Penguins and Predators Bring NHL to Stockholm — 2025 Global Series Recap
Jenn G / jennthulhu_photog via Flickr
Written by Gina Anton
Stockholm — The NHL’s grand return to Sweden was as electric as promised, and the 2025 Global Series delivered a weekend of high-stakes hockey, emotional moments, and star power. On Nov. 14 and 16, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators squared off in two regular-season games at the newly renovated Avicii Arena, giving Swedish fans a rare live taste of NHL action.
Game 1 — Nov. 14: Predators 2, Penguins 1 (OT)
The opening night was an instant classic. Evgeni Malkin gave Pittsburgh the lead in the second period, but the Predators refused to fold. With their net empty, Filip Forsberg — Sweden’s own — tied the game with just 1:10 left in regulation, igniting a roar from the Stockholm crowd. He was returning not just as a Predator, but as a hometown hero, and he seized the moment in a way that few could have scripted better.
For Forsberg, it wasn’t just about extending the game. He later admitted in an interview to being “a little bit nervous … it’s been a big day,” but when the moment came, he delivered.
His bench erupted. His smile beamed. Overall his goal was electric and deeply meaningful.
Beyond the goals and the momentum, what made this trip truly special for Forsberg was the context. This was his first time playing NHL regular-season games in Sweden, in front of friends, family, and the supporters who watched him grow. In his postgame remarks, he said he “couldn’t be happier” — not just for the win, but for the experience.
He also used the moment to give back. During the Global Series week, Forsberg and the NHLPA announced a donation of gear to his hometown club, Leksands IF Youth Hockey, helping to support the next generation in the community where he grew up. On a quieter but no less powerful note, he and teammate Ryan O’Reilly visited children at Karolinska University Hospital, signing autographs and sharing time, the kind of off-ice connection that showed how deeply this trip meant to him.
The overtime hero in the Nov. 14th game? Steven Stamkos, who wasted no time — just 44 seconds in — converting a snap shot off a feed from defenseman Brady Skjei to seal the win for Nashville. Goalie Juuse Saros stood strong, stopping 16 shots to secure the victory.
Game 2 — Nov. 16: Penguins 4, Predators 0
Two days later, Pittsburgh roared back. They struck early, getting goals from Parker Wotherspoon, Evgeni Malkin, and Sidney Crosby — the veteran duo of Crosby and Malkin once again setting the tone.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old Sergei Murashov was outstanding in net, stopping all 21 shots and recording his first NHL win and a shutout, making him just the third NHL goalie to post a shutout in a regular-season game outside North America. Blake Lizotte capped off the scoring with an empty-netter late in the third to seal the 4–0 result.
Overall, the 2025 NHL Global Series Sweden was a success on many fronts: competitive, emotionally resonant, star-studded, and a reminder why the league’s international ventures remain such a powerful tool in growing the sport’s global footprint.
