Ducks solve Preds in tough Game 2

Ryan Getzlaf had one goal and two assists as the Anaheim Ducks held on to defeat the Nashville Predators 5-3 friday night to even the series at 1-1.

Anaheim took a three goal lead into the third period, and despite 2 goals by Nashville, the Ducks were able to add an empty net goal late in the period  to preserve the win.

Corey Perry scored the first goal for Anaheim on a two-man advantage at 5:24 of the first period. Saku Koivu and Lubomir Visnovsky assisted on the play.

Just 38 seconds later while still on the power play, Teemu Selanne would score his second goal of the series asssisted by Cam Fowler and Ryan Getzlaf to put the ducks up by two  early in the period.

Goaltender interference on Anaheim’s Ray Emery at 15:08 of the first period resulted in Nashville’s first goal of the game being denied.  The penalty was given to Predators forward David Legwand.

Emery was solid in goal stopping 31 of 34 shots in his playoff debut for Anaheim.

The Predators would get on the board early in the second period and cut the deficit to one on a power play goal by Shea Weber at 4:29 assisted by Sergei Kostitsyn and Ryan Suter.

The Ducks would answer back three minutes later and restore the two goal lead on Bobby Ryan’s first goal of the post season at 7:12 of the second with assists to Ryan Getzlaf and Francois Beauchemin.

Pekka Rinne allowed 4 goals on 27 shots (the fifth goal for Anaheim being an empty net) in a losing cause for the Predators.

Game 3 goes Sunday in Nashville.

Coming off a power play in the second period, Ryan Getzlaf would add a goal to his two assists on the evening scoring at 15:54 to give the ducks a 4-1 lead after 40 minutes of play.  Assisting on the play were Corey Perry and Francois Beauchemin, his second assist of the night.

An early penalty to Anaheim’s Luca Sbisa would prove costly as Patrick Hornqvist would score on the power play at 1:30 of the third period with assists to Shea Weber and Sergei Kostitsyn cutting the lead to 4-2.

Nashville would pull within one on a goal by Joel Ward at 10:17 of the third period to make it a 4-3 game with half a period to play.

Nashville would pull there goalie in an attempt to tie the game late in the third, but an empty net goal by Bobby Ryan at 19:07 of the period would seal the victory for Anaheim.

A total of 13 penalties were handed out during the evening with seven going to Anaheim and six to Nashville.  Both teams converted twice on the power play.