Predators beat Sharks 3-2 to sweep 2-game series in Prague

PRAGUE — Nino Niederreiter scored two goals and the Nashville Predators rallied to beat the San Jose Sharks 3-2 on Saturday for a sweep of their two NHL regular- season opening games in the Czech capital.

Niederreiter completed a rally for the Predators just 12 seconds after he returned to the ice from the penalty box with 7:47 to go in the second period in front of a crowd of 17,023 at Prague’s O2 Arena. He wristed a shot past Sharks goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen from the right circle after receiving a pass from Eeli Tolvanen.

Niederreiter scored his first on a rebound 4:35 in the second period to tie the game at 1-all. Filip Forsberg also scored for the Predators.

Luke Kunin and captain Logan Couture had a goal each and Mario Ferraro had two assists for the Sharks, who outshot the Predators 33-18.

The Predators also beat the Sharks 4-1 on Friday, with Niederreiter scoring his debut goal for Nashville, who signed the Swiss-born right wing to a two-year, $8 million deal in July as one of their high-end additions. Another top-tier newcomer, defenseman Ryan McDonagh, had an assist for Nashville for the second straight game.

The games between the Predators and Sharks in Prague were part of the 2022 NHL Global Series. They marked the return of the NHL to Europe for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic.

Kunin, who was acquired by the Sharks from the Predators in the offseason, scored a power-play goal to put the Sharks ahead. He buried a rebound after Nashville goaltender Kevin Lankinen blocked his first close range attempt with his left pad with 5:36 remaining in the opening period.

After Niederreiter’s first, Couture needed just 10 seconds to give the Sharks the lead again, scoring on a one-timer from the slot after a feed from Steven Lorents.

Forsberg scored less than 2 minutes later, picking up a rebound before skating around the goal and slipping the puck in.

The Sharks pulled goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen for an extra attacker, but the Predators held firm.

The 2022 Global Series will be completed in Tampere, Finland, where the defending Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche will face the Columbus Blue Jackets in another pair of regular-season games on Nov. 4-5.

It is the ninth season that the NHL has returned to Europe as part of its efforts to grow the local fan base in hockey-mad countries like the Czech Republic, Sweden, Finland and others.

In North America, the regular season continues on Tuesday when the New York Rangers host the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Vegas Golden Knights face the Los Angeles Kings.

NOTES: Saturday’s was the 30th NHL regular-season game played in Europe and the seventh in Prague. Overall, it was the 36th regular-season game that the NHL has staged outside North America in six different countries and eight cities. … Former NHL great Jaromir Jagr, who is yet to retire at age 50, dropped the ceremonial puck ahead of the game.

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The Sharks host the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday.