NASHVILLE — In this latest episode of the long war between Head and Brick Wall, the outcome stayed the same.
The Anaheim Ducks threw all of their guns at once at Pekka Rinne and the Nashville Predators, but it all exploded into space. They used up all their sweat equity in tying the score, 3-3, in the third period and even had a power play after that. But Nashville killed that off, and Colton Sissons got his third goal of the night, three seconds later, to key what became a 6-3 win in Game 6, ending the Western Conference Finals.
It was the third time in seven seasons that Nashville has eliminated the Ducks, but this was by far the most poignant.
It sent the Predators into their first Stanley Cup Final, to begin Monday against either Pittsburgh or Ottawa, and it frustrated a Ducks squad that had repeatedly proven they cared little about the depth of the holes they found themselves in.
In this game they had 41 shots on goal to Nashville’s 18 and finally found a way to subvert Rinne, who was brilliant when Nashville ousted the Ducks last year, and again in this first period.
But Nashville’s quickness and opportunism flared up again when Sissons captured a puck, gave it up, watched Calle Jarnkrok get to it an instant before Corey Perry could, and went to the left side of the net.
Jarnkrok swung it in Sissons’ directions, and Sissons beat Jonathan Bernier, who was a shaky replacement for John Gibson (hamstring).
That happened with six minutes left, and Nashville picked up two empty-netters after that.
“They got more dirty goals in this series than we did,” Coach Randy Carlyle said.
He also lamented the fact that the Western finals began only two days after the Ducks had eliminated Edmonton in a seven-game second round.
“There has to be some consideration given to that,” Carlyle said. “It was a tough hand that was dealt to us. Had we started on that Saturday instead of that Friday, it might have made a difference.”
The Ducks fell behind 2-0 early but killed off a 5-minute major that Nick Ritchie earned by boarding, and bloodying, Victor Arvidsson. Ritchie also was ejected, which meant the Ducks were missing three significant wingers, counting Rickard Rakell and Patrick Eaves.
But that kill seemed to energize the Ducks, and their long comeback crested when Cam Fowler beat Rinne from near the Nashville blue line, as Corey Perry belabored Rinne in front of the net.
Then Roman Josi was given a delay penalty for flipping the puck over the boards. But the power play produced one shot, one offside, and nothing else.
“They did a good job boxing us out,” Carlyle said. “We couldn’t get bodies in front of Rinne like we wanted, and we let him see too many shots.”
Both teams had significant injuries, but the Predators’ replacements had more impact. Sissons was promoted to the first line when center Ryan Johansen was injured. The 23-year-old has had eight regular-season goals in the NHL. Now he has eight postseason goals, and his Wikipedia page had already been updated to characterize him as a “Canadian professional duck hunter” by game’s end.
“We were missing two 30-goal scorers,” Andrew Cogliano said, referring to Rakell and Eaves. “At the end of the day, they’re a good team but I don’t think they’re much better than us.
“You go from having a power play and maybe having a 5-on-3 to giving up a goal. Sometimes, in these games, it’s not meant to be. There’s no reason why it shouldn’t have gone our way tonight, really. We scored three goals and probably should have had five. You have that many shots and lose, it kicks you a little hard.”
With reflection, the onus will again fall on those who are best-equipped to bear it.
Ryan Kesler had no goals and one point in the series, although he had numerous looks in Game 6. When the locker room opened, he was still in full uniform, his head slumped and covered by a towel.
Getzlaf was active and visible but still got on the scoresheet only once in the six games, and that was a three-assist game.
Bernier, who was starting his first playoff game after 255 regular-season starts, was challenged to maintain a rhythm, because the puck was on the other end for so long. Nevertheless, he had chances to bail out the Ducks in outnumbered, open-ice situations and did not.
When it ended, Getzlaf called it the worst feeling in hockey, although most of his mates felt nothing by then, numbed by the undefeated Brick Wall.