Predators pounce on Ducks, take 3-2 series lead

Less than seven minutes later, left winger Colin Wilson quieted them back down with a power play goal. Wilson converted a backhand shot of an initial shot from P.K. Subban.

“I think that the travel, when you can limit it, it always can work to an advantage”, coach Peter Laviolette said Monday morning. Though he finished the period, backup goalie Jonathan Bernier began the second period. Bernier stopped 16 of 18 shots faced, while Gibson was a flawless 10-for-10 for the Ducks in the first period. A tip-in from Aberg gave Nashville the lead with 8:59 remaining.

Momentum is certainly on Nashville’s side after beating the Ducks 3-1 on the road. The Western Conference Final has been close throughout.

Cogliano pointed to their Game 7 win and said “we’re 100% confident that we can come in and win this game”. The Predators are without leading scoring Ryan Johansen for the rest of the playoffs after undergoing surgery.

Austin Watson’s empty netter with a minute to go closed the book on Game 5, as the Ducks had no chance to go all Nashville on the Predators in the final moments of a locked-up game.

As has turned into my habit, what does each team need to do in order to win tonight? Rakell has scored seven times in the postseason and was termed day-to-day by Carlyle, who assigned the same status to injured forward Patrick Eaves (career-high 32 goals), sidelined for the past nine games of the playoffs.

Shortly after scoring midway through the third period on a Bobby Orr-like leap, Aberg fell face-first onto the ice, causing a concussion spotter to pull him from the game.

The Ducks took a 1-0 lead when they caught the Predators with their fourth line out against Ryan Kesler and Jakob Silfverberg. “If we win, we’re in the (Cup Final)”. However, the Predators have been the better team in this series overall and one could argue they’ve been the best team throughout these entire playoffs.

Each trip to Anaheim – there have been two already – covers 1,765 miles one way. The place is going to be rocking, and you have to expect Nashville to find a way. They won game four in overtime in Nashville. “There’s been a couple of games I wasn’t happy after the games”.

Rinne and the Predators had been unbeaten at home until then, and his shaky effort in the last game there proves he is not invincible.

Who is Frederick Gaudreau? The 23-year-old has yet to record a point in one regular-season game this season and two playoff contests.

Last week, Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar was suspended from two games after calling an Atlanta Braves pitcher a “faggot”.

Both players spent the majority of the season in the American Hockey League with the Predators’ affiliate in Milwaukee.