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Sharks ride Hertl's goal over
Nashville
Antti Niemi earns 29th career
shutout
The home cooking has started to take effect for the
San Jose Sharks. After stalling out of the gate early in the season, the Sharks
have ripped off six straight home wins, including a 2-0 win over the Nashville
Predators at SAP Center on Saturday night. The Sharks rode an early goal by
Tomas Hertl, then defended against a flurry of Nashville shots in the 3rd
period to jump past the Calgary Flames for the 6th spot in the Western
Conference.
Antti Niemi's 29 saves carried him to his 29th career
shutout. The Sharks netminder was calm and collected throughout the game, but
his demeanor led San Jose against the Predators press in the 3rd period.
Hertl opened the game's scoring with a put back chance 5:01 into the
game after Joe Pavelski put a shot on Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne from the
right side. Hertl followed Pavelski's shot, scooping up the rebound as he cut
across the slot from left to right. The Sharks youngster jammed a shot off
Renne's left pad, then gathered the rebound and fired it into the wide open net
for his 7th goal of the year.
The Sharks controlled most of the
opening period, even though they allowed the Predators to enjoy a pair of power
play chances. Luckily for the Sharks, Nashville's power play has struggled this
season. The 28th ranked power play in the league continued to have difficulties
with the man-advantage, mustering little in terms of offensive chances.
San Jose outshot Nashville 18-7 in the period, which was a good
representation of how lop-sided the game was in that opening 20 minutes. Only
Rinne's steady glove kept his team to within a single goal after 20 minutes.
Nashville started the 2nd period intent on upping the physical part of
their game, but a hit 4 minutes into the contest may have cost them their best
defenseman. Shea Weber applied a check on Tye McGinn along the boards in front
of the Sharks bench, which resulted in injuries to both players. Replays showed
Weber landing on McGinn's skate blade, possibly cutting the defenseman in the
vicinity of the right armpit.
Both players returned later in the
period, but if Weber required stitches, he had the burden of trying to lead his
team while suffering through what had to be a miserable injury.
Patrick Marleau appeared to have Renne beat late in the period when the Sharks
worked the puck down low during a 4-on-4 situation. The Sharks forward scooped
up a rebound just outside the Predators crease, but Renne somehow gathered the
puck while laying on his side.
Nashville had scored 43 percent of their goals in the
3rd period this season, which meant the Sharks had to step up their game in
order to keep the lead. A holding penalty to Justin Braun at 4:25 into the
final frame made things a little more complicated for the Sharks. They would
kill the penalty, Nashville's 3rd of the evening, but still had work to do.
After scoring his first career NHL goal earlier in the week, Barclay
Goodrow turned into team agitator on Saturday night. Goodrow got under Weber's
skin earlier in the contest, then drew a cross-checking penalty on the
Predators captain with 7:32 to play. That penalty bailed the Sharks out,
because James Sheppard was about to be called for his own cross-checking
infraction.
The Weber penalty offset things, allowing the Sharks to
skate 4-on-4, rather than down a man.
That helped the Sharks burn
another 2 minutes off the clock, which was the primary objective for San Jose.
Nashville brought their A-game in that final 20 minute span, throwing 18 shot
on Niemi. That exceeded their entire shot total for the first 2 periods by 7
shots.
Niemi's best save of the game, came with 4 minutes to play as
Olli Jokinen shot caught him in the left shoulder. Miss that save, and the game
would have been tied.
The Predators were forced to pull Rinne with
1:46 to play, but Joe Thornton took care of business. First he won a faceoff in
his own end, then deposited the puck into the empty Predators net for his 350th
career goal.
Game Notes:
* The 17,059 meant a 9th
straight non-sellout for San Jose.
* The Sharks won 46 of 72 draws
(63%) on the night. Logan Couture won 9 of 12, Pavelski 14 of 21, and Thornton
10 of 15.
* Joe Pavelski led all skaters with 7 shots on goal.
* San Jose blocked 24 shots in addition to the 29 that reached Niemi.
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| NSH |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| SJ |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
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| 1st period - 1, SJ,
Hertl, 7 (Pavelski, Thornton), 5:01. |
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| 3rd period - 2, SJ,
Thornton, 8 (Couture, Wingels), 18:26, (en). |
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| 1st period - Tierney, SJ
(hooking), 6:04; Goodrow, SJ (slashing), 17:13; Neal, NSH (cross checking),
19:03; Neal, NSH (fighting major), 19:03; Wingels, SJ (fighting major),
19:03. |
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| 2nd period - Jones, NSH
(hooking), 7:54; Fisher, NSH (high sticking), 12:54; Sheppard, SJ (holding the
stick), 12:54. |
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| 3rd period - Braun, SJ
(holding), 4:25; Weber, NSH (cross checking), 12:28; Sheppard, SJ (cross
checking), 12:28; Neal, NSH (embellishment), 19:39; Ellis, NSH (10 min
misconduct), 19:39; Goodrow, SJ (slashing), 19:39; Goodrow, SJ (10 min
misconduct), 19:39. |
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Shots |
Saves |
| NSH - Rinne |
33 |
32 |
| NSH - empty net |
1 |
0 |
| SJ - Niemi |
29 |
29 |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| NSH |
7 |
4 |
18 |
29 |
| SJ |
18 |
11 |
5 |
34 |
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| Referees: L'Ecuyer,
Dwyer. Linesmen: Sharrers, Galloway. |
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