~ (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

~ By Pearl Allison Lo

~ The Nashville Predators’ Mike Fisher’s second goal was the game winner at 111:12 minutes, as they evened the series 2-2 Friday morning Nashville time, with a 4-3 win over San Jose.

Game 4 was the Predator’s first playoff overtime win at Bridgestone Arena and their longest game. It was the Sharks’ second longest in playoff history.

Nashville’s Mattias Ekholm shot the puck at goalie Martin Jones. Fisher then corralled the loose puck, as he maneuvered his way around the front of Jones to score.

Looming large would be the controversial call made in the first overtime. This was the second review of a goal, this one coming with 12:26 left. The Sharks’ Joe Pavelski scored after running into Pekka Rinne, but his argument was that he was pushed by Paul Gaustad. It was ruled goalie interference, though the initial call on ice was that Pavelski gloved thepuck.

San Jose had power plays at 17:57 of double overtime and 7:59 of triple overtime, but were unable to convert. The final stanza was the only one in which the Predators did not have a power play.

Each team started on point with their first shots on goal.

Nashville got back to scoring just 41 seconds into the game. Ekholm shot from the blue line, was blocked by Marc-Edouard Vlasic in front of Jones, but Colin Wilson got the rebound and put in the puck behind Jones. It was Wilson’s second straight goal in as many games. He now has a five-game point streak. Ryan Ellis also got an assist. It is now the Sharks’ first playoff loss after giving up the opening goal this year.

San Jose kept pace. Paul Martin passed the puck to Couture before the first blue line, who passed to Brent Burns before the second blue line. Then from beyond the right faceoff circle, Burns got the puck past Rinne to tie the game at 3:08.

The Predators then went back up 2-1 on another rebound goal later. Speeding in on Jones’ right, Roman Josi passed behind to James Neal, shot at the net and Fisher scored on the rebound from Jones’ left at 9:50. Fisher now has a three-game point streak with points in each game of the series. His line scored all the goals.

At 12:09 of the second, thee Sharks finally got their first power play. They used that to their advantage just as it expired, at 14:09, to even the game again. Vlasic took a pass from Martin along the boards on his right and passed it to Joonas Donskoi on his left. It looked like Joel Ward, who was a part of a screen, got a piece of the puck, but Donskoi’s shot hit Ellis’ stick on its way into the net. The goal was first challenged for being offsides though.

San Jose took penalties at 18:38 of the second and 32 seconds into the third period.

Nashville took two penalties in the third three minutes apart and struck gold on the second to take their first lead. The first penalty was because Miikka Salomaki hit Logan Couture from behind. The second was for kneeing by Barret Jackman. Joe Thornton won the faceoff, got it to Burns behind, who passed it to Couture. Couture then passed to Burns and as he shot at the net, the puck deflected in off Josi 10 seconds into the power play. The last time Burns scored two goals was December 22.

Neal created the 3-3 tie that led to overtime with less than five minutes left in the third period. It began with his first shot missing to the right of Jones. Wilson picked up Neal’s rebound off the boards, then passed to Ellis. Ellis’ shot was deflected to Neal off Fisher and Neal did not miss with his second shot.

Shea Weber’s high stick drew blood from Martin with 2:03 left in double overtime, and was ruled a two minute penalty.

Shots were 11-4 in favor of the Sharks during the period.

Jones stopped a Wilson breakaway in triple overtime. He faced a total of 43 shots, Rinne a total of 44.

Game notes: Josi finished with a game-high ice time of 49:42. Game 5 goes back to San Jose Saturday at 7pm.