The Nashville Predators are on their way to the NHL playoffs despite a heart-stopping 4-3 overtime defeat to the Winnipeg Jets yesterday. While the Preds didn’t secure a victory in the matchup, they scraped together just enough points to nudge themselves into the postseason lineup, detailed a report from WTVF. It’s a sweet rebound from last years' miss, marking their ninth playoff appearance in the past decade and their 16th in 20 years.

Scoring first for the Predators was Tommy Novak, but Winnipeg quickly capitalized on some sloppy turnovers by the Predators to take a 3-1 lead, according to a report by the Tennessean. Jets players Gabriel Valardi, Mark Scheifele, and Dylan DeMelo were the key scorers behind building the lead, while Nashville’s goalie Juuse Saros, who made 18 saves, couldn’t fend off the assault.

After trailing by two going into the final period, the Predators charged forward with goals by Spencer Stastney and Ryan O'Reilly to tie the game at three apiece. "Obviously, making the playoffs is a huge accomplishment," O'Reilly told the Associated Press. "I think we're proud as a group. Guys worked hard for this." But triumph was ripped away in overtime when Kyle Connor scored the winning goal for the Jets just 1:52 into the extra period, turning the Preds’ aspirations of a regular-time win to dust.

Despite Tuesday's turn of events, with the Predators now standing at 95 points in playoff contention, fans are looking ahead to the potential first-round opponents. The Vancouver Canucks, the Dallas Stars, or the Edmonton Oilers are on the shortlist of possible matchups, with the schedule set to be cemented next week, stated WTVF. The Predators' regular season isn't over yet, though, with three games remaining and a crucial final home game against the Blue Jackets to navigate on Saturday night.