ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - Even one of the strongest teams in the NHL couldn't keep up with the streaking Anaheim Mighty Ducks.
Teemu Selanne had two goals and two assists and Ryan Getzlaf added four assists in Anaheim's fifth straight victory, 6-3 over the Nashville Predators on Friday night.
Selanne, Chris Kunitz, Corey Perry and Andy McDonald scored second-period goals to help the Ducks move into fifth place in Western Conference.
Anaheim is 9-2-1 since the Olympics break, with Jean-Sebastien Giguere in goal for seven of the wins. He made 36 saves Friday night.
The Ducks are also getting major contributions from their rookie forwards. The trio of Getzlaf, Kuntiz and Perry generated two goals and six assists Friday.
"We are playing great now," said Getzlaf, who set an Anaheim rookie record with his four assists. "We are playing with the little bit of confidence that you need."
McDonald also had a third-period goal for Anaheim, which has scored 35 goals in its last nine games.
"We're trying to play our style of game," Perry said. "We just go out every night and try to work as hard as we can and do our thing."
On Friday, the Ducks' style was to overwhelm a fourth-place Predators team that was equally hot, having entered the game with a five-game wining streak.
If the two teams maintain their current positions, they would meet in the first-round of the playoffs. Anaheim won the season series 3-0-1.
"They turned it on and we couldn't match them," said Nashville right wing Steve Sullivan, who extended his points streak to a franchise-record nine games with a breakaway goal in the first and an assist on Adam Hall's third-period goal.
Cliff Ronning had an eight-game scoring streak for the Predators in November 2001.
After Sullivan gave Nashville an early 1-0 advantage, Selanne's first goal of the game, on a late first-period power play, drew Anaheim even, despite being out shot 16-8.
"I thought we had a really good first period and we didn't capitalize on our chances," Predators coach Barry Trotz said. "We had four or five outstanding chances and Giguere made some big saves. Sometimes those come back to haunt you."
Anaheim's three skilled rookie forwards combined to give the Ducks a 2-1 lead 1:48 into the second. Getzlaf carried the puck into the Nashville zone and swept it to Perry cutting down the left wing. Perry quickly sent the puck back through the crease to Kunitz for a shot into a wide open net.
Selanne and Perry then scored in a 25 second span of the 12th minute of the period to make it 4-1. McDonald put in a rebound of Todd Fedoruk's shot to complete the second-period outburst with 1:52 to play in the period.
"Anything that happens out there, you don't see anyone panicking," said Getzlaf. "We're keeping it together and those are the things you have to do down the stretch."
Chris Mason replaced Nashville starting goalie Tomas Vokoun for the third period.
McDonald scored his second of the game on a power play in the third.
Notes: Selanne's plus-25 rating is the highest for an Anaheim player since Paul Kariya's plus-36 during the 96-97 season. ... Kariya is the third NHL player to hold the single-season assist record for two teams. He has a franchise-best 45 assists this season for Nashville and had an Anaheim-record 62 in 1998-99. Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton and Los Angeles) and Dennis Maruk (Cleveland and Washington) are the only other players to hold multiteam assists records. ... Jordin Tootoo also scored for Nashville.
