Predators break through in third to win Game 3 of Western Conference final
NASHVILLE — Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi scored third-period goals to carry the Nashville Predators to a 2-1 win against the Anaheim Ducks in Game 3 of the Western Conference final.
Josi scored the game-winner on the power play with 2:43 left in regulation as the Predators won their sixth consecutive home playoff game this season. They now hold a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
“To have our fans standing up the whole third period, cheering us on, gave us a lot of energy,” Nashville defenseman Mattias Ekholm said.
Anaheim winger Chris Wagner was in the penalty box for high-sticking Ryan Ellis when Josi scored. The Predators trailed 1-0 going into the third period.
“Throughout the game I thought we played great,” Forsberg said. “We played fast and competitive. It was just a matter of sticking with it.”
Here’s what mattered in the game.
Scoring plays: Corey Perry celebrated his 32nd birthday by scoring a bad-angle power-play goal at 15:35 of the second period. Nashville tied the score 1-1 when Forsberg scored at 3:54 of the third period.
Predators dominated: The Predators had 40 shots on goal. They outshot Anaheim 21-1 over one stretch spanning parts of the first and second periods. The Ducks didn’t have a shot on goal in the second period until 11:43.
Two lost goals: In the third period, twice in a span of 8 seconds, the Predators had goals waved off.
An apparent Predators goal by Colton Sissons was waved off at 6:25 because Harry Zolniercyk interfered with Ducks goalie John Gibson. At 6:33, a Nashville goal by Ryan Johansen was waved off because the referee was calling an interference penalty on Ekholm for crashing into Gibson.
Costly penalty: Nashville forward Cody McLeod was in the penalty box when Perry scored. He received a two-minute instigator penalty for starting a fight with Anaheim’s Jared Boll after Boll threw a heavy check at Zolnierczyk.
Boll didn’t receive a penalty for the hit, but McLeod took exception after Boll took a few strides to deliver the open-ice blow.
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Rare Rinne mistake: Nashville goalie Pekka Rinne owns the NHL’s best playoff goaltending numbers thus far, but he would like to have a do-over on Perry’s shot.
Perry had the puck beyond the goal line toward the corner, and simply centered the puck back out front. It struck Rinne’s right skate and deflected into the net.
No-goal call was right: On Anaheim’s first shot of the second period, Ducks defenseman Brandon Montour seemed to tap the rebound over the goal line. But the referee ruled the net was dislodged before that occurred. A replay verified that.