The Tank, San Jose, CA
Captain America saves the day.
The Nashville Predators come to town with a gaudy won loss record, best in the NHL and leave with a stunning loss to the San Jose Sharks. Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski put the dagger in Nashville’s heart and twisted it for good measure by tying the game late in the third and then scoring the winning goal 13 seconds later to win 5-4.
Nashville was coming off of an OT loss to the hated Anahymen Ducks on Monday, and looked out of sorts in the first period as San Jose put up a three spot on the Preds. Nashville looked slow and was trying to “get their legs” as the Captain, Marcus Sorensen and the new Anntii in town, Anntii Suomela scored to give the Sharks a commanding 3-0 lead.
3-0 lead is nothing against the Predators as they stormed back with 2 goals in less than 4 minutes and pinned the Sharks in their own zone for the rest of the second. They scored the tying goal with about 2 minutes left in the second period and then took the lead to open the 3rd period as San Jose was looking up at the Preds, as they took a 4-3 lead.
Nashville continued to frustrate the Sharks as they controlled the play and almost scored again with about 10 minutes left in the game, but Martin Jones made the save of the year on Filip Forsberg. Jones was hugging the far right post, and then as Forsberg chose the top left corner, performed a Jackie Chan kung fu maneuver by launching himself back to the left, flying across to save the day, snaring a certain goal as Forsberg stared in disbelief.
A few minutes later, Joe Pavelski scored from his office in the slot to tie the game at 4-4. On the ensuing face off, Joe Thornton won it and sped down the half wall, took a pass from Sorensen and scored the 400th goal of his illustrious career over the glove hand of Jussi Saros to win it for the Home team.
Nashville has only lost 3 games in regulation and 4 overall, all to teams from the Pacific Division and two to San Jose. Both Sharks wins were of the dramatic come from behind variety and particularly galling to the Preds because they had come back from a 3-0 deficit and were poised to send the home crowd home with long faces.
It was not to be as Joe Thornton joined a select group of players with 1500 games, 400 goals and 1000 assists. Only 6 others had done this, including the Great Gordie Howe, Mark Messier, Jaromir Jagr and Ray Bourque. No, not even Wayne Gretzky did it. Damn, he’s good and a certain Hall of Famer on the first ballot.
Joe Thornton scores his 400th as teammates mob him.