Saku Koivu’s two-goal effort leads Anaheim Ducks past Nashville Predators
When it comes to veteran centres that have made an impressionable impact, the name Saku Koivu immediately comes to mind. Koivu, who has a tendency to score clutch goals, led the Anaheim
Ducks to a hard-fought 5-4 victory over the Nashville Predators on Sunday, 7 November.
How it happened
Veteran right-winger Teemu Selanne got the Ducks off to a strong start only 52 seconds into the game with a powerful wrist shot that beat Predators goaltender Anders Lindback. The Preds
were quick to reply, as Patric Hornqvist tied the game at 2:34 with his fifth goal of the season.
From that point on, the game became a see-saw battle that saw the lead change hands several times. Koivu scored his first of two goals at 10:49 of the first period, while Steve Sullivan
replied for the Predators at 17:16 with a backhander that found the back of the net.
After a scoreless second period, the see-saw battle resumed with Lubomir Visnovsky’s second goal of the 2010-11 campaign 49 seconds into the third frame. Nashville then tied the game at
three goals apiece as he put another puck behind Anaheim’s Jonas Hiller.
A power play goal from Koivu at 6:15 made it 4-3 for the Ducks, but Cal O’Reilly tied the game again at 16:13 when he tipped in a Cody Franson shot. The game-winning goal came from an
unlikely source, as Paul Mara scored his first goal of the season with 1.7 seconds left in the game to give the Ducks a 5-4 win.
What they’re saying
Mara was an unlikely candidate to play the role of hero in this game, but his tally proved that offence can often come from a variety of unexpected sources.
“I saw there was nine seconds left, so I said, ‘Hey, we’re going to go for it,’” Mara said after the game, according to nhl.com. “It was great to do it at home. It’s been a long
time since I’ve scored a goal, so it feels good.”
Lubomir Visnovsky, another member of the Ducks’ defence corps, was also instrumental in the win. Visnovsky is a blue-liner who is always willing to help the team out in any way he can.
“That’s my style … I try to help the forwards,” Visnovsky said. “If I have a chance, I jump on the rush and try to score a goal. That last period was a little bit crazy. It was good for
the fans. It was exciting and a great atmosphere. We got the two points.”
The Ducks return to action on Tuesday, 9 November against the San Jose Sharks, while the Predators will face the surging St. Louis Blues on Thursday, 11 November.
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