DUCKS BOUNCE BACK FOR WILD GAME 2 WIN

Predators miss a glorious chance to take stranglehold after blowing an early lead

ANAHEIM 5, NASHVILLE 3

It was somewhat humorous — and just a tad premature — when a reporter asked Anaheim Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle if Sunday night’s game against the Nashville Predators was of the “must-win” variety.

After all, this was Game 2 of a best-of-seven series. And besides, Anaheim had lost the opening two games at home in the previous series against the Edmonton Oilers, only to come back and win in seven games. Not that anyone with the Ducks wanted to repeat that scenario.

Certainly, the start of the game wasn’t any better than in the previous game, which went Nashville’s way 3-2 in overtime.

But thanks to some spotty goaltending, a wild second period and another timely goal from Nick Ritchie, the Ducks defeated the Predators 5-3 at the Honda Center here and head to Nashville tied 1-1 in the Western Conference Final.

This was a game when the goaltenders finally took mercy on the other team’s shooters. Nashville’s Pekka Rinne, who fought the puck all night, allowed four goals for the first time in the playoffs. Anaheim’s John Gibson played as if breaking in new skates.

Because of it, fans were treated to a wild, back-and-forth game where every shot was a scoring chance and no lead was safe.

After getting outshot 15-6 in the first period of Game 1, Ducks forward Jakob Silfverberg said the team had “to come out with that pack mentality.” But for the first 20 minutes, it was as if the Ducks were stuck in quicksand.

Nashville took a 1-0 lead at 4:18 in the first when Viktor Arvidsson sprung Ryan Johansen on a breakaway. A couple of minutes later, Anaheim’s Ritchie took a needless interference penalty for a late hit and Nashville made it 2-0 when Johansen found James Neal for one of the easiest goals he has probably ever scored.

Once again, the Ducks had dug themselves a hole. But as they had done time and time again, they managed to dig themselves out, and for the fourth time of these playoffs they won a game where they had trailed 2-0.

Still, Anaheim is playing with fire if it continues this.

Rinne, who had entered the game with a sparkling .950 save percentage, is unlikely to play this shaky again. And unless Anaheim figures out a way to shutdown Nashville’s top line, this is going to be a short series.

With every game in the playoffs, Nashville is looking more and more dangerous. Neal, who scored the OT winner in Game 1, has four goals in his last five games. Johansen, who had two assists in Game 1, had a goal and an assist in Game 2.

Game 3 is in Nashville on Tuesday. And no, it’s not a must-win. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t once again important.