Ekman scores two goals to extend home unbeaten streak to 11
SAN JOSE – Nils Ekman collected two goals and one assist Monday as the San Jose Sharks extended their home building streak to 11 games without a loss, topping the Nashville Predators 5-2 in front of 16,220 NHL fans at HP Pavilion.
The win left the Sharks with 42 points and a strong hold on the seventh spot in the Western Conference heading on the road for a four-game test beginning Wednesday in Columbus.
Ekman tallied his ninth and 10th goals of the season, taking care of the game’s first score and banging home a clinching goal with three minutes to play in the game.
San Jose scored three goals in the first period for the first time in 18 home tests. The Sharks had managed two goals in the first period at home on five occasions, finishing with ties in the first four efforts before Friday’s 5-0 drubbing of the Los Angeles Kings.
“The first period, we’re ready to play,” said Ron Wilson, coaching his 800th NHL game. “(Nashville) got a fortunate break, getting a power play (in the second period). In the third, we only had one or two breakdowns and they managed to get it close in the end.”
The Predators, who slipped out of eighth place in the conference with the loss, trimmed the Sharks 3-0 first-period lead with single markers in the second and third periods.
Ekman made it 4-2 with a short-handed goal.
The Predators went on a power play with 3:56 left. Sharks defenseman Mike Rathje blocked a shot from the point that left the puck at the blueline near Ekman. The Shark winger carried the puck up-ice, then slowed as winger Alyn McCauley tried to keep pace for a 2-on-1. The lone defender, Kimmo Timonen, lunged to his right to meet Ekman, but the Predator slid past Ekman and left just enough room for Ekman to whip the puck through the pads of goalie Chris Mason.
“I didn’t have much room,” Ekman said. “I had to stop on one leg. I was waiting for Alyn to crash the net.”
McCauley was hindered by a hook from Nashville’s Scott Walker, but the delayed penalty was wiped out with the Ekman goal.
Jonathan Cheechoo delivered an empty-netter with 52 seconds left for the three-goal difference.
San Jose built a 3-0 lead after 16:38 of play.
Ekman opened the scoring at the 2:01 mark, using Predator Jeremy Stevenson as a shield before lining a wrist shot into the top left corner of the cage past starting goalie Tomas Vokoun.
Patrick Marleau used both speed and patience to make it 2-0 at 8:55. The center raced around Marek Zidlicky, then crossed the low slot, waited for Vokoun to dive to the right post and backhanded the puck over Vokoun.
San Jose added a power play goal at the 16:38 mark. Ekman found Marco Sturm unmarked behind the Nashville net. Sturm carried the puck toward the left post, then tried to slip the puck across the crease. Instead, the puck caromed off the leg of defenseman Jason York and inside the right post.
Zidlicky snapped a 20-footer past goalie Evgeni Nabokov 11:37 into the second period for a Nashville power play goal. Rem Murray scored for Nashville 2:58 into the third period.
Nabokov improved to 8-8-7. “Nabby’s come back off the injury list and I’ve seen him more focused than any time since I’ve been here,” Wilson said.
San Jose’s next home game is Thursday Jan. 8 against Columbus.
