Ducks defeat Predators in shootout

ANAHEIM -- Patrick Eaves scored the only goal of the shootout in the fifth round, and the Anaheim Ducks rallied for a 4-3 victory after twice trailing by two against the Nashville Predators at Honda Center on Tuesday.
"I'm usually a later-round shooter," said Eaves, who was acquired in a trade from the Dallas Stars on Feb. 24. "I got called a little earlier tonight, and I was fortunate it went in."

WATCH: All Predators vs. Ducks highlights
Eaves said Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne is difficult to score against because he's so big and plays angles well.
"I was just going to try to get a quick shot off and, hopefully, make it so he has to react to it," he said. "Fortunately, I got it over the pad."
Ducks goalie Jonathan Bernier made four of his 24 saves in overtime before stopping Ryan Ellis, James Neal, Viktor Arvidsson and Ryan Johansen in the shootout. Filip Forsberg, who scored his Predators-leading 27th goal, shot over the net in the bottom of the third round.

Ryan Getzlaf had three points (goal, two assists) and set an NHL career high with 19 faceoff wins in 26 tries for Anaheim (34-22-10), which is tied with the Edmonton Oilers for second in the Pacific Division, seven points behind the first-place San Jose Sharks.
Rickard Rakell tied the game 3-3 with his Ducks-leading 27th goal with 58 seconds left in the second period.
Nick Ritchie got Anaheim within 3-2 at 13:19 of the second, 1:50 after Forsberg scored shorthanded to give Nashville a 3-1 lead.
Forsberg has 11 goals and five assists in his past nine games.
"We were up 3-1 and we gave them a chance to come back," Rinne said. "That shouldn't happen at this point of the season."

The Predators (32-24-10), who lead the St. Louis Blues by three points for third in the Central Division, were 19-3-5 when scoring first, and they scored the first two goals against the Ducks.
Colin Wilson curled in front of the Anaheim net and stopped a pass from Neal on his forehand, then scored with his backhand at 4:26 of the first period to make it 1-0.
The Predators went on the power play 46 seconds later, and Ellis, who missed a 5-3 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday with a knee injury, scored on a one-timer from the top of the left faceoff circle to give the Predators a 2-0 lead at 6:23.
Getzlaf scored on a rebound on the power play to cut the Nashville lead to 2-1 at 14:16 of the first. It was Anaheim's first power-play goal in 10 games.
"I thought the first period was a decent period for us," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "Penalties kind of got in the way in the second period. We lost rhythm a little bit."

Goal of the game

Getzlaf took a shot from the high slot that hit Eaves in front of Rinne. Eaves and Rinne couldn't find the puck, but Ritchie saw it lying near the crease and swiped it into the net.

Saves of the game

Bernier got his glove on Forsberg's shot from the right circle at 2:28 of overtime, and Ducks defenseman Brandon Montour swept it away. Bernier gloved Forsberg's shot from nearly the same spot 20 seconds later.

Highlight of the game

The Ducks had momentum after killing off a Predators power play to start the second period and then getting the man-advantage just before the midway point of the period, but Anaheim defenseman Cam Fowler turned over the puck at his own blue line. Forsberg took a pass from Calle Jarnkrok, and his wrist shot from the top of the left circle went in over Bernier's glove.

Unsung performance of the game

Kesler, held without a goal for the ninth straight game and a Ducks-worst minus-2, won 16 of 22 faceoffs, including the draw that led to Anaheim's first goal.

They said it

"They just played harder, they worked harder, battled harder. We didn't deserve much out of that game." -- Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis
"We stuck with it. Earlier in the year, at these times, we'd let things get away and start taking more penalties." -- Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf

Need to know

Predators defenseman P.K. Subban has 13 points (one goal, 12 assists) in the past 11 games after he got an assist on Ellis' goal. ... Ellis has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in his past 12 games. ... Getzlaf has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in the past 10 games. ... The Predators have scored at least one power-play goal in nine consecutive regular-season games against the Ducks.

What's next

Predators:At the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday (10:30 p.m. ET; SN360, SNO, FS-W, FS-TN, NHL.TV)
Ducks: At the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday (8:30 p.m. ET; CSN-CH, KCOP-13, NHL.TV)