Predators 5, Ducks 1
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Nashville Predators kept their hot start going at the expense of a team that knows a thing or two about fast starts.
Defenseman Ryan Ellis and center Colin Wilson each collected a goal and two assists Thursday night as Nashville dumped the struggling Anaheim Ducks 5-1 in Bridgestone Arena.
In improving to 6-1-0, the Predators broke up a scoreless tie with three second period goals, then added defenseman Mattias Ekholm's slapper at 3:03 of the third period and Wilson's power-play tally at 18:18 to cap the scoring and up their home record to 4-0-0.
Goalie Pekka Rinne (5-1-0) turned away 27 shots, although he lost out on his 38th career shutout when left winger Jiri Sekac potted a power-play marker for Anaheim at 12:15 of the third.
It was the season's first power-play goal for the Ducks (1-4-1), which have been outscored 16-6, a 180-degree turn from their 32-8-2 mark in the first month of the last three seasons. Anaheim canceled out two of their five power plays by taking minors less than a minute into its man advantage.
Anton Khudobin (1-2-0) stopped 24 shots for the Ducks.
After a scoreless first period in which Anaheim outshot Nashville 10-6, controlling the flow of play, the Predators erupted in the second period.
Left winger Eric Nystrom opened the scoring at 3:40, turning a nice setup by left winger Austin Watson into his second goal. Watson won a race for the puck in the neutral zone and fed Nystrom in the slot.
Nine seconds after a Nashville power play expired, Ellis made it 2-0 at 12:47, bombing a one-timer past Khudobin for his first goal.
Center Mike Ribeiro added his first goal of the season at 17:00 with a slapper from a bad angle that appeared to strike Khudobin in the leg and trickle across the goal line.
NOTES: Anaheim D Clayton Stoner (lower-body injury) returned to the lineup after missing the last three games. ... Nashville Ds Ryan Ellis (knee) and Barret Jackman (upper body) and LW Austin Watson (upper body) returned to the lineup after sitting out Tuesday night's 5-4 shootout win over Tampa Bay. ... The Ducks scratched D Korbinian Holzer, who made his NHL debut Sunday night in a 4-1 win over Minnesota, and RW Tim Jackman. ... Predators scratches included D Anthony Bitetto, D Victor Bartley and LW Viktor Arvidsson.