The San Jose Sharks recovered from one of their longest playoff losses in franchise history to rout the Nashville Predators, 5-1, in Game 5 on Saturday.
Joe Pavelski powers Sharks to Game 5 win and series lead over Predators
Nashville is on the brink of elimination.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
San Jose heads to Nashville for Game 6 leading the series, 3-2.
The veterans stepped up for the Sharks just days after a grueling triple-overtime Game 4. Patrick Marleau, Pavelski and Logan Couture all had goals for San Jose. Couture was the only one of those four without a multi-point game.
The Sharks struck first just past the halfway point of the first period. Rookie forward Joonas Donskoi curled around the net and slipped a pass to Marleau out front, who buried it for his third goal of the playoffs and an early 1-0 Sharks lead.
But the Predators line that has tormented San Jose all series struck back soon after. Mike Fisher, who scored two goals and the game-winner in Game 4, netted another one off a pass from James Neal at 15:40 of the first to tie the game. The balance lasted about two minutes before Pavelski one-timed a pass from Joe Thornton past Rinne to restore San Jose's lead.
The Sharks built on it just 35 seconds into the second period. A turnover and a poor Nashville line change resulted in a breakaway goal for Couture and a 3-1 lead for the Sharks. Pavelski scored again with 38 seconds left in the frame to give the Sharks a three-goal lead. Nashville coasted through the final frame, fell into penalty trouble and gave up a garbage time goal to the Sharks in the final minute to seal the loss.
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