Ducks ready for another Game 7, will host Predators

NASHVILLE -- The Anaheim Ducks will play a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs at Honda Center for the fourth consecutive season when they host the Nashville Predators in their Western Conference First Round series on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVA Sports).
The Ducks have been eliminated in a Game 7 in each of the past three postseasons. They lost to the Detroit Red Wings in the first round in 2013, the Los Angeles Kings in the second round in 2014 and the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2015 Western Conference Final.

Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau doesn't believe their recent history in the playoffs has anything to do with what will happen Wednesday.
"It's a new team, new time," Boudreau said. "Every year is different, every day is different and we're looking forward to the game."
The Ducks, after the Predators won Games 1 and 2 on the road, won three consecutive games before losing Game 6 to Nashville 3-1 at Bridgestone Arena on Monday. Anaheim's players said if they would have known there would have been a Game 7 after those two games, they would have taken it.

"I think on a positive note we started two in the hole in our building," Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf said. "If we would've said we would've had a Game 7 after that, we would've been happy with that. We've got to look at it that way and come ready to play."
The Ducks have been a resilient team all season long. They were in last place in the Pacific Division for the first two months of the season and battled back to win the division. The opportunity to be able to play a Game 7 at home was part of what they played for and they have a chance to take advantage of that Wednesday.
"You have to, and that's why we play all year," Ducks forward Corey Perry said. "You want to play for that home ice, and that's what we did. We've been solid at home, but it's a Game 7. I mean anything can happen, and you just go out and play hockey. I think if we do a lot of things that we did in games three, four, five, we'll be alright. We had a few breakdowns [Monday] and it cost us."
Anything can happen in a winner-take-all game, and the Ducks know that. They believe the game will come down to which team executes the best in all three zones.
"Nothing needs to be said," Getzlaf said. "We've got to go out and do it. There's no big speech or anything when it comes to Game 7. Everyone knows what they're doing, and we've got to go out and execute better than the other group."
The Predators will play in a Game 7 for the first time in their history.