Predators close out Blues in six
Draisaitl scores hat trick as Oilers force Game 7 vs. Ducks
Ryan Johansen NASHVILLE — scored the game-winning goal 3:15 into the third period and the Nashville Predators advanced to their first Western Conference final in franchise history Sunday by beating the St. Louis Blues 3-1 to take the series in six games.
The Predators won their ninth straight playoff game in Nashville going back to last postseason.
Goalie Pekka Rinne made 23 saves and had an assist. Roman Josi had a goal and an assist, and Calle Jarnkrok added an empty-netter with 60 seconds left.
”We haven’t gotten further than this before. Obviously, it’s a great feeling. There’s a lot of work left. After this second round, there are only four teams left. We all know that we have what it takes and everything is in our hands. It’s a good feeling. This is why you play this game. Right now I’m pretty happy,” Rinne said.
Paul Stastny scored for St. Louis, which fell short of a second straight conference final.
The Predators and Blues were tied through the first 40 minutes for a third straight game when Johansen skated up the slot for a pass from Viktor Arvidsson and beat Jake Allen with a backhand.
Allen kept the Blues close as he had all series, stopping Filip Forsberg on a breakaway with 13:31 left. But Jarnkrok scored with a minute to go to clinch it.
St. Louis took the first seven shots and went up 1-0 on Stastny’s goal, a wrister 2:04 into the game, off assists from Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz.
It was the first evenstrength goal the Predators had allowed in the first period this postseason.
The Predators needed only 35 seconds into the second to tie it up. Mattias Ekholm found Josi all alone in the right circle for a quick shot past Allen’s glove.
(At) Oilers 7, Ducks 1: Leon Draisaitl had three goals and two assists, Mark Letestu added two goals and two assists, and the Edmonton Oilers cruised to a 7-1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night, forcing a decisive Game 7 in their Western Conference semifinal series.
Zach Kassian and Anton Slepychev also scored and Cam Talbot stopped 34 shots for the Oilers, who led 5-0 after the first period.
Rickard Rakell scored midway through the second period for Anaheim.
John Gibson was pulled after giving up three goals on six shots less than 8 1/2 minutes into the game. Jonathan Bernier came on and finished with 25 saves.
Game 7 is Wednesday night at Anaheim, with the winner advancing to face the Predators in the conference finals.