So, you are the Anaheim Ducks and you are tied up in overtime.
What are you going to do?
Easy, give it to Corey Perry.
Thursday night in Nashville, Perry hoisted the puck form the right boards towards the Predators’ net where it was deflected off PK Subban’s stick blade and past Pekka Rinne for the game winner.
“Like we’ve been saying all playoffs, we have a checklist that we go through every single day,” Perry said. “It doesn’t matter when it is in the game, you’ve got to go back, you’ve got to think of what’s on that list and adversity is one of them, ebbs and flows of a game.
“We knew coming into overtime, you put that jersey on you, go out and play like you did in the first period, hard-nosed, pucks in deep. We kind of changed the momentum there. We got some chances, and we got the break.”
It was Perry’s third OT goal of this playoff season.
The Game 4 win sends the series back to Anaheim tied, 2-2.
Subban and Filip Forsberg forced the extra session when they scored in the third period to erase a 2-0 deficit.
“I thought we did a good job of getting back in the game,” Subban said. “We had an opportunity in overtime and just an unlucky bounce so turn the page and get ready for next game.”
This post season, the Ducks have been able to rebound within periods, games and series from significant deficits. Thursday night they showed the ability to take a blow in the third period and rebound in the OT.
“It’s the ebbs and flows of a game,” Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle said. “The one thing we wanted to make that we established was a strong start, and we did that with an exclamation mark. With our performance the other night, we felt we were flat and we didn’t have the necessary emotion and energy to play to the level that they played to.”
Rickard Rakell gave the Ducks a 1-0 just past the midway point of the first period and Nick Ritchie continued his hot hand with a goal midway through the middle frame for the 2-0 Anaheim lead.
“I thought we had some energy and we were on our toes. You look at that period and that’s exactly how we play, and that’s when we’re at our best and when we’re effective. And to allow one or two shots, whatever it was, in the first and come away with a 1-0 lead, that was huge for our group and a big momentum swing for us,” Corey Perry said after the game.
John Gibson was solid through most of the games and was beaten by a near perfect shot from the point by Subban through traffic.
The game tying goal with 34 seconds left in regulation was a let down by the defense not clearing the crease and Gibson getting just a piece of the puck.
Gibson made 35 saves for the win.
[WATCH: All Ducks vs. Predators highlights | RELATED: Complete Nashville vs. Anaheim series coverage]
Rinne made 31 saves in taking the loss.
“They’re a good team so we know every game is going to be a battle. I think if there’s a positive that we showed tonight, it’s that when we want to play our game we can’t be stopped,” Subban said. ” I felt we did a good job in the third period of battling back, giving ourselves an opportunity to win the game. We had chances in overtime, didn’t go our way. You throw pucks at the net, good things will happen, and they threw one in. It went off of my stick and in. Tough one.”
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