NHL playoff scores 2017: Ducks survive 2-goal implosion en route to critical Game 4 win

The Predators did not deserve to take Game 4 to overtime the way they played through the first 50 minutes of Thursday’s game. On the other hand, the Ducks absolutely did not deserve to win Game 4 the way they played the last 10 minutes of regulation.

It’s funny how hockey works sometimes. Narratives come and go over the course of a series, or even a game. Nashville finally looked out of sorts for the first time all playoffs, yet the Ducks threw a 2-0 lead away thanks to four third-period penalties.

Anaheim deserves credit for killing a 5-on-3 penalty with five minutes to play in the third period, but the Ducks should not at all have been in that situation to begin with. And still, despite losing a third-period lead in the final moments, the Ducks won 3-2 in overtime anyway because of an accidental tip in by P.K. Subban as the Predators defenseman was making the correct play in front of his own net.

So the Ducks head back to Anaheim with the series tied 2-2 after winning a game they shouldn’t have let go to overtime. The Predators’ home playoff win streak has been halted at 10 games, but what a ride it was getting to this point.

Sometimes, this is just how hockey works. The better team in Anaheim won but really didn’t deserve it by the final horn. The Western Conference Final is now a best-of-three with Game 5 looming back in California on Saturday. But Game 4 might just be the momentum swing the Ducks need.

Scores

Ducks 3, Predators 2 (OT) (Series tied 2-2)

Three Things We Learned

Yes, the Predators were playing that bad in the first two-thirds of Game 4

Nashville had just two shots on goal to the Ducks’ 14 in the first period. Pekka Rinne’s regression to the norm continued as he allowed a reasonably soft goal to Rickard Rakell to open the scoring for Anaheim.

After the first period, however, the Predators would outshoot the Ducks 29-17 over the final two regulation frames. They also dominated the third period with an 11-5 shot differential.

The Ducks go where Nick Ritchie goes

Anaheim doubled its lead in the second period on Ritchie’s fourth goal of the postseason. The 21-year-old rookie has really set the pace for the Ducks in the games in which he’s scored.

John Gibson is one lucky goaltender

The Ducks netminder lost his stick in the opening moments of overtime. Instead of playing without it or waiting for a stoppage to get it, Gibson went out behind his net while the puck was in his zone to retrieve it!

I can’t tell if that’s the bravest thing or the stupidest thing a goaltender has ever done. But hey, it didn’t backfire on him!

Impact Moment

The Ducks killed an extremely important and extremely unnecessary 5-on-3 Predators power play in the final moments. And yet, the Predators scored with the goaltender pulled with 35 seconds left to tie the game.

The kill likely won’t be remembered because of Anaheim’s collapse, but for a brief few moments it was almost series-changing. Also of note are the apparent missed calls against the Predators in those few seconds before the game-tying goal.

Conn Smythe Watch

Corey Perry’s overtime winner could change the course of this series. There’s a little bit of luck involved in the game-winner, but hey, that’s hockey! Also leading the way from this game is Filip Forsberg, who had the game-tying goal for Nashville in the dying seconds for his seventh goal of the postseason.