Forsberg's dominant hat trick fuels Predators' swift second victory over the Blues, extending their winning streak.
Filip Forsberg scored his 11th career hat trick as the Nashville Predators routed the St. Louis Blues for the second time in less than a week, 5-2, on Monday in St. Louis.
Forsberg and Stamkos have a combined seven goals in less than a week against the Blues, with Stamkos scoring four in the 7-2 win over St. Louis on Dec. 11 at Bridgestone Arena.
The Predators and Forsberg got the scoring going early as he'd find the back of the net 27 seconds into the game off a feed from Ryan O'Reilly to the front of the net. Forsberg, from the low right side of the net, picked the corner on goalie Joel Hofer.
Dalibor Dvorsk responded halfway through the first period to tie the game at one a piece. Nashville continued its hot streak in the opening minutes of the period as Michael Bunting netted his ninth of the year to give the Predators the lead back, 2-1.
On a Dvorsky delay of game call, Forsberg took a wrist shot from the point and beat Hofer for his second goal of the night, on the power play, and to bump the lead to 3-1. Reid Schaefer scored his third career goal on a turnaround shot from the blue line to open up the game, 4-1.
In the third period, Dvorsky responded with his second goal of the game. An empty net goal in the final four minutes of the game sealed the hat trick for Forsberg, his first since April 12, 2024, in a 5-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.
O'Reilly had two assists and now has seven points in six games. He leads the Predators in scoring with 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) in 32 games.
Roman Josi recorded two assists and now has four points in three games. In addition, he passed Borje Salming for the fifth-most multipoint games by a defenseman born outside North America in NHL history with 177.
After a slow start, Brady Skjei has four points in five games, recording a secondary assist in the victory.
Juuse Saros picked up his 11th win of the season and is now a game above .500. He made 20 saves on 22 shots in the victory. Saros' goals-against average is now below three at 2.99 and his save percentage is nearing .900, now at .897.
Up next: Carolina Hurricanes (21-9-2, 1st in Metropolitan) at Nashville Predators (13-15-4, 8th in Central) on Wed. Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. CST at Bridgestone Arena