Game 4 between the San Jose Sharks and Nashville Predators was epic. It was the type of playoff game we dream of. It had everything....offense, defense, goaltending, controversy, overtime, more overtime and even more overtime.
It truly was one of the best games I've seen in a very long time. It was scintillating, edge of your seat television and I enjoyed every tension-filled second of it.
Mike Fisher (Mr. Carrie Underwood) ended the madness and broke the Sharks hearts at 11:12 into the third overtime to give the Nashville Predators a 4-3 win. The series is all square heading back to the Sharks Tank for game 5 on Saturday.
The Sharks and Preds exchanged punches for nearly 130 minutes of breathtaking, heart-pounding minutes. Both teams combined for nearly 180 shot attempts and had plenty of opportunities to put the other one away, but Martin Jones and Pekka Rinne were equal to the task.
Finally in the third overtime the ice began to tilt in San Jose's favor and then.....disaster.
Preds defenseman Mattias Ekholm, fresh off the bench, fired a sharks clearing attempt on net, Jones flubbed the rebound and Fisher was there to collect the rebound. Mr. Underwood calmly gathered the puck and slid it around Jones for his second goal of the game and fourth of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Bridgestone Arena nearly exploded.
The fans were amazing all night long and probably gave Nashville that little extra oomph to win the game. I say that because midway through the second overtime, the Preds looks gassed. They just looked dog tired and yet they somehow found a way to win the game.
NOW we have a series.
The game turned out to be the longest game in Nashville history. It was also the longest playoff game of this postseason, surpassing game 5 of the New York Islanders and Florida Panthers First Round series. No disrespect to those other two teams, but this game was way more fun to watch.
The game was not without its share of controversy. Joe Pavelski appeared to win the game for San Jose in the first overtime when he knocked in the puck in during a goalmouth pileup. The goal was immediately waved off and reviewed.
The review confirmed the referee's initial call that the Sharks captain made incidental contact with Predators Rinne, preventing the Preds goalie from doing his job in the crease.
That's how it was explained anyway.
I could have lived with the call except for the fact that Pavelski was cross-checked by a Nashville defender and ridden into Rinne. It should have been a good goal. It wasn't called that way and the rest is history.
No sense crying over the call because I'm optimistic about the Sharks game after what I saw last night. I thought the Shark finally found their groove 5-on-5. San Jose wore down the 'elite' Preds defense and had it not been for the unreal play of Rinne, they game could have gone San Jose's way.
Not to take anything away from Jones. He was also very impressive. He made several excellent stops and when he was beaten, the post and cross-bar were there to bail him out.
I though both Joe Thornton and Logan Couture had good games.
I can't remember the last time Thornton had so many shots on goal. His 36-year-old legs looked a lot fresher as the overtime extended into the early morning hours. He finished the game with an assist, 4 SOG on 8 attempts, 4 hits and 3 takeaway.
Couture was everywhere and had the game on his stick several times. His line was evern more impressive than Jumbo's. Couture had two assists, five shots on 9 attempts, 2 hits, 2 blocks and 2 takeaways.
The series shifts back to San Jose as a best-of-3 and the Sharks are facing adversity for the first time in these playoffs. It's gut check time in the San Jose locker room.
Game 5 is 5pm on Saturday at the SAP Center.
***
There were 10 power plays in this game. The Sharks went 1 for 5. Nashville 0 for 5
San Jose Sharks Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»