Roman Josi had nine seconds left to turn San Jose’s escape into a Nashville victory. Alex Nedeljkovic made sure the Sharks got another chance instead.
The San Jose Sharks beat the Nashville Predators 3-2 in a shootout Thursday, but Macklin Celebrini’s winning attempt was the final punctuation, not the central event. The game hinged on Nedeljkovic’s response after Steven Stamkos tied it with 0.8 seconds remaining in regulation.
The Sharks’ goaltender stopped Josi’s overtime one-timer, and San Jose reached the shootout instead of leaving Bridgestone Arena with a particularly bitter loss.
Juuse Saros deserves equal billing in the goaltending story. He stopped 30 of San Jose’s 32 shots through regulation and overtime, including two dangerous overtime chances that could have ended the evening earlier. This was a win decided by which goalie could make one more answer when the margin became microscopic.
A lead that needed protecting
San Jose’s attack built a 2-0 advantage without needing the shootout to manufacture its offense. Mason Marchment opened the scoring 5:30 into the first period, finishing a play assisted by Tyler Toffoli and Alexander Wennberg. Will Smith added the second goal 4:28 into the third, scoring from the right circle on a wrist shot that found the far side.
That cushion should have placed the Sharks in position to control the finish. Instead, Nashville found a route back. Ryan O’Reilly cut the deficit on a third-period power play with 9:05 elapsed, with Jonathan Marchessault’s rebound and Josi’s work preceding the goal. Then Stamkos struck in the closing second, with Nashville using an extra attacker.
Nashville’s extra-attacker goal erased a lead the Sharks had carried deep into the third period. San Jose’s earlier work was no longer enough to secure the win. In overtime, another Nashville goal would finish the game.
Nedeljkovic made it.
He recorded 32 saves on 34 shots in 65 minutes, and his most valuable stop arrived when the overtime clock was nearly empty. Josi’s one-timer with nine seconds remaining threatened to make Stamkos’ goal the first half of a complete Nashville turnaround. Nedeljkovic stopped the chance, preserving the shootout and the Sharks’ opportunity to win it.
That does not make the late regulation goal harmless. It does show why the final score cannot be read as a simple reward for building an early lead. San Jose needed its goaltender to withstand the consequence of losing that lead.