Predators advance to Western Conference Final for first time
After defeating Blues, Nashville will play Oilers or Ducks in next round
NHL.com @NHLdotcom
The Nashville Predators advanced to the Western Conference Final for the first time and will play the Anaheim Ducks or Edmonton Oilers.
Nashville defeated the St. Louis Blues 3-1 in Game 6 at Bridgestone Arena on Sunday to end their second-round series.
[RELATED: Complete Predators vs. Blues series coverage]
The Ducks lost to the Edmonton Oilers 7-1 on Sunday to push that series to Game 7, which will be played in Anaheim on Wednesday.
Nashville eliminated Anaheim in a seven-game, first-round series last season. The Predators also defeated the Ducks in six games in the 2011 conference quarterfinals.
Nashville has never played Edmonton in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Predators are led by defensemen Ryan Ellis (four goals, five assists) and Roman Josi (four goals, four assists), and forwards Ryan Johansen (two goals, seven assists) and Filip Forsberg (three goals, five assists). Goaltender Pekka Rinne is 8-2 with a 1.37 goals-against average, .951 save percentage and two shutouts.
The Predators lost two of three games against the Ducks during the regular season.
Video: STL@NSH, Gm6: Johansen nets backhand on the rush
Forwards Jakob Silfverberg and Nick Ritchie each had two goals, and center Ryan Getzlaf had one goal and two assists for Anaheim. Goaltender John Gibson was 1-0-0, allowing four goals on 36 shots. Goalie Jonathan Bernier was 1-1-0 with a 3.09 goals-against average and .894 save percentage.
Forsberg, Ellis, James Neal and Colin Wilson each had two goals for Nashville. Rinne was 1-1-1 with a 2.63 goals-against average, .919 save percentage and one shutout.
Nashville won all three games against Edmonton. Rinne had one shutout with a 1.95 GAA and .937 save percentage. Forward Viktor Arvidsson scored three goals, and Johansen had one goal and four assists.
Oilers goalie Cam Talbot was 0-2-1 with a 2.98 GAA and .909 save percentage against the Predators. Center Connor McDavid, who led the NHL with 100 points, had one goal and two assists in the three games.