Photo credit: sjsharks.com

By Pearl Allison Lo

The San Jose Sharks’ Brenden Dillon, Joe Pavelski and Brent Burns completed the comeback Tuesday to break the Nashville Predators’ five-game winning streak at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday night.

Things were looking grim with the Sharks down two in the third. as they encountered their second penalty of the period at 9:57. However, Dillon scored San Jose’s fourth short-handed goal as he went from one end of the ice to the other solo, shooting from the left faceoff circle to score from the left faceoff circle under Juuse Saros’s right arm at 11:40. It was a grand goal for Dillon’s first of the season. Burns Tomas Hertl gave the assists.

Sharks head coach Pete DeBoer issued a statement regarding Dillon: “Obviously he got us back in the game. Couldn’t be a more deserving guy. Probably the best teammate we have in there from a do anything for the group (standpoint).”

36 seconds later, Pavelski replied in kind. Evander Kane made a strong move from the other end and when reaching the offensive zone, passed to Logan Couture, who passed to Pavelski. It was a similar goal to Dillon’s that went far side to tie the game again since the first half of the second.

The piece of resistance was then set in play when Viktor Arvidsson was called for a high stick. Seven seconds before the power play expired, Burns one-timed the game-winner. He was helped by fellow defensemen Kane and Erik Karlsson.

It was a long time coming for Burns and the Sharks in Nashville regarding the regular season. Burns had not scored a goal a similar goal since November 16, 2006 and San Jose had not won since October 25, 2011.

The Sharks now have won three straight, their highest win streak of the season.

It was Saros’s first loss of the season as he made 27 saves. Saros finished playing his second full game since starter Pekka Rinne left Friday’s game and was placed on injured reserve Saturday.

The Predators scored consecutive goals twice in the game. Each of their goals featured at least one player from their top line of Arvidsson, Filip Forsberg and Ryan Johansen.

Arvidsson received the second star of the game with a game-high three points, two goals and an assist.

Each team scored in the first period.

San Jose’s Timo Meier started things off with his second goal in as many games at 6:58, aided by Joonas Donskoi and Burns on the power play. Meier’s points streak is now at a career-high six.

Arvidsson tied the game at one apiece at 11:14.

In the second, each team started off trading goals.

Nashville got their first lead just 21 seconds in when Forsberg scored, helped by Johansen and Ryan Ellis. It was Forsberg’s sixth goal and Johansen and Ellis’s sixth assists.

Hertl re-tied the game at 7:51, assisted by Couture and Meier.

Arvidsson struck again at 10:45 though, as the Predators regained the lead. He was aided by his fellow linemates this time, Forsberg and Johansen.

Nashville then built a two-goal lead with 15 seconds left in the period. It was a case of 2-on-1 crossbars having different results with Barclay Goodrow missing off the crossbar and after at the other end, Craig Smith scoring off it to make it 4-2.   

Up Next: The Sharks will play the middle game of their three-game road trip Friday at 4:30 pm PT versus the Carolina Hurricanes.