When the Nashville Predators need their star players to step up, Filip Forsberg is among the first names called upon.

Forsberg stepped up in a big way Thursday night, one game after the Predators' season-high eight-game winning streak ended.

Forsberg scored his ninth career hat trick — one goal in the first period, two in the third — to carry the Predators to a 4-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres (29-30-5).

"When he gets going like that, when he's playing a power forward game as well as a complete skill game," Predators coach Andrew Brunette said after the game, "That's a deadly combination."

Forsberg scored his first goal on the power play for Nashville (36-25-3) after a few skill moves to get free down low. His second goal was scored off a backhand pass from Gustav Nyquist, who had three assists.

Forsberg's third goal went to a review, as it wasn't initially clear whether it crossed the goal line. On the wraparound chance, he stuffed the puck under goaltender Eric Comrie's pads, and the video review showed the puck crossing the line.

"Sometimes in this league, you never know what's a goal or not," Forsberg said after the game. "But (Ryan O'Reilly) said he saw it cross the goal line and he's a pretty trustworthy guy."

Nashville Predators get win after a day of trades

Thursday's win capped a busy day for general manager Barry Trotz.

The Predators traded forward Yakov Trenin and defensive prospect Graham Sward to the Colorado Avalanche for defenseman Jeremy Hanzel and a 2025 third-round draft pick.

In addition, the Predators acquired Chicago Blackhawks forward Anthony Beauvillier in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round draft pick.

Nashville claimed forward Jaret Anderson-Dolan off waivers from the Los Angeles Kings.

The Trenin subtraction and Beauvillier addition makes for a "defense for offense" switch on the roster, though it's ultimately a depth move for Nashville.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Filip Forsberg's 9th hat trick lifts Nashville Predators over Sabres