Tommy Novak – Sports Radio Service

San Jose Sharks goaltender Alexander Georgiev (40) and Fabian Zetterlund (20) blocks the path Nashville Predators left wing Filip Forsberg (9) in the second period at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Tue Jan 21, 2025 (AP News photo)

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks fell 7-5 to the Nashville Predators Tuesday. Fedor Svechkov, Tommy Novak, Justin Barron, Jonathan Marchessault, Roman Josi, Nick Blankenburg and Filip Forsberg scored for Nashville. Juuse Saros made four saves in the first period. Justus Annunen made 15 saves in the second and third periods. Macklin Celebrini, Luke Kunin, Mikael Granlund and Jake Walman scored for San Jose. Alexandar Georgiev made 34 saves in the loss.

After the game, Sharks Head Coach Ryan Warsofsky said:

“I think we had a good start. We did things that we wanted to do. And then, you know, we got immature with our game again. We got soft with puck plays especially. Made some bad reads, starting in the offensive zone. Tried to make a cross-ice pass when the puck should be delivered to the net.”

The game was an example of extremes for both teams: each had one very good period and one disastrous period. Sharks fans must by now be used to the frustration of watching the team give up leads, but to give up a four goal lead is unusual.

Macklin Celebrini opened the scoring just 1:07 into the first period. Celebrini scored with a wrist shot on a breakaway thanks to Cody Ceci’s stretch pass. Ceci and William Eklund got the assists.

Luke Kunin made it 2-0 at 11:42 with a wrist shot from high in the slot. Ceci got the assist.

Fourteen seconds later, Mikael Granlund made it 3-0 with a slap shot off a cross-ice pass from Will Smith. Smith and Fabian Zetterlund got the assists.

Tommy Novak got one back for Nashville at 12:20, scoring with a wrist shot from close in. That made three goals in 38 seconds. Assists went to Luke Schenn and Zachary L’Heureux.

Alexander Wennberg won the puck along the boards and skated to the net, two-on-none with Jake Walman. Wennberg made a short little pass across the slot and Walman backhanded it in for the Sharks’ fourth goal of the period.

At the end of the period, the shots were even and just one penalty had been called, a puck over the glass against Nashville. The Predators changed goaltenders to start the second period.

Mikael Granlund scored his second of the night with a power play goal at 4:28 of the second period. Celebrini moved like he was going to the net, but instead passed to Eklund on the goal line and Eklund passed it across the crease to Granlund for the shot.

Fedor Svechkov scored for Nashville with a shot from the slot, following a lot of puck movement from Nashville. Assists went to Colton Sissons and Novak.

Justin Barron made it 5-3 just 53 seconds later. Barron’s wrist shot came after another series of quick passes that had the Sharks defense befuddled. Assists went to Filip Forsberg and Steven Stamkos.

The Sharks had just five shots on goal in the second period to Nashville’s 18. That was the beginning of a comeback by the Predators. In the third period, they mirrored the Sharks’ first period with four goals, one on the power play and one into an empty net. The goal scorers were Jonathan Marchessault, Roman Josi, Nick Blankenburg and Filip Forsberg.

The Sharks next play on Thursday against the Nashville Predators in San Jose at 7:30 PM PT.

San Jose Sharks goaltender Chrona Magnus (30) was pelted with shots all night here the Nashville Predators right winger Michael McCarron (47) celebrates after scoring in the second period at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Tue Mar 19, 2024 (AP News photo)

By Mary Walsh

The San Jose Sharks fell 8-2 to the Nashville Predators Tuesday. The Predators have now won 13 of their last 15 games, and earned overtime points in the other two of those 15. Roman Josi, Jason Zucker, Michael McCarron, Luke Evangelista, Mark Jankowski and Tommy Novak scored for Nashville.

Juuse Saros made 18 saves for the win. Mikael Granlund and Mario Ferraro scored for San Jose. Magnus Chrona made 32 saves in the loss. The Sharks have now lost five in a row. In their last ten games, they have one win, one overtime loss and one shootout loss.

After the game, two former Predators described the game in gloomy terms. Mikael Granlund described the game as: “A good thirty minutes and bad next 30 minutes.” Luke Kunin said: “Bad in the D zone, not closing quick enough, giving ‘em too much time and space, them getting behind us, us turning pucks over. I think it was pretty clear the things we were doing to kind of feed their offense.”

Sharks Head Coach David Quinn gave the Predators credit for playing well: “They obviously are in a great groove right now, they’re playing really good hockey, they’re fast, they’re physical, they really play to their identity, each line plays to their identity, they know who they are.” On the other hand, of the Sharks he said: “I thought we did a good job for the first 30 minutes and [then] just really got away from giving ourselves any type of chance.”

The first goal of the game came midway through the first period. Filip Forsberg got to the puck after a faceoff, sent it to Ryan McDonagh at the point. McDonagh sent it along the blue line to Roman Josi who scored with a slap shot.

Mikael Granlund tied the game at 17:18. Klim Kostin’s pass found Granlund skating into the zone clear of any defenders. He took a quick wrist shot to score his tenth of the season. Assists went to Kostin and Mario Ferraro.

Mario Ferraro gave the Sharks a 2-1 lead with a wrist shot from high in the zone at 5:46 of the second period.

Jason Zucker tied it back up at 9:37. When Colton Sissons’ shot trickled under Chrona, Zucker got behind the goaltender to push it over the line. Assists went to Sissons and McDonagh.

Michael McCarron gave the Predators the lead again at 15:26. Roman Josi skated down to the net and had almost reached the goal line when he centered the puck into some traffic. Keifer Sherwood took a shot and that created a rebound that went to McCarron for a shot at an open net.

Luke Evangelista made it 4-2 at 17:50. Skating across the slot, he took a backhand shot that beat Chrona. Assists went to Josi and Forsberg.

Cole Smith deflected a shot into the net after time expired for the period, scoring the first of two consecutive disallowed goals for the Predators.

Luke Evangelista pushed the puck into the net early in the third period but the goal was called back as Zucker pushed Chrona into the net before Evangelista took the shot.

Michael McCarron scored his second of the night at 10:35 of the third period. He caught a pass off the boards and shot around some traffic to score. An assist went to Sherwood.

Mark Jankowski made it 6-2 at 14:13, deflecting a shot from Tyson Barrie. Barrie and Anthony Beauvillier got the assists.

Filip Forsberg scored his second of the night just 30 seconds later. Gustav Nyquist failed to score from the goal line but created a rebound for Forsberg. Assists went to Nyquist and McDonagh.

Tommy Novak scored his 15^th of the season to make it 8-2 at 16:16 with a backhand shot. Assists went to Sherwood and Jankowski.

The Sharks next play on Thursday back in San Jose against the Tampa Bay Lightning at 7:30 PM PT.

Tag: Tommy Novak

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