Preds Sweep Sharks in Prague 3-2

PRAGUE — The San Jose Sharks are the “home” team tonight in the rubber match of their back-to-back season opener against the Nashville Predators. Luke Kunin got the Sharks the lead, and Logan Couture added to it, but San Jose fell short before a pro-Sharks crowd 3-2.

Period 1

Ferraro-Vlasic lead off PK. Then Benning-Simek, there’s some stability there at least.

2 in: What’s good about Lorentz, you see his quickness, he gets San Jose Sharks 2-on-1. What’s not so good. That backhand pass to Hertl. He’s young, but hands need refinement to play up.

Yakov Trenin to box. Today and last night, no reaction to him (he’s Russian). Thought there might be something from crowd.

4 in : They try a complex PP2 entry that Preds sniff out. Ferraro is OK in forward-like role on this PP, fishing out pucks in battles.

7 in: Benning turnover on exit, dangerous, but Vlasic erases mistake with good block of centering pass.

9 in: Lorentz shows impressive burst, beats Lauzon to a dumped-in puck. Really impressive. Then the two battle in front.

Kunin goal: Just meat and potatoes, win the faceoff, point shot, Kunin has a couple whacks at it. He’s got underrated hands in front.

4 left: Kunin roars into zone but telegraphs a pass to the point.

3 left: Hertl takes it to the middle, and thinks pass, turnover. The Sharks want him to be selfish there, I think, he could’ve walked down a little from high slot in.

2 left: F1 Sturm pressures Carrier successfully, then along wall, Gadjovich pins them in for a moment. That was the good stuff.

1 left: The net goes off easy again with Couture’s line out.

Probably best period #SJSharks have played in Prague so far: Per @SPORTLOGiQ, Sharks 7-2 Slot Shots (4-2 5v5)

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) October 8, 2022

Period 2

Kunin has a fairly routine-looking dump-in for Couture with speed, but he can’t get it by, and Preds turn it around for a chance. That’s what I wrote about with Kunin, good shot, can score, dangerous below dots, but there’s an example of NZ play that submarines his shot differential.

3 in: Good job by Sturm to get himself open for Vlasic pass in DZ. Then he hits Vlasic rushing the puck. I’m a fan of him at 4C.

Nino goal: Kunin whiffs on a dump-in, Nashville turns it around. Niederreiter beats Benning from corner to the front.

Couture goal: Lorentz forecheck pressure helped turnover, Ferraro jumps up, then he makes the pass for Couture one-timer.

Forsberg goal: Gadjovich has to get that out. That’s one of those you’ve got one job situations. Kahkonen gets frozen on first Forsberg shot, Filip able to wrap around. Don’t love that either.

8 in: Love that, Lorentz just explodes on Jeannot to win puck in corner.

9 left: Ugly PP2 entry. Without a plan, unlike PP1, they don’t have individual talent to get in with ease. Then puck goes the other way, Niederreiter picks them apart again.

8 left: Looks like Gadjovich had a shift skipped.

Period 3

Looks like Svechnikov gets a a shift with Couture. They’re just rifling through options, it seems?

No, just a momentary thing.

Lorentz on the PK. That’s newish? He has to be growing in coaching staff’s estimation.

9 left: Great Karlsson stretch pass to Hertl, but Hertl can’t do much with it. San Jose Sharks haven’t had enough offensive life like that in late part of the game again. Following same script as last night. Shots, but not a lot very dangerous ones.

5 left: Simek had a stuff-in chance just now, that would’ve been a great moment. He should’ve got a starting lineup nod one night, I think. Would’ve been a nice moment.

Ferraro one-timer off a good Karlsson pass.

3 left: Timo pass sniffed out up high. He got crowded by two Preds.

Karlsson and five forwards (Couture, Hertl, Meier, Labanc, Kunin) on 6-on-5. Developing pecking order.