Morning Skate: Sharks seek stranglehold with history on their side

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Programming note: Sharks-Predators coverage starts tonight at 5:30 pm with Sharks Playoff Central on CSN California. The game is on CNBC.

Series schedule

The Sharks lead the best-of-seven series, two games to one.

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

* - if necessary

Last game

Nashville scored a pair of power play goals and killed off all four Sharks advantages in claiming Game 3 at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday, 4-1. Shea Weber had two points, including the game-winning goal and an assist. Patrick Marleau supplied the only goal for San Jose, opening the scoring in the first period before the Preds reeled off four straight.

San Jose Sharks

Find the latest San Jose Sharks news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.

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Keep an eye on…

Sharks: Joonas Donskoi. The rookie struggled in Game 3, with a high-sticking penalty that led to James Neal’s goal, and a neutral zone turnover that resulted in Shea Weber’s giving the Preds the lead. Donskoi had an assist in Game 1, but has been held off of the scoresheet in the last two. He finished Tuesday night skating on the fourth line.

[RELATED: Donskoi: 'Disappointed with my personal effort' in Game 3]

Predators: Filip Forsberg. Nashville’s leading goal scorer in the regular season finally had an impact in the series, tallying a power play goal and generating nine shot attempts, including four on goal. That snapped a seven-game scoring drought in the playoffs for the 21-year-old.

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
Filip Forsberg – Ryan Johansen – Craig Smith
Colin Wilson – Mike Fisher – James Neal
Pontus Aberg – Calle Jarnkrok – 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: 3.13
Goals-against per game: 2.38
Power play: 26.7 percent
Penalty kill: 75.0 percent

Predators
Goals per game: 2.20
Goals-against per game: 2.70
Power play: 11.1 percent
Penalty kill: 79.4 percent

Injuries/Scratches

Sharks: None.

Predators: Cody Bass (lower body) is questionable.

Sharks playoff record when…

The Sharks are 8-4 when leading a series two-games-to-one, 10-1 when leading three-games-to-one, and 4-9 when a series is tied at two games apiece.

They are 17-15 all time in Game 4s, including 8-7 on the road.

Odds and ends

*The Sharks have not lost back-to-back games on the road since Dec. 18-20.

*Logan Couture, Joe Pavelski, Ryan Johansen and Roman Josi are all tied for the series lead in scoring with four points.

*San Jose is 3-1 both at home and on the road in the playoffs.

*The Sharks are 4-2 when scoring first, and 2-0 when allowing the first goal.

*Partners Marc-Edouard Vlasic and Justin Braun lead the Sharks in the series with a plus-four rating.

Quotable

“We’re confident in our five-on-five game. We’ve still got another level to get to, but we’re still in a good spot here. There’s no need to panic.” – Brenden Dillon

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