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Filip Forsberg tallied twice - and Fedor Svechkov scored the game-winnner - as the Nashville Predators defeated the San Jose Sharks by a 6-5 final on Thursday night at SAP Center. The result gives the Preds a sweep of the home-and-home set with the Sharks and extends their win streak to five games overall.

Gustav Nyquist, Tommy Novak and Steven Stamkos also scored in regulation, and Forsberg extended his goal streak to seven games on a night that saw goals galore, much like Tuesday’s wild 7-5 comeback win for the Preds in Nashville.

“It was back and forth,” Forsberg said. “There's two teams that certainly need to clean up their defensive play, but we found a way to win. Obviously, a huge goal by [Svechkov] there in the third [period] and I think that's what we'll take with us.”

“It was a fun game,” Svechkov said. “I would like to play these games every night - 6-5 - we're scoring, they're scoring, everybody in the game. I think it's good for the fans and good for us that we won this game.”

The Predators had a 3-0 lead less than seven minutes into the contest as Nyquist, Novak and Forsberg all beat former Nashville goaltender Yaroslav Askarov. Then, the two clubs upped the animosity with three consecutive fights off the ensuing faceoffs as Cole Smith, Michael McCarron and Zach L’Heureux all dropped the gloves for the visitors. The Sharks then took their turn putting the puck in the net with goals from Walker Duehr and Mario Ferraro before the opening period was out.

In the middle frame, Nashville extended their lead as Forsberg got his second of the night and Stamkos converted on the power play, but San Jose wouldn’t go away as they brought the game back to within one with goals from Henry Thrun and Fabian Zetterlund. Then, Smith was assessed a match penalty for a check to the head, and on the ensuing power play, Macklin Celebrini tied the game at 5-5 as the teams combined for 10 goals through 40 minutes.

Nashville dictated play in the final frame, and on a power play midway through the period, Svechkov wristed home what proved to be the game-winner past his good friend in net. Then, the Preds shut the Sharks down, especially during a sequence that saw both Justus Annunen and Nick Blankenburg make a handful of saves that brought a standing ovation from the Preds bench.

“I was just holding my breath for what felt like forever,” Forsberg said. “But that's the kind of sacrifice you need to have to win. And I thought Big Juice [Annunen] played unbelievable for us all night. And like you said, you need somebody to come up clutch and [Blankenburg] sure did.”

After only scoring five goals twice in their first 42 games of the season, Nashville now has at least five tallies in four of its last five outings - and a five-game win streak to go alongside. Although there’s still plenty of season to play and plenty of work to do, the feeling in the Preds locker room has never been better with this group.

“It’s great,” Forsberg said. “We're finding ways to win in games where early in the season, we didn't. And certainly the effort is there. But there's definitely things…we can tighten up, but we'll take the positive. Excited for the win and get ready for the next game.”

“We're believing,” Preds Head Coach Andrew Brunette said. “We seem to get tighter as a group every game. We’ve got some things to clean up. We're still trying to stack some things, stacking on big momentum from the other night by a big comeback. And then tonight, I think we're starting to understand when we do certain things and play a certain way, it’s fun to play, it's good to play. We're getting rewarded for it, so we’ll keep chipping away where we are and fight to keep that feeling.”

Notes:

Nashville’s lineup remained unchanged with Spencer Stastney and Kieffer Bellows serving as healthy scratches on Thursday.

Filip Forsberg extended his goal streak to seven games matching the franchise record that he set last season from March 13-28, 2024. The only other Swedish players in NHL history with a run of that length are Elias Lindholm (8 GP from Feb. 2-21, 2022) and Kent Nilsson (8 GP from Nov. 12-29, 1983).

Jonathan Marchessault extended his assist streak to nine games, which was already the longest by a player in their first season with the Predators. The only skaters League-wide with a longer run in their first season with a club are Jude Drouin (14 w/ MNS in 1970-71), Dino Ciccarelli (11 w/ DET in 1992-93), Benoit Hogue (10 GP w/ DAL in 1995-96), Alexei Zhamnov (10 GP w/ WIN in 1992-93), Craig Janney (10 GP w/ STL in 1991-92), Paul Gardner (10 GP w/ PIT in 1980-81) and Dave Keon (10 GP w/ HFD in 1979-80).

The Predators will conclude their quick California trip on Saturday night in Anaheim when they take on the Ducks before returning home to host Vancouver on Wednesday.