Anaheim Ducks beat Nashville Predators, 5-3: NHL Recap
Bobby Ryan lit the lamp twice and Teemu Selanne also notched a goal, as the Anaheim Ducks got back on the winning track with a 5-3 victory against the Nashville Predators in Game 2 of
a Western Conference quarter-final set, at Honda Centre on Friday night.
Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry each also hit the net and assisted twice for Anaheim, which had lost a 4-1 decision in Game 1 and tied this best-of-seven series. Ray Emery finished with 31
blocks to earn the victory.
Patric Hornqvist and Joel Ward each found the back of the net for Nashville, which is struggling to get series lead back for Game 3 and has already topped its total power-play goals in
first-round playoff series with the Chicago Blackhawks in previous season.
Shea Weber also added a goal and an assist while Pekka Rinne was beaten for four goals on 27 shots in the losing effort.
"We are going to have to make a few adjustments. There were a few things that we picked up. After the first period I thought we stabilized the game pretty good." said the Predators' Head
Coach, Barry Trotz.
Anaheim drew the first blood on a 5-on-3 advantage about 5 ½ minutes into the opening period, when Saku Koivu sent a cross-ice pass from the right to the left, where Perry let go a one-timer
into the net for 1-0 lead.
The Predators almost knotted the game a few minutes later, but the goal was waived-off. However, the Ducks took a two-goal edge, 2-0, just 38 seconds later, as Selanne fired a loose puck
from the slot past goalie for the 37th play-off goal of his career.
Nashville cut the deficit in half, 2-1, just 4 ½ minutes into the middle period, when Weber unleashed a powerful wrist shot from the left side that found its way to the net.
Anaheim restored its two-goal advantage, 3-1, just under three minutes later. The play was set up by Getzlaf, who blasted a shot from the left point to the front, but it was saved. Ryan
then gathered a loose rebound and redirected it into the net.
Nashville crept within another goal to make it a 4-2 game on a power-play just 1 ½ minute into the last period. The goal came when Hornqvist finished off a nice passing sequence in front
and buried the puck home for his first career play-off goal.
The Predators struck again to make it a one-goal game, 4-3, just after the midway mark of the final session, as Martin Erat held control of the puck behind the net and sent a nice pass
out front to Ward, who jammed it home with a one-timer.
The Predators pulled Rinne out of the net in favour of an extra skater, but Ryan wrapped up the win by 5-3 with an empty-net goal with sixty seconds left in the third period.
Tags: