2/8/08 SHARKS 2, columbus 1 OT

Last year, Joe Thornton famously said after late game heroics from Joe Pavelski, "We don't do overtime."Well, Joe, I guess it's time for a correction.

Jumbo, as he's affectionately known in the Sharks locker room, took matters into his own hands last night, potting the Power Play winner midway through Overtime. The play was set up beautifully with a great knockdown faceoff win by the Captain, Patrick Marleau, who tossed it back to Sandis Ozolinsh on the point. Ozolinsh dished it to Thornton, who put it back to the defenseman up top. Ozolinsh faked the shot, passed to Thornton, who walked it in, and wristed it past Jackets netminder Fredrik Norrena. Marcel Goc had the other goal for the Teal, a quick turnaround wrister on a broken play in the slot that made it's way past Norrena.

Very rarely can the guy who scores the OT winner not get the first star of the game, especially when the final score is only 2-1, but last night was not really Joe Thornton's night. That distinction belonged to the guy with the next number up from Joe. Plain and simple, if it wasn't for Evgeni Nabokov last night, the Sharks don't win, they lose 10-1. Nabby was incredible last night, stopping three breakaways and a penalty shot, making 31 saves.

After an emotional OT win, the best thing to do is get right back out there to do it again. Lucky for the Sharks, they get to do just that, when they host the Nashville Predators tonight (SPECIAL 7:00 PM START TIME). The Preds come to town fresh off a three game win streak, snapped at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night. The Teal lead the season series 2-0, winning a game in both SJ (3-0 on 10/20) and Nashville (5-2 on 12/29).

GO SHARKS (you don't have to do OT, but when you do, do it well)
-Jess