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 Getting 26 saves from goaltender Pekka Rinne and clutch play from
most of their big guns, Nashville earned their first win in the
best-of-seven Western Conference semi-finals with a 4-1 verdict at
Bridgestone Arena.
San Jose still lead the series 2-1, but the Predators can square
things up if they win Game 4 on Thursday.
Nashville gave themselves that chance by overcoming an early deficit
and bottling up the Sharks, who scored seven third-period goals in
5-2 and 3-2 wins in Game 1 and 2 over the weekend.
This time Nashville did the third-period damage.
Colin Wilson, who scored only six regular season goals, made it 3-1
on a rebound tally at 6:55. Filip Forsberg iced it with the
Predators' second power-play marker of the game at 15:49.
Goalie Martin Jones finished with 21 saves for San Jose, who lost
for the first time on the road in the playoffs.
San Jose initiated the scoring at 13:13 of the first period when
Patrick Marleau split defensemen Shea Weber and Roman Josi, then
took advantage of an ill-fated attempt to clear the puck by Rinne
for a tap-in into an empty net.
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Nashville tied it at 5:11 of the second period during a four-minute
power play. Mattias Ekholm circled into the middle of the offensive
zone and found James Neal in the right faceoff circle for a
one-timer, Neal's third goal of the playoffs.
Weber gave the Predators their first lead during a four-on-four
sequence, bombing a one-timer past Jones at 14:44 for his third
playoff goal. It was his 13th career playoff marker, tying David
Legwand for the franchise record.
(Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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