After a strong Game 1 in Anaheim that saw the Nashville Predators upend the Ducks, 3-2, in overtime, the Preds looked poised to take a 2-0 series lead back home.
But Game 2 was a tale of the old adage of playing for 60 minutes.
In just over eight minutes of play in the first period, the Predators were riding high with a 
2-0 lead.
Ryan Johansen and James Neal scored early on John Gibson who had been knocked around in the crease after a scrum.
But the Ducks showed resilience and rallied with five goals in an eventual 5-3 Game 2 win to even the series at 1-1.
Nashville head coach Peter Laviolette was asked about Johansen’s experience in the playoffs and the time he is getting on the ice this post season and how it may be seen as a rite of passage for him.
Probably anybody. I don’t know about a rite of passage. But that’s the nature of a career, I guess, if you can get in the Playoffs enough is that you experience it once and then you maybe try to take it to the next level and then you try to keep moving on and getting better,” Laviolette said. “And ultimately, with the hope of being successful at the end. So not only Ryan is in that situation, but probably two-thirds of our team, three-quarters of our team are in that situation or they’ve experienced some things over the last couple of years and now they’re in a situation where they’re trying to push even further.”
Despite the loss, the Preds home with home ice advantaged wrested away from the Ducks with the road split.
PK Subban was asked how it felt to be coming home with that advantage.
It’s just encouraging to be home. To sleep in your own bed and see family and spend a couple of days here obviously helps,” he said. “So happy to be home. But we did what we wanted to do. We went there to get one game and we had the opportunity to get two. It didn’t happen. But now we’re back home on home ice. We want to take advantage of that.”
On the flip side, the Ducks were excited by their rallying win and their head coach was asked about his plyers’ response to the early deficit, especially Nick Ritchie who scored the game-winner in the second period.
“Again, we’ve talked about young players and their skill set and the things that they have historically been able to do but not at the NHL level yet,” Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle said after the Game 2 win. “And Nick Ritchie is a guy that has scored in a lot of games similar to tonight, a shooter, and in junior hockey. And that’s what our project is, is to continue him into a power forward and to have that release and that weapon that he possesses become more evident to the hockey world, because he — we feel that he has offensive instincts and can score.”
Anaheim reached the Western Conference Final on a consistent style of play that included rallies from deep deficits including a three-goal in three-minute rally against the Edmonton Oilers.
After Game 2, Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf was asked about the team’s propensity for making difficult on themselves and their fans.
“I don’t want to say we’re doing things the hard way. We’re in a Conference Final here. There’s going to be no sweeps, no blowouts. Both teams are here for a reason. They’re both playing hard,” Getzlaf said.
“And obviously we did a good job bouncing back after last game’s performance. I thought, you know, the start of last game we weren’t very good. We made a point of coming out and playing hockey tonight. We gave up two goals somehow. But our group’s been able to just maintain the workman-like attitude and comeback hockey.”
Heading to Nashville for Games 3 and 4, the Ducks will need to keep the deficits to a minimum while the Predators, if they get a lead, will need to hunker down and protect it without going into a shell.
“The Nashville Predators are the kind of team you want to back when they play at their home arena. They haven’t lost a single game during the playoffs, so it’s hard to bet against the Preds at home. I like Nashville at -150, I think they will get the job done and take the lead in the series after Game 3” says David Strauss, line manager at MyBookie.ag online sportsbook.
Game 3 is Tuesday night in Nashville, 7:00 PM local time.
Game Odds
Game: Anaheim Ducks vs Nashville Predators
Spread:
Anaheim Ducks +1½-250
Nashville Predators -1½+200
Total:
5 O-135 / U+115
Moneyline:
Anaheim Ducks +130
Nashville Predators -150
Odds By MyBookie
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