NASHVILLE, Tennessee -- The Sharks know this won't be an easy deal to close. The Nashville Predators, after all, came back from this same three-games-to-two deficit against the Anaheim Ducks less than two weeks ago.
But Sharks coach Pete DeBoer and his staff may have made the move that changed the complexion of the second round series, which shifts to Bridgestone Arena for Game 6 on Monday. By moving Patrick Marleau back to the second line with center Logan Couture and fellow winger Joonas Donskoi for Saturday's Game 5, the Sharks offered a more explosive look in what became a 5-1 win that pushed the Predators to the brink of elimination once again.