Predators at Sharks
The San Jose Sharks try to continue their superb start to the season and remain the only unbeaten team in the league Saturday as they conclude their six-game homestand against the Nashville Predators. San Jose extended its season-opening winning streak to seven games with a 3-2 shootout victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday. It was the second consecutive shootout triumph for the Sharks, with Michal Handzus scoring the decisive goal in each contest.
Nashville also was victorious in a shootout on Thursday, defeating the Los Angeles Kings to improve to 2-2-1 on its franchise record-tying seven-game road trip. Sergei Kostitsyn scored the deciding goal in the eighth round of the bonus format as the Predators earned their first win in four shootouts this season. Pekka Rinne made 23 saves en route to his first win in six decisions (1-2-3).
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, FSN Tennessee (Nashville), CSN California (San Jose)
ABOUT THE PREDATORS (2-2-3): Thursday's victory ended a three-game winless streak for Nashville. However, it did not help solve the team's offensive struggles as the Predators have scored a total of three goals over their last four games and a league-low 12 on the season. Rinne was relieved to finally register his first win of the campaign. "I've been putting a lot of pressure on myself," he said. "It's been a tough go so far, but hopefully this will change the course of how things have been going."
ABOUT THE SHARKS (7-0-0): San Jose is 5-0-0 on its homestand, thanks in large part to Handzus. The veteran is 7-for-12 in shootouts as a Shark after netting the winning goal against Anaheim on Tuesday and Edmonton on Thursday. "He's elite, one of the best in the league, and we're fortunate to have him in that situation," San Jose coach Todd McLellan said. "He seems to make it count more often than not." Joe Pavelski scored a goal versus the Oilers, giving him at least one point in all seven games this season. Captain Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau were kept off the scoresheet, ending their six-game point streaks.
OVERTIME
1. Four of the last six meetings between the teams have been decided after regulation.
2. The Sharks have scored three goals or less in each of their last eight games against the Predators.
3. Nashville has won only seven of its last 28 visits to San Jose.
PREDICTION: Sharks 4, Predators 2.