If Game 1 is any indication of what this series would be like, then we’re in for one explosive matchup. The Nashville Predators stunned the Anaheim Ducks in Game 1 of their Western Conference Final with a heart-stopping 3-2 overtime win on Friday night. James Neal scored 9:24 into OT for the Predators who improved to 9-2 in this NHL postseason. The goal was the veteran forward’s third in four outings.
Filip Forsberg and Austin Watson scored in regulation for the Predators who rallied from an early 1-0 deficit. Forsberg has been sensational for the Preds in this year’s playoffs, notching nine points and four goals in 11 contests this postseason. He forced a turnover on a forecheck before tipping Matt Irwin’s shot through Gibson for Nashville’s first-ever goal in this stage of the playoffs.
Much has been said about Forsberg’s scoring exploits but Nashville’s victory on Friday wouldn’t be possible without the heroics of goalie Pekka Rinne. He gave the Preds another stellar effort in Game 1, stopping 27 of Anaheim’s 29 shots. That follows Rinne’s gargantuan effort in the first two rounds of this postseason wherein he registered a superb 1.37 GAA and .951 save percentage through 10 appearances.
The overtime loss to the Nashville Predators on Friday was a total downer, but at least the Anaheim Ducks have got to be grateful that it wasn’t a total blowout. Standout goalie John Gibson made 43 saves in Game 1, but found little help from his team’s blueliners to keep the Preds’ attack at bay. Fatigue surely played a part in this gut-wrenching loss as the Ducks were coming off a brutal seven-game series against the Edmonton Oilers.
For the Ducks to even this series at one game apiece, they will need to improve on their power play conversion. The Ducks failed to take advantage of Nashville’s lack of discipline, going just 0-for-4 on the power play in Game 1. That has been the theme for the Ducks this postseason where they are 0 for 21 with the man advantage since late in Game 2 against Edmonton on April 28.
One guy who needs to step up for Anaheim in Sunday’s pivotal showdown is Jakob Silfverberg. The Swede scored his eighth goal of the playoffs in Friday’s loss to Nashville. He has now produced 12 points in 12 games for Anaheim during the 2017 postseason.
Writer’s Prediction
The Ducks (-115) knot the series at a game apiece with a 4-2 victory.
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