SAN JOSE
– Joe Pavelski and Jonathan Cheechoo converted shoot-out
opportunities Thursday night as the San Jose Sharks defeated the
Nashville Predators 3-2 at sold-out HP Pavilion.
SAN JOSE – Joe Pavelski and Jonathan Cheechoo converted shoot-out opportunities Thursday night as the San Jose Sharks defeated the Nashville Predators 3-2 at sold-out HP Pavilion.
San Jose improved to 102 points atop the Pacific Division while starting a three days in four days homestand test. Dallas is the 1pm Saturday opponent, Colorado the 5pm Sunday foe.
Nashville, one of several teams hovering near the eighth spot in the Western Conference
and thus a potential first-round Stanley Cup Playoff opponent for San Jose, used the one point to move to 77 with 10 games to play.
After the two clubs combined for six shots in the 4-on-4 five-minute overtime, San Jose grabbed a 5-4 record in shoot-outs by taking the best-of-three test 2-1.
Pavelski pocketed his third shoot-out goal of the season when he opened the action. Pavelski fired a 15-footer inside the right post. Nashville’s Vernon Fiddler evened the score with a backhander. After a scoreless second round, Cheechoo backhanded the puck inside the left post. David Legwand’s tying attempt flew high over the net to give San Jose two points.
“It was a good effort,” said San Jose coach Todd McLellan. “It was reminiscent of the last two periods in Phoenix, so that’s five good ones in a row.”
The Sharks and Predators combined for four goals in the final 5:33 of play in the first period.
San Jose notched the lone power play goal when Rob Blake rifled a one-timer from the inside edge of the left circle past goalie Pekka Rinne at the 14:27 mark. Only three seconds were remaining on a 5-on-3 San Jose power play when Joe Thornton threaded a pass from the right boards to an unmarked Blake for his 10th goal of the year.
Nashville threw a change-up at Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov to create a 1-1 tie at the 16:40 mark. Defenseman Dan Hamhuis drilled a shot from the left point toward the Sharks net. The puck slowed as it deflected off winger Joel Ward’s leg, then bounced inside the right post past Nabokov.
When Predator Jordin Tootoo was whistled for boarding San Jose’s Brad Lukowich, the visitors ended up with the lone goal of the two-minute power play opportunity. Pavelski, playing the left point for the attacking Sharks, lost control of the puck and an opportunistic Fiddler took advantage of the miscue to give Nashville the 2-1 lead at 18:04. Fiddler did roof the breakaway shot at the right post with a deft backhander for his 10th goal of the season.
As Tootoo’s penalty time expired, the Sharks remained in the Nashville zone. Marcel Goc’s shot from the right flank created a short rebound. Milan Michalek took one swipe at the puck as he dove to the ice near the right post. Michalek’s second shot from a tough angle bounced off the chest of a prone Rinne and into the net with 3.1 seconds left in the period.
San Jose managed a 12-11 edge in shots on net in the scoreless second period. The Shark advantage in shots for the scoreless third period was 8-5, although Predator David Legwand nearly earned the win with 2:01 left. Legwand broke free for an open shot at Nabokov, the initial rebound dropping to the right side and the following Legwand shot skimming through the blue ice without hitting either the net or Nabokov.
“Both teams played with pretty good intensity,” said Nashville coach Barry Trotz. “We had to go to shootout, and anything can happen.”
