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Nashville Predators 6, San Jose Sharks 2: Hallå Sverige!

Posted on by Dan Bradley

During the first 10 minutes, the Predators weren’t skating. Period. It was eerily similar to some bad Barry Trotz teams who tried to counter-punch their way to a W like a bad English Premier League team. Full credit to that should go to the Sharks, who dominated the neutral zone. But as the period went on, the Ryan Johansen line took over the game and carried the fight for the next 30 minutes.

The third period was not without some danger, as the Sharks had their chances on the power play. And there’s plenty of praise to go to the PK. But when the final score ends up 6-2, you know it was your kind of night.

Random Observations

  • The lights during the intro were pretty cool. If Brent Burns went all in with the Bray Wyatt look and brought out a lantern….
  • We put it out on Twitter to see who all liked Calle Jarnkrok on the top line. It was met with about 80% approval. And that was before the goal in the second.
  • Austin Watson looks to have also found a home next to Mike Fisher. They look swell on the PK, and Watson seems to be much more suited for linemates that skate better. Is it funny how that works? He’s a younger player that does need to be around a vet or two, but unlike Gaustad and Nystrom… Fisher can skate with most of the league.
  • Ryan Ellis fought a guy.
  • The Sharks‘ power play is really something. It’s like watching a veteran crew at a really nice restaurant working the bar at happy hour. Everyone knows where to be, everyone know their role, and it just works.
  • That said, the power play goal the Sharks got was a product of being in the right place at the right time. It doesn’t have to be pretty if you know what to look for.
  • Joe Thornton could sell papers around town. Please shave, Joe.
  • VIKTOR ARVIDSSON WENT AND1 MIXTAPE ON THE SHARKS. Wow.
  • Mike Ribeiro gets a point in his 1000th game, skating beside the two Swedish kids. And one those kids is Filip Forsberg, who already has his 100th point as of tonight. He later added his 101st.
  • Pekka Rinne was super at times tonight, and this game could’ve gotten out of hand in the first without his guidance.
  • Barret Jackman was paired with Anthony “Tony” Bitetto, which mean Petter Granberg had a great seat for this one. Their gaps in the first period were bad. Again, Thanks Rinne.
  • Going back to Forsberg, this season had to be frustrating for him at times. But there may be something brewing on that line with Arvidsson and Ribeiro. He’s never stopped working, but he was trying a bit hard at times. If Ribeiro and Arvidsson can keep up with him, that’s a fun line.
  • Poor Craig Smith. Couldn’t convert on a breakaway, couldn’t draw a penalty, couldn’t put it in the net on a wrap-around. It was another rough night for #15.
  • We still all like Brent Burns, right?
  • Cody Bass has finally surfaced. He was doing oh so well.
  • Filip Forsberg’s best chances tonight? On the PK. And his goal celebration was amazing.
  • And that second Arvidsson goal tonight? My word. Imagine if he puts it together.
  • The second Sharks’ PPG should’ve been interference. But it’s garbage time. Whatever. I miss the coach being able to call time out whenever he damn well pleased.
  • It didn’t matter. Weber found the empty net with… 5 minutes left? We then had “next level garbage time”. Keep in mind that San Jose employs a roster that’s very old. They know what’s up when the game gets like this.

OTF’s Super Duper Stars of the Game

  • Ryan Johansen – We didn’t see apex Joe Thornton tonight, mostly because he’s 37 years old. However, Joey’s game reminds you of when Joe’s game when he was impossible to defend in the offensive zone. Johansen is still raw, but the traits are similar. We’ll see.
  • Pekka Rinne – He and he alone is the reason Nashville survived the push San Jose mounted in the first ten minutes. And he was swell during the rest of the night.
  • Sweden – It’s a gorgeous country, and produces some beautiful and inspiring young men that play for our local hockey team. Forsberg, Jarnkrok, and Arvidsson all had goals tonight. Hallå Sverige!

The Best from Twitter

FIRST I WAS ALL LIKE

THEN I WAS LIKE

When your goal is so fire that even Kris Martel sees it at his daughter’s recital… yeah it was that good.

Boxscore – Game Summary – Event Summary – War-on-Ice – HockeyStats – Natural Stat Trick

Roll the video highlights…


Talking Points