Game Preview: San Jose Sharks at Nashville Predators
The San Jose Sharks start a two game road trip tonight in the Music City as the slumping Sharks take on the red hot Nashville Predators. The two teams have only played once this season, which resulted in a 2-0 win for the Sharks, one of the few times they’ve actually won at SAP Center this year. The two teams right now are polar opposites, and tonight’s matchup is extremely important to both teams.
Nashville Predators
What the hell happened to the Predators this year? They’ve always been a great defensive team, with a good goalie, and a struggling offense. This offseason they traded for James Neal, and signed Mike Ribeiro. Both good moves, but not enough for me to think they’d be very good yet. Which is why before the season started, I said if the Predators made it to the Stanley Cup Final, I would eat my own flesh. Gotta admit, I’m slightly regretting saying that. James Neal is putting up numbers I expected since he wasn’t playing with Crosby and Malkin, but Mike Riberio and Filip Forsberg have been absolute studs. The Predators have won five straight games, and are trying to maintain first place in a very tough Central Division, with Chicago and St. Louis nipping at their heels.
San Jose Sharks
And at the complete other end of the spectrum, the San Jose Sharks are fighting for a playoff spot. Their streaky streaky season continues. Their great start to the season, them struggling in a span of games against Carolina, Buffalo, and Arizona, then moving on to have a three game win streak against the Kings, Ducks, and Blackhawks, finally back to struggling and losing six of their last eight games. The Sharks are just so continuously up and down, and as a result of it, they sit in the final wild card spot. They can still end up with second in the division, but they need to start winning games, and they need to do it now, especially with a constant threat like the Los Angeles Kings right behind them waiting to take that spot.
Players To Watch
For the Predators, it’s always Filip Forsberg. This rookie has taken the NHL by storm, made Nashville fans thrilled, and make Capitals fans sick to their stomach. (Remember that? The Capitals trading Forsberg for Martin Erat and a draft pick which ended up being Michael Latta? And we wonder why George McPhee doesn’t have a job…..). Filip Forsberg has 50 points in 56 games and shows no indications of slowing down. With this Sharks weak defense, Forsberg could have a big game.
Speaking of the Sharks weak defense, Justin Braun is back in the lineup tonight. HOORAY! With Braun and Vlasic back, the Sharks pretty atrocious isn’t as bad. Vlasic and Braun are two great defensemen, and Vlasic is one of the best defensemen in the NHL. The two make the Sharks defense better, and gives them a fighting chance, even though the rest are still not that great.
Prediction
By all logic, the Predators are just a much better team than the San Jose Sharks. So the Sharks win this game 4-2 because for some reason they beat teams that are good and then lose to Carolina.