NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Matthew Wood scored twice to lead the Nashville Predators to a 6-3 victory over the Boston Bruins on Thursday night.
Filip Forsberg had a goal and two assists, Nicolas Hague, Erik Haula and Luke Evangelista also scored for the Predators. Juuse Saros made 20 saves for Nashville, which snapped a three-game losing streak. The Predators trail the Seattle Kraken for the Western Conference’s second wild card by three points.
Charlie McAviy and Viktor Arvidsson each had a goal and an assist and Morgan Geekie also scored for Boston. Joonas Korpisalo made 24 saves for the Bruins, who have lost two of their last three games. Boston is one point ahead of Columbus for the Eastern Conference’s second wild card.
Hague scored the game’s first goal at 13:53 of the opening period on a slap shot between Korpisalo’s pads.
Wood made it 2-0 at 1:24 of the second with a short-handed goal.
Just as coincidental penalties to Wood and Boston’s Mark Kastelic were expiring, Nick Perbix intercepted a pass in the Boston zone and went the other way. Wood exited the box and joined the rush, and Perbix left a drop pass for Wood, who scored his 11th of the season.
Geekie cut Nashville’s lead in half at 3:30 of the second on a power play. The goal was Geekie’s 34th of the season, a career high.
Haula and Forsberg scored goals 2:18 apart midway through the second.
Ryan Ufko recalled earlier Thursday from Milwaukee of the AHL assisted on the Forsberg goal for his first NHL point. Nashville has traded four roster players since Tuesday, triggering multiple call-ups from Milwaukee.
Wood struck again with 5:16 remaining in the second.
McAvoy and Arvidsson scored in the third before Evangelista’s empty-net goal punctuated the scoring.
Up next
Bruins: Host the Washington Capitals on Saturday.
Predators: At the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.
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