After scoring three goals and providing two assists, Draisaitl has 21 points against the Ducks in 11 regular-season and playoff games in 2016-17. This set the tone for Neal to net the first goal of the game for Nashville, assisted by P.K. Subban and Roman Josi.
Predators goalie Pekka Rinne was under fire all night.
Johansen had an assist on Josi's goal, then scored his first goal of the series and second this postseason with Arvidsson getting his first point against St. Louis on the primary assist.
Rinne's best stop came halfway through the final period when he made a pad save in the goalmouth off Canadian Kyle Brodziak, allowing the Predators to go on and advance to their first National Hockey League semi-final series in the team's 19-year history.
They handled the Blues in six games. The two teams will face off in Game 6 on Sunday at 2 p.m. CST.
"I actually didn't know until the warmups, but I was ready, since the day when playoffs started", Jaskin said.
After the Blues squandered that five-on-three late in the first, and the remainder of a four-minute power play to begin the second, Jaskin quelled any sulking by notching a goal to help the Blues score first for the first time in the series.
Capitals Look To Even The Series In Pittsburgh
The Ducks kicked off their comeback thanks to this non-goaltender interference call on Ryan Getzlaf's tally to begin the second. But not every man is considered one of the best players in his sport to never win the Cup, never mind play for one.
The Blues' unexpected playoff run went deep into the second round, but ended Sunday with a 3-1 loss to Nashville at Bridgestone Arena.
Rinne had nine saves during the first period, but it was clear the Blues were going to smother Rinne all night. Allen ranked just behind Rinne among stingy goalies this postseason, and the Blues had been the NHL's best team after coach Mike Yeo replaced Ken Hitchcock on February 1. The Rangers have won four consecutive home games this postseason.
The Oilers didn't show mercy in the second period, with Anton Slepyshev scoring just 45 seconds in on a feed from Patrick Maroon.
Alexander Steen had been nursing a lower body injury since Game 1 of the Blues' 1st round series against the Minnesota Wild and had not practiced throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They are playing to be the first Predators team to win the first two series and play for a Western Conference title.
Nashville equalized at 13:50 on a 5-on-3 power play after Pietrangelo and Patrik Berglund each took minors on the same rush.
The Predators needed only 35 seconds into the second to tie it up.
The Edmonton Oilers, meanwhile, went from weekend laughingstock to big-time winners thanks to a 7-1 blowout of their rival Anaheim Ducks in a series-evening Game 6.
Comments