The Predators and Sharks have a whirlwind of a series ahead of them when it opens up for Game 1 on Friday night at the SAP Center in San Jose as part of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Nashville overcame a 3-2 series deficit and ousted the Anaheim Ducks -- leading to Bruce Boudreau's firing -- in a scintillating seven-game series in Round 1. San Jose gained some revenge on a Los Angeles Kings team that erased a 3-0 series deficit to upset it two years ago, ousting its rivals in five games.
After winning their first Game 7 in franchise history, the Predators enter Round 2 for the third time since becoming a franchise in 1998. Nashville has never played in the conference finals. The Sharks are in the second round for the first time since 2013, while they look to make it to the Western Conference Final for the first time since 2011.
The Predators are rolling into California after winning Game 7 just two nights ago, while the Sharks have been off for a week since eliminating the Kings last Friday.
San Jose isn't worried about all the time off.
"I don't think we have to get ramped back up," Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said via NHL.com. "I'm guessing that I'm probably going to have to calm them down a little bit. They're ready to go."
Joe Pavelski was an instrumental force for the Sharks in Round 1, becoming one of three players in the league to score five goals and finishing with six points. Brent Burns tied for the league lead with six assists and ranked tied for fourth with eight points, while Logan Couture had five assists and six points.
The Sharks will go up against the potent defense of the speedy Predators, which is paced by captain Shea Weber and Roman Josi. On the offensive side of things, Weber and Colin Wilson each had two tallies and three helpers in the first round and are tied for the Predators lead with five points.
Martin Jones will man the crease for San Jose and is 4-1 with a 2.18 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage in the playoffs thus far. Nashville counters with Pekka Rinne, who is 4-3 with a 2.45 GAA and a .915 save percentage this postseason.
The Predators took two of three games from San Jose in the regular season, but the Sharks have taken both previous playoff meetings between these teams -- each in the first round -- in 2006 and '07.
"I feel like they provide kind of a similar challenge as Anaheim did," Rinne told NHL.com. "Their top players are some of the top players in the League and really dangerous individuals, and their power play is really good."
Game Preview & Live Stream
Details: Predators at Sharks Game 1
Venue: SAP Center, San Jose, Calif.
Time: 10:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. PT).
Radio: Nashville (102.5 The Game); San Jose (KFOX 98.5)
Prediction: Our predictions for this series can be found here.
Betting Odds: The latest betting odds can be found here.
Watch Online: This game can be live streamed for free here.
