Predators Play Smart Hockey in 3-2 Victory Over the Ducks

The Nashville Predators looked to take a 2-0 lead in their first round playoff series against the Anaheim Ducks. The Predators held a 1-0 lead after a 3-2 win in their first game at the Duck Pond...uh...Honda Center.

The Predators knew that the Ducks were going to come out with great intensity and fire as they tried to even the series. They also knew the Ducks would goon it up to take the Predators off their game.

The Predators refused to engage the Ducks in their style of play, instead playing smart hockey in capturing a stellar road win by a 3-2 margin.

Andrew Coglianio staked the Ducks to a 1-0 lead when he blocked a shot a came in on a breakaway and beat Rinne 5 hole to give the Ducks a 1-0 advantage.

That goal was answered by Mattias Ekholm in the last minute of the first period as he beat John Gibson with a beautiful backhand from the slot. 

Craig Smith and Shea Weber added second period goals to give the Predators a 3-1 lead.

Nate Thompson scored with 2:27 to make it 3-2 and increase the heart rate and pucker factor Predators fans everywhere.

With Gibson pulled for the extra attacker, the Predators defenders did their job, thwarting any quality scoring attempts by the Ducks and secured the 3-2 victory.

Some observations:

• You can see why the Ducks have the number one penalty kill. They attack the puck and do a very good hob of clearing lanes in front of their goalie. The Predators are going to have to do a much better job of getting motion and moving the puck if they are going to be successful in this series.
• HUGE save in the first period by Rinne. Mattias Ekholm had the puck stripped from him behind the net by Jakob Silfverberg and he fed Ryan Kessler coming down the slot alone. That save was vintage Rinne and is the kind of save that can get into the heads of the Ducks.
• Matty Ek! Ekholm pinched down low, cruised into the slot, and lifted a beauty of a backhand past Gibson to tie the game with less than a minute to go in the first period. Ekholm has quietly emerged as a solid defender that has some surprising offensive pop. His goal was Forsberg-esque and something you don't expect to see from a blue liner. 
• The Ducks are a very talented team, but it is in their DNA to be a goon squad. The Predators showed great discipline in not being drawn into the thuggery that the Ducks were trying to foment.
• How great is it to have an asset like Roman Josi on your blue line. His speed and vision on the ice make him such a dangerous playmaker. He used those assets to help set up the goal by Craig Smith to give the Predators a lead in the second period.
• Speaking of Smith, his work to find a soft spot in the defense was excellent and his shot was a perfectly placed rocket inside the post for his first goal of the playoffs. The Predators need the Honey Badger to contribute and he is off to a good start.
• What a rocket by Shea Weber. He just kept pounding away on the point on the power play. Gibson had a clean look, but the Captain just blew a bullet past him for the team's third goal.
• Full marks to the defense for collapsing in front of Rinne and clearing the front of the net. The Ducks made an intentional effort to run Rinne and crowd him, especially in the third period. The D did a good job of cleaning up rebounds and getting the puck out of danger.
• For the first time in franchise history, the Predators have won the first two games of a playoff series.
• The Predators showed superb discipline in not engaging the Ducks in their goonish style of play. Yet the Predators were the more cleanly physical team, pounding the Ducks with hard and clean hits all night. This is a side of the Predators that is fun to watch and I believe has surprised the Ducks.
• Absolutely stellar defense by the Predators in the third period. Everyone knew the Ducks would be pressing to get back into the game, and the Predators limited the Quack Attack to just 5 shots in the third period.
• Shea Weber had 27:36 TOI, followed by Roman Josi with 25:47.

This was a quality win by the Predators. They refused to engage in the thuggish play of Anaheim's goons and instead were physical and solid in all zones. Playing disciplined hockey, while the Ducks are running around after the whistle, will continue to frustrate the Ducks and set the Predators up for more success.

This series isn't won, but the Predators have seen the formula to capture it.

Now to bring it home and close it out.

My three stars:

1. Craig Smith

2. Pekka Rinne

3. Shea Weber

Predators Blow 2 Goal Lead, Embarrass Themselves in 4-2 Loss to the Ducks

The Nashville Predators looked in control of their game with the Anaheim Ducks at the Honda Center. After a scoreless first period, the Predators rode goals by Taylor Beck and Roman Josi to a 2-0 lead at the end of the second period.

Looks can be very deceiving.

The Ducks came out flying in the third period and the Predators folded like a cheap suit as the Ducks out skated and out worked the Predators over the final 20 minutes on their way to capturing a 4-2 victory.

Ryan Getzlaf, Nate Thompson,Kyle Palmieri, and Cam Fowler all tallied to destroy the Predators, who looked scared and lifeless in the face of the pressure by the Ducks.

Some observations:

• Pekka Rinne started even though he played last night. This is the second time this season that Rinne has played back to back games. Rinne was busier in the first period than in last night's game as he faced 10 shots from the Ducks after facing just 22 for the game from the Kings. While it may have looked like Rinne didn't have a good game, giving up 4 goals in the third period, the fact is that the team in front of him hung him out to dry. The play of the Predators in front of Rinne have cost him a chance at any post season hardware, and that is an absolute shame.
• Mike Fisher is a leader by his play, and a somewhat surprising aspect of his game is his willingness not only to be physical but to drop the gloves when it is necessary. The Ducks like to think they can bully their opponent and they reverted to that mode early in the second period when Ryan Kessler challenged Fisher to drop the gloves. Fisher obliged and held his own against a bigger foe. That response by Fisher not only energized the Predators but sent a message to the Ducks that their tactics would not work.
• Gabriel Bourque has played some very solid hockey, and his puck handling on the 2 on 1 with Taylor Beck was exceptional. He made Gibson respect his shot and slipped a nice pass to Beck, who buried the shot. Bourque has played a physical game on the fourth line and very sound hockey. good to see him rewarded for his efforts with the assist on the Beck goal.
• I really like Taylor Beck on the power play. One aspect of the man advantage unit that has been missing is an aggressive net front presence. Beck provides that, as he is hard to move and takes up space. His job is to take away the eyes of the goaltender and clean up rebounds, and he is well suited for that role.
• Filip Forsberg picked up an assist on the Josi goal, his 33rd of the season.
• Roman Josi is 5th among NHL defensemen with 48 points and 2nd with 194 blocked shots. Josi has quietly emerged as an elite defenseman in the NHL and plays a complete game in all zones.
• The Ducks didn't get their first shot on net in the second period until there was 6:26 remaining on the clock. A stellar defensive effort by the Predators in the second period that totally shut down a high powered offensive team.
• Every Preds fan knew the Ducks would come out pressing in the third period, and they did just that. The mark of a championship team is how they respond to their opponent's pushback. Early on in the third period, the Predators looked like they were just trying to survive. Heck, they were just trying to survive. The response from the Predators was...lacking to say the least.
• How bad was it in the third period? The Predators let the Ducks dictate the play and the Predators had absolutely no answer. Through the midway mark of the third, the Ducks had out shot the Predators 10-1 and the Predators looked as if the offensive zone was totally off limits. The Ducks out shot the Predators 15-4 in the third period. That is embarrassing and unacceptable.
• The Predators got a taste of playoff hockey in the third period. If their response is a sign of things to come, it does not bode well for the Predators when the post season rolls around. I hope I am wrong about this assessment, but the total lack of response by the Predators is disheartening to say the least.

This is undoubtedly the most embarrassing loss of the season. The Ducks came out in the third period and punched the Predators in the face and took their lunch money and the team had zero push back.

None.

The Ducks played playoff hockey in the third period. The Predators...well, to be nice all I can say is they didn't bother to show up.

And that is troubling.

My three stars:

1.  Kyle Palmieri

2. Ryan Getzlaf

3. Roman Josi