The Nashville Predators\u2019 season has been a disaster, but even in times of darkness, there are rays of sunshine.<\/p>\n
For instance, on Tuesday, former Capitals draft pick Filip Forsberg may have invented a new strategy \u2014 albeit unintentionally \u2014 to try and win a shootout.<\/p>\n
Forsberg, who had an assist and was a minus-2 during regulation, shot second in the skills competition after Ryan O\u2019 Reilly scored to put the Predators up 1-0. The Swedish forward, after veering wide, skated back toward the center of the ice, where he tried to score on a forehand-backhand move.<\/p>\n
As Scott Wedgewood made the save with his outstretched right leg, Forsberg crashed hard into the Colorado Avalanche goaltender in the crease. The force of the hit collision caused the back of Wedgewood\u2019s masked head to slam hard into the ice.<\/p>\n
Forsberg immediately reached down to a stunned Wedgewood to see if he was okay and waved over trainers from the bench. As Wedgewood got up, Forsberg put his arm around him and appeared to apologize.<\/p>\n
Wedgewood, who was making his first start in a week since suffering back tightness, ultimately felt good enough to stay in the game and would stop Steven Stamkos\u2019s attempt in the third round. But then, a curveball arrived. Officials skated over to Wedgewood and forced him to leave the game for concussion protocol.<\/p>\n
\u201c(It was) the spotter from the collision, I guess,\u201d Avalance head coach Jared Bednar said after the game<\/a>. \u201cTheir call. I have nothing to do with it. If they see something they think is fishy, they call down for the safety of the players.\u201d<\/p>\n He added, \u201cThey just tell you he\u2019s going to come out, and he comes out.\u201d<\/p>\n Avs backup MacKenzie Blackwood then replaced Wedgewood in net, but ultimately did not have to face a shot, as Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog could not force the shootout to extras, giving the Predators a 4-3 (SO) victory.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t even know what happened,\u201d Blackwood said, per the Denver Post<\/a>. \u201cYou shouldn\u2019t crash into him like that in the shootout\u2026 It was definitely weird.\u201d<\/p>\n Forsberg did not meet with press after the game.<\/p>\n