It’s no secret that the San Jose Sharks (24-24-6, seventh Pacific) are solidly out of playoff contention, or that the wins have been hard-fought and few and far between as of late. The Sharks are currently sitting five spots back from a Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.
For the Nashville Predators, (30-20-4, fifth Central) it’s a completely different story. The team owns the second Wild Card position — at least for now — which means that every game is another opportunity for them to solidify their playoff berth.
In other words, the Sharks are going to have their work cut out for them, as they face a determined (and motivated) Predators team who have a postseason to work toward.