As the Sharks try to allow their young core to
gain experience, the sting of losing still bites. Lose after a miscue in the
3rd period, and the stinging is magnified. After the Sharks had scored a pair
of goals 14 seconds apart to tie the game, a simple puck-handling error would
end up in their own net. That goal turned out to be a painful game winner in a
3-2 loss to the Nashville Predators at SAP Center on Tuesday night.
The Predators have had their own horrific season, missing on a playoff spot
after adding key free agents in the off season. With the likes of Steven
Stamkos and Jonathan Marchessault, Nashville was positioned on paper for a deep
playoff run. That won't happen, but they managed to take 2 points from the
Sharks.
That's not surprising given the state of the two rosters, but
this was yet another one that San Jose let slip through their fingers.
The Sharks opened the game with a decent tempo and energy. Problem was they ran
into a better team that has simply underperformed this season. The Predators
entered play having won 6 of their last 10 games.
After feeling out
the Sharks in the opening period, the Nashville special teams went to work and
landed a couple of upper-cuts in the second period.
Filip Forsberg
converted his 25th goal of the season at 8:11 of the 2nd period via the power
play. Mario Ferraro had been sent off for tripping 1:19 earlier. Forsberg
circled the puck out of the right corner before circling back to face the net
and snap a shot to the upper left corner.
A Brady Skjei hooking
penalty 3 minutes later setup the Sharks 2nd power play chance of the night.
Ferraro just missed on a one-time chance in front. Predators goaltender Juuse
Saros then stoned Tyler Toffoli on a breakaway chance before the penalty
expired.
Barclay Goodrow was sent off at 14:05 for tripping after Ryan
O'Reilly stepped on this stick and fell to the ice. Stamkos converted on the
ensuing man-advantage for the Predators 2nd power play goal of the period. The
Predators created a pile in front of the right post when the puck kicked out to
the high slot where Skjei collected it and slit it over to the left side.
Stamkos had time and space to pick his spot, beating Alexandar Georgiev for his
22nd goal of the season.
The Sharks rejoined the fight with a pair of
goals 14 seconds apart early in the 3rd period. Recent acquisition Patrick
Giles scored his first career NHL goal at 3:42. The Sharks forecheck forced a
turnover along the end boards behind Saros. Carl Grundstrom then skated the
puck behind the net from left to right before sliding it out in front where
Giles was there to bang it home.
Collin Graf converted on the next faceoff after Will
Smith collected a loose puck from 15 feet out. Rather than shooting, Smith saw
Graf on the left side where he sent the puck for the one-time chance that found
twine.
Georgiev shot himself in the foot at 6:32 when he fumbled the
puck near his own net, allowing Kiefer Bellows to intercept it before skating
across the top of the crease from right to left before wrapping the puck around
the outstretched goaltender to help Nashville reclaim the lead.
Georgiev denied Forberg on a breakaway after a long stretch pass with 3:30
remaining in regulation to give the Sharks a shot at tying the game.
San Jose pulled their goaltender with 2:20 to play. Alex Wennberg was forced to
trip Forsberg to prevent an empty-net goal late. That meant the Sharks had to
play 5-on-5 after pulling Georgiev again after the penalty.
It was not
enough to overcomes Georgiev's blunder earlier in the period.
Game
Notes: * Attendance was announced as 10,523 tickets sold, but
there was maybe 7,000 in the building.
* With his assist on Collin
Graf's goal, Will Smith has recorded points in his last 4 games, which include
2 goals and 3 assists.
* A week after Collin Graf recorded his first
NHL goal, Patrick Giles recorded his first playing in his 11th NHL game. Giles
was acquired by the Sharks for Vitek Vanecek on March 5th.
* The
Sharks were an abysmal 18 for 44 from the faceoff circle for a 41% win rate.
