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Rinne magnifies SJs lack of
punch
Predators take 2-1 snoozer at SAP
After beating up a rag doll in the Carolina
Hurricanes last weekend, the Sharks were pegged against a tougher opponent in
the Nashville Predators on Wednesday night. The euphoria of the 5 goal outburst
against Carolina was tempered by an offense that offered little threat to Pekka
Rinne and the West leading Predators. Rinne was typical Rinne, but the Sharks
aided the Predators goaltender by staying away from the net for the majority of
the evening.
The Sharks have done little offensively since Logan
Couture was injured during a practice in New Jersey earlier this month, but
when you stack that up against a upper end goaltender, good things are unlikely
to happen.
Rinne stopped 20 of 21 shots and was rarely pressured. It
was the perfect script for the Predators, who kicked off a 4-game road trip.
Having the schedule makers throw the mentally fragile Sharks at Nashville to
kick off their road trip was a nice way to ease the Predators into their trip.
The Sharks have crawled into a hole since Couture was injured, with
nobody picking up the slack. San Jose hasn't scored on the power play in their
last 19 tries, and Wednesday night's effort did little to suggest that the
special teams are going to turn around anytime soon.
The Predators
staked themselves to a 1-0 lead just 3:22 into the game, when Eric Nystrom
flailed at a puck that was fed to him by Roman Josi up the left wing. Nystrom
took a swing at the puck, and threading it past Martin Jones who looked
surprised that the shot carried as much velocity as it did.
James Neal
and Filip Forsberg found themselves on a 2-on-1 break moments later, but Jones
stoned stepped up and denied the Predators. Forsberg had a nice scoring chance
off a one-time chance, but Jones snuffed out the chance to keep the game within
a single goal.
The Sharks power play woes were extended when they
whiffed on a chance after Barret Jackman took offense to a Mike Brown hit along
the end boards.
San Jose may as well have ordered a facial and a
massage for Rinne in the 2nd period, because they weren't making him work. The
Sharks put 4 shots on goal in the period, none of which were serious scoring
threats.
Joe Pavelski finally solved Rinne by punching home a rebound
from the slot 1:28 into the 3rd period to help San Jose draw even at 1-1. The
goal seemed to inspire the Sharks but Rinne stoned Justin Braun with 8:30 left
in the 3rd, waving his glove at a hard unimpeded shot from the right side.
The Sharks failure to score was magnified by a Calle Jarnkrok goal
seconds later. Chris Tierney coughed up the puck as the Sharks tried to gain
the Nashville zone, before the Predators did an about face, stormed up the ice
and scored on Jones. Jarnkrok snapped a shot from the right wing that beat
Jones for all the scoring Nashville would need.
With time winding
down, the Sharks had a fire lit under them, but it was too little, too late.
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think of this story? Post your comments on the
Feeder Forums |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| NSH |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
| SJ |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
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| 1st period - 1, NSH,
Nystrom 3 (Josi, Gaustad), 3:22. |
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| 3rd period - 2, SJ,
Pavelski 4 (Tennyson, Thornton), 1:28. 3, NSH, JarnKrok 1 (Bourque, Jones),
8:52. |
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| 1st period - Jackman,
NSH (roughing), 15:04. |
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| 2nd period - Vlasic, SJ
(holding), 11:22; Webber, NSH (unsportsmanlike conduct), 17:36; Thornton, SJ
(unsportsmanlike conduct), 17:36. |
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| 3rd period - Bourque,
NSH (interference), 11:38; Josi, NSH (roughing), ; Brown, SJ (roughing double
minor), 13:52. |
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Shots |
Saves |
| NSH - Rinne |
21 |
20 |
| SJ - Jones |
24 |
22 |
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1 |
2 |
3 |
T |
| NSH |
7 |
9 |
8 |
24 |
| SJ |
9 |
4 |
8 |
21 |
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| Referees: Martell,
Meir. Linesmen: Lazarowich, Murray. |
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