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Marleau closes out
series
SJ advances to WC Semi-Finals
4/20/07 - by
Mike Lee
The Sharks turned in a gutsy performance on the
road to close out their Western Conference Quarter Final series with the
Nashville Predators on Friday night, with a 3-2 win in Tennessee. San Jose's
captain Patrick Marleau turned into captain clutch, scoring the game tying and
game winning goals. The Sharks bounced the Predators from the playoffs for the
second consecutive year, once again taking the series 4 games to 1.
Ryane Clowe staked San Jose to a 1st period lead 8:21 into the game, silencing
the 17,113 in attendance. Steve Bernier setup the goal by picking the puck up
along the right wing boards and putting a shot on Predators goaltender Tomas
Vokoun from point blank range. Bernier had Nashville defenseman Ryan Suter
draped all over him as he crashed the net, but Suter slid into his own
goaltender as he tried stopping Bernier. Clowe swatted the rebound under
Vokoun's pads after following up from outside the right post.
Vokoun would keep the Sharks within striking distance with a series of circus
saves with under 2 minutes remaining in the period. Jonathan Cheechoo and Joe
Thornton had point blank chances that Vokoun stopped with back-to-back kick
saves. San Jose out shot the Predators 14-8 in the period, but they would only
enter the 1st intermission with the 1-goal lead.
With their backs against the wall, the Predators would make the Sharks earn the
series win by striking quickly with a pair goals to open the 2nd period. Jason
Arnott would score his 2nd goal of the series at 3:47 on a power play after
Craig Rivet was sent off for slamming Scott Nichol to the ice. Arnott would
sweep a Scott Hannan clearing attempt into the Sharks goal after a Shea Weber
shot slipped past Sharks goaltender Evgeni Nabokov. Weber's shot slipped
through Nabokov's pads, and Hannan had a chance to steer the puck clear of
danger, but he pushed the puck with a backhand right to Arnott stick.
Vern Fiddler would stake the Predators to the 2-1 lead just 39 seconds later on
the ensuing faceoff. Peter Forsberg slipped a centering pass from behind the
Sharks net through two Shark defenders to Fiddler in the slot. The Nashville
center one-timed the shot past Nabokov and just like that, the Predators
grabbed control of the game's momentum.
They would squander that momentum by committing three consecutive penalties,
which prevented them from adding to their lead. With Alexander Radulov
already in the penalty box for holding, Vokoun slashed Bernier by jamming his
stick into Bernier's nether region. The Sharks skated with a 2-man advantage
for 37 seconds, but they failed to convert.
The last of the three penalties turned into the Predators 3rd major penalty of
the series, when Nichol was tossed for spearing Sharks defenseman Christian
Ehrhoff. Nichol was responding to an interference penalty committed by
Ehrhoff, but rather than gain the man-advantage, the Predators forward took
matters into his own hands. Ehrhoff crumpled to the ice after Nichol stabbed
at his stomach with the blade of his stick, with referee watching the play 10
feet away.
Marleau would cash in on the ensuing 5-minute power play with his 2nd goal of
the series. Marleau stuffed home the puck after Bill Guerin's shot attempt
sailed across the top of the crease. Guerin had grabbed the puck between the
goal and the left corner, before spinning around and getting the shot attempt
off. Predators defenseman Dan Hamhuis failed to tie up Marleau, who was parked
outside the right post. The tally on the power play was only the 2nd for San
Jose in 28 chances.
The Sharks decided to play with fire by setting up a 4-on-3 advantage for
Nashville midway through the 3rd period. Offsetting penalties by Curtis Brown
and Suter setup the 4-on-4, Kyle McLaren was sent off for tripping. The open
ice should have favored the speedy Predators, but Hannan, Rivet and Mike Grier
kept the Predators from getting the puck near Nabokov.
San Jose won the series with a line adjustment and a huge forecheck that ended
with Marleau's game winner with 4:21 left in regulation. Sharks head coach Ron
Wilson decided to pair up Marleau and Thornton in order to generate some
offense. Working the puck along the boards, Thornton grabbed the puck and
feathered a pass out into the slot from behind the Nashville net. Marleau
slammed the one-timer past Vokoun, then pumped his fists in the air knowing it
was the game winner.
The two teams traded wild scoring chances in front of each net, then setup one
last coronary challenging situation after Predators head coach pulled Vokoun
with a minute left I regulation. Forsberg and Rivet were called for
offsetting holding penalties, but Rivet earned an additional interference
penalty to give the Predators a 6-on-4 advantage with 24.2 seconds remaining.
Notes:
Jordin Tootoo joined Martin Erat on the shelf after injuring his leg in Game 4.
The goal differential in the series was only 2 goals in San Jose's favor.
Tickets for the Sharks Western Conference Semi-Finals series will go on sale
Tuesday at 10am.
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| SJ |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
| NSH |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
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| 1st period - 1, SJ,
Clowe 3 (Bernier, Goc), 8:21. |
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| 2nd period - 2, NSH, Arnott 2 (Weber,
Timonen), 3:47, (pp). 3, NSH, Fiddler 1 (Forsberg, Zanon), 4:26. 4, SJ, Marleau
2 (Guerin, Rivet), 17:46, (pp). |
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| 3rd period - 5, SJ, Marleau 3 (Thornton,
Hannan), 15:39. |
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| 1st period - Forsberg, NSH (boarding), 5:05;
Hartnell, NSH (roughing), 20:00. |
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| 2nd period - Rivet, SJ (roughing), 3:06;
Radulov, NSH (holding), 6:29; Vokoun, NSH (slashing), 7:51; Ehrhoff, SJ
(intergerence), 14:58; Nichol, NSH (spearing major), 14:58; Nichol, NSH (game
misconduct), 14:58.. |
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| 3rd period - McLarean, SJ (holding), 0:42;
Hamhuis, NSH (tripping), 3:10; Brown, SJ (tripping), 9:28; Suter, NSH
(interference), 9:28; McLaren, SJ (tripping), 10:02; Rivet, SJ (interference),
19:35; Rivet, SJ (holding), 19:35; Forsberg, NSH (holding), 19:35. |
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Shots |
Saves |
| SJ - Nabokov |
24 |
22 |
| NSH - Vokoun |
37 |
34 |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| SJ |
14 |
17 |
6 |
37 |
| NSH |
8 |
9 |
7 |
24 |
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| Referees: Mike Leggo, Rob Shick. Linesmen: Steve
Barton, Jean Morin. |
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