Forsberg has a goal and 2 assists to lead surging Predators over slumping Sharks 6-3

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Filip Forsberg scored a goal and assisted on two others to lead the Nashville Predators to a 6-3 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday night in a matchup of teams headed in opposite directions in the standings.

Matthew Wood, Roman Josi, Luke Evangelista, Brady Skjei and Steven Stamkos also scored and Juuse Saros made 27 saves for Nashville, winners of a season-high five consecutive games. Jonathan Marchessault had three assists.

Will Smith scored two goals, Adam Gaudette had one and Alex Nedeljkovic made 13 saves for the Sharks, who lost their fifth straight game.

The Predators entered Tuesday in the Western Conference’s second wild-card position, five points ahead of the Sharks, with San Jose having played two fewer games.

The Predators have defeated the Sharks 14 straight times. The game Tuesday night was the first matchup of the season between the teams. They meet twice in April, once in each city.

Saros is 14-2-1 in his career against the Sharks.

Forsberg scored the game’s first goal at 2:34, the first of five opening-period goals for the Predators. Forsberg has five goals and seven assists during his five-game points streak.

Gaudette tied it 1 at 6:25 of the first, redirecting Shakir Mukhamadullin's shot in traffic.

Nashville regained the lead for good 1:24 later on Wood's wrister from the right circle.

Josi’s goal at 11:40 made it 3-1 and Evangelista scored 46 seconds later.

Stamkos snapped a wrist shot past Nedeljkovic from above the left circle at 12:38 of the second with Nashville on a power play.

Smith scored with 2:34 remaining in the second with the Sharks on a two-man advantage and again at even strength 1:40 into the third.

Sharks: Visit St. Louis on Thursday night.

Predators: Host New Jersey on Thursday night.

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San Jose Sharks center Will Smith (2) celebrates his goal with teammates during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Nashville Predators right wing Matthew Wood (71) celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks, Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Nashville Predators right wing Luke Evangelista (77) celebrates his goal with teammates during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks, Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg, left, congratulates center Steven Stamkos (91) after his goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks, Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg (9) chases the puck past San Jose Sharks center Zack Ostapchuk (63) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Erik Cernak scored a tiebreaking goal with 2:53 left in the third period when Minnesota goaltender Filip Gustavsson misplayed a carom off the end boards and the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Wild 6-3 on Tuesday night.

Cernak scored his second of the season after Charle-EdouardD’Astous' pass traveled the length of the ice and bounced off the end boards toward Gustavsson, who failed to control the puck with his glove. The puck went between Gustavsson's legs into the crease and Cernak pounced, sending it into the open net.

Tampa Bay rallied from a two-goal deficit, scoring three goals in the second period and five unanswered overall over the second and the third to win for the fourth time in five games and fifth time in seven.

Darren Raddysh had a goal and two assists, Brayden Point, Brandon Hagel and Jake Guentzel also scored, and Pontus Holmberg added an empty-netter in the final half-minute. Andrei Vasilevskiy made 20 saves to win his fourth straight start. Guentzel's goal was his 32nd of the season and the 300th for his career.

Vladimir Tarasenko had a goal and an assist, and Mats Zuccarello and Brock Faber also scored for the Wild, who have lost five of their last seven games. Gustavsson stopped 19 of the 23 shots that he faced.

Minnesota jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first and a 3-1 lead in the second before Tampa Bay bounced back. Raddysh and Guentzel scored in approximately a three-minute span of the second to tie the game at 3. Cernak, Hagel and Holmberg completed the scoring in the third for Tampa Bay.

The Wild had a potential go-ahead goal disallowed with 1:18 left in the second period after Tampa Bay challenged. After a review, it was decided that Raddysh was knocked to the ice and into the crease, prohibiting Vasilevskiy from a possible save.

For Minnesota, Joel Eriksson Ek was back in the lineup after missing three games with lower-body injury and Kirill Kaprizov returned after missing two games, also with a lower-body injury.

Wild: At the Florida Panthers on Thursday.

Lightning: Host the Seattle Kraken on Thursday.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy (88) makes a glove save on a shot by the Minnesota Wild during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Lightning center Jake Guentzel (59) celebrates after scoring past Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (32) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon (46) falls down as he chases the puck against Tampa Bay Lightning center Anthony Cirelli (71) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon (46) knocks the puck away from Tampa Bay Lightning center Jake Guentzel (59) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak (81) and Minnesota Wild left wing Matt Boldy (12) battle for a loose puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)