Ducks stunned as Predators take series opener on fluke goal in third period

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• published: 16 Apr 2016
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Ducks stunned as Predators take series opener on fluke goal in third period subscribe on my channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRtiNHnEJIM6xzzyr6Ffh7Q facebook id link https://web.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011799613242&ref;=bookmarks facebook page id link https://web.facebook.com/Nazia-Jan-256830001328509/ ANAHEIM – Five years have passed since the Ducks and Nashville met in the Stanley Cup playoffs and the personnel has dramatically changed. What hasn’t changed is the Predators coming into Honda Center and taking Game 1. Filip Forsberg’s goal with 9:35 remaining was the difference this time as Nashville got the early jump in the best-of-7 first-round series with a 3-2 triumph Friday night. It is the first Game 1 loss for the Ducks since the 2014 Western Conference semifinals and just their second under Coach Bruce Boudreau. “They’re a good hockey club,” Boudreau said. “They outplayed us tonight. I don’t know if we didn’t think they’re as good as they are because we haven’t played them in such a long time. We know they’re a good hockey club.” The teams had played all three of their meetings this season by Nov. 17. Predators goalie Pekka Rinne overcame a shaky start to stop 27 shots. John Gibson made 30 saves in his first playoff start since Game 7 of that 2014 series against the Kings but his night had some wobbles. The score from Forsberg was more of a centering pass that went off the skate of Ducks rookie Shea Theodore. But the Predators’ scoring star made the play by taking the puck away from the Ducks’ Simon Despres and then making a nice inside move on Jamie McGinn to throw the puck at the net. “That’s playoff hockey,” Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf said. “We had a couple of mental mistakes and we expected a big push from them.” Few of the players are still around from the 2011 series, but it was Nashville that took Game 1 then and forced the Ducks to play catch-up throughout, with the Predators taking them out in six games for the first playoff series in franchise history. Now the Ducks have to win Game 2 on Sunday to avoid a 2-0 deficit when the series shifts to Nashville’s raucous Bridgestone Arena. They feel they’re a mentally stronger group after the adversity they faced during a slow start this season but now they’ve got to prove it. “I guess we’ll find out,” Boudreau said. “I don’t think anybody on our team has said, ‘Oh wow the series is over.’ There’s a lot of teams that lose the first game and win the next one and then keep going on after that.” Before the overflow crowd of 17,236 could get settled back into their seats after the national anthem, the Predators stunned the Ducks with a goal just 35 seconds in. Ryan Johansen took the puck away from Ryan Kesler and fed James Neal, who one-timed a shot past Gibson. “I thought we got off to a rough start and that doesn’t happen often for us,” winger Andrew Cogliano said. “They had a couple of really good looks.” The Ducks started to find their footing when Nashville made a path to the penalty box. The Predators took three minor penalties and gave the NHL’s top power-play team chances to pull even. With Anthony Bitetto already off for a holding the stick penalty, Nashville captain Shea Weber went off for cross-checking David Perron and it gave the Ducks a two-man advantage for 1:26. After Cam Fowler hit the post with a shot, Ryan Getzlaf put in the carom for a 1-1 tie. Kesler shook off the first-minute play in the opening minute of the second period. The center got a cross-ice pass from Cogliano on a rush and put a wrist shot past a screened Rinne for a 2-1 edge. But the Predators, who are most effective at even strength, turned their game up as the period went on. Colin Wilson forged another tie with a terrific one-hand redirection of Ryan Ellis’ pass on a rush as Gibson was angry with himself for leaving an opening. Ducks stunned as Predators , Ducks stunned as Predators , Ducks stunned as Predators take series opener, fluke goal in third period, opener on fluke goal in third , Ducks stunned as Predators take series opener on fluke goal in third period video, Ducks stunned as Predators take series opener on fluke goal in third period live video, Ducks stunned as Predators take series opener on fluke goal in third period online video, opener on fluke goal in third ,