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Koistinen lifts Predators past Sharks

Nov 12, 2008 - 9:04 AM By Michael Duca PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN JOSE, California (Ticker) -- Ville Koistinen scored 2:28 into overtime as the Nashville Predators handed the San Jose Sharks their first home loss of the season, 4-3, on Tuesday.

Captain Jason Arnott, Vernon Fiddler and defenseman Ryan Suter also scored as the Predators snapped a three-game losing streak. Goaltender Dan Ellis made 54 saves.

"It's hard to believe it ended that way," Koistinen said. "That was a really good team against us, a pretty hard challenge. I think we did a good job after the first period. Ellis made a couple of great saves there to keep us in the game."

Devin Setoguchi netted two goals and defenseman Rob Blake added a power-play goal for San Jose, which fell to 9-0-1 at HP Pavilion.

The Predators were outshot, 57-29 -- 21-6 in the first period -- but denied the Sharks' pursuit of becoming the first team to open a season with 10 consecutive home wins since the 1963-64 Blackhawks started a league-record 11-0-0 on home ice. The 1925-26 Ottawa Senators are the only other team to win their first 10 home games.

The 57 shots tied the most allowed by the Predators and marked a franchise record for San Jose, which has two games with 50 or more shots and a third with 49 this season.

"There's just pucks coming from everywhere," Ellis said. "They take a page from Detroit's book with their new coach. They have some big bodies, tough to see around, and some great shooters."

Opposing goaltender Brian Boucher had a lot of respect for Ellis' effort.

"He was hot tonight," Boucher said. "Sometimes it can be easier when you get a lot of work and you are into the game. He got feeling good about himself early. It would have been nice if we got a few more, but he was good tonight."

Koistinen struck for his second goal of the season in the extra session, converting passes from Rich Peverley and Radek Bonk and firing a wrist shot past Boucher.

"It felt pretty good, actually. I'm not exactly a big sniper, you know," Koistinen said. "It feels great to score a goal that wins the game."

Trailing 3-2, the Predators forged a tie when J.P. Dumont slid a pass across the crease to Suter, who was sitting on the right doorstep before flipping the puck over Boucher with 6:27 left in the third.

"Those exact type of games are the ones that get you out of ugly losing streaks, for some reason," Ellis said. "A lot of times when you get out of a losing streak, it's with one you really shouldn't win in the first place."

After Setoguchi scored in the first, San Jose broke through in the following period when Blake stuffed home a rebound of a Setoguchi's initial attempt from the left edge of the crease to extend its lead to 2-0.

The Predators halved the deficit just 66 seconds later when Boucher failed to control a rebound of a pass by Patric Hornqvist and Arnott backhanded it between the netminder's pads from the right faceoff circle.

Nashville tied the game after Fiddler picked off a rebound in the slot and lifted it past Boucher at 5:42 of the third.

"We were fortunate to get two points thanks to Dan (Ellis)," Predators defenseman Shea Weber said. "But it's something we can build from and try to get some momentum back."

The tie lasted until Joe Thornton passed from behind the Predators' net to Setoguchi on the right doorstep. Setoguchi netted his second of the night and ninth of the season, again slipping the puck between Ellis' pads just 27 seconds later.

Sharks coach Todd McLellan was not displeased with his team's effort.

"We said all along we would evaluate our team on the process and not the end result," McLellan said. "Actually, tonight, we played a heck of a game. We've played poorer than that and won this year."