Ducks 4, Predators 2
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- An early three-goal outburst led the Anaheim Ducks to a 4-2 win over the Nashville Predators on Sunday night at the Honda Center.
Right winger Chris Stewart accumulated a goal and two assists as the Ducks (2-7-2) broke a five-game losing streak. Center Rickard Rakell and defenseman Sami Vatanen each added a goal and an assist, and goalie Frederik Andersen made 40 saves for his first win of the season.
Defenseman Shea Weber and center Calle Jarnkrok scored for the Predators (7-2-2), who lost for the third time in four games after winning six of their first seven.
Anaheim, which entered the game with a league-low 10 goals, scored three in the first period, including two within 12 seconds.
Rakell became the first opponent to score a first-period goal against the Predators this season. With just 1:11 gone, Rakell deposited a backhanded shot from the right-wing post across the crease past goalie Carter Hutton, who made his second start of the season.
Vatanen extended the Ducks' lead to 2-0 with a slap shot from the top of the slot at 11:08. Then center Andrew Cogliano received a pass from right winger Jakob Silfverberg, skated from the blue line and converted a wrist shot from the top of the right faceoff circle at 11:20 for a 3-0 advantage.
The 12-second span was the quickest between two Ducks goals since Anaheim scored twice within 11 seconds on Jan. 19, 2013, in Vancouver.
Nashville got on the board with a power-play goal at 5:23 of the second period. Weber scored his third of the season by propelling a slap shot from the left point past Andersen while the Predators had a 4-on-3 advantage.
Stewart extended Anaheim's lead to 4-1 with nine minutes left in the period. Stationed at the left-wing post, Stewart converted the rebound of defenseman Korbinian Holzer's shot from the opposite post.
Jarnkrok's wrist shot from the left circle drew the Predators within 4-2 at 12:59.
Hutton finished with 24 saves.
NOTES: Nashville scratched D Victor Barkley, D Anthony Bitetto and LW Eric Nystrom. ... The Predators, who did not allow a first-period goal in 10 games, entered Sunday night's contest within two of the NHL record to start a season set by the Los Angeles Kings in 1974. ... Predators C Cody Hodgson played in his 300th career game. ... Anaheim scratched C Ryan Getzlaf, RW Tim Jackman and D Joe Piskula. ... Getzlaf performed light drills Friday, two days after having an appendectomy, and received treatment Saturday. The team has set no date for his return. ... Ducks GM Bob Murray said Friday he would give coach Bruce Boudreau more time to reverse the team's losing course. "I'm not inclined to make rash changes. I'm going to be patient," Murray said after the Ducks returned from an 0-4-1 road trip.