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2010 NHL playoffs: Preds win, Sharks take it in OT

Image (1) 1-sharks-thumb-250x375-9929.jpg for post 1107

After folks in the front office having to face up to some worries about tickets sold, the Nashville Predators proved that you don’t need to worry about anything when you come out and hit the higher seeded opponent square in the figurative mouth. The Predators dropped the Blackhawks 4-1 in a game where they really took the wheels out of their opponent and shut down their top lines effectively all night. The Blackhawks lone tally of the night came on the power play from Tomas Kopecky (yes, seriously) and their big guns of Toews, Hossa and Kane had a tough go if all night long.

Meanwhile for Nashville, it was lifetime Predator David Legwand making things happen as he lead the way with a goal and two assists. Martin Erat scored on a penalty shot in the third period after being hooked on a breakaway by Dustin Byfuglien. Pekka Rinne stopped 25 of 26 shots to earn the win while Antti Niemi stopped 31 of 35 for Chicago in the loss. Game 4 is set for Thursday night back in Nashville.

As for those seemingly jinxed San Jose Sharks, they were able to shake off the after effects of their gut-wrenching loss in Game 3 to take Game 4 2-1 in overtime to tie the series at 2-2. While Joe Pavelski will rightfully be lauded as the hero for San Jose for scoring the game-winner 10:24 into overtime, it was Dan Boyle who was the man of the match for the Sharks. Boyle scored the Sharks only goal in regulation and made a spectacular play in his own end in overtime to help save Evgeni Nabokov’s skin from giving up a potential overtime goal. Anyone worrying about whether or not Boyle has put his Game 3 faux pas aside need not worry anymore as he played very solidly for the Sharks.

Evgeni Nabokov finished the game with 33 saves in the win, meanwhile Avs goalie Craig Anderson was kept busy yet again stopping 43 in the loss. Game 5 will be Thursday night in San Jose.