The assignment on Monday night was simple. Win or go home. That applied to both the Sharks and their hosts, the Nashville Predators, so there was no shortage of motivation for both teams. A simple loss would end San Jose's season. A loss and a Los Angeles Kings win would end the year for Nashville. Both teams clawed for their lives in what would be the closest the Sharks young core would come to a playoff atmosphere. Not unlike most of the previous 79 games, Macklin Celebrini carried the Sharks with a pair of goals to help San Jose knock off the host Predators 3-2 in a wild contest.

The Sharks entered play having lost the last 15 meetings with the Predators, including two losses this season which saw Nashville scores 12 total goals. The odds were clearly stacked against them, but like the entire season, this game was a glimpse of what this team may eventually become: A battle tested group that knows how to win in must win games.

With their season in the balance, the young core delivered and the Sharks lived for a f more hours as they awaited the outcome of the Kings game against the Seattle Kraken.

The Sharks came out with a vigor absent in their last 2 games, pressing the Predators from the opening puck drop. San Jose would outshoot Nashville 11-6 in the period and controlled most of the frame but goaltender Justus Annunen denied the Sharks in the frame.

The only real issue Alex Nedeljkovic faced was a Nashville shot that slipped past him and sat perched behind the Sharks netminder. Nedeljkovic had no idea where the puck was and it sat precariously seated inches from the goal line until a San Jose defender swooped in to clear it from danger.

Steven Stamkos committed the game's first penalty 7:54 into the 2nd period when he laid a hit on defenseman Shakir Mukhamadullin that sent the Sharks young Russian head first into the end boards. Stamkos was sent off for boarding and the Sharks power went to work.

Igor Chenyshov converted on the man advantage to record his 3rd goal in the last 2 games. The Sharks forward was floating on the left side when William Eklund gathered a rebound and slid it over to his linemate for a one-time chance that beat Annunen.

The Predators started to express their frustration with the Sharks toward the end of the period. Long time Sharks nemesis Jonathan Marchessault was particularly agitated with Vincent Desharnais who was pushing him around as several players jostled for a puck along the side boards. Marchessault planted several cross checks to Desharnais' lower back, but referees Eric Furlatt and TJ Luxmore let the players decide the game on the ice.

Nashville held a 9-5 shot advantage in the middle period, but it was the Sharks that carried the lead to the 2nd intermission.

The Sharks took a 2-0 lead on a controversial sequence that had the sellout Bridgstone arena incensed. The Predators dumped a puck into the Sharks zone from behind their own blueline, but Nadeljkovic redirected it as it sailed past the right post of the Sharks goal. Icing was called even though Nedeljkovic clearly touched the puck.

On the ensuing faceoff, Nashville exited their own zone, but the puck was quickly turned over. Will Smith moved it back into the Nahville zone where Chernyshov carrie dit up the left post with only Roman Josi back to defend. Chernyshov put on the breaks then slid the puck over to the right side where Macklin Celebrini pumped home his 43rd goal of the season to give San Jose the 2-0 lead with 17 minutes left in regulation.

Mario Ferraro was called for holding at 3:51 to setup the Predators first power play of the night. The Sharks much maligned penalty kill unit got the job done by keeping the puck away from their own net.

San Jose went into a prevent posture with 10 minutes to play, which setup plenty of opportunities for Nashville. One of those found the back of the net when Luke Evangelist took a long pass from Nick Perbix, gathering it at the Sharks blueline. The Predators forward then raced in on Nedeljkovic and lifted a shot from in tight over the netminder's glove hand.

Nashville pulled Annunen with 2:13 to play after a stoppage forced a faceoff in the Sharks zone. San Jose gained possession and exited the zone which turned into an empty net goal for Celebrini in what should been the capper.

It wasn't.

Evangelista came back and scored his second goal of the period with 70 seconds left in regulation. The Predators forced the puck to the outside of the right post where the Predators forward crashed and punched the puck through Nedeljkovic for his 12th goal of the season.

The crazy playoff atmosphere came to a head in that final minute as the Predators had to throw everything at San Jose in order to keep their season alive. The young Sharks held on, to extend their season, albeit for a few more hours.

Game Notes:

* The Sharks recalled defenseman Luca Cagnoni to help bolster the power play. Cagnoni was inserted on the 1st power play unit.

* With Cagnoni's addition, Nick Leddy was the odd man out as a scratch.

* William Eklund hit the 50 point mark with his primary assist on the Igor Chernysho power play goal. That marks the 2nd consecutive season that Eklund has hit the half century mark in points.

* Justus Annunen entered play with a career 3-0 record against San Jose. He has emerged as a solid tandem partner for Jussi Saros who got the night off.

* With his 2 goals, Macklin Celebrini climbed to within 2 points of Joe Thornton's franchise record of 114 points in a season. Celebrini has 2 more games to catch Thornton.