Forsberg Sets Franchise Record With Help from Evangelista as Predators Defeat Blackhawks

On Friday night, Filip Forsberg set a new Nashville Predators single-season goals record – and then some. 

Forsberg's power-play goal in the first period of Nashville's 5-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks was his 44th goal of the season, breaking the previous record of 43 set by Matt Duchene in the 2021-22 season.

But he wasn't done there. Forsberg tacked on two more goals to complete the hat trick, bring his season total to 46 and make his new franchise record that much harder to beat.

While nine other players besides Forsberg found the scoresheet for Nashville – including goaltender Kevin Lankinen, who earned an assist on Jason Zucker's power-play goal in the second period – one stood out among the rest. 

Luke Evangelista – who was elevated to a top-line role in place of Gustav Nyquist, one of a handful of players who got the night off due to "roster management" – was credited with an assist on Forsberg's first goal of the night and quickly grabbed the puck from inside the net as a keepsake for Forsberg.

Evangelista added another helper on Forsberg's third goal of the game at 1:37 of the third period, also on the power play. With his third tally of the night, Forsberg recorded his second hat trick of the season and the franchise-leading 10th of his career. Evangelista's pair of assists marked his fourth multi-point performance of the season, a career high, and his first since Nov. 24 vs. St. Louis.

Playing on the top line with Forsberg and O'Reilly, Evangelista finished the night with two assists, five shots, and 15:55 minutes of ice time. The rookie winger has been surging in the second half of the season, scoring 10 points in his past 18 games, including five goals. 

Nyquist almost certainly won't lose his job to Evangelista once he returns to the lineup, but the fact that Evangelista is elevating his game at the right time bodes very well for the Predators as they push toward the playoffs.