Counting Down the Best Nashville Predator Playoff Wins: 2019 Game 3 vs. Dallas Stars
The Nashville Predators kick off the 2026-27 season in 46 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. 46 - 2019 Game 3: Nashville Predators vs. Dallas Stars
The Nashville Predators entered the 2019 NHL playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the Central Division and the No. 2 overall seed in the Western Conference and were paired with a Central Division rival as the wildcard team in the Dallas Stars in the opening round.
The Predators got the series even at 1-1 after a dramatic overtime win in Game 2 on home ice and entered American Airlines Center looking to reclaim home-ice advantage with a win.
Throwback to April 15, 2019 when the Nashville Predators defeated the Dallas Stars 3-2 to take Game 3 of their first round playoff matchup.
— Joe Gaither (@JoeGaither6) August 5, 2026
Rocco Grimaldi and Filip Forsberg got the scoring started but it was Mikael Granlund with the game winner in the third period. pic.twitter.com/X6HG3dDm1z
The road team jumped out in front as Rocco Grimaldi scored his second goal in two games to give the Predators a lead. Grimaldi took a long pass from P.K. Subban and carried into the Dallas zone before firing an awkward shot past Ben Bishop. The Predators doubled their lead on a similar play as Nick Bonino found Filip Forsberg in the second period on a long pass up the boards, and Forsberg did the rest, skating around Bishop and finding the net for the goal.
The Nashville Predators took down the Dallas Stars in Game 3 of the 2019 NHL Western Conference First Round series
— Joe Gaither (@JoeGaither6) August 5, 2026
Photo Credit: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images pic.twitter.com/BYAjRK8KdO
Nashville Hall of Fame goaltender Pekka Rinne was in pristine form between the pipes, making 40 saves on Dallas' 42 shots, holding the Stars to 0-for-3 on the power play, including making five saves during a Dallas 5-on-3. However, the Predators squandered a 2-0 lead, forcing Rinne into the biggest save of the night in the third period.
Dallas seized the game's momentum in the third period as Tyler Seguin scored to tie the game 2-2 with just over 11 minutes remaining. Just 15 seconds later, the Stars had the puck in the Predators' end again as Alexander Radulov's rebound found Jamie Benn with a wide-open net. Rinne slid in a split from his right post to his left, deflecting Benn's shot and keeping the Predators tied with the series lead in the balance.
"He was terrific all night," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "At that point, you're under fire a little bit, they start to grab the energy in the building. ... That save was big."
Rinne's third period save was rewarded three minutes later as Nashville center Mikael Granlund scored his first Predators playoff goal to give the road team a 3-2 advantage.
Kyle Turris won the face off in the Dallas zone, poking the puck to Dante Fabbro behind him who quickly found Granlund by the boards to keep possession in the Stars end. Granlund drifted towards the blue line and fired to the net, slipping the puck past Bishop for the game winner.
Pekka Rinne was incredible in this 2019 Game 3 victory for Nashville, making 40 stops, but none bigger than the third-period save against Jamie Benn https://t.co/sjqMElh4Z4 pic.twitter.com/JZP8Z5qqj2
— Joe Gaither (@JoeGaither6) August 5, 2026
Unfortunately, the Predators went on to lose the next three games by a combined score of 12-5, ending the season in disappointment.
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 second article in a Nashville Predators On SI series counting down the 47 most significant playoff wins in Nashville Predators history.
No. 47 - 2019 Game 2: Nashville Predators vs. Dallas Stars
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NASHVILLE PREDATORS On SI
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.