Mike Fisher scored off a rebound with 8:48 left in the third overtime to give the Nashville Predators a 4-3 victory in Game 4 to even the second round playoff series at two wins each before a delirious sellout crowd at Bridgestone Arena.
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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.
The Predators scored four unanswered goals to win Game 3 4-1 Tuesday night, cutting the Sharks’ series lead to 2-1.
The series is even at two games each as they head back to the Shark Tank in San Jose for Game 5.
The Sharks have limited the Predators to one power-play goal in 19 chances in the last eight meetings at home, including the first two in this series.
Each team had 42 shots on goal through three periods and two overtimes, as Jones finished with 41 saves and Predators goalie Pekka Rinne had 44 saves.
The Preds controlled the first period, though, limiting San Jose to just five shots and going up 2-1 when Fisher snapped in a rebound at 9:50.
The Sharks then scored on their first shot, as Burns got a wrister from the far side of the right face-off circle by Rinne, tying the game at 1 at 3:08 of the first. Each team had a power play goal in Game 1, a 5-2 Sharks win.
Many predicted that the Sharks would continue their domination despite playing in Nashville, but the Predators had other ideas as they were not ready to quit especially in front of their home fans. Sharks forward Joel Ward screened Rinne on the shot.
Couture was everywhere and had the game on his stick several times.
When the ruling was announced, Sharks coach Pete DeBoer stomped his foot angrily on the bench.
Just after the Sharks’ chance, Johansen got a chance from in close but hit the post with 15:09 left in overtime.
Now, there are still plenty of positives to take away from that game for team teal. Six of the 17 goals scored in the series have been on the power play.
It was ruled on the ice, though, that Pavelski made incidental contact with Rinne and impeded his ability to make the save before the puck crossed the goal line.
“When a guy handles the puck like he does and has the confidence to try to beat people in open ice, you are going to have some nights where it is not working and you are turning it over, and I think that is what happened”, DeBoer said.
The Predators lost 60 seconds into a third overtime a year ago in the playoffs in Game 4 at Chicago, and this is their first overtime game of this postseason. The puck went under the crossbar after the Predators had hit iron three times earlier in the game. “I guess incidental contact is when you’re cross-checked from behind while you are in the air and you have the opportunity to stop”.
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It’s important to notice the two Predators skaters who literally just fell out of the bench in ideal harmony after the goal. Logan Couture was denied a goal on a highlight-reel move, but he still collected a pair of assists to boost his point total to nine over the past five games. “I liked our game tonight, and we’ve got to bring that to Game 5”.
