Nobody on the Sharks was underestimating the importance of Thursday’s Game 4 against the Nashville Predators, and how they’ll need to improve after a three-goal loss in Game 3 on Tuesday. Unfortunately, the National Hockey League didn’t see it that way, ruling goalie interference as Pavelski was laying on top of Pekka Rinne. But the Sharks – and Pavelski – maintained that he was pushed into Rinne by Nashville’s Paul Gaustad.
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The goal was immediately waved off, and video review in the War Room in Toronto confirmed it: Pavelski had made “incidental contact” with Rinne, so the no-goal call was upheld. Colin Wilson also scored.
Nashville Predators forward Mike Fisher (12) celebrates after a shot by teammate James Neal, not shown, got past San Jose Sharks goalie Martin Jones (31) for a goal during the third period in Game 4 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cu… Miikka Salomaki then boarded Logan Couture which the Predators were able to kill off the minor, but that wasn’t the case for the Barret Jackman kneeing minor with 13:17 left in regulation. “The next Game 5 is going to be a big one, for both teams it’s going to be a long travel and then play again”.
Jones ended with 41 saves for San Jose, which finished with a 47-45 edge in shots on goal and a 111-102 advantage in total shots. And harder still after the 4-3 loss to the Predators at the end of a game full of tense chances, multiple lead changes, world class goalie play and frustration.
Another rebound goal gave Nashville a 2-1 lead at 9:50 of the first as Fisher swatted the puck into an open net after gathering inNeal’s initial shot.
The scoring wasn’t done in the first period after the two quick strikes as Mike Fisher found the back of the net with 10:10 left in the first frame. San Jose outshot the Preds 25-18 throughout the overtimes. The counter-argument is clear: Pavelski was cross-checked from behind by Miikka Salomaki, with no way to keep his balance and avoid Rinne.
The Predators challenged the goal, arguing that earlier in the sequence, Ward was offside. Joe Pavelski appeared to win the game for San Jose in the first overtime when he knocked in the puck in during a goalmouth pileup. It was his first goal of these playoffs and tied the series at 2-2.
The Predators also have the added twist of their second straight series with a California team after knocking off Anaheim. Predators centre Ryan Johansen hit the far post at 5:00, while the Sharks almost scored twice and thought they had scored on a third try. San Jose is 4-for-14 in the series.
According to the NHL Rulebook, a goal is allowed if it’s scored when the attacking player is shoved or fouled into the goalkeeper “after having made a reasonable effort to avoid contact, makes contact with the goalkeeper at the time a goal is scored”.
It’s important to notice the two Predators skaters who literally just fell out of the bench in ideal harmony after the goal.
On a rush, Joe Thornton passed across the ice to Tomas Hertl.
Nashville will look to keep the magic going into Game 4 by keeping the puck on the sticks of guys like Josi (7 assists), Wilson (3g, 5a) and Mike Fisher who is on a three-game point streak.
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Roman Polak was hurt late in the first period when the defenseman blocked a Shea Weber slap shot on a Nashville power play, but he returned in the second.
