Steven Stamkos scores goal No. 600, Predators win New Year's Eve matinee in Vegas 4-2
- - Steven Stamkos scores goal No. 600, Predators win New Year's Eve matinee in Vegas 4-2
W.G. RAMIREZ January 1, 2026 at 1:11 AM
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1 / 4Predators Golden Knights HockeyNashville Predators center Steven Stamkos (91) celebrates his goal against the Vegas Golden Knights during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Candice Ward)
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Steven Stamkos scored his 600th career goal and the Nashville Predators beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 on Wednesday.
The Predators, in the middle of a season-long seven-game road trip, won for the 12th time in 17 games, including the third of their first four on the trip.
The win put the Predators (18-17-4) above .500 for the first time since Oct. 16, just five games into the season, when they were 2-1-2.
Vegas, meanwhile, lost for the sixth time in seven games. The Knights closed their four-game homestand with a 1-2-1 mark.
Now in his 18th season, Stamkos scored his 18th of the season and ninth against the Golden Knights since they entered the league in 2017. The game-tying goal was part of an unanswered three-goal spurt over five minutes that turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead for the Predators.
Nick Perbix, Reid Schaefer and Michael Bunting also scored for the Predators. Justus Annunen made 29 saves.
Former Knight Erik Haula, who is two games shy of skating in his 800th game, registered the 200th assist of his career on Bunting’s goal.
Mark Stone, who earlier in the day was named to Canada’s Olympic roster, scored his 10th goal of the season, while Ben Hutton added his sixth for the Knights. Akira Schmid stopped 15 shots before being pulled late in the third period for an extra skater.
Vegas forward Mitch Marner and defenseman Shea Theodore were also named to Canada’s team. All three of the Knights represented their homeland in the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off.
Up next
Nashville: Visits Seattle on Thursday.
Vegas: Visits St. Louis on Friday.
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AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL
Source: “AOL Sports”
