The Nashville Predators (25-33-7, 57 points) snapped their four-game win streak with a 2-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks Friday at Honda Center.
Jakub Vrana was the lone goalscorer for Nashville, who capitalized on one power-play opportunity in the third period but failed to take advantage of a 5-on-3 later in the game.
Juuse Saros made 13 saves in the loss for the Predators, who outshot the Ducks, 28-15. Lukas Dostal made 27 saves in the loss for Anaheim.
How the Predators Lined Up vs. Anaheim
Stamkos-O'Reilly-Evangelista
Forsberg-Sissons-Marchessault
Bunting-Svechkov-Vrana
Bellows-McCarron-Smith
Skjei-Blankenburg
Del Gaizo-Stastney
Oesterle-Barron
Saros
Annunen
Extra: Englund
IR: L'Heureux, Josi, Lauzon, Wilsby
Forward Michael Bunting, acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins at the trade deadline, made his Predators debut in Anaheim. Bunting had recently undergone an appendectomy and was on IR at the time of the trade.
Predators at Ducks: Pregame Notes
- Steven Stamkos enters Friday's game on a four-game point streak; he has nine points (5 goals, 4 assists) in that span.
- Stamkos needs one goal to pass Mark Recchi (577) for the 22nd-most in NHL history.
- Ryan O’Reilly is two goals from 300 in his NHL career.
Predators at Ducks: Live Updates
First Period (NSH 0, ANA 0)
The Predators gave the Ducks a pair of chances on the man advantage with penalties called on Colton Sissons and Filip Forsberg, but Anaheim was unable to convert. Nashville finished the period with an 8-5 shot advantage, but there was no score after 20.
Second Period (NSH 0, ANA 1)
Despite being outshot by the Predators, Anaheim finally broke the scoreless tie off of a Nashville turnover at the 15:52 mark of the second period. Justin Barron broke his stick on an attempt to clear the puck out of the defensive zone, and Troy Terry took advantage with a snipe from the face-off dot to give the Ducks a 1-0 lead.
Third Period (NSH 1, ANA 2)
Jakub Vrana's first goal with the Predators was a big one on the power play. After drawing an interference penalty from Alex Killorn to give Nashville the man advantage, Vrana fired one-timer from the point that found the back of the net to tie the game at 1-1 at the 4:25 mark of the third period.
Nashville earned a 5-on-3 power play opportunity early in the third period but failed to take advantage.
Killorn restored the Anaheim lead at the 11:20 mark, when Trevor Zegras spun him a backhand pass in the slot for a goal to make it 2-1.