Steven Stamkos’ hat trick helps Predators rally to beat Senators

Steven Stamkos scored with 1:13 remaining to break a deadlock and complete his second hat trick of the season, as the host Nashville Predators rallied from a three-goal deficit to beat the Ottawa Senators 5-3 on Thursday night.

The Predators celebrated captain Roman Josi's 1,000th career game with the 15th victory in team history after trailing by three or more goals. The last occurred Jan. 21, 2025, when Nashville scored the final six goals in a 7-5 win over the San Jose Sharks.

Stamkos' 16th hat trick of his career gives him a team-high 24 goals. Jonathan Marchessault lit the lamp for the first time since Dec. 13, and Cole Smith capped the comeback with an empty-netter in the final minute.

Ryan O'Reilly assisted on the final three goals of the game. Luke Evangelista helped on two others and Josi had an assist as well in his milestone game.

Juuse Saros made 23 saves for his third win in four starts.

Stephen Halliday, Ridly Grieg and Dylan Cozens scored for the Senators, who lost for the third time in four games. Jake Sanderson notched two assists to give him a team-leading 31.

James Reimer stopped 21 shots.

Halliday, whom Ottawa recalled from its AHL franchise in Belleville Thursday morning with David Perron set for surgery to repair a sports hernia, got his first career goal with 13:57 left. Grieg doubled the lead eight minutes later.

Cozens made it 3-0 with 9:14 to go in the second. He registered his 16th by extending his stick to redirect Artem Zub's shot from the point and beat Saros through traffic.

The comeback started with 1:26 to go in the second. That's when Stamkos scored the first of his two power-play goals. Marchessault, in his third game back from injury, cut it to a one-goal game with 11:41 to play, moments after the Predators finished a four-minute power play without a goal.

Stamkos tied it on another power play tally less than two minutes later, and added the game-winner after O'Reilly fed the puck into the crease from behind to end the Predators' two-game skid and provide a much-needed win as they seek to remain in the playoff chase.