Filip Forsberg (Ostervala, Sweden) returned to his home country and sparked a Predators come-from-behind win in front of a sellout crowd of 12,766 at Avicii Arena for the first of two games at the 2025 NHL Global Series Sweden presented by Fastenal.
* Matthew Schaefer became the youngest player in NHL history to score a regular-season overtime goal, capping the first day in League history in which all regular-season contests required extra time (min. 4 GP).
* Saturday’s star-studded Hockey Night in Canada has stops in Montreal, Ottawa, Raleigh, Chicago as well as Calgary and features each of the top three teams in the Atlantic Division standings.
FORSBERG RETURNS HOME AND SPARKS PREDATORS TO COMEBACK WIN
Friday marked the first rematch in an NHL regular-season game overseas after the Predators and Penguins initially faced off 25 years ago in Saitama, Japan to begin the 2000-01 regular season as part of GAME ONe Japan 2000. This time, Evgeni Malkin (1-0—1) gave the Penguins a lead and became the oldest player to score in a regular-season game outside North America but Ostervala, Sweden-native Filip Forsberg (1-0—1) tied the score with 1:10 remaining in regulation and set the stage for teammate Steven Stamkos (1-0—1) in overtime.
* Forsberg, who garnered attention on social media ahead of the contest for his country-inspired arrival outfit and received a raucous ovation during player introductions, became the 12th Swedish player to score a goal in an NHL regular-season game in his home country. Only two have registered multiple career goals in their home country: Kristian Huselius (2-1—3 in 2 GP) and Lucas Raymond (2-0—2 in 2 GP).
* Forsberg and the Predators have scored a game-tying goal within the final two minutes of regulation twice this season – tied with the Ducks, Kings, Devils and Kraken for the most among all teams. Overall, Forsberg’s 64 career game-tying goals are the fifth most by a Swedish player in NHL history behind Mats Sundin (105), Daniel Alfredsson (74), Daniel Sedin (74) and Markus Naslund (71).
* Stamkos needed just 44 seconds to score the overtime winner for Nashville. He netted the fastest overtime goal in a regular-season game outside North America, besting the previous mark set by Ottawa’s Mark Stone (0:59 at 2017 Global Series).
* The Predators, whose four wins in regular-season games contested outside North America tied the Panthers for the second most among all teams in that scenario, will conclude their two-game set against the Penguins at the 2025 NHL Global Series Sweden presented by Fastenal on Sunday (9 a.m. ET on SN, NHLN, FDSNSO & SN-PIT).
SCHAEFER MAKES NHL HISTORY AGAIN WITH OVERTIME WINNER
The Mammoth skated out to an early 2-1 lead in their 100th game in franchise history before Jonathan Drouin (1-0—1) leveled the score with less than six minutes remaining in regulation. That set the stage for 18-year-old defenseman Matthew Schaefer (1-0—1) to play the hero – and make NHL history – in extra time as he netted his first career overtime winner.
* Schaefer (18 years, 70 days) became the third-youngest player in the past 80 years to score a goal in consecutive games, behind Jordan Staal (2 GP in 2006-07 at 18 years, 44 days) and Pierre Turgeon (2 GP in 1987-88 at 18 years, 68 days). Schaefer also became the youngest defenseman in NHL history to achieve the feat.
* Schaefer (7-8—15 in 18 GP) became the fourth-youngest player in League history to record 15 career points, trailing only Bep Guidolin (17 years, 34 days on Jan. 12, 1943), Don Gallinger (17 years, 254 days on Dec. 26, 1942) and Ted Kennedy (17 years, 355 days on Dec. 2, 1943). Meanwhile, Phil Housley (16 GP) is the only 18-year-old defenseman in NHL history to record 15 points in fewer games than the Islanders rookie.
* The Islanders won three straight regular-season games in overtime for the first time in franchise history. Of note, New York also achieved this once in the playoffs (3 GP in 1993 DSF).
… WHILE HURRICANES, FLYERS ALSO PICK UP OVERTIME WINS FRIDAY
The Predators and Islanders weren’t the only teams to pick up wins in extra time Friday: the Hurricanes and Flyers also did so with the help of notable performances from Sebastian Aho (1-1—2) and Trevor Zegras (2-1—3).
* After Andrei Svechnikov scored a pair of first-period goals 54 seconds apart, Aho completed Carolina’s comeback with just 31 seconds remaining in overtime – the fourth time he’s scored in the final minute of the extra frame. Only five players in NHL history have more goals in the final minute of overtime: Ilya Kovalchuk (7), John Tavares (6), Alex Ovechkin (5), Jeff Carter (5) and Mark Scheifele (5).
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* The Blues went up 1-0, 3-1 and 5-3 on Friday, but the Flyers overcame three deficits to win a road game for the first time in over a decade (previous: Oct. 18, 2014) with the help of Zegras, who factored on all three tying goals and netted the shootout winner. Zegras has factored on eight game-tying goals in total this season, surpassing Vince Dunn and Nathan MacKinnon (both w/ 7) for the most in the League.
QUICK CLICKS
* Erik Karlsson savors ‘very cool’ NHL Global Series homecoming despite Penguins’ OT loss
* 2028 World Cup host sites could be announced during 2026 Olympics
* Brad Marchand‘s work ethic, fear of slowing down pushed him to 1,000 points
* 2026 NHL Draft Diary: Tynan Lawrence
* #NHLStats: Live Updates from Friday
FIVE-GAME HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA HAS TOP THREE TEAMS IN ATLANTIC DIVISION
Saturday’s 13-game schedule is highlighted by five Hockey Night in Canada contests and features the three teams tied for most points atop the Atlantic Division standings in the Canadiens, Senators and Bruins.
* David Pastrnak is the NHL’s newest 400-goal scorer and has found the score sheet in each of his last 10 games against Montreal dating to Jan. 24, 2023, tied for the third longest point streak versus the Canadiens in franchise history behind Bobby Orr (14 GP from Dec. 21, 1969 – Jan. 22, 1972) and Herb Cain (13 GP from Feb. 7, 1943 – Nov. 18, 1944). The 2025-26 season marks the 100th campaign in League history where the Bruins and Canadiens will contest at least one head-to-head game.
* Quinton Byfield buried the overtime winner in his hometown Thursday, his second game-winning tally in as many games, and leads Los Angeles into its contest against Ottawa, which snapped Boston’s seven-game winning streak that same night. The last contest between the Kings and Senators in Ottawa was on Oct. 14, 2024, and featured 15 combined goals – tied for highest single-game total over the past two seasons.
* Connor Bedard brings the Blackhawks into the slate’s second Original Six matchup and can become the fourth player in franchise history with a 10-game point streak at age 20 or younger, following Denis Savard (13 GP from Oct. 25 – Nov. 22, 1981 & 12 GP from Jan. 10 – Feb. 3, 1982), Bobby Hull (12 GP from Oct. 22 – Nov. 18, 1959) and Jonathan Toews (10 GP from Oct. 10-31, 2007). Bedard and William Nylander share the League lead in primary assists this season (both w/ 13).
* Toews and the Jets conclude their Pacific Division road trip against the Flames, who are coming off a shutout victory to snap the surging Sharks’ seven-game point streak Thursday. Toews is approaching 10 points and 20 games since returning to his hometown of Winnipeg, where new teammate Connor Hellebuyck is involved in community work true to his heart and soul.
* Connor McDavid carries a seven-game scoring streak into Edmonton’s clash against Carolina and sits six points back of League leader Nathan MacKinnon (33). McDavid needs one assist to crack the top 50 on the NHL’s all-time list by tying Denis Potvin (742), who also has the 11th most by a No. 1 pick in League history.
* Leo Carlsson, Macklin Celebrini and Simon Nemec are among the several young stars set to skate during the eight other games Saturday. Carlsson, 20, and Celebrini, 19, are tied with 20-year-old Bedard for the third-most points in the NHL this season, while Nemec, 21, is set to play his first game since becoming the youngest defenseman in League history with a hat trick that included an overtime goal.
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