NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Sharks coach Pete DeBoer saw the growth of Chris Tierney as an NHL centerman and felt he was ready for more responsibility.
After spending most of the season as the Sharks' fourth-line center, Tierney was moved up to the third line for Saturday's Game 4 as part of a greater overall shuffle. He took over for Patrick Marleau, who was moved from center up to the second line as a winger. Joel Ward moved as a winger from the second line to the third line. Nick Spaling took over as the fourth-line center. Tierney's stats weren't eye-popping in Game 5, as he assisted on Melker Karlsson's goal late in the third period for his second point of the playoffs and finished 4 for 11 in the faceoff circle.