Game Recap: Wild 6, Predators 5 (OT)

NASHVILLE -- Matt Boldy had a hat trick and an assist, and Jared Spurgeon scored with 46 seconds left in overtime to give the Minnesota Wild a 6-5 victory against the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday.

Spurgeon won it with a wrist shot from the inside edge of the right face-off circle off a pass from Boldy on the rush.

Quinn Hughes had two assists, and Filip Gustavsson made 30 saves for the Wild (34-14-10), who have won five consecutive games and are 8-1-1 in their past 10. Hughes extended his assist streak to 10 games, breaking teammate Kirill Kaprizov’s franchise record set in the 2022-23 season. He has 16 assists during the streak.

“It’s been going great,” Boldy said. “We’ve been stringing wins together and finding different ways to win. A lot of different guys contributing, so definitely a lot of positives there.”

Steven Stamkos had a goal and two assists, Ryan O'Reilly had three assists, and Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi each had a goal and an assist for the Predators (26-23-7), who had won their previous two. Juuse Saros made 38 saves.

“Again our start was not great, especially leaving [Saros] out to dry,” Nashville forward Jonathan Marchessault said. “That’s disappointing for us because he’s the backbone of our team. Obviously to win hockey games you've got to keep the puck out of your net. As a team, I think we’re having a hard time doing that right now.”

Vladimir Tarasenko gave the Wild a 5-4 lead at 15:14 of the third period on a shot that deflected in off Predators defenseman Nick Blankenburg.

Josi tied it 5-5 just 34 seconds later at 15:48, scoring with a wrist shot through traffic that got deflected.

“I just feel more comfortable out there and [am] just kind of playing my game,” said Josi, who has eight points (two goals, six assists) in a three-game point streak. “I think when I play my best it’s not just offensively. I think I’m skating, I’m playing with a lot of energy. Obviously that’s part of my game. That’s kind of where I get a lot of energy from when I can jump up and create. Just trying to do that.”

Boldy gave the Wild a 1-0 lead at 1:49 of the first period, finishing through the five-hole on a breakaway after a flip pass from Zach Bogosian.

“It was nice to see him play the way he did and get rewarded for it,” Minnesota coach John Hynes said. “Obviously he was a huge difference-maker in the game for us. It was an impressive performance.”

Boldy pushed it to 2-0 with a power-play goal at 3:39 when he scored on a redirection of a Hughes pass.

“It was just kind of following me, so I’ll take it,” Boldy said. “I’ll never complain about that. I got some good bounces.”

Forsberg made it 2-1 on the power play at 9:26, poking the puck into an open net after Josi’s shot got through Gustavsson.

Boldy completed the hat trick and made it 3-1 at 12:58. He scored with a backhand chip at the right side of the net after Blankenburg’s clearing attempt went off Predators forward Michael McCarron. It was Boldy’s fourth NHL hat trick.

“Getting the two points was huge,” Boldy said. “Back-and-forth game, a lot of goals. Weird flow to it, but getting the two points was the big thing.”

Stamkos scored on the power play to cut it to 3-2 at 16:45. His one-timer from the left circle off a pass from Forsberg deflected off Boldy.

Erik Haula then tied it 3-3 at 18:21, scoring at the right post off Marchessault’s backhand pass from the end boards.

Luke Evangelista gave Nashville a 4-3 lead 41 seconds into the second period on the rebound of a shot from Stamkos.

Yakov Trenin tied it 4-4 at 16:06, scoring with a backhand after Josi lost the puck at the side of the crease.

It was the Wild’s final game before the break for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. The Predators will play at the Washington Capitals on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, MNMT) before the break begins Friday.

“We’ve got three periods left,” Evangelista said. “These points matter more to us than anyone in the League, and we know that. We know the position we’re in. We’ve just got to give it our all for three more periods and find a way to scratch out two points.”

NOTES: Hughes also has a 10-game point streak (two goals). … Wild forward Marcus Foligno and goaltender Jesper Wallstedt did not travel for the game because of illness. … Forsberg has five goals in a four-game goal streak and seven points (two assists) in a four-game point streak. … Predators defenseman Nicolas Hague returned after missing the five games because of a lower-body injury. He played 19:15.