NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Roman Josi scored a power-play goal with 2:43 left Tuesday night, and the Nashville Predators rallied to beat the Anaheim Ducks 2-1 in their first home game in the Western Conference finals.
The Predators grabbed a 2-1 lead in the series with their 10th straight home win in the postseason going back to last season.
Filip Forsberg tied it at 3:54 of the third as the Predators rallied for the win against an Anaheim team that has notched four comeback victories when trailing by multiple goals this postseason.
The Predators thought they had taken the lead earlier in the period only to have two goals within the span of 8 seconds waved off for goalie interference.
Josi scored Nashville’s first power-play goal of the series for the win.
Ducks goalie John Gibson made 38 saves, and Corey Perry scored a power-play goal in the second period for Anaheim.
Game 4 is Thursday night in Nashville.
Forsberg tied it shortly after being poked by Gibson after the whistle, upset after a shot went off him. That revved up the home crowd, and they tossed towels onto the ice after officials waved off first a would-be goal by Colton Sissons at 6:25 and then Ryan Johansen’s goal at 6:33.
Chris Wagner went to the box for high-sticking Nashville defenseman Ryan Ellis with 3:55 left. Nashville had been 0 of 11 on the power play in this series. Josi ended that drought with his wrister from the right circle off an assist from Viktor Arvidsson.
The Predators didn’t hold back on star power for the biggest game in franchise history.
Keith Urban performed the national anthem, the latest country star to take a turn, and his wife, actress Nicole Kidman, joined him in the stands decked out in her own Predators sweater.
Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota waved the rally towel along with his offensive linemen.
NOTES
GOLDEN KNIGHTS: Vegas reached a multiyear affiliation deal with the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League.
The deal will allow the Golden Knights to transfer players to and from Chicago when the franchise opens NHL play next season. The Golden Knights’ first signee, Reid Duke, joined the Wolves on April 7 after signing a tryout contract.
BLUES: St. Louis isn’t bringing back assistant coaches Ray Bennett, Steve Thomas, Rick Wilson and Ty Conklin next season.
All four joined the team before Coach Mike Yeo took over for the fired Ken Hitchcock in the middle of the season – some of them years ago. Bennett spent 10 years on the staff and Conklin had been with the Blues since 2013. Thomas and Wilson were hired last June.
PETER CHIARELLI of the Edmonton Oilers, Pierre Dorion of the Ottawa Senators and David Poile of the Nashville Predators are the finalists for the NHL general manager of the year award.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
