Goalie matchup underscored Predators' wild-card battle vs San Jose Sharks
The Nashville Predators and San Jose Sharks battled for the wild card on April 4, but the matchup also featured an anticipated goaltending duel.
We waited almost two years for this matchup. Juuse Saros, the Nashville Predators' present and future starting goaltender, playing against Yaroslav Askarov, Nashville's one-time top goaltending prospect. Those two, meeting in a playoff-like setting at SAP Center on April 4 in San Jose, California, finally faced each other in a game, and with more than just bragging rights on the line.
The result decided which team would hold the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference in the waning days of the regular season. In the end, Saros stopped 24 of 27 shots as the Predators beat the Sharks 6-3 and jumped back into playoff position. Askarov allowed five goals on 33 shots, dropping his record to 21-18-3 this season.
"We knew this trip was going to be an important one," Filip Forsberg, who scored two goals, told reporters after the win. "Pretty much every team on this trip is somebody we're trying to chase and we've taken care of business so far. " The Predators jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but saw the Sharks tie the game early in the third period.
Then Ryan O'Reilly, Erik Haula and Tyson Jost scored to seal the win for Nashville (36-31-9, 81 points). "Proud of the group," coach Andrew Brunette said. "We've kind of been built for this.