3-goal outburst ends Nashville’s win streak
NASHVILLE — The Sharks cooled off the NHL’s hottest team Tuesday night, ending the Predators’ winning streak at five games.
Brent Burns’ power-play goal with 2:52 remaining capped San Jose’s rally from a two-goal deficit as the Sharks scored three straight goals during the last eight minutes to beat the Predators 5-4.
“They had a two-goal lead, but you’ve got to keep playing,” Sharks center Joe Pavelski said. “We’ve been on the other end of that already this year, so there’s always time. Especially (because) we’re a (deep) team and we’ve been rolling four lines, and guys are fresh in the third” period.
Burns’ one-timer from the left faceoff circle beat Juuse Saros high to the glove side for the winning goal.
Pavelski tied it 4-4 when he scored with 7:44 remaining. Brenden Dillon’s shorthanded goal narrowed Nashville’s lead to 4-3 with 8:20 left as he made an end-to-end rush to ignite the rally.
“Dilly makes that play and sparks us and that’s what you need on the road at times,” Pavelski said. “That goal really kind of gave us a boost.”
Tomas Hertl and Timo Meier also scored for the Sharks, who won their third straight.
Nashville’s Viktor Arvidsson had two goals and one assist.
Arvidsson and Craig Smith scored twice in a nine-minute span late in the second period to give Nashville a 4-2 lead.
Filip Forsberg also scored for the reigning President’s Trophy winners. Nashville fell to 8-2-0 and San Jose improved to 5-3-1 in a matchup of Western Conference contenders.
“It was a big gut-check for us,” Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer said. “I think we talked between the second and third about coming out and being a little harder around both nets, and that commitment paid off. But I like the fact that we have the ability to quick strike and create offense like that.”
San Jose’s Martin Jones earned the win with 25 saves.
“We’ve been in that situation an awful lot and been able to close out games,” Nashville head coach Peter Laviolette said. “I think more than anything, we shot ourselves in the foot. You knew that they had a good power play. You knew they were a group that is dangerous.”