| Team Matchups |
| San
Jose |
| Nashville |
 |
| Offense |
B | A steady dose of forecheck and a constant barrage of
shots were all the Sharks needed to wear down the Predators in Game 3. The
offense got the job done scoring 3 even strength goals. |
D+ | The Predators failed to carry the momentum that had
them scoring goal in bushels in Game 2 into the first road game of the
series
for Nashville. After a good start, the Nashville offense was as exitinct as
the
crest on their jerseys. |
|
| Defense |
B+ | After an early snafu, the Sharks defense buckled down
and prevented any serious scoring chances. Funny how the defense shines
when
the forecheck is in full effect. |
C- | Dan Hamhuis had a nightmare game, failing to contain
any of the Sharks. His -3 rating was worst on the club. Overall, the
Predators
allowed the Sharks to dictate teh game because their defense couldn't move
the
puck out of its own end. |
|
| Power Play |
F | 0-for-6, including another 5-on-3 opportunity that
went by the way side has to be a concern for the Sharks. Not only are the
Sharks not getting many scoring chances on the power play, they're not even
controlling the zone in most cases. If the Sharks intend on making a serios
run
this Spring, they had better rectify this issue quickly. |
C | Never got a chance to get going with only 2 chances.
Credit a Sharks PK rather than a weak Nashville power play. We've yet to
see
what this unit is capable of. |
|
| Penalty Kill |
B | Made the most of their two opportunities to kill off
a Predators advantage. Had trouble clearing the puck on the last PK in teh
3rd
period. Could have been disasterous if Nashville had scored and tied the
game. |
A | The penalty kill continues to be the saving grace for
the Predators. Their strong showing on the PK continued in Game 3. A
partial
5-on-3 chance left the Sharks stymied. |
|
| Goaltending |
B+ | Nabokov made big saves on Arnott and Forsberg in the
middle period. The one goal that he did give up saw bad positioning turn
into a
goal . |
B | Vokoun did stop 38 shots, but he could have really
bailed out his team by stopping Michalek's tip and Marleau's redirect. |
|
|
| |
| |
| Individual
Matchups |
| |
| |
|
| Hero |
| Mike Grier - The guy was all over the ice. He didn't
record a point, but his hit on Erat may have been the spark the Sharks
needed.
Everyone saw Erat limp to the bench (and not return). Grier's hustle on teh
dump in helped San Jose control the Nashville zone for most of the
game.
Bill Guerin (Honorable Mention) - The late season acquisition
showed why the Sharks made teh deal that brought Guerin to San Jose. He
seemed
to be everywhere the puck was. His interception late helped ice the
game. |
| Tomas Vokoun - If it wasn't for the Nashville
goaltender, this game could have easily been a 6 or 7 goal night for the
Sharks
offense. He made teh big saves int eh 1st period, but his eammates could
only
muster a lone goal.
David Legwand (Honorable Mention) - After being
invisible in the first
two games, Legwand is starting to make his presence felt with timely
passing.
His cross-ice pass to Suter on Nashville's love goal was text book. |
|
| Goat |
| Joe Pavelski - His rust showed, especially on a
couple of dangerous passes. He caught a break on a pass that was
intercepted by
Fiddler in the 3rd period at the Sharks blueline, because a Predator was
caught
offside in the Sharks zone. |
| Dan Hamhuis - The Predators defender was a minus 3 on
the night. His nightmare game was capped with a horrible turnover that led
to
Marleau's goal. Not only did he cough the puck up, but then he failed to
cover
Marleau, who was roaming free deep in the Predators zone. |
|
