Predators Surging as Sharks Head to Nashville

Nashville aims to solidify playoff position against struggling San Jose

Mar. 24, 2026 at 6:10am

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The Nashville Predators are riding a four-game winning streak and occupy the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference as they prepare to host the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night. The Predators are led by Filip Forsberg, who had two goals and an assist in their latest win over the Chicago Blackhawks. Meanwhile, the Sharks have lost four straight games and are five points behind Nashville in the wild-card chase.

Why it matters

This matchup is crucial as both teams jockey for playoff positioning in the tight Western Conference race. The Predators are looking to solidify their hold on a wild-card spot, while the Sharks are desperate to make up ground and get back into the postseason picture.

The details

The Predators' latest win was a 3-2 overtime victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, with Forsberg scoring the game-winner. Nashville coach Andrew Brunette praised the team's resilience and belief in themselves, saying they haven't dwelled on their early-season struggles. The Sharks, on the other hand, have been outscored 21-8 during their four-game losing streak. They are dealing with several key injuries, including to leading scorer Tyler Toffoli and defenseman Vincent Desharnais.

  • The Predators' latest win was on Sunday, March 24, 2026.
  • The Predators and Sharks will face off on Tuesday, March 26, 2026.

The players

Filip Forsberg

The Predators' leading goal scorer this season with 32 goals, including the overtime winner in their latest game.

Steven Stamkos

The Predators' other leading goal scorer this season with 34 goals, and he scored the game-tying goal in the third period against the Blackhawks.

Juuse Saros

The Predators' starting goaltender, who made 27 saves in his return from an upper-body injury and was praised by coach Brunette for his outstanding performance.

Tyler Toffoli

The Sharks' third-leading scorer with 44 points, who missed their last game with an upper-body injury.

Macklin Celebrini

The Sharks' leading scorer with 96 points (35 goals, 61 assists).

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What they’re saying

“We want to move up. We want to keep moving forward. We don't want to look back. We've been a resilient group that has a lot of belief in ourselves, and we're just going to keep moving forward. We haven't dwelled on where we were (in the standings) once all year, even when we were kind of at the bottom looking up. We're going to keep that same attitude here going forward.”

— Andrew Brunette, Predators Coach

“It's not so much someone, we just need more guys going. We need more guys going throughout our games. With this time of year, you need your full bench going. You've got to fight for every inch.”

— Ryan Warsofsky, Sharks Coach

What’s next

The Predators and Sharks will face off on Tuesday, March 26, 2026 in a crucial Western Conference matchup with playoff implications.

The takeaway

The Predators' resilience and belief in themselves has them surging at the right time, while the struggling Sharks are desperate to get back into the playoff picture. This game will be a key battle between two teams fighting for their postseason lives in the tight Western Conference race.