Stamkos' Predators Surge in Playoff Race

0:00It's March 23rd, from the locker room to your ears. This is NHL News Today, powered by AI, I'm Cory with the story. Steven Stamcoase is lighting it up at age 36 for the Nashville Predators. He scored 34 goals in 70 games this season, tying for 14th in the league, and leads everyone with 10 game winning goals. He even has two had tricks, including a four goal outburst back in December. His play has the Predators holding the second wild card spot in the Western Conference with just 12 games left. The team sits at 33 wins, 28 losses, and 9 overtime losses for 75 points. They've gone six wins, three losses, and one overtime loss in their last 10, riding the league's longest active winning streak at four games. Stamcoase has chipped in three goals and two assists during that hot stretch. Stamco signed a four year deal with Nashville on July 1st, last year, after leaving Tampa Bay. Last season, he managed 27 goals in 82 games.

1:01Now, since late November, he's netted 29 and 47 outings second only to one player league wide. His veteran teammates like Philip Forsberg and Roman Josie have fueled the surge. Digging into the stats, Stamcoase ranks high in blistering shot speeds over 90 miles per hour in slap shot goals. He's excelling in high danger and mid-range scoring, boosting his shooting percent is there dramatically. Plus, he and the Predators dominate offensive zone time at even strength, keeping him fresh with under 18 minutes of ice time per game. With General Manager Barry Trott stepping down after this year, Nashville faces big changes but stays in the playoff hunt, thanks to Stamcoase's revival. They're proving contenders once more in a tight race.