Tomas Hertl – File Photo by Jack Lima
SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Sharks opened round two against the Nashville Predators Friday evening at the SAP Center with a big 5-2 win to lead the series 1-0.
Tomas Hertl, Joel Ward, Tommy Wingels and Logan Couture with a pair of goals, were the necessary combination.
The game was an even match in the first period. The Predators’ Mike Fisher scored after coming off the bench. His pass from Ryan Johansen was wristed into the net, top shelf, at 4:33 for power play goal. That would be the sole goal until the third period.
Hertl’s goal came only 2:37 into the third period. His power play goal beat Pekka Rinne short side, and was assisted by Ward and Marc-Edouard Vlasic.
Logan Couture – File Photo by Jack Lima
Ward chalked his goal on a break away from the neutral zone, skating down and hesitated nearly to the red line, slipping the puck in just at the last moment to give the Sharks the go-ahead goal.
Couture scored the ultimate game winning goal on a power play when he redirected a pass from Joe Pavelski into the net at 15:40, to give the Sharks the two goal lead.
Nashville’s Roman Josi’s slapshot was deflected just in front of Martin Jones by Ryan Johansen for the goal at 18:11. But it just wouldn’t be enough for the comeback, as Couture sunk an empty net goal only 20 seconds later.
It wasn’t long until Wingels intercepted the puck in the neutral zone and skated alone to finish the scoring with another empty net goal at 19:10. 
At the final bell, tempers flared and 22 combined minutes of penalties were assessed; four to San Jose. Barret Jackman received two separate roughing penalties and a misconduct. Colton Sissons and Roman Polak were also assessed roughing penalties.
San Jose scored in two of three power play opportunities, while the Predators scored on one of two.
Pekka Rinne had 33 saves in the loss. Carter Hutton covered the net for just under a minute, but did not face any shots for the Predators. Sharks Martin Jones gets the win with 29 saves.
Game two will be Sunday evening, May 1 at SAP Center.
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