Predators falter in final road test as Mammoth domination ends season's away streak. A crucial win slip-up impacts playoff seeding.
After shutting out the Ducks on Thursday, the Nashville Predators were on the wrong side of a blowout result, falling to the Utah Mammoth, 4-1, on Thursday at the Delta Center.
It was the final road game of the regular season, as Nashville will have a three-game home stand to end the 2025-26 regular season.
Erik Haula had the Predators' lone goal of the game on the power play, backhanding a shot that came off the end boards into the net. It was his 14th goal of the season. The lone conversion ended Utah's shutout bid, making the game 4-1.
Kailer Yamamoto kicked off the scoring on a 2-on-1. Logan Cooley stole a pass from Steven Stamkos and passed it to Dylan Guenther to start the rush. Yamamoto got the centering pass from Guenther and tapped it in behind Juuse Saros.
In the second period, Justin Barron went to the box for tripping. Utah capitalized on a tap-in goal from Nick Schmaltz off a pass from Clayton Keller to make it 2-0.
The Mammoth blew things open in the third period with Lawson Crouse scoring on a cross-ice pass from Keller to make it 3-0. Guenther scored off the rush off a pass to the weak side from Keller to make it 4-0.
Saros recorded a second straight loss. Allowing four goals on 26 shots. The outing comes a game after Justus Annunen recorded the Predators' first shutout of the season, making 43 saves in a 5-0 victory.
The Predators will need the Los Angeles Kings to lose to the Vancouver Canucks in any fashion to hold onto the second Wild Card seed with 84 points. The Kings follow closely with 83 points.
Nashville has the regulation wins tiebreaker over LA.