Nystrom, Jarnkrok lead Predators past Sharks

“When you have a good first game, it’s great for momentum and just kind of great for a blueprint of how you have to play the entire time”.

Joe Pavelski scored for the Sharks, who have lost four of five since opening the season with four wins. Martin Jones had 22 saves.

San Jose got it together after that, though, and had the better of the scoring chances. Jarnkrok’s goal, his first of the year, beat Jones high on the glove side.

San Jose had allowed at least one power play goal against in five straight games.

“I do like the way we started”, Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said.

The Sharks talked Wednesday morning about the need to get pucks toward the Nashville net and pounce on any rebounds given up by Predators goalie Pekka Rinne. But Pavelski recovered from a cross check in the back from Nashville defenseman Shea Weber to collect the loose puck and score his fourth of the season.

For one of the few times since they moved to downtown San Jose to what is now SAP Center, the Sharks are having to rethink how they engage their fan base.

The Predators certainly tried to keep Pavelski off his feet during the game. “We were knocking Joe Pavelski around pretty good”. “I remember a lot of games where we really had to kind of put on the survivor mode, but tonight I thought we did a really good job”.

Jankrok, who missed Saturday’s game against the Penguins due to illness, went top shelf to beat Jones at 8:52 of the final period. James Neal has six goals – two behind National Hockey League leader Jamie Benn of the Stars – and Josi had five points to lead a defense corps that has a combined 21 points so far.

The Sharks were 0 of 2 on the power play to extend their scoreless streak to 0 for 13 over the past six games.

“We played them hard all over the ice”, Sharks center Tommy Wingels.

The Sharks recalled defenseman Mirco Mueller from the Barracuda early Wednesday evening, but Mueller was scratched.

Joonas Donskoi and Ben Smith returned to the Sharks lineup tonight, along with Paul Martin, who had played in one prior game before. Predators D Seth Jones has three assists in his last three games…. They haven’t allowed a first-period goal in 2015-16 and have scored the first goal of eight of their nine contests.

Nashville controlled play after that goal however, and Calle Jarnkrok would convert on a 2-on-1 against Matt Tennyson to take the lead.

The Sharks are looking to wrap up their homestand on a positive note before they face the Dallas Stars on Saturday and the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.