Nashville Predators On SI

Counting Down the Best Nashville Predator Playoff Wins: 2019 Game 2 vs. Dallas Stars

The Nashville Predators evened their first playoff series against the Dallas Stars with an overtime wrist shot.

Joe Gaither

Scott Barry, known as \"The Ultimate Predator,\" stands outside before the divisional semifinal game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, April 10, 2019. Sem4365
Scott Barry, known as \"The Ultimate Predator,\" stands outside before the divisional semifinal game at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, April 10, 2019. Sem4365 / USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Nashville Predators kick off the 2026-27 season in 47 days on Sept. 20 with preseason action against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Predators look to end a two-year playoff drought by getting the season off to a good start and starting first-year general manager Chris MacFarland's tenure on a positive note.

The Predators have won 56 NHL playoff games in the franchise's 28 seasons for seven series victories with one Clarence S. Campbell trophy in 2017. Let's round out the offseason by looking back and counting down the most significant playoff wins in franchise history.

No. 47 - 2019 Game 2: Nashville Predators vs. Dallas Stars

The Predators entered the 2019 NHL Playoffs as the top-seeded team in the Central Division and the second overall seed in the Western Conference playoffs, but had lost four of the franchise's last five home playoff games entering the postseason. Nashville dropped Game 1 at home against Dallas 3-2, making matters even more tense entering Saturday's second game on Broadway.

Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne showed why he is in the Hall of Fame, making 22 saves in the Predators' 2-1 overtime victory. Forward Craig Smith got the game-winning goal five minutes into overtime, controlling a pass at the blue line before rushing the net to put a rebound past Ben Bishop's near post, ending the Predators' three-game home losing streak.

"It was kind of a delayed reaction," Smith said. "I think (Stars defenseman Roman) Polak knocked it down, and I just tried to get a stick on it and tried to feather it in there. I don't know how it got through, but able to just get a stick on something and get some traffic and get it in there."

The Predators went 0-for-3 on the power play, but got off 42 shots to even the series. Nashville committed 13 turnovers, and the Predators' carelessness gifted Dallas the game's opening goal.

Predators defender Mattias Ekholm was hounded in the second period and lost the puck to Tyler Seguin, who found Jamie Benn crashing to the net for the Stars' only goal of the game. Nashville tied the game at one a few minutes later when Austin Watson dug the puck from behind the net and found Rocco Grimaldi for his first playoff goal. Grimaldi scored the only three playoff goals of his career in this series.

"It's a thriller when it comes to an [overtime] game," Rinne said. "It's a one-shot game. But I thought that we did an unbelievable job, especially the third period and [overtime]. We were able to pressure them hard, get the puck in their zone, and they had to ice the puck a lot. We kept changing fresh bodies on the ice and kept the pace of the game really high. I felt confident that we were going to get it, but until you see that hit the back of the net, you just try to stay in the moment."

Nashville Predators All-Time NHL Playoff Victories By Series

2004 R1 vs DET: 2 wins (L 2-4)
2006 R1 vs SJ: 1 win (L 1-4)
2007 R1 vs SJ: 1 win (L 1-4)
2008 R1 vs DET: 2 wins (L 2-4)
2010 R1 vs CHI: 2 wins (L 2-4)
2011 R1 vs ANA: 4 wins (W 4-2)
2011 R2 vs VAN: 2 wins (L 2-4)
2012 R1 vs DET: 4 wins (W 4-1)
2012 R2 vs PHX: 1 win (L 1-4)
2015 R1 vs CHI: 2 wins (L 2-4)
2016 R1 vs ANA: 4 wins (W 4-3)
2016 R2 vs SJ: 3 wins (L 3-4)
2017 R1 vs CHI: 4 wins (W 4-0)
2017 R2 vs STL: 4 wins (W 4-2)
2017 WCF vs ANA: 4 wins (W 4-2)
2017 SCF vs PIT: 2 wins (L 2-4)
2018 R1 vs COL: 4 wins (W 4-2)
2018 R2 vs WPG: 3 wins (L 3-4)
2019 R1 vs DAL: 2 wins (L 2-4)
2020 Qualifying vs ARI: 1 win (L 1-3)
2021 R1 vs CAR: 2 wins (L 2-4)
2022 R1 vs COL: 0 wins (L 0-4)
2024 R1 vs VAN: 2 wins (L 2-4)

This is the first article in a Nashville Predators On SI series counting down the 47 most significant playoff wins in Nashville Predators history.

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Joe Gaither
JOE GAITHER

Joe Gaither covers the Nashville Predators for Nashville Predators On SI. He also oversees videos and podcasts for Alabama Crimson Tide On SI/BamaCentral. He began his sports media career in radio in 2019, working for three years in Tuscaloosa covering the University of Alabama and other local high school sports. In 2023 he joined BamaCentral to cover a variety of Crimson Tide sports and recruiting, in addition to hosting the “Joe Gaither Show” podcast. His work has also appeared on the Boston College, Miami, Missouri and Vanderbilt college On SI sites.

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