Predators continue to roll with win over Sharks
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks continue to travel in opposite directions near the end of the season.
That was epitomized Saturday night in Bridgestone Arena, where Nashville won for the sixth time in seven games and handed San Jose its sixth straight regulation loss with a 7-2 verdict.
Colton Sissons and James Neal each scored two goals for the Predators (38-25-11), while Cody McLeod, P.K. Subban and Viktor Arvidsson also notched markers. Goalie Pekka Rinne (30-16-8), who was honored prior to the game for playing his 500th NHL contest last week, stopped 26 shots for his fifth straight win.
Patrick Marleau and Justin Braun scored for the Sharks (42-26-7), which remain in a tie for the Pacific Division lead with Anaheim. Martin Jones (32-20-6) made 27 saves.
The result enabled Nashville to take a one-point edge on St. Louis for third place in the Central Division. The Blues lost 3-2 in overtime to Calgary.
Nashville needed just 4:14 to take the lead. A fierce forecheck behind the San Jose net produced a turnover and Craig Smith fed Sissons at the goalmouth. Sissons shoved a backhander by Jones for his seventh goal of the season and his second in as many games.
McLeod upped the advantage to 2-0 at 15:19 with his fifth goal, tapping home Roman Josi's shot that banged off the crossbar. Josi froze Brent Burns near the left faceoff circle and broke in alone on Jones to set up the goal.
The Sharks got on the board with a power-play goal by Marleau, his 26th goal of the season, at 4:24 off the deflection of a Burns point shot. But Neal made it 3-1 24 seconds later with a man-advantage goal seven seconds after Marcus Sorensen went off for high sticking.
Subban's slapper from along the right boards at 14:39, his ninth goal of the season, increased the Predators' margin to 4-1.
Braun responded for San Jose at 16:19 with his fourth goal of the season on a wrister from the left wing through heavy traffic.
NOTES: San Jose D Marc-Edouard Vlasic was scratched with an undisclosed injury that he suffered Friday night in a 6-1 loss at Dallas. ... Nashville C Mike Fisher (lower-body injury) missed his second straight game. ... The Sharks also scratched Cs Chris Tierney and Melker Karlsson. ... Predators scratches besides Fisher were D Anthony Bitetto, RW PA Parenteau, D Brad Hunt and LW Harry Zolnierczyk.