San Jose Sharks at Nashville Predators

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Predators update: Nashville's 2-0 victory Saturday night over Calgary ended a four-game skid. ... C David Legwand is the Predators' leading scorer with eight points. C Mike Fisher, who hasn't played since undergoing offseason shoulder surgery, and D Francis Bouillon, who has been sidelined since January with concussion issues, could make their season debuts.

Sharks update: RW Torrey Mitchell practiced with his teammates Monday but only in noncontact drills, and didn't show his usual speed in one race set up by coach Todd McLellan. There's still a possibility Mitchell could play, but it didn't look likely.


Predators injuries: C Mike Fisher (shoulder), LW Martin Erat (upper body), C Cal O'Reilly (groin) and D Francis Bouillon (concussion) are questionable.
Sharks injuries: G Antero Niittymaki (hip surgery) is out; RW Torrey Mitchell (upper body) is questionable.

 

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*****McLellan elaborated some on Antti Niemi?s 37-save performance that played a huge role in the victory over Boston.

?He was a lot more alert and sharper than he had been,? the coach said. ?That was the first game that he faced more than 22 or 23 shots. They came hard, they came fast, they?re a big-body team in and around the net.

?I?m glad he experienced that kind of game, especially early,? McLellan added. ?For him to play back to back was also a big achievement.?

Niemi will be facing another Finnish goalie, Pekka Rinne, in Tuesday night?s game. Rinne and Niemi are both 28, though the Nashville netminder is nine months older, and Niemi remembers playing one game against him in Finland when he was 19.

So who won?

?I don?t remember,? the Sharks goalie said.

*****McLellan called the Bruins the hardest forechecking team the Shark have faced this season, but the Predators must be right up there with them.

?Part of their identity is a hard-working, forechecking team, whether it?s in our zone or through the neutral zone,? he said. ?They come very hard and force other teams to err. We?ll have to be on our toes and counter-punch that.?