The 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs are beginning to look a lot like the regular season for the Anaheim Ducks.
They lost the first two games of the series on home ice to the Nashville Predators and have now roared back with three straight wins to take a 3-2 series lead.
On Saturday, the Ducks yielded the first goal to the Predators at the Honda Center and then rallied with three straight goals to take a 3-1 lead.
Ryan Johansen opened the scoring for the Preds at 14:13 of the second period to stake Nashville to the 1-0 lead.
But Anaheim David Perron scored just 22 seconds later to tie the game and Ryan Garbutt put the Ducks up 2-1 at 16:23 of the period.
Sami Vatanen made it 3-1 Ducks after Anaheim had killed off a penalty ahead of his goal at 8:34 of the final frame.
Pekka Rinne was busy in the Predators net with 31 shots faced and 27 saves in the loss.
Just past the midway point of the third period Nashville made the deficit only one goal with a marker from Miikka Salomaki, his first of the post season.
On the goal, Shea Weber took a shot from the blue line that Frederik Andersen stopped by seemed unable to respond to the rebound sitting in the slot. Salomaki whacked at the puck to give the Preds some life.
Andersen made 27 saves on the night for the win.
Cam Fowler scored on a late power play off a shot from the blue line and Ryan Kesler screened Rinne and the puck hit net on the left of Rinne.
Kesler scored a goal of his own on an empty net with under two minutes left in regulation.
Ryan Getzlaf had two assists on the night.
You must be logged in to post a comment.