Stamkos Leads Predators Past Wild, Locks Minnesota Into West's Third Seed

Nashville's victory over Minnesota on Saturday clinched the Wild's playoff positioning.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 1:22am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a hockey game, with sharp planes of navy, green, and white representing the players and action on the ice.A cubist interpretation of a crucial late-season NHL matchup that determined playoff seeding in the Western Conference.Today in Nashville

Steven Stamkos scored a goal and added an assist to lead the Nashville Predators to a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. The win locked the Wild into the third seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

Why it matters

This late-season matchup between playoff-bound teams had significant implications for the Western Conference standings, with the Wild's final seeding now determined.

The details

Stamkos' goal and assist powered the Predators to the narrow victory over the Wild, who were unable to overtake Nashville in the standings with the loss.

  • The game was played on Saturday, April 12, 2026.

The players

Steven Stamkos

A forward for the Nashville Predators who scored the game-winning goal and added an assist in the victory over Minnesota.

Minnesota Wild

The NHL team that was locked into the third seed in the Western Conference playoffs following the loss to Nashville.

Nashville Predators

The NHL team that defeated the Minnesota Wild 2-1 to clinch their opponent's playoff positioning.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

The takeaway

This late-season matchup between two Western Conference playoff teams had significant implications, with the Predators' victory over the Wild locking Minnesota into the third seed in the West.