Sharks Beat Predators 3-2 in Shootout After Late Stamkos Equalizer
San Jose blew a 2-0 lead with the goalie-pulled tying goal at 19:59 of the third, then Macklin Celebrini and Alex Nedeljkovic finished the job in Nashville.
Folks, I need everybody to breathe. The San Jose Sharks beat the Nashville Predators 3-2 in a shootout at Bridgestone Arena, and my blood pressure would like a word.
My bold take: a win is a win, and this one is a good one, but you do NOT get to lead 2-0 in the third period and let the other guys tie it with the goalie pulled. Take the two points. Then go watch the tape and fix it.
The Deciding Moment
It came down to Celebrini. After a scoreless overtime, he skated wide and wired a shot past Juuse Saros in the shootout. It was the only shootout goal of the night. Nedeljkovic then stopped Ross Colton's attempt to clinch it. Ballgame, and the Sharks improve to 4-3-0.
How It Got Wild
San Jose got on the board first. Mason Marchment scored at 5:30 of the first, with assists from Tyler Toffoli and Alexander Wennberg. On the replay, Toffoli worked it from behind the net to Marchment out front, and Marchment swept it home. 1-0.
Then came the kids. Will Smith, 21 years old and playing in his 150th NHL game, snapped a wrist shot past Saros at 4:28 of the third. Michael Kesselring and Igor Chernyshov got the assists. Chernyshov is 20 and was playing in his 35th NHL game. The kids are alright, folks. Smith finished with 5 shots on goal, too.
Then Nashville woke up. Ryan O'Reilly backhanded home a rebound at 9:05 of the third to make it 2-1, and with the goalie pulled, Steven Stamkos tied it 2-2 at 19:59. On the replay, Roman Josi worked the puck to Stamkos, who roofed it short side with under a second left.
HEARTBREAK, RIGHT? Not so fast. Smith went in alone in overtime and Saros made the pad save. Kiefer Sherwood had a breakaway and Saros denied him. Alex Kerfoot rang one off the post for Nashville. Nobody blinked until the shootout.
The Numbers
Nedeljkovic made 32 saves on 34 shots, good for a .941 save percentage. That's the reason San Jose left with the points. The Sharks didn't win the stat sheet, though: Nashville had a 34-32 edge in shots and a 20-13 edge in hits. San Jose gave it away 17 times to Nashville's 12, which is sloppy, and the Sharks went 0 for 3 on the power play. Defense and blocks kept them alive: Sam Dickinson blocked 5 shots in 24:39, and Barclay Goodrow blocked 3.
Celebrini was named the third star with 0 goals and 0 assists in 23:39, which tells you how much that shootout goal mattered. Saros and Stamkos took the first two stars for Nashville.
Gloves Off
We got one scrap. Nashville's Nicolas Hague and San Jose's Zack Ostapchuk dropped the gloves at 2:51 of the first, both getting fighting majors. Stay classy, boys.
What's Next
The Sharks have no time to enjoy it. They head to Toronto to face the Maple Leafs on Monday, Oct. 19, at 7:30 p.m. ET. Fix the third-period defense by then, or it could get ugly.