Series Prediction: Okay here’s my prediction: Sharks in six.
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San Jose: An NHL coach after the Sharks beat the Kings in the opening round told me, “They’re the best team in the NHL right now”.
The Ducks’ coach, one of the best people this game has ever known, an extremely likeable man popular for his talkative nature, has lived his own version of this same nightmare, one even he struggles to put into words.
TAMPA, Fla. – Shane Prince scored twice during a three-goal first period and John Tavares had a goal and an assist in the New York Islanders’ victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series.
Reimer made one save in overtime then stopped shots by Forsberg, Johansen and Craig Smith in the shootout. Forward Logan Couture netted a goal in the second frame to put the Sharks up by 2 and they never looked back. San Jose took both of those series, in 2006 and 2007 respectively. All did a superb job in front of Martin Jones against Los Angeles. The league’s general managers submitted ballots at the end of the regular season, with the top three vote-getters designated finalists Wednesday. Given San Jose’s power-play strength, that’s a mismatch in the making on special teams. Roman Josi, 25, has developed into a defenseman just as risky as Weber, too, and his 61 points (14g, 47a) placed him second on the team in scoring in the regular season. Especially if Thornton’s No. 1 line is less productive in this series because of Weber and Josi, whatever Burns can do offensively could be an X-factor. Don’t overlook 25-year-old former first round pick Ryan Ellis, either, who is strong on both ends.
Colin Wilson and Paul Gaustad scored first-period goals for the Predators, who will face the San Jose Sharks in the second round.
Boudreau’s teams are now 1-7 in Game 7s, which no doubt contributed to his stoic look upon the team’s return from a Game 6 loss in Nashville earlier in the week and his pronouncement after the morning skate Wednesday that he “didn’t sleep a lot” Tuesday night. The combination of the top two pairings shortened the game in a big way, effectively neutralizing the impact forwards of Anaheim. 908 save percentage in 66 games played this year. They took the play to Nashville throughout and had several opportunities to tie a game that the Predators led 2-0 after one period. Not with Pekka Rinne, Predators hitting their stride appeared first on Working the Corners. The Sharks’ lone goal came less than thirty seconds into the game and they just couldn’t get anything going. Pavelski had two of them.
The Predators won two of three games with the Sharks this season. The Isles walked into Tampa on Wednesday and took Game 1 5-3.
Nashville: The Predators managed just one power play goal in seven games against Anaheim in 26 chances (3.8 percent), while going 21-for-25 on the penalty kill (84.0 percent).
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ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Pekka Rinne and the Nashville Predators clung to a small lead for two full periods, scrambling and dodging and stopping everything the Anaheim Ducks could throw at them. He was stellar again in Game 1, a main reason the Isles held a 4-1 lead to start the third period before the Lightning mounted a mini-comeback to make things interesting. James Reimer made 28 saves in a win in his only start against Nashville with San Jose.
