Predators oust ducks, winning a playoff series for the first time

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By Mark Humphrey, AP

Nashville Predators center Nick Spaling prepares to shoot against Anaheim Ducks goalie Ray Emery and Andreas Lilja in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series in Nashville.

By Mark Humphrey, AP

Nashville Predators center Nick Spaling prepares to shoot against Anaheim Ducks goalie Ray Emery and Andreas Lilja in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series in Nashville.

Nick Spaling (FSY) scored his second goal of the game at 4:53 of the third period and the Predators won a playoff series for the first time in their history, beating the Anaheim Ducks 4-2 on Sunday.

"I'm happy because I think of the resiliency of the group that worked so hard all year, and I'm relieved because there is a little bit of a cloud that we wanted to get to the next level," said Barry Trotz, the only coach of the franchise that hit the ice in the 1998-99 season.

"And if we never got there in this series, I think there would be a little bit of a carry-over."

Now the only questions about this team in the nontraditional hockey market is who the fifth-seeded Predators will play in the Western Conference semifinals.

Steve Sullivan (FSY) scored a goal, David Legwand (FSY) had an empty-netter and Jordin Tootoo (FSY) assisted on Spaling's goals. The Predators won the series 4-2 in their sixth postseason in seven seasons to avoid going back to Anaheim for Game 7.

Goaltender Pekka Rinne (FSY) called the victory an amazing feeling before yet another sellout crowd.

"We really had a lot of push tonight," Rinne said. "We had a lot of emotion, and we really wanted to get it done tonight in our home building. It was a tough series. And they have such a good team. They are never out of the game. it doesn't matter what we do, they always seem to respond."

"It was a great matchup and I just couldn't be more happier to come out as a winner of this series."

Predators win 4-2

Game 1: Nashville 4, Anaheim 1

Game 2: Anaheim 5, Nashville 3

Game 3: Nashville 4, Anaheim 3

Game 4: Anaheim 6, Nashville 3

Game 5: Nashville 4, Anaheim 3 (OT)

Sunday: Nashville 4, Anaheim 2

Jason Blake (FSY) scored a power-play goal, and Teemu Selanne (FSY) also had a goal for the Ducks in what might have been the final game for the 40-year-old Finn. Anaheim looked tired early after blowing a lead late before losing Game 5 in overtime. The Ducks looked tired late as coach Randy Carlyle went heavily with his top two lines trying to rally.

"You cannot give up four goals and expect to win consistently, and I thought we provided enough offense in the series," Carlyle said. "We didn't provide enough defense. The game in Anaheim with them scoring with 35 seconds left kind of put a dagger in us that you're not afforded many mistakes."

Anaheim lost in the opening round for the third time in seven playoffs.

Spaling scored his first two goals in the postseason. His second came off a rebound of Tootoo's shot, shortly after Nashville thought it had gone ahead only to see Patric Hornqvist's (FSY) goal waved off because of a high stick. The call was upheld after a lengthy video review.

"There's a new first every game," Trotz said. "That was a first for us. How would we handle that in Game 6, and we handled it just fine."

The Ducks didn't go away easily, not with a power-play unit that has been the NHL's best this postseason. They got the man advantage almost midway through the period when Mike Fisher (FSY) was penalized for tripping.

But Selanne hit a post, and Rinne, the Vezina Trophy finalist, stopped Blake late to protect the lead. Nashville, the team built from the goalie out through its defense, finished off the win.

Ryan Getzlaf (FSY) and Corey Perry (FSY) were held scoreless for a second straight game. Legwand said Trotz came to him before the faceoff and told him they needed a big game from his line.

"He didn't want that Getzlaf line scoring," Legwand said. "Obviously, they're going to get chances. They didn't put any on the board tonight. That's a huge factor in the series and huge for us."

Anaheim took its timeout with 60 seconds left, having already pulled goalie Ray Emery (FSY), who kept the Ducks close by stopping Tootoo on a breakaway, then Matt Halischuk (FSY) on a rebound. But Legwand scored into the empty net with 9.2 seconds left to wrap up the Predators' biggest win ever.

"I felt that we couldn't play at our level ... and that's disappointing," Selanne said. "But what are you going to do? It's too late now. We gave everything that we had."

Carlyle started the game with Matt Beleskey (FSY) on the top line with Perry and Getzlaf. Bobby Ryan (FSY) found himself on the third line with Brandon McMillan (FSY) and right wing Dan Sexton (FSY) in his first playoff game. Jarkko Ruutu (FSY) also played after sitting out his one-game suspension, and the Ducks dressed only six defensemen after having used seven at times in the series.

The Ducks had a 2-on-1 chance in the opening minute, but Cam Fowler (FSY) couldn't handle the bouncing puck off a pass from Perry. Then the Predators kept the play in front of Emery, outshooting the Ducks 6-2 before Selanne skated around the net and flipped a backhand past his fellow Finn, Rinne, with 9:38 left in the first for a 1-0 lead.

"Nobody tried harder, nobody cared more, nobody did more in this series than Teemu Selanne, and it's an emotional time for him right now because of what happened," Carlyle said. "There is always that looming, 'Is this the last one,' and I'm sure he doesn't want to go out feeling the way he does right now."

Tootoo helped set up Spaling for the tying goal with 27.9 seconds left in the first, finding Spaling for a wrister past Emery.

Sullivan put the Predators up 2-1 when he broke up the right, used his skate to kick a pass from J.P. Dumont (FSY) to his stick and then beat Emery with a backhander at 3:29 of the second. Dumont played his second straight game in place of Martin Erat (FSY), scratched because an upper-body injury after the hit that earned Ruutu his suspension.

Carlyle put Ryan back with Getzlaf and Perry in the second, trying to generate more offense. The Ducks spent much more time in front of Rinne, but they finally got the break they needed when Dumont tripped Luca Sbisa (FSY) and gave them their first power play.

Blake tipped in a shot by Ryan to tie it at 2 with 1:37 left in the second.

NOTES: Selanne's goal off an assist from Saku Koivu (FSY) extended their points streaks to six games, the longest in this postseason. Selanne had six goals and an assist, and Koivu had a goal and six assists in the series. ... Anaheim is 7-2 in Game 6s. ... Tootoo had five points in the series, topping the total he had in his 24 playoff games before this season. ... Blake's power-play goal improved Anaheim to 8-for-21 with the man advantage in the series, best this postseason. Blake's goal was his fourth of the series.

Predators back, take series 3-2 lead on ducks with OT victory

ANAHEIM, California (AP) — The Nashville Predators have known nothing but heartbreak in his brief playoff history and Ducks of Anaheim were just a few seconds to pain as they nursed a lead in game 5. By Stephen Dunn, Getty Images

Jerred Smithson predators (25) scored the winning goal in overtime of the past ducks goaltender Ray Emery in 5 games of their series. Nashville won 4-3 and leads the series 3-2.

By Stephen Dunn, Getty Images

Jerred Smithson predators (25) scored the winning goal in overtime of the past ducks goaltender Ray Emery in 5 games of their series. Nashville won 4-3 and leads the series 3-2.

That's when Captain Shea Weber (FSY) scored on a slap shot suggested these predators can be different — and early in overtime, Jerred Smithson (FSY) put Nashville in untapped territory of postseason.Smithson scored 1: 57 into overtime, and the predators moved to the verge of winning a playoff series lead for the first time, stunning the ducks 4-3 on Friday night to take a series of 3-2. Weber tied into a long slap shot with 35. 3 seconds left for the predators, who have never won a playoff game, never won a game 5 — never won three games in a series — before his dramatic return. "It's an incredible feeling to be one step closer," said Jordin Tootoo (FSY), whose second auxiliary configuration one-timer past Ray Emery Smithson (FSY). "The playoffs are all about momentum swings, and we did well with it throughout the year."Predators can close it in game 6 on Sunday in Nashville Defenseman Kevin Klein (FSY), scored his first career playoff goal and Pekka Rinne (FSY) made 23 saves for the predators, who still managed to reverse his fortunes in ugly game 5 against Chicago last season.Most veterans keys in the dressing room Nashville jubilant remembered giving up the tying goal for the Blackhawks with 13. 6 seconds left in regulation before losing the game — and the series a game later. "" Is a different feel than the game 5 last year, said predators coach Barry Trotz. "Last year, in game 5, was a devastating thing that happened to us. ... This year, is the opposite. I think we're mature enough to know there is a very good hockey team, and we'll have to be absolutely on our best in Nashville. "Both teams scored two goals each in a thrilling third period, Anaheim blowing two cables. Bobby Ryan (FSY) scored a spectacular goal early in the third on his return from a suspension of two games, but Joel Ward (FSY), tied with 8: 40 left in regulation.

Nashville leads 3-2.

Game 1: Nashville 4, Anaheim 1

Game 2: Anaheim 5, Nashville 3

Game 3: Nashville 4, Anaheim 3

Game 4: Anaheim 6, Nashville 3

Game 5: Nashville 4, Anaheim 3 (OT)

On April 24: in Nashville, 6

x-April 26: at Anaheim, 10: 30

x-if necessary

Jason Blake (FSY) second goal put Anaheim back ahead with 5: 44 left Rinne, predators pulled at the last minute. Mike Fisher (FSY) won a faceoff before Weber wired a shot through a crowd in front for his third goal of the series ".I remember how difficult it was to last year in game 5, and everybody here knows it, "said Weber. "What makes it even sweeter. I can't even remember many times that we came again this year. Usually we're playing with a lead when we win. It's a great feeling. "With Honda Center still uneasy after the interval, Smithson — a grinding forward who had just five goals in the regular season — scored on a quick shot after Tootoo pass behind the net. "My eyes bright and I was pumped up," said Smithson. "I came flying around the corner and kind of took my own (Companion) but it was exciting. Already showed a lot of heart. We still have work to do, but we put ourselves in a good position. "Emery made 33 saves for the ducks, who must regroup after failing to hang on to their leads. They also haven't had much with their stars: NHL playoff scoring leader Corey Perry (FSY) and captain Ryan Getzlaf (FSY) were closed, while Teemu Selanne (FSY) failed to score a goal for the first time in the series. "Ryan is bleak," he said. "Gave up and blew a lead twice in the same period. We had them outworked the third period, as simple as that. We got some breaks and scored some goals. At this point, you have to put a team. "Ryan returned to the Anaheim lineup after sitting ducks travel to Nashville for stomping on skate Jonathan Blum during the execution of two goals from Ryan in game 2. in the first minute of the third period Ryan scored perhaps the most beautiful goal of the postseason after passing separation out David Legwand (FSY) on the blue line. Deke first Ryan forced Legwand to drop his stick, and he abandoned completely Legwand with a graceful second movement before coolly backhanding the puck past Rinne. "" It's useless now, "said Ryan.I probably won't even think about it again. "The predators have abandoned his usual caution defensive, and Ward capitalized on a rebound of pinball shot wild off the glass behind Emery, scoring his third goal of the series.Blake then put the ducks ahead with one notable Selanne helper. The superstar of 40-year-old played somehow puck at Rinne as subject on the ice behind the Nashville NET and the rebound caromed straight to Blake, who won the shot put with a Rinne perfectly. "We haven't played very well with the leadership, "said Selanne. "That is an area that we have to improve for sure, but we have a good team here. I believe that the skill level (high). There are a lot of characters and pride in this room, therefore, is a new opportunity. "Anaheim seeded fourth and fifth-seeded Nashville split two-game sets in both buildings to open a series of increasingly bad-tempered with suspensions, questionable hits and accusations of diving.Notes: Nashville 50 point played without leading scorer Martin Erat (FSY), who stayed home after exiting game 4 with a lesion of the upper body of a hit of Anaheim Jarkko Ruutu (FSY). ... Nashville LW Nick Spaling (FSY) picked up his first career playoff point with an assist on the goal of first-period of Klein, who had just two goals in 81 regular season games. ... RW J.P. Dumont (FSY) replaced Erat in programming of predators, playing sparingly in his first game of the series.