Dostal's 39 saves leads Ducks over Predators 5-3
Anaheim Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal (1) catches the puck as he defends the goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. Credit: AP/George Walker IV
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Troy Terry scored a goal and assisted on another, Lukas Dostal made 39 saves and the Anaheim Ducks defeated the Nashville Predators 5-3 on Tuesday night.
Ryan Strome, Frank Vatrano, Mason McTavish and Radko Gudas also scored for the Ducks, who snapped a five-game losing streak. Alex Killorn and Jackson LaCombe each had two assists.
Alexandre Carrier, Philip Tomasino and Denis Gurianov scored and Juuse Saros made 28 saves for Nashville, losers of two of three.
“We didn’t start on time again,” Nashville coach Andrew Brunette said. “That first period was our worst period, by far, of the year.”
Strome scored the game’s first goal at 11:12 of the opening period.
Just eight seconds after serving a tripping penalty, Strome was sent in all alone on a breakaway by a 100-plus foot elevated backhand pass from the left faceoff dot in the Anaheim zone by Killorn. Strome made a move on Saros before slipping a backhand between the goaltenders’ pads.
“Strome’s goal, (Killorn) punted it out and landed in a real great spot to pick it up and score,” Ducks coach Greg Cronin said. “Overall, we’re looking at how we’re playing with structure and how competitive we are to get pucks back so that structure actually works out in scoring chances.”
Anaheim Ducks defenseman Pavel Mintyukov (34) passes the puck away from Nashville Predators center Colton Sissons (10) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. Credit: AP/George Walker IV
Vatrano doubled the Anaheim lead at 14:11 of the first when he redirected LaCombe’s shot from the left side past Saros.
On his 23rd birthday, LaCombe had his first career two-point game.
“It was a fun game, and I thought we played really well,” LaCombe said. “It was a big bonus, so it was fun.”
McTavish beat Saros with a tough-angle wrist shot just underneath the crossbar at 17:37 of the first with the Ducks on a power play to make it 3-0.
Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Strome (16) celebrates a goal with left wing Alex Killorn, right, during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Nashville Predators, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. Credit: AP/George Walker IV
“Not good enough, not nearly good enough from anyone,” Nyquist said. “Unacceptable.”
Terry scored at 3:05 of the second on a tap-in off of an Adam Henrique feed.
Like Strome, Gudas scored soon after serving a penalty, with Gudas’ coming at 3:16 of the third, 10 seconds after he left the penalty box.
Gudas’ goal was his sixth of the season, equaling a career high.
Carrier spoiled Dostal’s bid for his first career shutout with a shorthanded goal at 9:45 of the third.
Gustav Nyquist assisted on Carrier’s goal, extending his point-scoring streak to nine games.
Tomasino and Gurianov scored late in the third.
The Ducks played most of the game without top line left wing Trevor Zegras, who was injured just 6:25 into the first period when he and Predators forward Juuso Parssinen got tangled up. Zegras fell awkwardly into the boards near the Nashville bench. He had to be helped off the ice and went straight to the Ducks locker room. At the first intermission, the Ducks announced that he would not return due to a lower-body injury.
“He’s not doing good, he’ll be out for a while,” Cronin said after the game.
Zegras was playing his eighth game back after missing 20 with a lower-body injury.
UP NEXT
Ducks: Visit Carolina Thursday.
Predators: Visit Dallas Friday.
