SAN JOSE, Calif. Cesar Azpilicueta Spain Jersey . - A night after giving San Jose an opening to the Pacific Division title by winning in Anaheim, the Nashville Predators might have closed it up again by beating the Sharks. Patric Hornqvist had two goals and one assist to help the Nashville Predators put a major dent into San Joses hopes for a division title by beating the Sharks 3-0 on Saturday night. "Its a missed opportunity," defenceman Dan Boyle said. "Nashville went into their building and did their job. Unfortunately, we didnt do ours to take advantage of that." Backup Carter Hutton made 35 saves in his first career shutout and Roman Josi also scored as the Predators kept their slim playoff hopes alive by beating winning road games on back-to-back nights against Anaheim and San Jose — the top two teams in the Pacific Division. Nashville is six points behind Dallas for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with four games remaining. "Were never going to give up," Hornqvist said. "Its a long road to make the playoffs. But as long as we have a chance, were going to work as hard as we can. Obviously beating two great teams is nice. I think both of them can win the Cup. Its a good statement for our team." The Predators win in Anaheim on Friday kept the Sharks just a point behind the Ducks in the standings but San Jose couldnt capitalize two nights after an emotional home win over Los Angeles. Now the Sharks are running out of time to catch the Ducks after falling flat again against a team likely to miss the post-season. They have only three games remaining, including their next contest in Anaheim on Wednesday, but the Ducks still have five games remaining and the inside track on the division title. San Jose is assured of at least second place. "After the game we put together against L.A. to give a showing like that is unacceptable," defenceman Jason Demers said. "We didnt come out to work. We just sat back on our heels and let them take the game to us. Its disappointing and something were going to have to obviously rectify as quick as possible here." If the Sharks do end up falling short in the division it will be their play at home against some of the leagues also-rans that will be a big reason. San Jose has lost five home games since the Olympic break, all to teams that are currently out of playoff position. "Were in a race and we have to be better than that," captain Joe Thornton said. The Predators took control of the game in a dominant second period, killing off a pair of penalties and beating Antti Niemi three times. Hornqvist struck early in the period when he whacked at a rebound of Matt Cullens shot and knocked it in to extend his goal-scoring streak to four games. He added his eighth goal in the past 11 games midway through the period just after Nick Spaling came out of the penalty box. Spaling got the puck behind San Joses net and set up Hornqvist for a one-timer from the slot for his 20th goal of the season. Hornqvist then got an assist a few minutes later when Josi beat a flat-footed Demers as he drove to the net to make it 3-0. "We were emotionally not attached to the game in the second period," coach Todd McLellan said. "Were at Game 79 and the details and the system play, you should be able to do it in your sleep at this point. We didnt do that." The Sharks pressured in the third with 19 shots and two others from Brent Burns and Matt Irwin that hit posts but couldnt beat Hutton. The Predators have put together an impressive late-season run with points in seven of their past eight games. But it likely wont be enough to overcome a 1-4 homestand after the Olympic break that put Nashville in a deep hole. "This team wont quit," coach Barry Trotz said. "It hasnt quit all year. Its not going to quit. They will play right until the end. We see when the smoke clears where we stand." NOTES: Nashville swept the three-game season series and has won nine of 14 against the Sharks. ... The Sharks last overcame a 3-0 deficit in the regular season on Feb. 1, 2011, when they rallied for a 5-3 win over Phoenix. Marc Bartra Jersey . Not bad for a defenceman. The goal, that is. Although the shuffling dance steps werent bad, either. Barrie scored 55 seconds into overtime, Semyon Varlamov stopped 29 shots, and the Avalanche moved a step closer to their first playoff berth in four years with a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night. Alvaro Morata Jersey . The 23-year-old from Thornhill, Ont., defeated Germanys Benjamin Becker 6-3, 6-4 on Tuesday in the fourth round of the Sony Open in just 89 minutes.The red-hot Los Angeles Kings will aim for a seventh straight victory and a 3-0 lead in their second round Western Conference series when they host the Anaheim Ducks in Thursdays Game 3 battle at Staples Center. Watch the Ducks vs. Kings live on TSN tonight at 9:30pm et/6:30pm pt. The Kings, of course, were down 3-0 in the opening round against San Jose before becoming only the fourth team in NHL history to win a best-of-seven series after losing the first three meetings. L.A. hasnt slowed down a bit since completing that first-round comeback with a Game 7 win in San Jose, claiming the first two games of this series on the road. The Kings posted a 3-2 overtime win in Anaheim on Saturday before grabbing a 2-0 series lead with Mondays 3-1 triumph at the Honda Center. The Kings have gone on a few long playoff winning streaks in recent years. The club won eight straight at one point in 2012 en route to winning the franchises first Stanley Cup title and had a six-game winning streak last spring before falling in the conference finals to Chicago. "We just take it one game at a time, shift at a time, period at a time. All those things like that," said head coach Darryl Sutter of his teams current winning streak. Anaheim, meanwhile, hopes it can halt L.A.s hot streak on Thursday and avoid falling behind 3-0. A seventh straight win by the Kings would give them a chance to close the series with a sweep Saturday at the Staples Center. The top-seeded Ducks finished 16 points ahead of Los Angeles in the Pacific Division standings and went 4-0-1 against the Kings during the regular-season series, but so far that success hasnt translated to the playoffs. "We know we can beat this team," said Ducks defenseman Ben Lovejoy. "We feel weve had pretty even games, and theyve come out on top. I truly believe the playoffs are all about momentum. Right now, we need to put a seed of doubt in their mind. If we win (Game 3), its a 2-1 series and we have momentum. We can do that." The Kings jumped on Anaheim early in Game 2, with Marian Gaborik scoring just 34 seconds into the contest. Anaheim tied it near the midway point of the first, but Alec Martinnez scored the game-winner for L. Paco Alcacer Spain Jersey. A. at 12:07 of the first. The score remained 2-1 until Dwight King added an empty-netter in the closing minute of the third period. "Well enjoy this one night, but we have a lot of work to be done still," said Martinez. Jonathan Quick turned away 36 shots to anchor the win for the Kings. The 2012 Conn Smythe winner had stopped 69-of-72 shots sent his way in this series for a save percentage of .958. Gaborik also is having a strong series for L.A., recording three goals and an assist over the first two games to give him nine points (6 goals, 3 assists) in nine games this postseason. The Slovakian sniper was the hero of Game 1, tying it late in regulation before scoring the winner 12:07 into overtime. Anze Kopitar has been on fire for the Kings as well, notching at least one point in all nine of the clubs postseason games this spring. The star centerman had an assist on Monday and leads all skaters in the playoffs with 14 points (4g, 10a). Kopitar has reached the scoresheet in all nine games this postseason. Patrick Maroon scored the only goal of Game 2 for the Ducks, who had won all three of their home games in a 4-2 series win over Dallas in the opening round. Jonas Hiller gave up two goals on 16 shots in the loss. "This series isnt over. We can go to Staples Center, get a few bounces and bring this series back tied," said Anaheim head coach Bruce Boudreau. The Ducks were 3-0 on the road against the Kings during the regular season, but one of those wins came outdoors at Dodger Stadium on Jan. 25. Thursdays battle will mark the first postseason game between the clubs at the Staples Center, as this series marks the first playoff encounter between L.A. and Anaheim. The Kings played Monday without defensemen Willie Mitchell and Robyn Regehr in the lineup and both players could be out again with undisclosed injuries. Mitchell last played in Game 6 against San Jose, while Regehr has been out since leaving in the first period of Game 1 against Anaheim. Matt Greene has filled in for Mitchell in the lineup, while Jeff Schultz replaced Regehr on Monday. Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
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