The Nashville Predators are playing their best hockey when it matters most.
Meanwhile, the New Jersey Devils might be out of the playoff race but look to continue their recent surge by keeping the host Predators from extending a season-high winning streak to six games Thursday night.
Poised to return to the playoffs following a disappointing 2024-25 campaign, the Predators (34-28-9, 77 points) currently own the final wild-card spot in the Western Conference — three points ahead of Los Angeles. Nashville has totaled 20 goals during a five-game winning streak that’s come during this final stretch of the regular season.
On Tuesday, the Predators rode a five-goal first period to win 6-3 over visiting San Jose.
“We know the standings,” said Nashville forward Jonathan Marchessault, who had three assists against the Sharks and has 10 in the last nine contests.
“We took care of business (Tuesday), and we’ve got to focus on the next game.”
Nashville has also outscored its opponents 19-8 during a four-game home winning stretch.
“Every game from here on out, it’s going to be a playoff-type game for us, and the points are so important,” said Nashville defenseman Brady Skjei, who recorded a goal and three assists in the last four games.
Predators star Filip Forsberg recorded a goal with two assists on Tuesday. He has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) during the five-game winning streak. Forsberg scored in Nashville’s 3-2 overtime loss at New Jersey on Jan. 29.
The Devils (36-32-2, 74 points) sit near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings and are 11 points out of the final wild-card spot. However, New Jersey is 8-3-0 since Feb. 28 and has totaled 23 goals while winning four of the last five.
Jack Hughes scored twice, while Jesper Bratt and Dougie Hamilton each notched a goal with an assist as the Devils improved to 2-1-0 on a five-game road stretch with Tuesday’s 6-4 victory at Dallas, with four of those scores coming in the opening frame.
“Things (have) started clicking a little by us, just relaxing and just playing our game,” said Bratt, who has seven goals and 13 assists in the last 18 games.
“We’re just kind of dialing it in as a group,” he said. “That kind of shows in the flow of our game.”
With eight goals in the last eight games, Hughes has recorded at least 20 for a fifth straight season. He’s posted two goals and three assists in four career games at Nashville.
New Jersey’s Jake Allen (2.68 goals-against average, .906 save percentage) has won two of three starts since losing four in a row. Teammate Jacob Markstrom (3.10 GAA, .884 save percentage) has won six of his last eight starts despite allowing at least three goals in each of the last six.
Nashville veteran Juuse Saros has a 2.51 GAA and .924 save percentage amid his 4-0-1 stretch. Backup Justus Annunen, meanwhile, has yielded just nine goals (1.82 GAA) with a .938 save percentage in winning three of his last five starts.
Fellow Predators star Steven Stamkos has recorded four of his team-leading 35 goals in the last three games.
