Forsberg, Annunen lead Predators over Kraken 3-1

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Filip Forsberg scored a goal and added two assists and Justus Annunen made 25 saves to lead the Nashville Predators to a 3-1 victory over the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night in a matchup of teams vying for a Western Conference wild card.

Ryan Ufko and Ryan O’Reilly also scored for the Predators, winners of two straight.

Frederick Gaudreau scored and Joey Daccord made 24 saves for the Kraken, who are 2-6 over their last eight games.

With the win, Nashville pulled even with the Kraken, both with 71 points, just outside the wild-card spots.

Prior to the game, the Predators announced that goalie Juuse Saros would miss the contest due to an upper-body injury and is day-to-day, giving Annunen the unexpected start.

Saros took part in the team’s morning skate, but with the late scratch, the team recalled Matt Murray from Milwaukee of the AHL. The Admirals were playing in Winnipeg, Manitoba on Thursday. Murray arrived at the arena with the game already in progress and was in place on the Predators bench at the beginning of the third.

Murray shares a name with Kraken goaltender Matt Murray, who did not dress for the game.

Annunen is 3-0-0 in his career against Seattle.

Ufko scored the game’s first goal at 6:14 of the opening period on a one-timer from the left side off a pass from Brady Skjei.

The assist was the 300th point of Skjei’s career.

Gaudreau, a former Predator, made it 1-1 with 1:20 left in the first.

O’Reilly put Nashville up 2-1 with a power-play goal at 7:11 of the second after battling a pair of Kraken defenders in front to corral the puck following Steven Stamkos' shot.

Forsberg scored an empty-net goal with 1:50 left in the third.

Kraken: Visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday.

Predators: Host the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday.

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