The Nashville Predators followed an embarrassing loss Tuesday with a more embarrassing loss Thursday.

Two days after coach Andrew Brunette said his team doesn't seem too interested in making the playoffs, his Nashville Predators had a chance to prove him wrong when they faced former Predators Matt Duchene and Craig Smith and the Dallas Stars at Bridgestone Arena.

The Predators didn’t do much convincing during a 9-2 loss during which Duchene and Smith scored during Dallas’ four-goal first period that chased Juuse Saros to the bench. Dallas’ eight goals tied for the most the Predators have allowed in one game in franchise history.

Saros allowed four goals on 18 shots. Duchene finished with two goals and two assists.

Meanwhile, it took the Predators nearly 14 minutes to register their first shot on goal, the same number they ended the first period with.

Sam Steel needed just 35 seconds to push the puck past Predators goalie Saros to give the Stars a 1-0 lead on their first shot on goal.

Four minutes later, Duchene’s 20th goal of the season, and first of two in the game, doubled Dallas’ lead. Seven minutes later it was former Predator Craig Smith’s turn to score against his former team to make it 3-0.

Cole Smith finally put the Predators on the board with 10:10 left in the second period to cut the deficit to 5-1.

After Tyler Seguin’s power-play goal made it 6-1, Tommy Novak’s 11th goal gave Nashville its second goal.

By the time the third period began, the Stars were ahead 7-2.

Two more goals in the third cemented the score.

The Predators now head on the road for a five-game trip, which starts Saturday in St. Louis.

The Predators are 27-25-2 and have lost five of six. The Stars, who have won three in a row, are on top of the Central Division at 34-14-6.

The Predators were coming off an embarrassing 4-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils, during which they twice gave up leads. The loss left the Predators still outside a playoff spot in the Western Conference and left Brunette and his team fuming.

Nashville Predators live score updates, highlights vs. Dallas Stars

Third period

Final: Stars 9, Predators 2

Johnston scores Stars’ ninth goal

Wyatt Johnston’s second goal of the game was the Stars’ ninth, which tied the record for the most allowed by the Predators in franchise history.

Stars 8, Predators 2

Dellandrea makes it 8-2 Stars

Ty Dellandrea’s goal 3:50 into the third was the Stars’ eighth goal. The most the Predators have allowed in one game is nine.

Second period

After 2: Stars 7, Predators 2

Matt Duchene’s second goal of game increases Stars’ lead

Matt Duchene stuck it to the Predators again late in the second period when he scored his second goal of the game and 21st of the season to give his team a five-goal lead. It was Duchene's second multi-goal game of the season.

Stars 6, Predators 2

Tommy Novak scores for Predators

Thirty seconds after Tyler Seguin gave the Stars a five-goal lead. Tommy Novak scored his 11th goal of the season to make it 6-2 Stars.

Stars 6, Predators 1

Power-platy goal gives Stars five-goal lead

Seconds after Cole Smith scored and took a stick to the face that bloodied his nose, the Stars’ Tyler Seguin scored a power-play goal to give the Stars a five-goal lead. Smith was called for an unsportsmanlike penalty after he threw his glove and barked at officials, who didn’t call a penalty on the high stick.

Stars 5, Predators 1

Cole Smith puts Predators on board

Cole Smith’s sixth goal of the season with 10:10 left in the second ended the Stars shutout bid. Michael McCarron had an assist.

Stars 5, Predators 0

Miro Heiskanen gives Stars 5-0 lead

Miro Heiskanen’s goal 4:40 into the second pushed the Predators’ deficit to 5-0.

Juuse Saros benched after four-goal first period

Nashville Predators goalie Juuse Saros was pulled in favor of Kevin Lankinen to start the second period after he allowed four goals on 18 shots.

First period

After 1: Stars 4, Predators 0

Stars continue to pile on Predators, lead 4-0

Wyatt Johnston’s 16th goal of the season gave the Stars a 4-0 lead with 4:07 left in the first.

Stars 3, Predators 0

Former Predator Craig Smith gives Dallas 3-0 lead

Seven minutes after former Predator Matt Duchene scored, former Predator Craig Smith gave the Stars a 3-0 lead with his seventh goal of the season.

Stars 2, Predators 0

Former Predator Matt Duchene scores

Matt Duchene’s goal with 15:33 left in the first put the visitors on top 2-0. It was Duchene’s 20th goal of the season.

Stars 1, Predators 0

Steel puts Stars on scoreboard first

Sam Steel needed just 35 seconds to push the puck past Predators goalie Juuse Saros on the Stars' first shot on goal to give the Stars a 1-0 lead. It was his seventh score of the season.

AYE, AYE, CAPTAINS: Why former Predators captains Shea Weber, Mike Fisher, Tom Fitzgerald, Kimmo Timonen are in town

PLAYOFFS? Why Andrew Brunette said Nashville Predators don't seem 'interested' in making playoffs

What channel is Predators vs. Stars today?

• TV channel: ESPN+

• Stream: FUBO (free trial), Hulu

Predators vs. Stars start time

• Date: Thursday, Feb. 15

• Time: 7 p.m. CT

Nashville Predators 2023-24 schedule

All games on Bally Sports South unless listed; All times Central

October

10: at Tampa Bay, 4:30 p.m., ESPN and ESPN+ — L, 5-3

12: vs. Seattle, 7 p.m. — W, 3-0

14: at Boston, 6 p.m. — L, 3-2

17: vs. Edmonton, 7 p.m. — L, 6-1

19: at N.Y. Rangers, 6 p.m. — W, 4-1

21: vs. San Jose, 7 p.m. — W 5-1

24: vs. Vancouver, 8:15 p.m. — L 3-2

28: vs. Toronto, 6 p.m., Bally Sports South and NHL Network (nationally) — W 3-2 (OT)

31: at Vancouver, 9 p.m. — L 5-2

November

2: at Seattle, 9 p.m. — L 4-2

4: at Edmonton, 2 p.m., Bally Sports South and NHL Network (nationally) — W 5-2

7: at Calgary, 8 p.m. — L 4-2

9: at Winnipeg, 7 p.m. — L 6-3

11: vs. Arizona, 7 p.m. — L 7-5

14: vs. Anaheim, 7 p.m., ESPN+ and Hulu — L 3-2

18: vs. Chicago, 1 p.m. — W 4-2

20: vs. Colorado, 7 p.m.— W 4-3

22: vs. Calgary, 8 p.m. — W 4-2

24: at St. Louis 2 p.m.— W 8-3

26: vs. Winnipeg, 7 p.m.— W 3-2

28: vs. Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.— W 3-2 (OT)

30: vs. Minnesota, 7 p.m.— L 6-1

December

2: vs. N.Y. Rangers, 3:30 p.m.— L 4-3

3: at Buffalo, 6 p.m.— W 2-1

5: at Chicago, 7:30 p.m.— W 4-3 (SO)

7: vs. Tampa Bay, 7 p.m. — W 5-1

9: at Toronto, 6 p.m. — L 4-0

10: at Montreal, 6 p.m. — W 2-1

12: vs. Philadelphia, 7 p.m. — W 3-2 OT

15: at Carolina, 6 p.m., ESPN+ and Hulu — W 6-5 OT

16: vs. Washington, 7 p.m. — W 3-1

19: vs. Vancouver, 7 p.m. — L 5-2

21: at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.— W 4-2

23: vs. Dallas, 2 p.m. — L 3-2

27: vs. Carolina, 7 p.m. — L 5-2

29: at Detroit, 6 p.m. — L 5-4 OT

30: at Washington, 6 p.m. — W 3-2 SO

January

2: vs. Chicago, 7 p.m. — W 3-0

4: vs. Calgary, 7 p.m. — L 6-3

6: at Dallas, 7 p.m. — W 4-3

9: vs. Anaheim, 7 p.m. — L 5-3

12: at Dallas, 7 p.m. — W 6-3

13: vs. N.Y. Islanders, 7 p.m. — W 3-1

15: at Vegas, 9 p.m. — L 4-1

18: at Los Angeles, 9 p.m., ESPN+ and Hulu — W 2-1

20: at Arizona, 2 p.m. — L 3-2

22: vs. Florida, 7 p.m. — L 4-1

25: at Minnesota, 7 p.m. — W 3-2

27: at Edmonton, 3 p.m. — L 4-1

29: at Ottawa, 6 p.m. — L 4-3 (OT)

31: vs. Los Angeles, 6:30 p.m. — L 4-2

February

10: vs. Arizona, 7 p.m. — W 5-4 (OT)

13: vs. New Jersey, 7 p.m. — L 4-2 (27-24-2)

15: vs. Dallas, 7 p.m., ESPN+ and Hulu

17: at St. Louis, 4 p.m.

20: at Vegas, 9 p.m.

22: at Los Angeles, 9:30 p.m., ESPN+ and Hulu

24: at San Jose, 9 p.m.

25: at Anaheim, 7 p.m.

27: vs. Ottawa, 7 p.m.

29: vs. Minnesota, 7 p.m.

March

2: vs. Colorado, 5 p.m.

5: vs. Montreal, 7 p.m.

7: vs. Buffalo, 7 p.m.

9: at Columbus, 11:30 a.m.

10: at Minnesota, 2:30 p.m., TNT

13: at Winnipeg, 6:30 p.m.

16: at Seattle, 9 p.m.

19: vs. San Jose, 7 p.m.

21: at Florida, 6:30 p.m., ESPN+ and Hulu

23: vs. Detroit, 4 p.m.

26: vs. Vegas, 7 p.m.

28: at Arizona, 9 p.m.

30: at Colorado, 5 p.m.

April

2: vs. Boston, 7 p,m,

4: vs. St. Louis, 7 p.m., ESPN+ and Hulu

6: at N.Y Islanders, 6:30 p.m.

7: at New Jersey, 6 p.m.

9: vs. Winnipeg, 7 p.m.

12: at Chicago, 7:30 p.m.

13: vs. Columbus, 7 p.m.

15: at Pittsburgh, 6 p.m.

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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Saros pulled, Duchene scores 2 as Predators suffer embarrassing loss