Yahoo Sports Nashville Predators Erase 4-Goal Deficit to Surge Past San Jose Sharks, 7-5
The Nashville Predators erased a four-goal deficit for the first time in franchise history to rally past the San Jose Sharks, 7-5, Tuesday at Bridgestone Arena.
The Predators had seven different goal scorers in the win, which was their fourth straight. Jonathan Marchessault led all skaters with a goal and three assists, while Filip Forsberg extended his goal streak to six games and added a pair of assists. Tommy Novak also had a goal and two assists.
Juuse Saros gave up four goals on eight shots in the first period before being replaced by Justus Annunen to start the second. Annunen made 15 saves on 16 shots.
The Predators have now won four consecutive games for the first time this season to move to 17-22-7.
How the Predators lined up vs. San Jose
Forsberg-Stamkos-Marchessault
Nyquist-O'Reilly-Hinostroza
Novak-Svechkov-L'Heureux
Smith-McCarron-Sissons
Josi-Barron
Skjei-Blankenburg
Wilsby-Schenn
Saros
Annunen
Extra: Stastney, Bellows, Jankowski (inj.)
IR: Lauzon, Evangelista
The Predators activated forward Cole Smith from Injured Reserve prior to Tuesday's game. Smith, who missed the last 11 games with a lower-body injury, slotted in on Nashville's third line in place of Mark Jankowski, who is listed as week-to-week with an upper-body injury.
Game Summary
Macklin Celebrini scored on the first shot of the game just over a minute into the first period, beating Saros cleanly with a wrist shot to give the Sharks an early 1-0 lead. They quickly extended that lead to 3-0, thanks to goals from two former Predators forwards.
First, Luke Kunin scored from the blue line to make it 2-0 on a play that was reviewed briefly by the officials for a potential hand pass, but ruled a good goal. Fourteen seconds later, Mikael Granlund made it 3-0 with a one-timer off a cross-ice pass from Will Smith.
Novak got one back for the Predators with rebound from the slot at 12:20 to cut the deficit to 3-1. However, San Jose retook the three-goal lead on a backhand shot from Jake Walman with just under 30 seconds remaining in the first period.
Granlund scored his second of the night on the power play, just eight seconds into a Brady Skjei tripping penalty, to extend the Sharks' lead to 5-1 at 4:28 of the second period.
Fedor Svechkov scored a power play tally for Nashville on a tic-tac-toe play from Colton Sissons and Novak to cut the Sharks' lead to 5-2 at the 12:40 mark. Just 53 seconds later, Justin Barron, who was responsible for a turnover that led to a San Jose goal in the first period, finished a pass from Forsberg to make it 5-3.
Marchessault made it a one-goal game just 28 seconds into the third period, burying a pass from Steven Stamkos on the back door. Nashville completed the comeback on the power play at the 5:23 mark of the third period, roofing a slap shot past Sharks goalie Alexandar Georgiev to tie the game at 5-5.
Nick Blankenburg gave the Predators their first lead of the night at 8:09, snapping a shot that leaked past Georgiev to make it 6-5. Forsberg scored into the empty net at 18:39 for the 7-5 final.
Key Takeaways & Notes
After snapping a career worst 18-game goal drought Jan. 7 against the Winnipeg Jets, Forsberg has goals in six consecutive games. In Thursday's shootout win over the Chicago Blackhawks, he became the ninth Swedish player in NHL history to score 300 career goals.
Svechkov has goals in consecutive games for the first time this season. He also scored in Saturday's 6-2 win over the Minnesota Wild.
Novak's three-point night (1 goal, 2 assists) was his first multipoint performance of the season.
Marchessault recorded his first four-point performance as a member of the Predators and extended his assist streak to eight games. He now has a nine-game point streak for the first time in his career, beating his previous career high of eight from Dec. 10-27, 2024. He 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in his last 18 games.
Up Next
The Predators will face the Sharks once again on Thursday, this time at SAP Center in San Jose. The puck drops at 9:30 p.m. CT, and the game will be broadcast regionally on FanDuel Sports Network South and on ESPN+ for out-of-market customers in the United States.
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