The Nashville Predators have been one of the best NHL teams over the last couple of months, but they came out flat in a 6-3 loss to the Calgary Flames on Thursday night.

The Preds were hung for four goals in the first period in front of the 17,203 in attendance at Bridgestone Arena, and were unable to recover from the deficit.

Head coach Andrew Brunette was not exactly thrilled with his club's performance.

“A lot of sloppy hockey, a lot of slow-twitch thinking and playing, and not ready to start,” Nashville's bench boss asserted. “I don’t think we did anything very well.”

Harsh but true words from the coach, and those were echoed by the team's best player in Filip Forsberg.

“It was definitely not good enough and I think we got what we deserved,” said the star Swede.

The Predators were able to get two goals back in the first period, but never recovered from the onslaught they faced in the opening frame.

Forsberg headed to Toronto as an All-Star

Filip Forsberg, Filip Forsberg Predators, Filip Forsberg contract extension

Despite the discouraging loss, the Predators remain 21-17-1 and fourth place in a very competitive Central Division. And Forsberg was named a 2024 All-Star for the festivities in Toronto next month.

He scored his team-leading 19th goal with 6:09 remaining in the first period. He'll be an All-Star for the second time after being involved when the ASG was in Columbus, OH in 2015.

Still, Forsberg and his teammates will quickly look to rebound from the tough defeat.

“We want to gain a little bit of traction with stringing points together,” Flames coach Ryan Huska said about his team. “It becomes important. That next game now becomes the most important game of the year for us.”

Connor Zary, Blake Coleman, Rasmus Andersson and Yegor Sharangovich all scored a goal and added an assist in Calgary's third straight victory.

Andrew Brunette's Predators will look to quickly put this one behind them when they travel to Texas for a divisional battle with the Dallas Stars on Saturday night. The Flames will remain on the road, flying to Pennsylvania for a date with the Philadelphia Flyers at 1 p.m. ET.