Marcus Foligno gave Minnesota the first goal of the season, finishing a rebound after Nashville goalkeeper Juuse Saros stopped an initial rush. The Wild carried that early breakthrough through a demanding finish, then Quinn Hughes scored in the third period to help secure a 3-1 win over the Predators at Bridgestone Arena.
How the Game Played Out
The opening minutes offered chances at both ends. Blake Coleman and Ryan O'Reilly took the opening faceoff, and Nashville soon worked the puck to Roman Josi at the blue line. Josi sent a blast high, then got another opportunity after O'Reilly recovered possession. Minnesota’s pressure disrupted the play, and the Wild turned back up ice. Hughes joined the rush of early action from the point, while Saros made a glove save to keep the opening scoreless.
Minnesota broke through on a rebound. After a pass from Ma, McCarron drove in and tested Saros, who stopped the first shot. The rebound spilled into the middle, where Foligno found it and put the Wild ahead. Nashville continued to generate looks, but Minnesota’s goaltending held up: one later chance saw a shot met by a save, and another Nashville opportunity ended with a rising attempt handled by the Minnesota netminder. The supplied transcript does not preserve a reliable second-period sequence, so it does not identify a period-specific turning point or additional scorers there.
The clearest late swing came in the third. Minnesota spent extended time in the offensive zone, moving the puck across the ice and keeping Nashville under pressure. Hughes changed direction at the blue line, found a shooting lane through traffic and scored. The broadcast noted that Kirill Kaprizov might have touched the puck in front, but the deflection was uncertain, so Hughes gets the goal here. With Nashville down by two, the Predators pushed back: Matt Wood hit the crossbar, and Filip Forsberg later broke in alone but was stopped. Minnesota blocked shots and answered those chances, protecting the 3-1 final. Game data identifies Coleman as the winning-goal scorer; the transcript does not give a clear sequence for that goal.
What the Result Means
For Minnesota, the win opens the 2026-27 season with a result that builds on the team’s previous campaign, as the broadcast described it. Foligno supplied an early finish, the Wild received key stops, and Hughes’ third-period goal arrived during a stretch when Minnesota had Nashville pinned back. That combination gave the visitors a way to withstand the Predators’ late push without surrendering their two-goal cushion.
Nashville had chances to change the closing minutes, including Wood’s shot off the crossbar and Forsberg’s solo attempt, but could not convert those opportunities into another goal. The final score gives the Predators an early-season result to respond to, while Minnesota leaves with a win and a strong late-game sequence. The teams will carry those opening-night lessons into their next stretch of the season.
Watch the Highlights
The NHL highlight video captures Foligno’s rebound finish, Hughes’ point shot through traffic and the late Nashville chances. Watch the full highlights above for the saves and scoring plays from Minnesota’s 3-1 win at Bridgestone Arena.
Final Score: Minnesota Wild 3, Nashville Predators 1.
Final Score: Nashville Predators 1, Minnesota Wild 3.
Source: NHL.com game data, Highlightly match API and NHL video transcript