In Anaheim, Jakob Silfverberg, Ryan Getzlaf and Daniel Sprong scored for the Ducks to build a 3-0 lead over the visiting Nashville Predators through periods.
Then they needed John Gibson to rescue them in the third period as the Preds closed to within 3-2; Gibson made 32 saves in the 3-2 Ducks win.
Daniel Sprong scored for the Ducks in win over Nashville – file photo by Lewis Bleiman
“I feel like we’ve just been upping our game as of late,” Getzlaf said. “It doesn’t matter who the opponent is, we’ve been playing a better brand of hockey here and we’re trying to build something for next season.”
Nashville’s Filip Forsberg struck for two power-play goals in the third period to make it a little more interesting down the stretch.
“I don’t think we were sharp enough 5 on 5. Not enough pop to it,” Predators head coach Peter Laviolette said. “That flurry in the third, I thought we got going a little bit.”
Despite the loss, the Predators are still just one point back of the Winnipeg Jets for first in the Central Division.
The Jets lost to the San Jose Sharks Tuesday.
The Ducks have won four of their last six games.
“The bounces are going my way right now,” Silfverberg said. “This is usually the way it goes during the year. It goes up and down.”
[WATCH: All Predators vs. Ducks highlights]
Pekka Rinne made 15 saves in the loss.
“Didn’t know the score in Winnipeg,” Rinne said. “We have to ask for more from ourselves and everybody included. We have to show more speed, desperation. … It’s a situation in the season where we have a lot of things in our own hands and considering that, it’s disappointing.”
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