Predators at Sharks
Facing a fatigued opponent in the opener of their Western Conference second-round playoff series, the San Jose Sharks kept applying pressure until the Nashville Predators finally wilted. The Sharks look to ride the momentum of a five-goal third-period blitz when they host Nashville in Sunday night's Game 2.
San Jose erased a slim deficit by erupting for five goals in the last 20 minutes for a 5-2 win over the Predators, who had a short turnaround after ousting Anaheim in a Game 7 showdown 48 hours earlier. "As the game went on we got better, and we could feel them on their heels a little bit," Sharks captain Joe Pavelski said. "It was just good to see the guys keep feeding off the crowd, feeding off goals and really pushing for that next one." Nashville, which still trailed by one goal with just under two minutes remaining before giving up a pair of empty-net tallies, opted not to practice Saturday after surrendering a postseason-high 38 shots on net. “There were some good things and some bad things," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "We’re capable of playing better.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBCSN, CBC, TVAS
ABOUT THE PREDATORS: After its power play was muted by Anaheim in the first round, finishing a woeful 1-of-26, Nashville converted on 1-of-2 chances Friday, only to negate it by allowing San Jose to score twice on three attempts with the man advantage. “I think it was just shooting ourselves in the foot,” Predators center Ryan Johansen said. “We turned over the puck a few times, took a couple penalties, and they fed right into that. We just got away from our game plan and our structure a little bit." While Johansen netted one goal and set up another, leading scorer Filip Forsberg was held off the scoresheet for the sixth consecutive game.
ABOUT THE SHARKS: Joel Ward established a clutch reputation with seven goals in 12 playoff games with Nashville in 2010-11 and he wasted no time tormenting his former team by assisting on the tying tally before scoring the go-ahead goal Friday. "You get to this time of year in the NHL and there are eight teams left and 22 sitting home, and there is very little separating the teams talent-wise," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said. "It's usually will and strength and how hard you are willing to play. I think that is why he thrives, because those are his characteristics." Linemate Logan Couture also was a presence with two goals in Game 1.
OVERTIME
1. San Jose is 7-for-24 on the power play in six playoff games.
2. Counting Game 3 versus Anaheim, in which he was hurt in the opening minutes, Nashville is 0-4 without F Craig Smith in the playoffs.
3. Sharks D Brent Burns, who set franchise marks in goals (27), assists (48) and points (75), was named a Norris Trophy finalist.