Macklin Celebrini, Nick Leddy, and Alexander Wennberg to tie the game at 3-3. But Ryan O'Reilly broke the tie midway through the third period, and Erik Haula and Tyson Jost added late goals to seal the win for the Predators.

  • The Predators jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period.
  • The Sharks scored two late goals in the second period and one early in the third to tie the game at 3-3.
  • Ryan O'Reilly scored the go-ahead goal for the Predators midway through the third period.
  • Erik Haula and Tyson Jost added late goals to make the final score 6-3 for the Predators.

The players

Ryan O'Reilly

The Predators forward broke a 3-3 tie in the third period with the game-winning goal.

Filip Forsberg

The Predators left wing scored two goals in the first period to give Nashville an early lead.

Steven Stamkos

The Predators forward scored his 620th career goal on the power play in the first period.

Macklin Celebrini

The Sharks forward scored his 41st goal of the season to help the Sharks rally.

Juuse Saros

The Predators goaltender made 24 saves to earn the win.

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What they’re saying

“We knew we had to come out strong against a tough Sharks team. Jumping out to that early lead was huge for us.”

— Filip Forsberg, Predators forward

“We showed a lot of fight to come back and tie it up, but ultimately couldn't get the job done. Credit to the Predators for making the plays when it mattered most.”

— Macklin Celebrini, Sharks forward

What’s next

The Predators will look to continue their playoff push when they visit the Los Angeles Kings on Monday night. The Sharks will host the Chicago Blackhawks on the same night.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the Predators' dominance over the Sharks, as well as the tight playoff race in the Western Conference. Nashville's ability to hold off San Jose's comeback attempt and secure the win could prove crucial as both teams jockey for postseason positioning.