October 26, 2025 – The Nashville Predators couldn’t sustain their early momentum as they dropped a 3-2 decision to the Dallas Stars at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday night. Despite jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the opening 20 minutes, the Predators watched the Stars storm back with three unanswered goals to hand Nashville their fourth loss of the season before a crowd of 17,159.
The defeat moves Nashville to 4-4-2 on the campaign, while Dallas improves to 5-3-1. The game marked a disappointing reversal of fortune for the Predators, who controlled the early proceedings but couldn’t find answers as the Stars tightened defensively in the final two periods.
Goaltending Battle Goes Dallas’ Way
The netminding duel proved decisive, with Dallas’ Casey DeSmith outperforming Nashville’s Justus Annunen between the pipes.
| Goalie | Team | Decision | Saves | Shots Against | Save % | TOI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casey DeSmith | Dallas | W | 23 | 25 | .920 | 60:00 |
| Justus Annunen | Nashville | L | 24 | 27 | .889 | 58:03 |
DeSmith’s .920 save percentage proved crucial in preserving the Stars’ comeback victory, turning aside 23 of 25 Nashville attempts. Annunen, meanwhile, stopped 24 of 27 shots but couldn’t match his counterpart’s efficiency when it mattered most.
Strong Start Fades for Nashville
Nashville exploded out of the gate when Jonathan Marchessault opened the scoring on the power play at 8:02 of the first period, converting passes from Ryan O’Reilly and Filip Forsberg. The Predators doubled their advantage in the second period when Spencer Stastney notched his first goal of the season at 7:15, assisted by Luke Evangelista and Justin Barron.
However, the Stars responded immediately. Oskar Back cut the deficit to one just over two minutes later, finishing off helpers from Radek Faksa and Thomas Harley. Wyatt Johnston tied the game at 16:29 of the middle frame with his sixth goal of the season from Jason Robertson, setting up a tense third period.
Point Producers Tell the Tale
The offensive statistics reveal Dallas’ balanced attack versus Nashville’s top-heavy production.
| Player | Team | Goals | Assists | Points | Plus/Minus | Shots | TOI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Robertson | DAL | 0 | 2 | 2 | +1 | 4 | 24:41 |
| Mikko Rantanen | DAL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 21:32 |
| Wyatt Johnston | DAL | 1 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 4 | 21:21 |
| Jonathan Marchessault | NSH | 1 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 3 | 17:27 |
| Spencer Stastney | NSH | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 15:31 |
| Ryan O’Reilly | NSH | 0 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 4 | 21:22 |
| Filip Forsberg | NSH | 0 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 4 | 20:22 |
Robertson’s two-assist performance paced the Stars’ offense, while Rantanen delivered the game-winner on the power play at 10:44 of the third period with helpers from Mavrik Bourque and Robertson.
Special Teams Make the Difference
The power play proved to be the great equalizer, with both teams converting one of their opportunities with the man advantage. Nashville’s discipline became an issue as the game wore on, taking six penalties to Dallas’ two. The Stars capitalized on their lone third-period power play when Rantanen buried the eventual winner, exposing Nashville’s penalty kill at a critical juncture.
Dallas also held a slight edge in shot attempts, generating 27 shots on goal compared to Nashville’s 25. The Predators’ struggles were magnified by their minus-10 penalty differential, spending far too much time defending shorthanded.
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