San Jose Mercury News – Predators top Sharks, even series

San Jose Mercury News – Predators top Sharks, even series:

This time the Sharks lost a player and the game.

Right wing Steve Bernier needed help leaving the ice early in the second period of their 5-2 defeat Friday to the Nashville Predators.

The increasingly violent series is tied 1-1. Game 3 is Monday in San Jose.

Predators rookie Alexander Radulov, who has three goals in this series, received a major penalty for hitting Bernier from behind and was ejected with a game misconduct.

The post-game coach press conference consisted of Ron Wilson coming out and saying “no comment”, and leaving. Smart move, anything else would have entailed a fine by the league.

On the other hand, give Nashville credit for stepping it up, dirty hits or no, and the Sharks not really responding well. Preds won that game, Bernier injury or not.

I do have one comment, though: will someone tell Forsberg to stop whining? He acts as if he expects special dispensation, that he can do obvious stuff and it shouldn’t be called. And kudos to the refs for calling the diving. Wish we saw more of that.

A split in nashville, the Sharks come home. thornton and marleau need to show more leadership adn take charge more. But we got Cheechoo back and he played surprisingly well for someone who some thought was gone for the season; I doubt we’ll be so lucky with Bernier, but Radulov is likely suspended, hopefully for the series. He earned it.

Playoff hockey is a war — or should be. But war is not a street fight, and that’s what the Predators are turning this in to. And that’s not good for the game, if it’s allowed to continue, which I am fretting it will.

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  • jecook

    Chuq; Agree nice take on Ron Wilson’s ‘no comment’ comment. This was a game the Preds *had* to win. Credit them for fighting back after early Rivet goal. As for Marleau’s leadership. The first step in the right direction would be to get Mark Bell off his line. Look at the tivo of Bell behind the net ignoring the wide open Marleau in the corner and turning toward the opposite corner to make an ill-advised pass that turned into the Preds rush and tying goal. Contrast this to the excellent feel and read of Patrick Rissmiller on the OT winning goal on game 1. Patty can lead when teamed with players that have better ice-awarness than Bell. See ya at the tank Monday _/jecook