Morning Skate: Keep an eye on Couture in Game 3 vs Preds

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Programming note: Watch Sharks Playoff Central tonight at 5:30pm on CSN California, and immediately after Game 3 on CSN Plus.

Series schedule

The Sharks lead the best-of-seven series, two games to none

Game 1: Sharks 5, Predators 2
Game 2: Sharks 3, Predators 2
Game 3: Tuesday, May 3, Sharks @ Predators (6:00 p.m.)
Game 4: Thursday, May 5, Sharks @ Predators (6:00 p.m.)
*Game 5: Saturday, May 7, Predators @ Sharks (7 p.m.)
*Game 6: Monday, May 9, Sharks @ Predators (TBD)
*Game 7: Thursday, May 12, Predators @ Sharks (TBD)

* - if necessary

Last game

Joe Pavelski scored a late third period goal in giving the Sharks a lead they would not surrender in a 3-2 win in Game 2 on Sunday at SAP Center. Logan Couture opened the scoring with a power play marker, while Joe Thornton’s empty netter held up as the game-winner after Ryan Johansen scored with three seconds left in regulation. Martin Jones made 37 saves, a new career high in the playoffs for the 26-year-old.

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Keep an eye on…

Sharks: Logan Couture. The Sharks’ second line center leads the series with three goals, and is tied with Joe Pavelski for the series lead in points with four. His line, along with Joel Ward and Joonas Donskoi, has been the Sharks’ best against Nashville to this point. Of Couture’s 15 goals in the regular season, 11 came on the road.

Predators: Roman Josi. The defenseman has three assists in the series, tied with teammate Ryan Johansen for the team lead in points. The 25-year-old is Nashville’s ice time leader in the playoffs, including 2:40 on the penalty kill, where the Predators will have to be better in stopping San Jose’s dynamic power play.

Probable lines

Sharks
Tomas Hertl – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski
Joonas Donskoi – Logan Couture – Joel Ward
Matt Nieto – Patrick Marleau – Melker Karlsson
Nick Spaling – Chris Tierney – Tommy Wingels

Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Justin Braun
Paul Martin – Brent Burns
Brenden Dillon – Roman Polak

Martin Jones
James Reimer

Predators
Calle Jarnkrok – Ryan Johansen – James Neal
Filip Forsberg – Mike Ribeiro – Craig Smith
Colin Wilson – Mike Fisher – Viktor Arvidsson
Colton Sissons – Paul Gaustad – Miikka Salomaki

Roman Josi – Shea Weber
Mattias Ekholm – Ryan Ellis
Anthony Bitetto – Barret Jackman

Pekka Rinne
Carter Hutton

Vitals

Sharks
Goals per game: 3.43
Goals-against per game: 2.14
Power play: 30.8 percent
Penalty kill: 78.9 percent

Predators
Goals per game: 2.00
Goals-against per game: 2.89
Power play: 6.5 percent
Penalty kill: 76.7 percent

Injuries/Scratches

Sharks: None.

Predators: Craig Smith (lower body) is probable. Cody Bass (lower body) is questionable.

Sharks playoff record when…

The Sharks are 7-2 when winning the first two games of a playoff series. They are 4-1 when leading three-games-to-none, and 8-4 when leading two-games-to-one.

They are 20-13 in all-time in Game 3’s, including 9-6 on the road.

Quotable

“He's a family man. He's a professional. He shows up to work early, stays late. All he cares about is winning. There's not a selfish bone in his body as far as his own personal numbers or agenda. It's all about winning.” – Pete DeBoer, on Joe Pavelski

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