Predators 3, Ducks 0
Pekka Rinne recorded his 100th career victory in style by turning aside all 20 shots he faced as the Nashville Predators posted a 3-0 home triumph over the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday.
Captain Shea Weber collected a goal and an assist, Patric Hornqvist netted his second tally in as many contests and Martin Erat returned after an eight-game absence to score his first goal of the season.
With the win, Nashville has defeated Anaheim in seven of the last nine regular-season meetings. The Predators also bounced the Ducks from the Western Conference quarterfinals last season.
A Vezina Trophy finalist last season, Rinne secured his second shutout of the season and 22nd career - although he was only required to stop three shots in the third period. The 28-year-old Finn improved to 7-2-2 with a pair of shutouts in his regular-season career versus Anaheim.
Hornqvist whipped the Bridgestone Arena faithful into a frenzy as he backhanded a puck past Jonas Hiller for a goal just 14 seconds into the contest.
Erat, who had been sidelined with an upper body injury, doubled the advantage with 61 seconds remaining in the session after wiring a shot past Hiller. The tally was Erat's first since he scored in Game 3 of the conference quarterfinals.
Hiller finished with 26 saves for Anaheim, which has dropped two of three on its current seven-game road trip.