Less than 48 hours after a heartbreaking triple-overtime loss in Game 4, the Sharks controlled the pace nearly from the start and never trailed as they took a three-games-to-two lead in the best-of-seven series. Nashville, perhaps gassed from crisscrossing the nation since its first round series with Anaheim, was slowly but surely run out of the building after that.
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Sharks coach Pete DeBoer adjusted his lines for Saturday’s game, moving Marleau up to the second line with Donskoi and Couture. “To think about the other scenario, you’re 3-1 the other way”. “It’s just simple things: shooting the puck, making the right plays when they’re there and not forcing the issue and ultimately scoring goals”.
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. “I thought it was Patty’s best game of the series, and that line was excellent all night”. “It’s 2-2 right now”. It put the Sharks up 2-1 on Nashville and would end up as the game-winning goal on the night. 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.
But it was the traditional first line for San Jose that struck the biggest blow of the game.
Pavelski grabbed the puck out of the air and then tapped the puck across the line at 7:34, but officials immediately ruled no goal for goaltender interference. San Jose’s best scorers have been quieter thanks to Nashville’s defense, but they seemed primed for a breakthrough in such a pivotal game.
“I liked our period”, DeBoer said. “I guess incidental contact is you’re cross-checked from behind while you are in the air and you have the opportunity to stop”.
Rinne said a goalie is nervous anytime they review a goal.
It would have been four minute penalty on Fisher, in all likelihood, if officials saw it. Martin had, of course, let the officials know they missed the call on Fisher and that he was cut, so there was no way Weber was going to get four minutes. “Missed a bullet there, so that was nice”. The game winning goal could not have come at a better time from Mike Fisher.
Jones, though, had to make just 14 saves in the final two periods. Fisher scored into the net behind Jones and was so exhausted he nearly forgot how he scored.
“I don’t think that we played the type of game we typically play, and they were better than us in a lot of different areas”, Laviolette said.
“We’ve still got some work to do”. Colin Wilson also scored. San Jose led in the third period before Roman Josi’s goal with 4:21 remaining.
Reuniting Marleau and Couture together was a great move as Couture has been all around the puck this entire series, leading the Sharks with four goals and seven points, so adding Marleau on his wing to get him going worked out brilliantly.
Both teams had plenty of chances in the second overtime. Their 5-1 victory over a Predators team that has been annoyingly gritty moved the Sharks past last Thursday’s disappointment with impressive authority and lifted the atmosphere at SAP Center several notches.
San Jose pulled away for good in the second, with Couture scoring on a breakaway in the first minute and Pavelski scoring on a power play in the last minute.
The Sharks killed an early power play in the third period and limited Nashville’s chances after that to seal the win. “We’ve got to still focus on what we want to do”.
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A Preds loss would secure the Sharks’ spot in the conference final – their first since 2011. Wilson also extended his points streak to five straight, tying Ward for the longest streak in franchise history…. Nashville made one change, too, as veteran C Mike Ribeiro returned after getting scratched for Games 3 and 4 in Nashville.
