Takeaways From Predators’ 5-4 Shootout Loss vs. Islanders

The Nashville Predators (4-3-5) suffered another post-regulation defeat on Tuesday, a 5-4 shootout loss to the New York Islanders (6-4-2). The Predators lead the league in overtime/shootout losses with five, and have yet to win a game in overtime this season.

Nashville gave up two goals in the first period and another in the first two minutes of the second to fall 3-0. After getting punched in the mouth early, they finally got going. Filip Forsberg scored at 9:42 in the second, and Alex Kerfoot tipped in a shot at 13:02 to make it 3-2.

The tying goal came from Ryan O’Reilly, who poked in a Forsberg shot past Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov to tie it 3-3 and send the game to overtime. The Predators spent most of overtime on the penalty kill but managed to force the shootout. O’Reilly and Forsberg missed, while the Islanders’ Kyle Palmieri knocked in his opportunity, and Bo Horvat scored the dagger to give the Islanders the win. It was Semyon Varlamov’s first win since 2024 after returning to the NHL this season.

Bittersweet Comeback

The Predators have given up a massive lead often this season, including games against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators. Those losses sting. Yet, they’ve managed two comebacks against the San Jose Sharks and now the Islanders, but still lost in the shootout.

“We’ve had some hard nights here as of late,” head coach Andrew Brunette told reporters. “The third period was our best period…We didn’t start the game where we wanted to be, and I’m trying to put my finger on it. It seems like a year, year and a half of me talking about it, but we’re having trouble grabbing it. All in all, I like the grit and resilience to talk about it…We’ll regroup, and we’ve gotta start better.”

Overtime Penalty Kill

This game will mostly be remembered for the tripping call on Forsberg in overtime and the team’s penalty kill. At 4:30, with Matthew Schaefer advancing the puck, Forsberg got his stick a tad too close to Schaefer’s skates and tripped him.

Fortunately, the Predators didn’t let up, especially O’Reilly, who played 4:27 of 5:00 minutes in overtime. That wasn’t even the most amount of time spent on the ice – Schaefer spent the full five minutes on the ice. Still, it was a gutsy shift from O’Reilly.

“He’s exceptional,” Brunette said. “With the game on the line, there’s probably no player I’d rather have on the ice than Factor.”

Post-Regulation Has Failed Nashville

The Predators now fall to 0-5 in games that go to overtime or the shootout, which is indicative of where the team is at right now. Still, Brunette thinks the team will turn it around: “I always believe it’s kind of a coin toss. In our other overtime losses, we’ve had breakaways, we’ve had 2-on-1s, we’ve missed our chances, they’ve capitalized on theirs.

Obviously, this situation was different when we were shorthanded for two minutes in the last three. Then, for the shootout, it’s kind of a thing when you kind of get on a roll, and obviously confidence plays a factor into that…it’s funny how it goes, and obviously things aren’t going our way.”

Standings/Schedule

The Predators have lost six of their last eight games, but they earned a point, which brings them to 13. They are tied with the Colorado Avalanche (6-5-1), whom they beat on Sunday, for fifth in the Central Division, placing them in the two wild-card spots in the Western Conference.

The Predators finish out the month at home, with games against the Washington Capitals on Thursday, Oct. 29, and the Tampa Bay Lightning on Halloween. They face the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday to start November before heading on the road to face the Avalanche on Nov. 5.