Back at it
Blues, Ducks must respond at home to even 2nd-round series
After Nashville and Edmonton took their second-round series openers in remarkably similar fashion, St. Louis and Anaheim are under pressure to respond in Game 2.
Two road teams blew a couple of two-goals leads in the third period, but then got a couple of fortunate bounces and scored a couple of opportunistic goals in the Western Conference semifinals. Both series are back at it tonight with the stakes raised for the home teams, which face the prospect of a quick series hole.
“This one is big for us on Friday,” Ducks defenceman Cam Fowler said. “We know what we have to do, though. The first one wasn’t a bad effort by our group, but there are things we’ve got to clean up.”
Vernon Fiddler got the biggest goal for the Predators, who have a lead in a second-round series for the first time in franchise history after holding off the Blues.
Adam Larsson was the unlikely offensive hero for the Oilers, getting two goals in 7 1/2 minutes in the third period after scoring only four goals in his first 85 games this season. The Swedish defenceman got the go-ahead score on an unlikely deflection .
“There’s not usually going to be a smooth ride through 16 games to get there,” said Ducks centre Antoine Vermette, who won a ring with Chicago two years ago. “You have to go back and forth. You have to face a lot of challenges. We know that in here.”
Here are some things to watch for tonight (all times Eastern):
Oilers at Ducks, Edmonton leads 1-0 (10:30 p.m.)
The Ducks came unglued defensively in the third period of Game 1, yielding four goals. That was a stark contrast with their first-round sweep of Calgary, when the Flames didn’t score a third-period goal in the entire series.
“I think we’re giving teams way too many looks in games,” said Jakob Silfverberg, who scored in the opener. “We’re playing some teams that really know how to move the puck and shoot the puck, but we have to limit their opportunities to take good shots or make plays.”
Ducks defenceman Kevin Bieksa is doubtful for Game 2 after incurring a lower-body injury in the series opener, but help could be on the way. Sami Vatanen participated in Thursday’s skate and pronounced himself “really close” to returning from the upper-body injury that has kept him out for four games.
“I want to know that I can help the team to win the games before I come back,” Vatanen said.
NHL scoring champion Connor McDavid was limited to one secondary assist in the opener, but the Oilers got four points from German star Leon Draisaitl and another big chunk of help from lesser-known talents. Larsson is the latest unlikely scorer of a game-winning goal for Edmonton, which also got winners from Zack Kassian, David Desharnais and Anton Slepyshev in the first round.
“The guys have always believed in our depth,” McDavid said. “They may not score all the time, but they’re always working hard and getting chances.”