“We did a lot of game situation stuff in practice, which was great”. Rather than take the too-many-men penalty, Josi bailed over the nearest board-directly into the Sharks bench. Onto the Sharks’ bench.
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Jones had 21 saves through the first two periods and has given up two goals or less in four of his playoff starts. “You just try to take shots where you’ve got padding”. “So, I think it was a good switch on (DeBoer’s) part and whenever he does do that, it usually works out well”. The referees busted Josi and the Predators.
The Sharks entered the playoffs about as healthy as any team in the league, with no notable players out of the line-up. Logan Couture scored twice for San Jose, with other goals from Tomas Hertl, Joel Ward and Tommy Wingels.
When Mattias Ekholm tied the game I was convinced they would find a way to get the next one and win the game. In Game 2 against Nashville, none of the Sharks forwards hit the 18-minute mark. “We found a way to weather it and Jonesy was fantastic”. That gives the Sharks a 2-0 lead in a series that goes back to Tennessee for Game 3 on Tuesday night.
But in case you re wondering, no, the teams do not spend practice time running drills that require players to deflect dozens of pucks in some sort of icy dodgeball variation. The Sharks worked the puck back to the right point, where defenseman Brent Burns cranked a shot on goal. Although it’s still way too early to draw too many broad conclusions. Implementing the same level of high-intensity hockey that got them a Game 7 victory against the Anaheim Ducks in the previous series is going to be crucial. “If they come home with the series at 1-1, I think they’re pretty satisfied with it. It’s certainly a big opportunity for us to take the upper hand in this series”. They have more than one line but that is their big scoring line. But I thought we kept our composure, and we didn’t really lose our structure. We had a lot of chances from in tight. They are 3-for-5 in the series, and 8-for-26 in the playoffs (30.8 percent).
Nashville’s tight-to-the-vest play also helped keep the crowd out of it as the Predators did their best to prevent the Sharks from setting up in the offensive zone and Rinne was once again sharp against San Jose.
Yet for all that, the Music City Maulers still lost.
The Sharks pulled out the win with late-game heroics from the top line, a formula they know will be hard to replicate. “It’s just the evolution of his game”, Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said.
That means being better late in the game. “They were able to capitalize on them”. The Sharks are playing the Predators, but the Sharks are the team that must be the apex predator.
“You knew it was a game you were going to have to earn”, Pavelski said.
San Jose Sharks goalie Martin Jones (31) stops a shot by Nashville Predators right wing Viktor Arvidsson (38) as San Jose Sharks defenseman Paul Martin (7) defends during the second period of Game 2 in an NHL hockey Western Conf…
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All of the dominos seem to be lining up for the Sharks. The Oilers went on to take that series, 4-2. He’s posted a 2.13 GAA and a. 923 save percentage throughout the postseason after outperforming his mentor in Jonathan Quick during the Sharks five-game series win in round one.
