Predators hand Ducks fourth straight Game 7 home loss

That was all Nashville needed to book a second-round series with San Jose while Anaheim ponders an uncertain future.

The Preds had only six powerplay opportunities against the San Jose Sharks this season and did not convert on any of them. The Predators will have less than 48 hours from the time they finished off the Anaheim Ducks with a 2-1 triumph in Game 7 on Wednesday until the puck drops on the next round.

San Jose player to watch: Joel Ward excels at bulling his way into the danger areas. Anaheim was a favored pick to go deep after going to the Western Conference finals past year. But in the words of Steve Martin from the Three Amigos: “Not so fast El Guapo”.

One reason: The Predators definitely got the Sharks’ attention with the impressive and dogged triumph over Anaheim.

In Game 7, Laviolette brought all five skaters back to their end and they were asked to protect the fort at all costs. Pekka Rinne was by far the best player on the ice for Nashville in game seven, and he was quite possibly the best goalie in the entire first round. The Predators have momentum following their thrilling, comeback series victory over the Ducks and are playing with house money in Game 1.

Right winger James Neal provides the ideal balance of playmaking, goal scoring and grinding, which combine to make him an elite playoff skater. Rinne stopped all 23 Sharks shots at even strength.

In-form players: Shea Weber – two goals, three assists, 25 hits, 12 shots blocked.

The Predators will face the San Jose Sharks in the second round while the Ducks prepare for long summer nights. “I feel that if you can’t take this one step, you can’t take any more steps”. You know what is coming. Special teams are key in the playoffs; they can change a game in an instant. “It shows a lot of character”.

That year, the Devils made the Stanley Cup Final. Pavelski scored his fifth goal in as many games and Melker Karlsson put the icing on the cake to give the Sharks a 6-3 victory.

Bridgestone Arena, in Nashville, is known throughout the National Hockey League as being one of the loudest and most hard buildings for opposing teams to skate in. It is surely a recipe for a fun and competitive series. San Jose is rolling after such an emotional group win over the Kings and the club isn’t ready to go home the following round.

The Sharks knocked off Nashville in five games in the first round in 2006, and again in 2007 by the same margin. But I don’t think we got outplayed. “Don’t look past Game One, focus on having a good start, everyone having a first good shift, and we’ll go from there”. He was outstanding. He looked solid to me.

“They get a breakaway and a tip and they score two goals, and we had so many chances and we couldn’t put it in”.

The Nashville Predators have advanced to the second round of the National Hockey League playoffs with a Game 7 road win against the Anaheim Ducks.

“He’s a goalie that can steal games”, Couture said.

“Obviously you can’t play on the blood thinners that I’m on right now”, he said. Couture hangs out comfortably in the shadows while everyone talks about how good Pavelski, Thornton and Brent Burns are.

On Monday night, St. Louis grinder Troy Brouwer, a fellow seventh round draft choice, scored the game winning goal in Game 7 to eliminate the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round of the playoffs. “All over the ice, you need to be cognizant of where their guys are because they can hurt you”. I expect him to have a breakout series as his second line will often have the privilege of avoiding Weber and Josi for most of this series.

Rinne had an up and down 2015-16 season, at least by his standards, as his save percentage in 66 games dipped from.923 last season to.908, and his goals against went from 2.18 to 2.48.