Rakell’s Goal, Assist Lead Ducks Over Predators 4-2

NASHVILLE — Rickard Rakell had a goal and an assist, John Gibson made 33 saves and the Anaheim Ducks beat the Nashville Predators 4-2 Thursday night.

Rickard Rakell Anaheim Ducks
Rickard Rakell, Anaheim Ducks (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

Josh Manson, Adam Henrique and Derek Grant also scored for Anaheim, which snapped a four-game losing streak. Cam Fowler and Ryan Getzlaf each had two assists.

Viktor Arvidsson and Mikael Granlund scored the goals for Nashville, which lost to the Ducks for the second time in two weeks.

Manson scored the game’s first goal at 10:01 of the opening period. From the left wall, Ondrej Kase found Manson in front, and after receiving the pass, Manson beat goaltender Juuse Saros with a wrist shot tucked just underneath the crossbar.

The goal was Manson’s first since Nov. 28, 2018.

Henrique doubled the Anaheim lead at 12:22 of the first. With the Ducks on a power play, Saros stopped Rakell’s shot from the left side, but Henrique skated in from below the goal line to fish the puck from between Saros’ skates and put it in for his 12th goal.

Saros made 23 saves.

Arvidsson halved Anaheim’s lead at 13:56 of the first when he redirected a shot from Roman Josi. Rakell made it 3-1 at 9:52 of the third, finding the rebound of Getzlaf’s shot from the slot.

Gibson’s best sequence of saves came right after Rakell’s goal. He made four stops in five seconds, denying Arvidsson twice and then two more quick saves on Nick Bonino from just outside the crease.

John Gibson Anaheim Ducks
John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

The teams traded short-handed goals in the third period.

Grant scored on a breakaway at 8:03 of the third, slipping a backhand between Saros’ pads. Granlund answered at 15:25 for his eighth goal of the season.

NOTES: Henrique’s power-play goal was Anaheim’s first in five games. … Getzlaf has 50 points in 43 career games played against Nashville. … The Predators are 3-13-4 when their opponent scores first this season.

UP NEXT

Ducks: Visit Carolina Hurricanes on Friday.

Predators: Host Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.

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Jim Diamond, The Associated Press