NHL postseason Round 2 quick hits: Sharks vs. Predators

Vitals
Nashville: 41-27-14 regular season, 4-3-0 in seven games played in Round 1
San Jose: 46-30-6 regular season, 4-1-0 in five games played in Round 1

Season Series
Nashville took two of three games played during the regular season, although in the final tilt San Jose came from behind to win 3-2 in the shootout.

Playoff History
The teams have previously met twice in the first round of postseason play. San Jose took both of those series, in 2006 and 2007 respectively.

Looking at the Round 2 Matchup
The Predators had the upper hand in the first two regular-season contests, but the Sharks showed resiliency in their final meet-up thanks to two third-period goals from Tomas Hertl that carried the team into the shootout.

San Jose will have to rely on that same bounce-back attitude that catapulted them over the Los Angeles Kings in just five games in Round 1 against a Nashville team that boasts a tough defense, led by captain Shea Weber, and a veteran netminder in Pekka Rinne, who has been in vintage form so far these playoffs after having an off-and-on 2015-2016 campaign. With Rinne bringing his A-game, that will mean another series in which San Jose’s starter Martin Jones will have to outplay a postseason vet.

In addition to seeking to continue production from all four lines, San Jose’s special teams will also play a pivotal role. Team Teal’s top power play unit consisting of Joe Thornton, Brent Burns, Logan Couture, Patrick Marleau and captain Joe Pavelski will lead the charge against Nashville’s 84 percent successful penalty kill.

Quotables
“That’s the kind of group we have. They come to work the day after a loss, they look at what we can fix and they get it fixed.” —Sharks coach Peter DeBoer during Round 1 on the resiliency of his team. (via Comcast SportsNet)