NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Nashville Predators achieved a surprising victory over the Winnipeg Jets on February 27, 2025, ending the Jets' franchise-record winning streak at 11 games with a tense 2-1 decision at Bridgestone Arena.
Facing off against the top team in the NHL, the Predators were determined to shake off their recent struggles. Despite losing their captain Roman Josi to injury prior to the game, they managed to put together a solid performance. Juuse Saros was key to their success, turning away 23 shots throughout the match.
The game kicked off at 4:26 of the first period when Filip Forsberg opened the scoring. The newly reformed top line, featuring Forsberg, Ryan O'Reilly, and Gustav Nyquist, came together splendidly, with O’Reilly winning the faceoff, leading to Nyquist's assist to Forsberg, who fired the puck past Winnipeg's goaltender Eric Comrie for the lead.
Winnipeg quickly responded with some tenacity. Midway through the same period, defenseman Neal Pionk scored off the point at 11:05 to level the score at 1-1. Despite the equalizer, the Jets struggled to capitalize on their chances, and especially on the power play.
Later on, the Predators regained their edge when Tommy Novak scored at 15:29 on the power play. This time it was Justin Barron who provided the key assist, setting up Novak perfectly for the backhand shot. With this goal, the Predators took the lead at 2-1, bringing the crowd to their feet.
The second period continued to showcase strong defensive play, particularly from the Predators, who faced two consecutive penalties. The Jets received their best chance to equalize with nearly two minutes of five-on-three play but failed to score. Kyle Connor, reflecting on the missed opportunities, noted, "Runintoagoodgoalie, don’t fire onspecialteams andthat’s abatrecipe."
Helmed by head coach Scott Arniel, the Jets vacillated between offensive aggression and defensive blunders. Arniel remarked on the performance after the game: "The chances were 13-6 or something for us, five-on-five. We had opportunities to win the game. There are nights when you just don’t find the net. We know we can usually score more goals, but we didn’t find one tonight.”
The Jets, who had been thriving on their recent wins, were left frustrated. They came to Nashville fresh off their previous victory against the Ottawa Senators and were hoping for another win to carry momentum. Still, with Juuse Saros standing firm as their opponent's last line of defensive, they were kept at bay.
Goaltender Eric Comrie faced 30 shots during the game, making 28 saves, and after the loss, reflected on the pressing need for improvement: "Our back-to-backs haven’t been great this year, and he’s unfortunately had to play every single one of them. You feel for the guy but he gives us a chance every single night. He’s been like this all year,” highlighted Connor, underscoring the need for the Jets' lineup adjustments moving forward.
Looking at the overall play statistics, the Predators ended the night with the edge, having outshot the Jets 30-24. They went 1-for-3 on the power play, whereas Winnipeg went 0-for-4, extending their power play goal drought to five games. Such inefficiency against their NHL-leading power play left the Jets with little room to make mistakes.
After this emotionally charged game, the Jets' coach expressed his frustrations, not just about the loss but about the mounting pressure of their recent schedule. "We can recover, but we need to break this trend. Learning from each loss is imperative," he asserted.
The defeat handed the Predators their much-needed momentum as they put their struggles behind them, hoping this victory marks the turning of the tide as they gear up for their next match against Philadelphia. While the Jets now have reason to reevaluate as they prepare for the upcoming games.
Clearly, the NHL is anything but predictable; just because one team holds the standing does not guarantee victory. The Predators seized their opportunity and made waves by finally halting the Jets' impressive run, highlighting the competitive nature of the league.