January 22, 2026, was a day that fans of the Nashville Predators won’t soon forget. Longtime Predators defenseman and captain, Roman Josi, celebrated his 1,000th NHL game.
Roman Josi is now part of an elite group of players who have accomplished that feat, and, even more impressively, he has done it all in a Nashville Predators uniform.
But his accomplishment isn’t the only reason the Predators’ game against the Ottawa Senators will be remembered for years to come; the game itself saw one of the most epic comebacks of the NHL season.
The evening began with the usual excitement that fills NHL arenas throughout the league on game day. The entire Predators team entered Bridgestone Arena in Nashville wearing the number 59 of Roman Josi during warm-ups. Then the action began in the first period. The Senators kept the Preds scoreless in the first period while scoring two goals of their own and taking a 2-0 lead after one.
The second period continued to go the way of the Senators. The Senators would score again, making it 3-0. At this point, the energy began to drain from the crowd in Nashville. But all hope was not lost. Later in the period, the Preds would find themselves on the power play and take advantage. Predators forward and alternate captain, Steven Stamkos, scored on the power play to finally get the Predators on the board. The score: 3-1 Senators heading into the second intermission.
Then, the third period was all Nashville. Early on in the period, Nashville Right Wing, Johnathan Marchessault, scored a goal to make it a one-point game at 3-2. The crowd began to come alive again. Later on in the period, Nashville would once again be on the power play, when once again, Steven Stamkos put another point on the board for his second power play goal of the night, tying the game at 3-3.
The crowd went wild and stayed crazy the rest of the game. But Stammer wasn’t done yet. The energy in the building was incredible, and with less than two minutes to go, Stamkos scored his third goal of the night, completing the hat trick and giving the Preds their first lead of the game, 4-3. The hats went flying in Music City.
Afterwards, the Senators pulled their goalie. With the extra man, Ottawa attempted to tie the game, but it was not to be. Predators right wing, Cole Smith, took the puck down the ice and scored an empty net goal with less than a minute left in the game.
Final, 5-3 Predators!
On a night when Roman Josi played his 1,000th game, Steven Stamkos pulled a hat trick, and the Nashville Predators put up five unanswered goals to win after being down 3-0.
It was an incredible night, an incredible game, and an incredible comeback.
