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Despicable Predators go head hunting again 4/13/07
- by Mike Lee
After an embarrassing 4-1 series loss to the Sharks last year, the
Nashville Predators decided to bulk up in order to muscle up against teams like
the Sharks. Nashville continued its attack by attrition strategy in Game 2 of
the Western Conference Quarterfinal matchup, by knocking another Sharks player
out of the game. After Jonathan Cheechoo was forced to leave Game 1 with a
knee injury, Steve Bernier followed him to the infirmary on Friday night, the
victim of a dirty check from behind.
The biggest difference between the cheap shots dolled out to Cheechoo and
Bernier is that the Sharks capitalized in Game 1. It was deja vu all over
again, except the Sharks failed to score on the 5-minute power play that
followed the Nashville infraction.
The tactics also paid dividends for the Predators, who would go on to take a
5-2 decision to even up he series at a game apiece. Nashville punched the
Sharks in the back of the head, then put the puck in the net.
Craig Rivet opened the game's scoring with his second of the series 4:37 into
the game on a delayed penalty to Peter Forsberg. Rivet chipped a rebound past
Tomas Vokoun after Patrick Marleau feathered a pass to the Sharks defenseman on
a 2-on-1 break. Similar to Patrick Rissmiller's overtime winner in Game 1,
Marleau gained the blueline, then fed the puck toward the net as Rivet skated
in on goal.
The Predators would counter two minutes later on Alexander Radulov's 3rd goal
of the series. Vern Fiddler outworked rookie defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlassic
for the puck along the boards, before slipping a pass to Radulov in the slot.
Scott Hannan had position on Radulov, but he failed to clear the puck or tie up
the Nashville rookie.
Forsberg scored from a tough angle after Marek Zidlicky bounced a shot from the
point off the end boards. The puck trickled past the goal line, where Vlasic
was positioned to grab it, but Forsberg lifted the defenseman's stick, picking
his pocket. Forsberg then whipped the puck toward the net from outside the
left post, bouncing it off Evgeni Nabokov and into the Sharks goal.
The chippiness and gamesmanship continued through the period. Forsberg would
get sent off for diving while drawing an interference call on Bill Guerin. The
period would end with J.P. Dumont mimicking Forsberg's flop, then mixing it up
with Christian Ehrhoff after failing to draw a call.
Things turned nasty early in the 2nd period when Radulov nailed Bernier from
behind, bouncing the Shark forward's head off the glass. While Bernier lay
motionless on the ice, the Sharks training staff motioned for a stretcher.
Bernier would get up, but he had to be helped off the ice by Marcel Goc and Joe
Thornton as the Nashville crowd booed Bernier.
Radulov would get tossed for checking from behind, giving the Sharks a 5-minute
power play, as was the case in Game 1. Jordan Tootoo would serve the penalty
for Radulov, who left the ice as the crowd chanted his name. Rather than make
the Predators pay for Radulov's transgression, the Sharks shot themselves in
the foot three different ways.
First Thornton missed a wide open net, then San Jose filed to convert on a
5-on-3 after Ryan Suter clothes-lined Ryane Clowe. The back breaker came after
the 5-minute major ended, when Dumont skated up ice shorthanded and beat
Nabokov with a wrister from 25-feet out.
Things went down hill from there when Clowe went after Paul Kariya after Marcel
Goc was whistled for cross checking. Nashville had a full 2 minute 5-on-3 to
exploit, and they cashed in with another Dumont goal. The Sharks had killed
all but 4 seconds of the penalty before Dumont buried a wide open shot. The
goal was Nashville's first power play goal of the series.
Clowe would pull the Sharks to within 2 goals midway through the 3rd period on
a deflection after Cheechoo tried stuffing the puck home from behind the left
post.
Forsberg would cap the scoring with an empty-net goal with a minute to play.
The fireworks would start on the ensuing faceoff when Clowe tried to engage
Game 1's head hunter Scott Hartnell. Hartnell refused to engage Clowe, but
when Tootoo jumped into the mix, all hell broke loose. Mike Grier and Hartnell
mixed it up, while Clowe tossed Tootoo around like a rag doll. Scott Hannan
squared off with Jarred Smithson.
When the smoke cleared, 6 game misconduct penalties were handed out on top of
an equal number of fighting majors.
Notes:
Bernier was taken for x-rays on his neck and head, but there was no report
available on his status after the game. Predators head coach Barry Trotz was
shown chuckling on the bench while the Sharks training staff tended to Bernier.
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
SJ |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
NSH |
2 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
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1st period - 1, SJ, Rivet 2 (Marleau,
Carle), 4:37. 2, NSH, Radulov 3 (Fiddler), 6:54. 3, NSH, Forsberg 1 (Zidlicky,
Radulov), 15:56. |
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2nd period - 4, NSH, Dumont 3 (Timonen),
10:26, (sh). 5, NSH, Dumont 4 (Zidlicky, Kariya), 12:56, (pp).
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3rd period - 6, SJ, Clowe 1 (Cheechoo,
Ehrhoff), 9:52. 7, NSH, Forsberg 2 (Legwand, Hanhuis), 18:55, (en). |
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1st period - Guerin, SJ (unsportsmanlike
conduct), 0:38; Fiddler, NSH (unsportsmanlike conduct), 0:38; Team, SJ (too
many men), 1:41; Arnot, NSH (high sticking), 8:01; Clowe, SJ (boarding), 10:53;
Hartnell, NSH (tripping), 11:28; Guerin, SJ (interference), 18:59; Rivet, SJ
(unsportsmanlike conduct), 18:59; Hartnell, NSH (unsportsmanlike conduct),
18:59; Forsberg, NSH (diving), 18:59.
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2nd period - Radulov, NSH (checking from
behind - major), 4:44.
Radulov, NSH (game misconduct), 4:44; Suter, NSH (roughing), 8:43; Goc, SJ
(cross checking), 11:00; Clowe, SJ (roughing), 11:00; Forsberg, NSH (hooking),
14:34; Grier, SJ (roughing), 20:00. |
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3rd period - Guerin, SJ (hooking), 3:01;
Clowe, SJ (tripping), 10:28; Clowe, SJ (roughing), 19:00; Clowe, SJ (fighting
major), 19:00; Hannan, SJ (fighting major), 19:00; Hannan, SJ (game
misconduct), 19:00; Grier, SJ (fighting major), 19:00; Grier, SJ (game
misconduct), 19:00; Hartnell, NSH (fighting major), 19:00; Hartnell, NSH (game
misconduct), 19:00; Smithson, NSH (fighting major), 19:00; Smithson, NSH (game
misconduct), 19:00; Tootoo, NSH (fighting major), 19:00; Tootoo, NSH (game
misconduct), 19:00. |
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Shots |
Saves |
SJ - Nabokov |
21 |
17 |
SJ - empty net | 1 | 0 |
NSH - Vokoun |
24 |
22 |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
SJ |
12 |
6 |
6 |
24 |
NSH |
5 |
7 |
10 |
22 |
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Referees: Dan Marouelli, Kelly Sutherland.
Linesmen:
Mike Cvik, Brian Murphy. |
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