Predators 3, Ducks 2
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Anaheim Ducks controlled play for much of Tuesday night's game, but Pekka Rinne stole two points for the Nashville Predators.
Collecting 38 saves, the Nashville goalie led his team to a 3-2 win over the Ducks at sold-out Bridgestone Arena.
The Predators (11-3-3) finished their five-game homestand at 3-1-1, collecting points in the last four games. They open a five-game road trip Friday night against Columbus.
Ducks goalie Frederik Andersen (3-6-4) saved just seven of 10 shots before being pulled in the second period. Backup Anton Khudobin stopped all 11 shots he saw, but it wasn't enough to keep Anaheim from falling to 6-9-4 overall and 2-6-1 on the road.
Nashville opened the scoring at 9:33 of the first period as defenseman Shea Weber ripped a slapper past Andersen on the power play. It was Weber's sixth goal of the season and his fifth with the man advantage.
Center Rickard Rakell equalized for Anaheim at 10:47 with a pretty wraparound for his third goal of the season, but Nashville left winger James Neal made it 2-1 at 13:14 when his wrister from beyond the blue line snuck through Andersen's legs.
Nashville right winger Miikka Salomaki deflected defenseman Mattias Ekholm's wrister past Andersen at 6:13 of the second period, upping the Nashville lead to 3-1.
Rinne collected 19 saves in the second period, robbing left winger Carl Hagelin on a breakaway just before the period's midway point. Rinne made 10 more saves in the third period, conceding only a rebound goal by center Mike Santorelli at 5:33 that drew Anaheim within a marker.
Ducks right winger Corey Perry had a golden opportunity from the left side of the net in the last 20 seconds with Khudobin on the bench for a sixth attacker, but his wrister thumped into Rinne's pads.
NOTES: Anaheim LW Andrew Cogliano skated in his 641st straight game Tuesday night and has never missed a game in his career. His streak is the seventh-longest in NHL history. ... Nashville C Paul Gaustad (lower-body injury) skated Tuesday morning but didn't dress for the game, sitting out his fourth straight game. ... Ducks scratches included D Josh Manson (flu) and C Michael Sgarbossa. ... The Predators scratched Ds Anthony Bitetto and Victor Bartley.