LDN - Sports

Ducks' special teams dominant vs. Predators

[October 27, 2016] ANAHEIM, Calif. -- The Anaheim Ducks accomplished something Wednesday night they hadn't done in 23 years of existence

Anaheim scored three power-play goals and two short-handed in the same game for the first time in club history, more than enough to dispose of the visiting Nashville Predators 6-1 at Honda Center.

"I don't know if you can take that blueprint and expect that many more times throughout the year," Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said of the special teams play.

Nashville had not played since Saturday and the Ducks were in action Tuesday night in a 2-1 overtime loss in San Jose, but it was Anaheim that started strong before putting the game away with five goals in the second period.

"We got three out of the possible four points," Carlyle said of the back-to-backs. "If you would have said that going into San Jose, which is a tough building to play in, and then coming back and meeting a rested Nashville team, we'd have our work cut out for us. So, that's a big positive from our standpoint."

The Ducks scored their first goal of the game on the power play following a holding call on Roman Josi. Antoine Vermette, who centered the top line in place of injured Ryan Getzlaf, passed the puck from the wall in the Nashville zone to Michael Sgarbossa near the far circle. Sgarbossa made a quick feed to Nick Ritchie in the slot and Ritchie slid the puck past Predators goalie Pekka Rinne at the 2:57 mark of the opening period for his second goal of the season.

The Ducks, who combined for 15 goals in the first seven games, delivered power play and short-handed goals in the first 10 minutes of the second period to take a 3-0 advantage.

The Predators, who came into the game 9-for-19 on the power play this season, second-most efficient in the NHL, began their second man-advantage situation at the 4:06 mark of the second period after Korbinian Holzer went to the box for high sticking during a scramble in front of the Anaheim net. Shea Theodore and Jakob Silfverberg sprung loose on a 2-on-1, however, and Theodore slid the puck to his right, past the sliding defenseman and onto the tape of Silfverberg, who pocketed the fifth short-handed goal of his career for a 2-0 lead.

It was then Anaheim's turn for the man-advantage and the Ducks didn't waste any time capitalizing, as Silfverberg sent a blast from atop the left circle and past Rinne for a 3-0 lead at the 9:30 mark of the second.

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After a Corey Perry goal, Andrew Cogliano would add another short-handed goal in the period to chase Rinne, and Ryan Kesler potted a power-play goal in the closing minutes. The Ducks, who came in 3-for-23 on the power this season, were 3-for-3 through the first two periods.

"We've got to be tougher to play against," said Nashville coach Peter Laviolette. "Specialty teams just swung the pendulum tonight in the wrong direction. Short-handed goals, power-play goals, they were just too much for any team."

The Predators finally cashed in on the power play at the 7:43 mark of the third period, with Colin Wilson preventing the shutout for Nashville.

"We've got to do a better job of just being harder to play against, defending our goaltender better and defending our end better," Laviolette said. "We gave up too many chances."

The Ducks, who has seven short-handed goals all of last season, have three through eight games this season.

Anaheim goalie John Gibson made 28 saves in his sixth start this season.

NOTES: Ducks top-line C Ryan Getzlaf was scratched after suffering an upper-body injury in Tuesday's 2-1 overtime loss at San Jose. Getzlaf, the team's leading scorer, was a game-time decision. ... The Ducks also recalled G Dustin Tokarski from the San Diego Gulls of the AHL after G Jonathan Bernier left the San Jose game with an upper-body injury. ... Ducks C Rickard Rakell skated with the team Wednesday morning, the first time since signing a six-year contract extension Oct. 14, but said he still needs a full practice before he's ready. ... The Predators are beginning a five-game road trip, which matches their longest of the season, and G Pekka Rinne, C Mike Fisher, RW Craig Smith and C Colton Sissons are back in the lineup after a bout of food poisoning sidelined them Saturday in the 5-1 victory against the Penguins. ... D Matt Irwin and LW Harry Zolnierczyk were the healthy scratches for the Predators. D Clayton Stoner was also scratched for Anaheim.

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