Stars coach Rick Bowness said, "That was an easy night for [Saros]. We had talked before the game about getting to their net. There's two things that we still refuse to do: get to the net and shoot the puck when we have the opportunities. It's in their heads they have to make an extra play. We've been fighting with that all year to get it out of their heads. Tonight is a perfect example."
Dallas (37-22-8), which has lost four games in a row (0-2-2), leads Minnesota by seven points for third place in the Central Division and is six behind the Colorado Avalanche for second. Anton Khudobin made 30 saves in his third straight start.
"They played like a very desperate hockey club, which they are, to make it to the playoffs," Bowness said. "Give them full marks because they came at us hard. Just disappointed that we didn't respond better. Clearly, the specialty teams were the difference. We'll address that tomorrow in practice, but it is the desperation that they played with that we didn't play with that's disappointing."
Forsberg gave the Predators a 1-0 lead at 19:08 of the first period when he scored with a wrist shot from the right face-off circle. It was his first goal since Jan. 30.
"I would lie if I said I wasn't a little frustrated," Forsberg said. "There's been chances, but we've been playing better hockey. Ultimately, that's what matters. Those nights when we don't win and I don't score, it's obviously more frustrating than other nights, but I'm here to help in every way I can, and scoring goals is one of them."
Matt Duchene made it 2-0 at 13:44 of the second when he tipped a shot by Calle Jarnkrok.
"It might have been the best poise and puck movement we've had all season," Duchene said. "It just looked more like what we should look like as a hockey team. We had way more good looks and good rushes. We looked dangerous tonight, and we haven't looked [dangerous] very much this season."
