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Sharks too strong for Predators

Dec 30, 2007 - 6:10 AM By Jim Diamond PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) - Another road game, another road victory for the San Jose Sharks.

Five different Sharks scored goals, leading San Jose to a 5-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.

San Jose ended a seven-game losing stretch in regular season games played in Nashville. The Sharks' last regular season win in Nashville was October 24, 2002.

San Jose improved its road record to 15-3-2 on the season. Their nine consecutive road wins are a franchise record.

"They are big, they're fast, they're deep, and they are getting good goaltending," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "They are 15-3-2 on the road, they know how to win on the road, and they did that tonight."

Marcel Goc scored the only goal of the first period, netting his second goal of the season at the 10:25 mark.

A shot by Patrick Marleau was stopped by goaltender Chris Mason, but Goc pounced on the rebound in the right circle and fired the puck over the glove of Mason.

"Patty took the shot, and the rebound just came out to me, and I just shot it into the net," Goc said. "We kept with our game plan and it worked."

"(The Sharks) are really good down low, and they are big," Mason said. "They have size and skill, which is a pretty good combination."

J.P. Dumont evened the score at 1:07 of the second period.

From behind the San Jose net, Alexander Radulov passed the puck to Dumont in the right faceoff circle. Dumont's initial shot was blocked, but the puck landed back on his stick, and he beat goaltender Evgeni Nabokov low to the glove side.

Nashville took a 2-1 lead at 6:31 of the second on a goal by defenseman Kevin Klein.

Klein's wrist shot from the high slot through traffic snuck inside the right post, giving him his first goal of the season.

San Jose defenseman Craig Rivet scored at 12:04 of the second period, tying the score at 2-2.

Rivet's slap shot from the blue line along the right boards beat Mason high to the stick side.

"I was just trying to get it on net, get it high and someone could look for a rebound, and I think it might have fooled (Mason) a bit," Rivet said. "We (the defensemen) have not been putting up the offensive production that we have had in the past, but our goals-against average is one of the best in the National Hockey League, so we take pride in defense-first."

Matt Carle's power-play goal at the four-minute mark of the third period gave the Sharks a 3-2 lead.

Carle's slap shot from the right point through traffic slipped between the pads of Mason, giving Carle his second goal of the season.

"To be honest, I just buried my head, let it rip, and it found its way in," Carle said. "It's not something I focus on. I'm a defenseman first and even though my plus/minus might not show it, I feel I have made strides there from last year."

"We've been working a lot on our defense getting shots through, and both Matty Carle and Rivet did a good job of doing that," said Sharks assistant coach Rob Zettler, a former Nashville defenseman. "It's been a long time coming because we have been at the bottom of the helm when it comes to goals scored by defensemen. It's nice to contribute."

Torrey Mitchell and Steve Bernier added insurance goals for the Sharks in the third.