Predators’ four-goal second period sinks Bruins 6-3 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville Thursday night

Nashville capitalized on a decisive middle frame to reverse an early one-goal game and end a short skid

The Nashville Predators defeated the Boston Bruins 6-3 at Bridgestone Arena on Thursday, March 5, 2026, using a four-goal second period to turn a one-goal lead into a lopsided advantage. The win moved Nashville to 28-26-8 and snapped a three-game stretch without a win (0-2-1). Boston fell to 34-22-5.

The game’s defining sequence came after a measured first period in which Nashville scored once and limited Boston’s chances. Defenseman Nicolas Hague opened the scoring at 13:53 of the first, sending the Predators into intermission ahead 1-0.

Second-period surge featured special teams and transition finishing

Nashville’s separation started immediately in the second. Matthew Wood scored a short-handed goal at 1:24, striking shortly after leaving the penalty box to make it 2-0. Boston responded on the power play when Morgan Geekie converted at 3:30 to cut the deficit to 2-1, but that goal did not shift control of the period.

The Predators re-established momentum with three more goals in a span of 4:26. Erik Haula redirected a shot at 10:18 for a 3-1 lead, Filip Forsberg scored on the power play at 12:37 to make it 4-1, and Wood added his second at 14:44 on a tip to extend the margin to 5-1 heading to the third.

• Matthew Wood: 2 goals, including a short-handed strike
• Filip Forsberg: 1 goal and 2 assists
• Nashville: 4 goals in the second period after scoring once in the first

Bruins’ push in the third fell short as Nashville managed the closing minutes

Boston narrowed the score early in the third on a Charlie McAvoy goal at 6:05, and later pulled within two when Viktor Arvidsson scored at 15:32 to make it 5-3. Nashville closed out the result with Luke Evangelista’s empty-net goal at 17:33.

Juuse Saros finished with 20 saves for Nashville, while Joonas Korpisalo made 23 saves for Boston. Beyond the scoreline, the game also reflected the impact of availability and roster context: Nashville scratched center Ryan O’Reilly due to an upper-body injury. Earlier in the day, the Predators also traded forward Michael Bunting to the Dallas Stars for a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, a move completed before the puck dropped.

By combining a short-handed goal, a power-play conversion, and high-percentage looks generated off transition and point shots, Nashville turned one period into a margin Boston could not erase.

For Nashville, the result provided a timely boost in a tight portion of the schedule. For Boston, it was a night defined by a costly second period in which the Bruins allowed four goals and struggled to regain the game’s structure afterward.