Nashville's special teams were a 4-goal structural advantage over San Jose's 0/7 power play — the Predators didn't win this game in the third period, they won it in the penalty box.
Nashville's 2/7 power play and a shorthanded goal against a San Jose team that went 0/7 on the man advantage made special teams the structural reason this game wasn't close. A three-goal first period followed by a decisive third-period response after San Jose briefly threatened tells the story of a team that had the answers every time the game shifted.
⚡TURNING POINT
O'Reilly's goal at 8:28 of the third restored a two-goal lead immediately after San Jose had clawed back to within one, erasing the momentum the Sharks had built across the final minute of the second and the opening minutes of the third. That goal ended San Jose's only realistic window — from that point, Nashville outscored them 2-0 and the Sharks had no special teams conversion rate to threaten a comeback.
🏆WHY NSH WON
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Special teams dominance decided the game: Nashville converted 2/7 on the power play, added a shorthanded goal, and held San Jose to 0/7 — a four-goal swing in special teams efficiency that a three-goal final margin understates.
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Nashville's third period was structured: O'Reilly (TOI 21:26, +1) and Jost (TOI 15:40, +3) provided the spine of a three-goal response when the game was genuinely in question.
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A 52.9% faceoff rate gave Nashville consistent zone entry control, limiting San Jose's ability to generate sustained offensive zone time.
📉WHY SJS LOST
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Askarov conceded 1.70 goals above league average on 34 shots — in a three-goal game, that margin was the difference between a contest and a comfortable Nashville win.
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A 0/7 power play is execution failure: San Jose had equal penalty opportunities and produced nothing, removing the primary mechanism for a comeback.
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Despite 32 hits and a physical forecheck, San Jose's 27 shots and inability to convert special teams chances meant physical pressure never translated into territorial or scoreboard leverage.
Three Stars
Tyson Jost1st
NSH, C
1G 2A3 points+3TOI 15:40
Jost generated three points in 15:40 of ice time and a plus-3 rating, directly connecting to Nashville's third-period closure.
Ryan O'Reilly2nd
NSH, C
1G 1A2 points+1TOI 21:26
O'Reilly's goal at 8:28 of the third was the pre-determined turning point — restoring a two-goal lead when Nashville's grip on the game was at its weakest.
Filip Forsberg3rd
NSH, L
2G 1A3 pointsTOI 19:451 PPG
Forsberg's two goals — including a power play goal — built the first-period platform that forced San Jose to chase the entire game.
