This goes without saying, but Game Four between the Ducks and Predators was huge. Nashville entered the contest leading the series 2-1 looking to take a commanding 3-1 series lead on home ice while Anaheim was looking for the exact opposite.
The Predators found themselves down for the majority of the contest and while they were able to tie things up and force overtime, it was the Ducks that took Game Four to knot the series up at 2-2.
With a huge opportunity to put the Ducks’ back against the wall with a strong first period in front of a record-breaking crowd, the Preds played perhaps their worst 20 minute stretch of hockey this season.
The second period saw the Preds outshoot the Ducks by a count of 18-12, but that didn’t keep the Ducks from doubling up their lead.
The third period started out much like the second did, but Nashville finally did find its stride. P.K. Subban zipped a shot through traffic with 6:27 left to cut the Anaheim lead in half.
After 60 minutes of play the Ducks and Preds each had 31 shots on net while Nashville out shot Anaheim 11-5 in the third period.
The momentum was without a doubt on the Predators’ side. After the improbable tying goal, things looked to be going Nashville’s way, but the Ducks had different plans.
Just over the halfway point of the overtime period, Corey Perry zipped a shot towards the net that caught Subban’s stick and deflected into the back of the net to give the Ducks a 3-2 overtime win.
