Both teams come out fast, and continue their dance of exchanging zones back and forth through the first two and a half minutes. Wrote that too soon, a couple of minutes later and it's still going. Neither team has the edge, but it seems like the puck is in Nashville's zone more often than naught. Patrick Marleau has a great chance from the slot five minutes in, but it goes wide. The puck goes into San Jose's zone, but they send it right back into Nashville's.
With just under fifteen minutes to go, the Sharks get a power play as the Predator's have too many men on the ice. It's the same thing that lead to one of Nashville's two goals, and the Sharks power play comes out. They pepper Pekka Rinne with three or four shots, Ryane Clowe, Dany Heatley and others putting the puck to the goalie in the first minute. Off the faceoff, Joe Thornton has a great opportunity, but that too is turned away. Patrick Marleau moves up between three defesemen and dishes back to Ian White, who shoots but it goes high. Thirty seconds to go on the power play where Heatley took a shot off of a pass from Logan Couture, and then Justin Braun from the point fires as well, but it's also turned away.
A lot of really good shots from San Jose on that power play, but it comes to an end with Pekka Rinne unfazed. He's the difference maker in this game, at least for the Predators. The Sharks continue their attack after the power play though, but still can't get anything. They fire from all sides, they try all manner of trickery, but nothing can make it to the back of the net. At 10:04, we have a stoppage after Niemi came all the way out of the goal to block a shot from Patric Hornqvist on a breakaway.
This was followed by a shot off the faceoff for the Predators, which itself was followed by a blistering shot taken by Ian White, which put Rinne on his backside, but he still made the save. Eight minutes to go in the final frame now, and it's the Sharks who continue to keep control of the puck. White shoots to the net and Rinne makes the save, but loses sight of the puck. White again, but Rinne recovers and his team rallies around him. The Sharks keep things going at a high pace, but eventually lose it into their own zone.
San Jose regroups behind their own net, and not much comes of their attack as the Predators hold up well on defense. Setoguchi gets an insane shot on goal that goes just wide with a little over three minutes to go in regulation. Fast forward to 1:30 remaining and Douglas Murray gives the puck away to Mike Fisher who throws a huge shot on net but Antti Niemi gets it and covers. Fast forward again and Todd McLellan calls a timeout to plan a way to win the game in 4.2 seconds. The Sharks can't get it done, and we head to overtime.