Game 6: Third Period

Game 6: One Last Stand?

 The Preds are still attacking as the third period gets underway. San Jose is reeling on defense and gasping for air. It feels like at any moment that Nashville is going to take the lead and this game. Let's hope that's the case.

The Predators took a penalty with 11:00 left to go. Goaltender Interference was called on Miika Salomaki to the displeasure of the fans, but it could have been the right call. The Sharks would get a power play. On the first face off, Rinne would make a spectacular save, The Preds would clear the puck to allow some space before the next Shark attack. The puck would be cleared again.

With 0:55 left before Salomaki came back, Logan Couture would score the go ahead goal to take the lead back. With 9;00 left, Nashville is on the ropes again playing for their season. The goal was San Jose's 11th power play goal of the playoffs. Things are looking dire.

With 7:16 left, the Preds would answer! Another equalizer ignites these fans after a no call. Bridgestone Arena goes from silent to euphoria. Colin Wilson sends the roof off of the building with his tying goal. Stand Up!

With the momentum back in their corner, this game feels like its Nashville's to lose. Fans are going nuts as we head to another TV break with 4:56 left. 

Side note: Dallas defeats St Louis to force a Game 7. The winner of that series will face the winner of this one after its over.

Preds still attacking. Under 4:00 and it is looking like this is Nashville's game to lose. They haven't led all night, but its obvious where the momentum lies at this point.

Predators find a loose puck and just miss. Two shots later, they still have the puck in San Jose's end. The SOG is now heavily in Nashville's favor. It feels like another long night that will end in overtime. 

1:29 left and we have a face off in San Jose territory. The replays being shown show just how close the Preds were to scoring on their last possession. San Jose takes the puck but Nashville takes it the other way. After a missed shot, its under one minute remaining. 

Nashville passing well enough for scoring chances, but Jones is protecting well. 

We are headed to overtime!!

-Dug

@chansm1th

Game 6: First Period

1st Period

Through the first five minutes, there were a lot of hard hits. No one took the early advantage as defense was key. During this time, only two shots on goal were made. Seven minutes in, Forsberg had a breakaway that he hit wide of everyone. That was Nashville's only real attempt towards goal early. 

Turnovers plagued the Sharks throughout the first half of the first period, but the puck stayed in Nashville's defensive end for most of that time. Through nine minutes, San Jose had taken the only two shots. Hard hits have been a theme. Nashville leads that column 9-5. The first TV break was with 10:45 left.

Shortly after the break, the Sharks broke open the scoring with 10:05 left on what appeared to be a goal by Marc-Edouard Vlasic. A replay would be taken to see if Chris Tierney tipped the puck above the crossbar. After about a minute, it was determined that his stick was below the bar. He would be credited with the goal.

With 8:09 left, Tierney would score again after Pekka Rinne got crossed up after multiple shots. While falling to his back, the puck just slid under Rinne. With the Sharks taking a quick 2-0 lead, the Nashville crowd was taken out of the game. 

San Jose kept up the pressure. It seemed like every time you looked up, Nashville was skating backwards. A sense of urgency was felt early and often. 

With five minutes left in the first period, Nashville had been out shot 6-2. Things were getting desperate. With 4:33 left, the Sharks were going for a line change when they turned the puck over in the neutral zone. A slow flying shot from Roman Josi found its way past Martin Jones to cut the lead in half. Nashville appeared to have the momentum turning and the crowd back into the game. 

After the TV break, the Sharks would threaten relentlessly. After nearly a solid minute of attacking, Renne would drop on a save to stop play. 

For the remaining time of the period, Nashville would live in the Sharks' half of the ice. San Jose would be put on their heels until the intermission. It was clear that Nashville was the aggressor. If that wasn't enough, after a blown whistle on a save, a scuffle breaks out in the crease on San Jose's end with just 15 seconds left. A double penalty was issued for roughing to both Craig Smith of Nashville and Vlasic for San Jose. It will be 4-on-4 for the first 1:45 in the second.

The intermission would come with the Sharks leading 2-1 behind Tierney's pair of goals.

-Dug

@chansm1th