Kevin Klein was sent to the penalty box.
That was something different – and it helped the San Jose Sharks change their fortunes on the power play.
The Nashville Predators allowed a pair of power play goals – the first when Klein was sent off for slashing – and lost 2-1 to the Sharks on Saturday in San Jose. It was their first defeat in three meetings with San Jose this season. Overall it was their fifth regulation loss in their last seven outings.
The Predators did get their first shorthanded goal when Gabriel Bourque scored at 14:30 of the third period, with 38 seconds to go on a slashing call against Paul Gaustad.
Still, four of the game’s five penalties were called against Nashville and the Sharks’ production with the man-advantage was the difference in the Predators’ 13th one-goal game of the year (5-3-5).
Klein, who has appeared in every contest, had not been called for a penalty until he was sent off at 17:28 of the first period. Not only was his violation unusual it left the Predators without their leader – by a wide margin – in shorthanded time on ice.
San Jose took advantage just 19 seconds later when Dan Boyle scored with a slap shot and put the Sharks in front 1-0. The Sharks added to their lead when Joe Pavelski scored at 9:12 of the second period, 16 seconds after defenseman Ryan Ellis went off for tripping.
Joe Thornton and Logan Couture assisted on both goals.
The last time the Sharks scored two power play goals in a game was Jan. 27 against Vancouver. In the 14 contests that followed they converted three times in 59 attempts.
Bourque’s goal was his fifth of the season, which tied him with Colin Wilson for the team lead.
The Predators played much of game without forward Brandon Yip, who sustained an upper body injury during the first period and did not return. He had just 1:08 of ice time before he was hurt.
Nashville concludes its current three-game road trip through California on Monday, when it plays at Los Angeles (9:30 p.m., Fox Sports-Tennessee).