Ducks stun Predators on Perry’s goal in OT
Anaheim ends Nashville’s home-ice winning streak
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Corey Perry’s shot deflected in off Nashville defenseman P.K. Subban’s stick 10:25 into overtime as the Anaheim Ducks snapped the Predators’ 10-game home playoff winning streak with a 3-2 victory Thursday night that evened the Western Conference finals at 2-2.
John Gibson made 32 saves for Anaheim, which was the last team to beat the Predators in Nashville in the playoffs — last spring in Game 4 of their first-round series.
Rickard Rakell and Nick Ritchie staked the Ducks to a 2-0 lead. But Subban scored with 6:27 left, and Filip Forsberg tied it with 34.5 seconds remaining in regulation with his fourth goal in four games.
The Predators had matched the 199798 Detroit Red Wings with their 10-game winning streak but missed matching Colorado’s 11-0 playoff run in 1996-97.
Perry ended the second overtime in this series with a goal originally credited to Nate Thompson. Perry’s shot from near the right boards deflected off Subban’s stick and past goalie Pekka Rinne as the defenseman tried to poke-check the puck away. Perry has three overtime goals this year.
Game 5 is Saturday night in Anaheim, Calif.
The Ducks killed off five penalties, including a 5-on-3 in the third. But the Predators outshot them 11-5 in the third with the late flurry forcing overtime.
Subban scored off a blast from the blue line to revive the standing-room-only crowd with Forsberg helping screen Gibson. Then Anaheim defenseman Kevin Bieksa, playing his first game since the opener against Edmonton in the second round, went to the box for high-sticking Forsberg. Just 29 seconds later, defenseman Josh Manson slashed James Neal.
That gave Nashville a 5 on 3 for 1:31 with 4:38 left. The Predators couldn’t get the puck past Gibson.
Forsberg, who started Nashville’s comeback win in Game 3, ensured overtime by crashing the net with two teammates and smashing the puck across the line.
Nashville brought out the inaugural American Idol winner in Kelly Clarkson as the latest big name to sing the national anthem, and rock group Kings of Leon rallied the crowd by waving from the bandstand in Music City’s latest show of star power. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman also was on hand with a franchise-record 17,423 fans.
The Ducks looked much stronger after a day off Wednesday from coach Randy Carlyle, and they pounded the Predators up and down the ice. They also dominated the play early and caught the Predators in a line change with a long pass to Rakell leading to a slap shot that beat Rinne at 11:30 of the first.