A determined Nashville Predators squad took the ice on Tuesday night and controlled Game 3 of this Western Conference semifinals series. As a result, they have given themselves a chance to tie their second-round series.
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The Nashville Predators struggling power play came to life with two power play goals Tuesday night as they beat the San Jose Sharks 4-1 at Bridgestone Arena. Nashville also went 2 of 5 on the power play after being 2 of 31 this postseason. “We had a couple different looks, but it definitely could have been better”, Pavelski said of the power play. “I thought we had some decent looks, but ultimately it changes games when you score on the PP and you get big kills”.
Still, this was basically a wasted opportunity for the Sharks, who won the first two games of the series in San Jose.
Game 4 is Thursday, and Game 5 is Saturday back at SAP Center. Nashville had the better of San Jose everywhere in Game 2 except for on the scoreboard, but believed that if they stuck with it the breaks and the goals would start falling their way.
Nashville has not lost a game in regulation on home ice to San Jose since February 25, 2012, with the lone defeat in seven games a shootout loss April 2.
“We need to win a hockey game, and we need to really just focus on this one game”, Head Coach Peter Laviolette said. “It’s the Stanley Cup Playoffs”.
“You can’t manufacture the desperation that comes when you’re on the verge of being eliminated or being on the verge of a deep hole that you know is going to be a tough spot to get out of”, said DeBoer.
Nashville’s hockey team took advantage of the Sharks when they were the most vulnerable here Tuesday night. “They’re not a team you want to let back in the series”. Some of that had to do with special teams, as the Sharks only had two power plays Sunday. “Most nights when we get into the game or start to turn over some pucks, we catch ourselves as a group and get ourselves back on track and that didn’t happen the other night. That’s how it works this time of year”. Laviolette also put Craig Smith, Forsberg and Ryan Johansen together on the top line and moved Neal with Mike Fisher and Wilson.
“I think there’s a lot of confidence in our room”, Laviolette said.
The Sharks forward has now scored 62 goals in the playoffs and 481 in the regular season. Marleau got the puck and skated past the Nashville defense for an easy wrister into an open net, catching Rinne too far from the crease at 13:13. San Jose had been shorthanded just eight times in its previous four games combined – all wins – before being down a man five times on Tuesday. Mattias Ekholm circled into the middle of the offensive zone and found James Neal in the right faceoff circle for a one-timer, Neal’s third goal of the playoffs. The Predators would take a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes, and it was well-deserved as they outplayed the Sharks.
“It’s one of those calls that goes either way”, said Shark captain Joe Pavelski. There’s nothing you can do about that, I guess.
The Sharks managed just four shots on the power play in an even seven minutes.
“The biggest thing for us is staying out of the box and staying disciplined, but when we do get called upon, we’ve got to make a difference”, Weber said. Shea Weber led the Predators with a goal and an assist. Colin Wilson managed to slide home a rebound at 6:55, while a floating Brent Burns looked on from between the circles. It was his 13th career playoff marker, tying David Legwand for the franchise record.
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It was a do-or-die game three for the Predators; Lose and go down 3-0 or win and bring the series within one game of being tied.
