Pavelski gave the Sharks a 2-1 lead with 2:39 to go in the first period, one-timing a centering pass from Thornton past the blocker of Pekka Rinne on the far side. San Jose Sharks’ Joe Pavelski (8) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Nashville Predators during the second period of Game 5 in an NHL hockey Stanley Cup Western Conference semifinal series Saturday, May… Nashville’s fatigue also showed up later in the second period on the game’s first power play, an interference call against the Sharks’ Brenden Dillon.
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The Lightning won three of the first four games in their opening round series against Detroit, but needed a late goal from Alex Killorn and 34 saves from Ben Bishop in a 1-0 victory that finished that series in five games.
Wingels played 15:32 in Game 4, the least amount of minutes of any Sharks player. “We’ve got to carry that into Game 6 because they’re not going to roll over and we know that”.
“We’ve been in elimination situations before, we fought them off and then a couple of times where we weren’t as successful”, Tavares said.
“Obviously, whenever you’re pulling a guy out, play is always an issue or a factor”, DeBoer said.
A win would put the Sharks in the conference finals for the fourth time in franchise history. “They seem to be playing well down low and getting to the net a little bit and getting under guys”, he said. “I think if we can play the way we played the second half of that game, and create those chances and keep pushing, it’s going to come for us”.
The clinch could happen Monday night in Nashville in Game 6. That series also is tied 2-2. Colin Wilson leads Nashville with four goals, Roman Josi has eight assists and James Neal has 40 shots on goal. “He got a shot through, and I just kind of go in there and got the rebound and (got) it home”. “They have good D – good-strong D – but you’ve got to battle through and get to the front of the net, and hopefully, get some pucks there and make it as hard as you can on their goalie”.
The Predators now must try to repeat the trick they pulled off in the first round against Anaheim by rallying from a 3-2 series deficit if they want to reach the conference final for the first time in franchise history.
Marleau skated on the Couture line with Donskoi; Chris Tierney moved up to the third line center with Ward and Matt Nieto, while Zubrus, Karlsson and Nick Spaling comprised the fourth line.
After Game 4, Predators coach Peter Laviolette said: “That line has been really good”.
That became a 3-1 lead just 35 seconds into the second period. Nashville captain Shea Weber, with 45 minutes, 16 seconds of ice time, went to the box with 2:03 left in the overtime period for high-sticking Sharks defenseman Paul Martin.
Defensively, the Nashville Predators are allowing 2.6 goals per game and are killing 81.2 percent of their power play chances.
The post Dainius Zubrus in, Tommy Wingels out as Sharks look to bounce back in Game 5 appeared first on Working the Corners. Zubrus, 37, who last appeared in a playoff game in 2012 with New Jersey, brought 92 games of Stanley Cup Playoffs experience into his 2016 postseason debut on Saturday…. Joe Thornton managed a quick backhand pass just before getting checked by Craig Smith that found Pavelski at the edge of the right circle.
In the first period, it was obvious to the naked eye that the players’ legs on both teams were not moving as fast as in Game 4.
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San Jose broke it open with a second period that might have been their best 20 minutes of the playoffs.
