Mike Fisher scored for the second and finale time during the fourth overtime period, as the Nashville Predators edged the San Jose Sharks 4-3, early Friday morning.
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The Sharks had what they thought was the winning goal disallowed and goalie Martin Jones had 35 saves as Game 4 of their playoff series with the Nashville Predators was in double overtime at 3-3 when this edition went to press.
After falling into a two-game hole to open up the series against the San Jose Sharks, the Preds responded in a major way, cruising to a Game 3 win and, suddenly, making this a much more interesting series. Now the Sharks, the NHL’s best road team during the regular season, have lost two straight away from San Jose for the first time since December 18 and 20.
This already is the second-longest game in franchise history for Nashville, while the Sharks hadn’t played this long in the postseason since a four-overtime game in Dallas in 2008. They were out shot 11-4 and out chanced 9-6, nevertheless Rinne remained a wall in net and they pushed the game into the third overtime and into the history books of the longest game in Predators’ history.
Burns had two goals and Joonas Donskoi also scored for the Sharks.
The St. Louis Blues are -145 betting favorites at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com for Thursday night as they try to take a commanding lead on the Dallas Stars in their second-round playoff series. The home team has won all three games in this series thus far and they have scored 5 goals or more in all three games as well. “Obviously it’s been the same lineup every game, but if it changes we’re still going to be confident”.
Still, Sharks coach Pete DeBoer stressed throughout the season that faceoffs were also a big indication of a team’s compete level. Seven defensemen logged more than 40 minutes of ice time, led by a staggering 49:42 for the Predators’ Roman Josi.
Coach Lindy Ruff chose to go back to Lehtonen in Game 4.
The review confirmed the referee’s initial call that the Sharks captain made incidental contact with Predators Rinne, preventing the Preds goalie from doing his job in the crease.
Nashville played its pregame intro video before the start of the third overtime period. Rinne finished with 44 saves, 25 in the overtimes when he was seemingly all Nashville had at times against the relentless Sharks.
“That rule has been clear as mud to coaches all year”, DeBoer said.
The Predators are 3-7 in their last 10 road games and 1-4 in their last 5 Saturday games.
Colin Wilson continued his postseason magic for the Predators, scoring the game’s first goal at:41 of the first period and adding secondary assists on their last two goals.
It was Wilson’s 10th career National Hockey League postseason goal, moving him into second place in Predators history behind Shea Weber’s 13.
Each team had a pair of power plays throughout the lengthy overtime, but did not convert.
The Sharks had a mad scramble in front of Rinne with piles of bodies from both teams, but couldn’t score four minutes into the first OT.
Polak’s injury came with the Sharks killing a penalty to defenseman Brent Burns.
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The Sharks were officially 1-for-5 on the power play, including their failed chance at the end of the second overtime, although Donskoi’s marker occurred as the penalty box door was opening for Josi.
