It begins in Nashville against the Western Conference-leading Predators, who have gone 16-6-1 through 23 games this season. What could be considered a strong stretch of games is somewhat of a slump for the Preds, who enter tonight's game with a 6-3-1 mark over their past 10 contests. Half of their losses in regulation have taken place over that period, including their lone defeat in overtime/shootout that came against the Ducks on November 12 at Honda Center. The Preds are coming off a 6-2 loss on Friday in St. Louis that snapped a three-game winning streak.
The Ducks come into tonight's game with points in four straight (2-0-2) and five of their past six (3-1-2). They earned a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory against the Edmonton Oilers on Friday afternoon that saw the Ducks tie the game with 16.2 seconds remaining in regulation and win it 14 seconds into OT. Nick Ritchie scored the game-tying goal, a rebound chance he buried for his first goal of the season, while Rickard Rakell provided the heroics in overtime when he banged home his own rebound for his 100th career NHL goal. The comeback marked just the third time in franchise history the Ducks had tied a game in the final minute of regulation and gone on to score in the opening minute of overtime. (Also March 31, 2014 vs. Winnipeg and Jan. 13, 2008 vs. San Jose).
Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf opens this road trip with a season-tying three-game point streak (five points, 2g/3a). The 33-year-old center leads the team in points (17) and points per game (.94), and co-leads in goals (6) and assists (11) this season. Ritchie comes in riding a career-high four-game point streak (1g/3a) while Brandon Montour has assists/points in a career-tying three-straight games (1g/4a). On the road, Jakob Silfverberg has six points (2g/4a) in his past six games.
Tonight's game represents the second of three meetings between the Ducks and Predators this season, and the lone game held in Nashville. The Ducks' 2-1 shootout victory over the Predators in the series opener also featured a perfect 7-for-7 penalty kill and a 34-save performance from John Gibson in regulation/overtime, plus 3-of-4 in the shootout. Gibson tied franchise marks for most saves and shots faced in overtime (stopped all 10 shots) - a record originally set by Guy Hebert on Feb. 3, 2000 at Philadelphia.
The Ducks have gone 39-24-8 all-time against the Predators, including a 13-17-3 mark at Bridgestone Arena. Getzlaf leads active Ducks in career scoring against the Predators with 43 points (13g/30a) in 38 career games.
