NHL playoffs: Ducks blast Oilers, cut series deficit to 2-1
Silfverberg’s two goals help Anaheim narrow series deficit to 2-1
After scoring three goals in the first 12 minutes, Anaheim let the Edmonton Oilers tie the score midway through the second period. The Ducks then pulled away for a crucial win.
Jakob Silfverberg scored twice to lead Anaheim to a 6-3 victory over Edmonton on Sunday night, cutting the Oilers’ series lead to 21.
“It’s about getting ourselves back in the series, giving us a chance,” said Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf, who had a goal and an assist. “You never want to fall down 3-0 in any series. It’s a long climb.
“We take this one, learn from what we did right and wrong and get ready for the next one.”
Rickard Rakell got Anaheim on the scoreboard 25 seconds in, and Chris Wagner and Ryan Kesler also scored. John Gibson stopped 24 shots.
The Ducks had lost the first two games of the series at home.
Just 48 seconds after Connor McDavid scored his first of the series to tie the score and rally Edmonton back from a 30 deficit, Wagner put the Ducks back ahead by firing a shot that deflected off goalie Cam Talbot’s arm and in at 9:28 of the second period.
Silfverberg knocked in a feed from Josh Manson at 4:56 of the third to make it 5-3. The Oilers challenged the play for offside, but the goal stood after a video review.
“It’s one of those, your eyes are telling you it’s offside, but if you’re the linesman you’re going ‘I don’t know for sure’ and the call on the ice stands,” Oilers head coach Todd McLellan said. “It’s disappointing because they likely know it’s offside, but they can’t confirm it. Let’s not kid ourselves. That wasn’t the backbreaker. The backbreaker was the 25 seconds in.”
The U.S. national anthem n got a unique rendition before the game when the microphone didn’t work for Canadian country singer Brett Kissel. Decked out in an Oilers jersey and guitar, Kissel attempted twice to sing the anthem before throwing his hands in the air and encouraging the crowd to sing with him. The microphone resumed working in time for Robert Clark to perform the Canadian anthem.
Predators 3, Blues 1: The Predators finally had a chance to show how they would react to their first loss this postseason.
Returning home, they put their deep scoring on display and bounced back with a big victory.
Cody McLeod scored the game-winner early in the second period, and the Predators beat St. Louis to grab a 2-1 lead in their Western Conference semifinal.
“It shows a lot of character coming off a loss last game,” Predators goalie Pekka Rinne said. “We knew that coming in it’s a huge game. Responded really well. It’s a good feeling obviously, but you already start thinking about the next one and trying to keep this momentum going.”
Defensemen Ryan Ellis and Roman Josi also scored, and Colton Sissons added two assists. The Predators outshot St. Louis 34-23, and they now are 6-1 this postseason.
Nashville coach Peter Laviolette said it was good to be home before a standing-room only crowd coming off a 3-2 loss in Game 2 on Friday night.
“It was awesome today,” Laviolette said. “That’s a credit to our fans and the energy that comes into this building.”