Preds Sweep Back-to-Back Set, Beat Ducks to Win Sixth Straight

Nils Hoglander has his entry for goal of the season. 

Hoglander recorded a goal and an assist - as did Jayden Struble - and Shane Wright added a goal and two helpers as the Nashville Predators defeated the Anaheim Ducks by a 4-2 final on Wednesday night at Honda Center. Not only did the result snap Anaheim’s win streak at five games, but the Preds also extended their own win streak to six, a mark that’s best in the NHL. 

Struble, Hoglander, Wright and Steven Stamkos all tallied for Nashville, and Justus Annunen made 27 saves to give the Preds a sweep of their back-to-back set through Southern California to begin their five-game trip. And what a start it’s been. 

“We're rolling right now,” Wright said. “I mean, those are great wins in tough buildings, and also tonight, a back-to-back, that's a really good team. Great wins, and it really feels good.”

“It was a tough game in this building and with that team...so we had our hands full all game, but I thought we hung in there exceptionally well,” Preds Head Coach Andrew Brunette said. “I thought we had spurts for a game that were pretty good. But I really liked our detail in the defensive zone coverage… For our group, that was a gutsy win. [It] wasn't pretty, but we kind of knew in these back-to-back situations, we're sort of been built for this all season. We've gone through a bunch of these, and we just stacked another one on tonight.”

The Ducks had the better of the chances in the early going, and they took a 1-0 lead midway through the first period when Cutter Gauthier beat Annunen down low. But then, just 21 seconds later, Shane Wright found Struble alone in the slot, and the defenseman roofed a shot for his third of the season to tie the game. 

And in the second stanza, it was Hoglander who submitted his entry for goal of the season. Off a feed from Struble, Hoglander collected the pass as he was driving to the net, and while running out of room, deked and went between his legs with a shot that beat Ducks netminder Laurent Brossoit, much to the delight of the Nashville bench. 

“I mean, that's special,” Wright said of Hoglander’s goal. “I don't know how he has the thought to do that. I definitely couldn't pull it off, but I mean that's an unreal play and pretty sweet goal.”

“I mean, you're kind of, ‘what? What's he doing?’” Brunette said. “And then went in. It was a big goal for us...their line was exceptional tonight.”

In the third, Wright potted his first with the Preds to give the visitors a two-goal lead, and after Anaheim Captain Mikael Granlund brought the Ducks back within one, Mavrik Bourque found Stamkos for the dagger to give Nashville their 10th victory of the season. 

“We're playing as a unit,” Wright said. “We're four lines in all 60 [minutes], and both goalies have been unbelievable. It's been just a team effort from everybody. Everyone is chipping in and everyone is contributing. We're playing as a unit right now, and it's fun winning. It's fun playing like this.”

Indeed it is, and with four different Preds with multi-point nights - including the 800th career point for Captain Roman Josi - Nashville continued to get contributions up and down the lineup when it mattered most. 

“That's what a team is - everyone chipping in and everyone doing whatever they can,” Hoglander said. “If the first line doesn't score, the fourth line scores. I mean, it's just a team effort, and that's what a good team is.”

Notes: 

Nashville’s lineup remained unchanged on Tuesday night with Jonathan Marchessault remaining out with a lower-body injury. Defensemen Nic Hague and Ilya Lyubushkin were scratched. 

Per NHL Stats, Roman Josi (205-596—801) became the fifth defenseman born outside North America to hit the 800-point milestone, following Nicklas Lidstrom (1,142), Erik Karlsson (954), Victor Hedman (817) and Sergei Gonchar (811).

Josi (19 GP) became the fastest Predators player to record 20 assists in a season, besting Steve Sullivan (20 GP in 2003-04).

Preds defenseman Adam Wilsby appeared in his 100th NHL game. 

With their back-to-back set in Southern California complete, the Predators will now lead to Las Vegas to meet the Golden Knights on Friday evening before meeting San Jose and Minnesota later in the trip.