By JIM DIAMOND The Associated Press
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Ducks seem to welcome adversity this season, and they’re overcoming it at a historic level.
Urho Vaakanainen scored his first career goal with 3:51 remaining to lead the Ducks to a 3-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night.
Radko Gudas had a Gordie Howe hat trick with a goal, an assist and a fighting major and Cam Fowler also scored for the Ducks, who have won five consecutive road games, with four of those being come-from-behind victories. John Gibson made 29 saves.
The Ducks became the first team in NHL history to record six third-period comeback wins in the first 15 games of a season. The Ducks, who trailed 2-0 in the second period on Tuesday, lead the NHL with three multi-goal comeback wins this season and now share the league lead for the most comeback wins overall (six).
Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi scored and Juuse Saros made 17 saves for the reeling Predators, losers of four straight and six of their last seven.
With time winding down in the third, Vaakanainen beat Saros with a slap shot from the left point. He had not scored a goal in his first 78 career NHL games. He also assisted on Gudas’ game-tying goal.
Forsberg scored the game’s first goal at 1:03 of the second period and Josi doubled the Nashville lead at 14:28 of the second with a slap shot from the top of the left circle on a power play.
Prior to Josi’s tally, the Ducks had killed off 20 straight power plays.
Fowler beat Saros with a wrist shot from the right circle at 17:28 of the second. Mason McTavish assisted on Fowler’s goal, extending his point streak to three games and he has reached the scoresheet in ten of his last 11.
Gudas tied it at 4:11 of the third from the slot, scoring his third of the season. He scored two goals last season in 72 games played.
UP NEXT
The Ducks play at Colorado on Wednesday at 6 p.m. PT.