Energized Ducks even Western finals, beat Predators 5-3

The Predators became the first National Hockey League team in 20 years to win 10 straight postseason home games when they defeated the Anaheim Ducks 2-1 Tuesday in Game 3 of the Western Conference final.

Antoine Vermette #50 of the Anaheim Ducks celebrates his empty net goal with teammates Ryan Kesler #17 and Josh Manson #42 in the third period of Sunday’s Game 2.

Will it result in a different bit of officiating in Game 3? John Gibson stopped 29 of 32 shots for the Ducks, while the often impregnable Pekka Rinne allowed four goals on 26 shots.

The Tennessee Titans also showed out in a big way, as quarterback Marcus Mariota and the offensive line pumped pumped up the fans and added to the atmosphere of Game Three.

What’s Next: The series shifts to Bridgestone Arena in Nashville for Game 3, which will be played Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET. Hampus Lindholm scored for his first goal of the playoffs to even the score.

The Predators are badly outshooting the Ducks midway through the second period.

Just two days after surviving Edmonton, the Ducks had to face Nashville in an early-starting game – and they were promptly outskated and outclassed for long stretches by the well-rested Predators.

“I think it’s great”, the winger said of the victory. “Go Preds! Hoping they can get to the finals, that would be awesome”, he said recently. “But with that being said, I think we did a pretty good job in the neutral zone”. “You can watch it on TV, but you’ve got to be in here to feel the energy”. “Obviously, there’s some bad blood there, and they’ve been competing hard and battling all series”.

After Anaheims Chris Wagner caught Nashvilles Ryan Ellis with a high stick in the final minutes of the third period, Predators defenceman Roman Josi scored the game-winner on the ensuing power play. Like, his family and his friends watching him play, I don’t know how you can cheer for a guy like that.

Corey Perry soothed any agitated Ducks fans at the 15:35 mark when he gave Anaheim the lead on the power play.

Josi scored on the first power-play tally of the series for Nashville, burying the rebound after Mattias Ekholm’s effort cannoned off Viktor Arvidsson. Nashville has looked like the better team through a pair of games in Anaheim.

“It’s huge”, Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said of the win.

That streak extended to eight games Tuesday night.

“We know how important these games are”, Carlyle said, “and every one gets more important as we go forward”. And as a team that’s – it gives us that extra boost.

Nick Ritchie would pot one more for the Ducks before the end of the second, banking a wrist shot from the left wing mid-boards off the mask of Rinne and in.

“I can tell you that I just saw him on the plane, and he’s composed”, Laviolette said. Headlined: “Anaheim Ducks goalie John Gibson keeps emotions – and his opposition – in check”, clearly Mr. Knoll and I don’t share the same viewpoint.

The Ducks pulled even again on the first career playoff goal for Kase, the aggressive Czech rookie, who slipped a puck through traffic. It just doesn’t make sense how he plays the game.

Here in Smashville, one of those Gary Bettman landing spots where we questioned how the Predators would steal enough fans from NASCAR and college football, that mix has come together perfectly this spring.