Coming into Saturday night, it had been about a year and 36 games since Nashville Predators defenseman Adam Wilsby felt the thrill of putting a puck into the net.
The native of Stockholm, Sweden finally lit the lamp for only the second time in his NHL career in the Predators' 5-3 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs at Bridgestone Arena Saturday.
With the Leafs in front 2-1 late in the second period, Filip Forsberg picked off a pass and fed the puck to Ryan O’Reilly. Toronto goaltender Joseph Woll got out of position, and ‘The Factor’ found a wide-open Wilsby in the slot.
The 6-foot-1, 192-pound left-shot defenseman didn’t miss, tying the game with 33 seconds left in the frame. The goal came on a 4-on-4 following unsportsmanlike conduct minors to the Preds’ Nicolas Hague and the Leafs’ Simon Benoit.
"I just saw the lane opening up and I just tried to shoot as hard as I can and it went in," Wilsby said after the game. "There was a lot of, 'oh my God, wow' on the bench. It was a really cool goal."
Wilsby’s goal ended up being a critical turning point in the game. The Preds were outplaying Toronto, outshooting them 15-6 in the period and 24-14 through the first 40 minutes. A goal the other way might have given the Leafs new life and changed the complexion of the game.
At the 9:28 mark of the third period, Luke Evangelista put Nashville ahead on a highlight-reel between-the-legs backhander after getting behind a Toronto defender.
The goal sent a buzz through Bridgestone Arena and the hockey world.
OH. MY. GOODNESS. 😱
— NHL (@NHL) December 21, 2025
LUKE EVANGELISTA, TAKE A BOW
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The Leafs pulled Woll for the extra attacker late in the third, and Steven Stamkos tallied a big insurance empty-netter for a 4-2 Preds lead with 1:34 remaining in regulation.
Jake McCabe narrowed the gap to 4-3 with 49 seconds left, but Cole Smith sealed the 5-3 triumph with an empty-netter of his own.
"It was a great crowd and we had a lot of good energy throughout the game and we're happy with our effort," Wilsby said.
Wilsby’s first NHL goal also came in the month of December. In a 2-0 shutout victory over the New York Rangers at Bridgestone Arena on Dec. 17, 2024, he jumped on a loose puck at the point, deked a Rangers defender and sniped in a shot from the slot for a 2-0 lead, which held up for the final score.
That goal was a form of redemption for Wilsby, who had one waved off the previous week in Dallas against the Stars after an offside review. He finally got one that counted the next week against the Rangers, and his second career goal on Saturday gave the Preds a big lift.
Ironically, the Rangers come to Bridgestone Arena Sunday on the second night of a back-to-back for both teams. Puck drop is set for 6 Pm CT.