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Nashville Predators 5, San Jose Sharks 2: Predators’ Momentum Leads to Sharks’ Fourth Straight Loss

Posted on by Hayley Alexandra

If you picked the San Jose Sharks to win it all this season you’ve probably been cringing at their start. While it’s still too early to count them out, they’ve not been performing like a team that’s home to the likes of Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson, and Logan Couture. They’ve been bad, and losing Evander Kane to suspension in pre-season didn’t set them on the right course. Needless to say the Nashville Predators needed to be on their game for whatever the Sharks were ready to throw at them.

Nashville was 1-1-0 on the season which means nothing when playing against a team desperately trying not to lose their fourth in a row. The Preds put the pressure on early, and had a few chances but couldn’t clean up the rebounds, and the Sharks responded with pressure of their own, causing Pekka Rinne to make some big stops early. Roman Josi put the Preds on the board a little over six minutes into the period. The Sharks responded with Trevor Carrick dropping the gloves with Austin Watson and Evander Kane taking an interference penalty to wrap up the period with the Preds on the power play.

The Preds have been suffering from what can only be called a second period slump this season. It hasn’t been their best, and this one started out about the same. The Sharks came out and threw some big shots at Pekka early. Mikael Granlund was called for hooking and gave the Sharks their first power play of the night. They weren’t able to capitalize and ended their power play by going on the penalty kill, with Joe Thornton called for cross checking.

Now is probably a good time to reiterate, the Sharks are having a rough start to their season.

The Preds weren’t able to convert on their second power play opportunity, but they seemed to wake-up from whatever second period induced haze they came out in, and seemed to find their groove again. Josi netted his second of the night off a shot from Filip Forsberg that went off the pad of Martin Jones, hit the post and bounced out and to a waiting Josi. The Sharks wasted no time pulling themselves together, with Kane sneaking one past Rinne quick after the face-off. The Sharks found their stride and started pushing back to keep Nashville on their toes the remainder of the period.

It looked like the Sharks were going to have the Preds on their heels in the third, but Kyle Turris netted Nashville’s third goal of the game to keep the momentum in their favor. Forsberg followed up Turris’s goal with one of his own assisted by Matt Duchene and Granlund. Despite the score, the Sharks continued to push back, with Brent Burns cutting the Preds’ lead in half with less than five to go in the period. Dante Fabbro sealed the deal for the Preds with the empty-net goal and the Sharks lost their fourth in a row.

Random Observations

  • Just before warmies, San Jose went and re-signed Patrick Marleau…because why not?
  • Can confirm Brett Burns is still the only person who can get away with the man-bun.
  • Preds with some early chances, still need to work on cleaning up those rebounds.
  • I’d really appreciate a Roman Josi breakaway goal.
  • I know there’s a Pekka Rinne saving the defense from shark attack joke to be made here, but I’ll spare you all and say Rinne is out here making saves!
  • I’ll also accept that Roman Josi top-shelf beauty to set this scoring party off tonight!
  • Austin Watson and Trevor Carrick are…synchronized ice dance fighting? Okay apparently it was just fighting and they each get five minutes, but synchronized ice dance fighting is the better story.
  • Evander Kane going to the penalty box was also on my game wishlist for tonight.
  • It’s too early to tell but I believe we are in the Nashville power play’s “better days”.
  • Forsberg got tripped up on the power play trying to get back, he went one way and his stick went another—oddly enough it set him up for an interesting break-away opportunity. It didn’t pan out, but if it would have it would have been hilarious.
  • The Preds continuing the second period nap tradition I see.
  • The Sharks on the power play, followed immediately by the Sharks on the penalty kill is an accurate representation of their season so far.
  • Roman Josi with his second of the night! Pay this man!
  • The Sharks look visibly deflated after that goal for about a minute before they pulled themselves up by their skate laces and carried on.
  • Evander Kane would come back from suspension and score a goal just to spite everyone.
  • Sharks lookin’ alive after that goal. Preds need to pull themselves together now before this one gets out of hand.
  • WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU GO AFTER MATTIAS EKHOLM AFTER A STOPPAGE?!?!?! HAS NO ONE LEARNED ANYTHING AFTER ALL THESE YEARS?!?!
  • The variety of penalties this period is really something.
  • For as slow as the second period started, it ended in a battle. Preds are going to have to find that next gear in the third or San Jose just might comeback to win this one.
  • Roman “is going for the hat-trick” Josi!!!! So. Close.
  • Turris! Kyle is here to stay folks.
  • Fil with the frosty goal!
  • Sharks are not going quietly.
  • With less than five to go Brent Burns cuts the Preds’ lead in half.
  • Fabbro with the empty-netter and that’s all she wrote folks!/

OTF’s Stars of The Game

  • Roman Josi – The Captain, almost had himself a hat trick tonight. Regardless he had himself a helluva game!
  • Filip Forsberg – Because a goal from Fil is always a gift.
  • The San Jose Sharks – for not lying down and dying when they easily could have./

Tweets of The Game

Talking Points