Recap: Nashville vs. San Jose
Sports Network | November 17, 2008
Nashville, TN (Sports Network) - Devin Setoguchi and Patrick Marleau both registered a goal and an assist, as the San Jose Sharks bested the Nashville Predators, 4-1, at the Sommet Center.
Jody Shelley and Tomas Plihal also scored for San Jose, which leads the NHL with 33 points. Brian Boucher made 32 saves in his sixth straight start since Evgeni Nabokov suffered a lower-body injury.
The Sharks avenged last Tuesday's 4-3 overtime loss at home to the Preds, their lone blemish at the HP Pavilion (10-0-1).
Dan Ellis made a franchise-record 54 saves for Nashville in that overtime win but didn't fare as well this time around, yielding four goals on 32 shots.
In addition to losing the game, the Preds watched with heavy hearts as captain Jason Arnott was carried off on a stretcher late in the first period after he crashed head-first into the net.
San Jose jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Setoguchi's team-leading 11th goal of the season. While on the power play, Joe Thornton picked up the puck behind the net and whipped a pass to Setoguchi in the right circle for a one-timer that tickled the twine with 5:22 remaining in the opening stanza.
Rob Blake fired a shot from the point that was stopped by Ellis, but Shelley was able to bang in the rebound just 1:27 later for a 2-0 advantage.
With time winding down in the frame, Arnott drove hard toward the crease when he was bumped by San Jose's Joe Pavelski, lost his balance and smashed into the net, where he remained motionless for several minutes. He was then placed on a stretcher and carried off the ice with 2.4 seconds remaining.
He was taken to Vanderbilt Hospital for precautionary reasons.
The Sharks grabbed a 3-0 lead 7:43 into the second period, as Plihal ripped a slap shot from the top of the left circle that sailed over the blocker and beat Ellis on the short side.
Marleau put San Jose up 4-0 with 8:48 to go in the second before David Legwand's short-handed tally spoiled Boucher's shutout bid at the 9:27 mark of the third period.
Nashville honored head coach Barry Trotz prior to the game after he became the 31st coach in league history to coach 750 games. He reached the mark back on November 4...San Jose converted one of its seven power play opportunities, while the Preds finished 0-for-6.
